Progress at Villeneuve

I visited Louis-Marie yesterday to updage the project budget. While there, he shown me the different things he did during last week.

We also cut some plank to make railcar drawers for staging. It should handle about 125 freights cars + 20 locomotives. More than enough... I guess!

I was particularly impressed to see the new hole near Villeneuve. It seriously enlarge the perspective there a lot. I took some liberties and made a quick mock up of Brique Citadelle plant. I think it should do the job when vegetation will blend everything together.

The treacherous but subtle double S-curves in Villeneuve

We also found out some tracks could be modified to reduce derailment issues. This place is plagued with a tricky succession of gentle S-curves because of turnout arrangement. Over the time, we found out GMD1 were particularly capricious over this spot.

Getting rid of the S-curve with a #8 turnout

We think the overall appearance and operation reliability could be improved by replacing the left #6 turnout with a right #8 turnout. We have many of them on hand so it should to hard to modify. Better make the move now than later.

Finally, I also received my 2 Atlas GT NSC newsprint boxcars. Out of the box, the models are truly beautiful. Our only complain is the bright blue scheme. I real life, they quickly weather into a nice baby blue shade. I think Atlas did a good job, but with the loonie taking a plunge for the worst lately, don't count on me buying more expensive cars in the next months. Canadian economy doesn't look promising and I have no intention of spending like a mad man over rolling stock (well, to be honest, the fleet is almost completed and it's just a convenient lie to start working on stalled projects!).