Chuck, Jan, and Rich have been giving me assistance with stabilizing the New Castle peninsula that I'm reusing from the V1 layout. We have placed footers under each of the leg sets and added vertical stiffeners to the footers. We added additional cross-braces across the legs to help solidify this peninsula. These braces weren't necessary on the V1 layout because this peninsula was anchored to the wall at one end, but it is somewhat freestanding in the middle of the V2 layout. We have also secured all the New Castle peninsula footers to the floor, and we attached the New Castle peninsula to the "new" benchwork and installed the fascia support at Broad Run. We have also worked on aligning the rail joints on the Sandy Ridge/Craig Creek/Laurel side of the New Castle peninsula.

I have installed the subroadbed behind the backdrop for the James River paper mill at Catawba. I also laid all of the Vinylbed for the James River spurs.

In Catawba, I laid track to finish the Catawba Propane/Alleghany Building Supply spurs along with installing the Valley Feed spur and the turnouts and track for the James River Lead. Moving to Abbott, the Craig Creek Chip Co. and Martin Marietta spurs and turnouts have been laid.

I have spent some time updating the layout plan in 3rd PlanIt. I added Knob Creek in Catawba, and I've done some extensive redesign of the Covington and Carpenter areas, along with some minor changes at Ridgemont and High Meadow. I updated the web site with all of the lower level layout design changes, including the town and industry changes. Be sure to check the What's New page as I'll post a notice when the upper level changes are added to the web site.

With the upper level design work completed, I printed all of the 3rd PlanIt templates from Laurel to Pearson Curve. I then started assembling templates in preparation for cutting subroadbed. I finished cutting the subroadbed from Laurel to north of Shenandoah Junction, and I've cut risers for this subroadbed along with the NS CR&E Division Charleston, W. Va. staging yard.

Larry also came over for a Saturday work session. He and I cut the subroadbed for the NS CR&E Division Charleston, W. Va. staging yard. We installed the risers and subroadbed at Broad Run to tie the "new" benchwork to the "old," resulting in a milepost being accomplished. We also installed the fascia support board at Laurel. We then installed risers and subroadbed from Laurel to the curve just south of Shenandoah Junction, Va., resulting in yet another major milepost.

The pictures below show the bulk of the progress that has been made on the Shenandoah Division since the last report.
 

Overall view of Catawba showing the completed James River Lead and Vinylbed installed for the three James River Paper Co. spurs that will curve behind the backdrop.

Close-up view at Catawba showing the Valley Feed spur.

The Alleghany Building Supply spur is in the foreground near the south end of Catawba, Va.

Another overall view of Catawba showing the James River Lead in the background.

Benchwork and Vinylbed has been installed for the James River spurs that will be behind the backdrop at Catawba.

Another view of the James River spurs; total capacity at James River is approximately 40-45 cars.

Overall view of Abbott. The Martin Marietta (Abbott Quarry) spurs are on the short branch in the foreground, while the Craig Creek Chip Co. spur comes off the mainline in the background.

This photo shows the last piece of subroadbed to be installed on the lower level mainline between just north of Abbott, Va. over Broad Run. This piece of subroadbed links the "new" Catawba peninsula with the "old" New Castle peninsula that is being reused from the V1 layout.

Overall view of the aisle between Abbott and New Castle, showing newly installed subroadbed at the north end of Abbott in the Broad Run area.

Another view of Abbott. This view will not be possible once the backdrop is installed. The last piece of lower level mainline subroadbed is in the foreground.

Another view of the Broad Run area from behind the future backdrop looking into Broad Run Tunnel.

Another overall view of Abbott on the lower level. Chimney Rock Tunnel will be in the foreground; James River spurs at Catawba are to the left.

Another view of the Chimney Rock area at the north end of Abbott.

Overall view of the Laurel, Va. area at the end of the aisle. Dixie Plastic & Forming will be located straight ahead behind the mainline.

Another view of Laurel showing the future location of the Appalachian Power Company's Laurel Plant.

Overall view of the north end of the Laurel passing siding.

View of the horseshoe curve at the north end of Laurel showing the current end of subroadbed just south of Shenandoah Junction, Va.

Another view of the curve between Laurel and Shenandoah Junction.

This view shows the future site of Shenandoah Junction, Va. where NS trains from the CR&E Division will enter CSXT trackage rights.

A view of Laurel looking northward from behind the future backdrop.

Another view of Laurel showing the connection to the New Castle peninsula.

CSXT SD80MAC 801 crossing Craig Creek just south of Laurel on a work train testing newly repaired track.

Another view of the 801 at Craig Creek.