I'm back from a little train break for the past few months. After playing the game of musical chairs w/ kids rooms, etc it turned out that the baby would wind up getting the room the layout was in. My wife was kind enough to give me the office downstairs to put a layout in, so that's what I've been working on of late.
My youngest son is obsessed with the trains, so my goal is to make a semi realistic looking layout but not go crazy on detail & fragile buildings & accessories. This way the kids could touch them & I don't have to worry. So that means Lionel or MTH buildings instead of Woodland Scenics for example. Remember, it's ALL about getting kids involved & making it be fun! Hope to have some pics soon to share.
One thing I did recently get was the Lionchief+ Conrail Rectifier. Have to say I'm pretty impressed.

I spent a few days in PA each of the last 2 months documenting the PRR signals on the West Slope in their final days as well.












After 20 years of shooting up there, this would become my final frame of a PRR signal on the Pittsburgh Line.
Signals were removed from service a few days later -

Some other highlights from the past few months -











