Long update

I realized I haven't updated this in quite some time.  I've made some significant progress on the river channel end of the layout.

Background - I printed out a couple appropriate buildings for the background, plus a Corps of Engineers derrickboat for the channel.  I'm not sure if I printed these in the right proportion, but they look okay so far.  I couldn't really get them any bigger.  

Sand distributor - in Buffalo along Route 5, there's a sand distributor that receives loads of sand from self-unloading lake freighters.  Colloquially it's known as "the dunes" because sometimes they have huge mounds of sand there.  I tried my best to scratchbuild/kitbash something looking like this.

I used a combination of a Walthers Grain Surge Bin, a Walthers Grain Conveyor, the end building from the Walthers power station, and two pieces of PVC pipe.  I feel like what I've built, while not completely accurate, effectively conveys the look of the complex.

I still need to put scenery around there.  Piles of sand, some bushes and weeds, and a front end loader.  It fits the need for a focal point for that space, in transition from the steel mills to the river.

I hate using any of those piping things.  I built them semi-connected, because I knew they wouldn't stay that way.  The buildings are semi-secured like the houses were around 4 nails inside.  The silos don't stay that way very well.  I learned you can't really glue PVC pipe to anything, but that styrene sorta stays on.  I at least glued the surge bin and conveyor to a piece of styrene so they would stay together.  I guarantee at some point this will come un-done.

Up next:

1. Scenery around the sand distributor.

2. I bought a pack of SuperTrees - I'll have to try to make some.

3. Start scenery around the brewery.