It turned to kindling after 1972… 
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Go for it!
There is no shame in a DNF - I have lots of experience 
So…the question becomes:
Will Team Mueller be submitting one entry this year?
Or will Oldest Daughter submit her own entry as well?
Maybe three, if they have the nerve to turn Kidzilla loose with a glue gun…LOL
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Alas, Oldest Daughter (O.D.) has stayed with the family project. I really hope she and her sister will “secede” one year and got it as a duo or independently…Kid-zilla, for his part, routinely grabs the TiteBond III, raids the “Gemuckabuckets” (organized scrap piles) and builds…things…one came out as a rather nice trash heap, in fact, and is now permanently installed near the loco shed.
We’ve had a couple nights discussing the topic this year, as it did not immediately generate a lot of excitement. “Right of Way” is a concept (like “chimney” a few years back) that has no immediate resonance for them with no functioning, commercial railroad and few legacy structures to observe. We have identified a need, however, and located a space. We’ll see where the collective napkins take us!
Eric
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Well this is a first but I don’t think I’m going to participate this year. I honestly truly cannot thing of something worthy to build. My outdoor layout really needs a big tweek, and thats adding another spur out of the yard so trains can leave the yard in other direction, but that means reworking the west side of the layout and also dealing with a reverse loop situation. Nothing I can’t handle, but it means alot of labor to pull up not just track but the bricks under and alot of the gravel fill and reworking the planter so thats rocks, plants and a few more bricks to be moved and adjusted. Again overall nothing I can’t handle but something for warmer Spring days not when its 47 outside like today.
The only thing I can think of is the reverse loop controller will need something like a small cabinet with weather protection doors to house it. But its not going to be anything pretty, just a plain shed shape made out of whatever 1x scrap material is available and painted with red primer like everything else on the layout and attached right below the power pack on the 4x4 post… I wasn’t planning to build it until all the gravel was up so I could run all the wiring at the same time.
So there it is. Something hideous or I get to play armchair engineer this year. 
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Vic’s ‘project’ sounds about on a par with mine. In my case, it’s just a station platform, a flat slab with detail bits atop it - though I’ll be tweaking adjoining sections as well.
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Hi Tim, My only concern is that it really “isn’t” modeling, not in the least bit. Its construction, part of the physical layout itself. Kinda not really what Mik had in mind. Wish I could think of something for the layout but I’m actively considering taking buildings OFF the layout to replace with rocks and rock formations. Just a thought I’ve been having.
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How many guys have signed on so far? I see some fan favorites will not be participating which is too bad. The Mik is a fun challenge and it gives us a chance to flex our modelling skills and imaginations. This years theme allows for most anything to be built from the simple outhouse to an engine house and more. I woke up this morning thinking about my planned sand house and realized that I used my last 1x5x8 to build a shelf for some rolling stock but I think I have some scraps I can rip up or I will be making a trip to Home Depot.
There has been suggestions to build something as simple as a culvert and that got me thinking about one I built this Summer to stop the Chipmunks from undermining the track. They now use the pipe instead of digging what turns into a sink hole. Here is a fun video for inspiration.
I do hope more sign on for the challenge because the more the better.
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Great video, Todd. Thanks for sharing.
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I like the smurf “crew” - is he the fireman, or just a freeloader catching a ride? 
That is really cool - and fun! You need a critter came to catch them using it 
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I have seen them using it but they are too fast to catch a photo of. 
I posted it to show how easy it is to build something with a purpose that might inspire some fence sitters to get into the challenge.
OK the 8th has started on the East Coast… and working West…
Let the fun begin …
RULE #1 comes first…
well some flies are in the ointment, we are hosting my wifes sister and husband for a month or 2 while their home is being finished and their current home sold, so there is absolutley no available workspace in the garage and no way to get to half the power tools, so I have to sit on the sidelines this year.
A question for Dave, can ROW be interpreted as the actual physical layout itself. I have an idea for expanding the Barrel of Fun layout but want to clear it with Dave first. It would be to modify it so I am using an R1 circle instead of the 3’ diameter circle. The reason is the plants are growing and I won’t be able to trim them back, plus I have a few trains that run on R1 but not the 3’ and absolutely will not run over anyway turnout on the outside layout. So what are the rules Dave?
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VIC, GO FOR IT…
I have only one Point…
RULE #1 Applies…
Wish I could enter this year. Working crazy hours due to all the COVID test kits and PPE Distribution for all of Los Angeles County Schools. I was planning to do an outdoor suitable version of the Yankee Girl Mine.
I know it was done a few years ago, but my layout is outdoors and I want to make the building to be placed outside.
good luck to all!!!
Wellllllll the first two weekends are in the books…
Great things are happening… still have 3 more to go… but don’t “Devon” it to much…
Tempest Fundy
The Third weekend is gone… only two more to go and get it done.
Some great builds in the works… and a trestle too…
Don’t Devon this week away…