well, least it never gets boring at ur house 
Oh nooooooooooooooooooooooooo
I love the Pizza layout
Ralph
The end for the “wedding cake” layout:
Months to build - Hours to dismantle. As of tonight the upper pizza has been safely set aside, all the track is up and the raised platform has been taken apart, the ballast has been the toughest stuff to get up, but its slowely coming together.
The foam has been kept aside, I will try to reuse as much of it as possible
Vic whats that open space outside in last picture? Looks like Vics future garden RR to me.
Thats part of the driveway, I don’t have any “trackage rights” outdoors.
Got a big tree ? They’re putting all kinds of things in trees now 
I bet with the first “tree house” railroad, Garden Railways might not be the only publication to feature your layout
Ralph
Got the base cut to size, added new 1x6 trim boards around, the Pizza is in place, because of the way the base is built I moved the fiddle yard to the side and placed it on a removable cassette. Coming together very fast, Heres the latest sketch:
(http://gold.mylargescale.com/vsmith/Layout-Major_Downsize_BASEBOARD.jpg)
I realized I’ve gone backwards in time, back to early on the life of this layout when I added a small addition to the side , now though its got a much better support base and alot more experience under the belt.
Pic from long ago. Come full circle it seams to be right back where I started. New pics soon as I can.
Update: New 1x6 trim boards around and painted, added new cassette on the side, working on making a new girder bridge section to go over the steel trestle side.
Finally got the last piece of the puzzle:
Its attached to the portable itself, not the base, its some 1/8" plywood, basswood strips and some cardstock, makes a girder bridge over the old trestle, its not perfect, it still needs a couple tweeks, but at least I dont have to tear out the high bridge, it looks reasonably believable to me and gives it alot of visual interest.
Update pics Begin the crushing!
(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/vsmith/Layout-Major_Downsize_08.JPG)
The Chapel of Sister Mary Elephant has found a new home on the layout
(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/vsmith/Layout-Major_Downsize_09.JPG)
(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/vsmith/Layout-Major_Downsize_12.JPG)
So has the drug store, it actually fits rather nicely in that spot
(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/vsmith/Layout-Major_Downsize_10.JPG)
(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/vsmith/Layout-Major_Downsize_11.JPG)
The mine is now literally the center of things
(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/vsmith/Layout-Major_Downsize_13.JPG)
Tincan Junction had to keep its tin can now didn’t it.
(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/vsmith/Layout-Major_Downsize_14.JPG)
Eye level vinette’s
(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/vsmith/Layout-Major_Downsize_15.JPG)
Never mind the postrate Mariachi’s, one too many margaritas last night
Updates! still a work in progress but its getting close
(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/vsmith/Layout-Major_Downsize_16.JPG.JPG)
added a scenic element at the rear tool layout area, its easily removable and used up alot of the foam from the wedding cake
(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/vsmith/Layout-Major_Downsize_17.JPG)
ground level view at the front
(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/vsmith/Layout-Major_Downsize_18.JPG)
and at normal eye level
(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/vsmith/Layout-Major_Downsize_19.JPG)
reworked mineshaft, right in the center
(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/vsmith/Layout-Major_Downsize_20.JPG)
coming around the back at the almost finished scenic element, with a facade mine and the added drug store
(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/vsmith/Layout-Major_Downsize_22.JPG)
more of the rear
(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/vsmith/Layout-Major_Downsize_23.JPG)
Coming around to the other side of the added rear scenery
(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/vsmith/Layout-Major_Downsize_24.JPG)
(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/vsmith/Layout-Major_Downsize_25.JPG)
(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/vsmith/Layout-Major_Downsize_26.JPG)
The side fiddle yard area, with the Bachmann coal/mine tipple, reworked mine into industrial building, made from LGB piers, this whole section is also removable as is the Pizza itself.
(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/vsmith/Layout-Major_Downsize_27.JPG)
the relocated water tower. I’ve run out of ballast and will have to stain some more Johnny Cat this weekend, its far too cold right now, it would never dry. Thats all for now
Still looks good with all the changes Vic.
You do amazing work Vic. I like how you can take anything and make it work and look great.
Looking good Victor… I have an ore chute under construction and you’ll have a whole layout finished before the ore chute is done!
Updates! The fiddle yard track is finally ballasted, and almost all the major scenery is completed
Added the speeder track siding, reconfigured part of the old mine building into an industrial/warehouse building, with the tipple in place.
Need to repaint this figure into a lost biker looking at a road map. More layers of scenery added as I go
Again more scenery, more junk behind the drug store
Managed to reinsert the infamous “shell hill” episode from my childhood
Lots of activity down by the station
I was able to reinsert this nice ceramic “ruins” peice back into the layout
The top of the layout, lots of figures added in
I think I am about 90% done, all thats left is inserting additional weeds, plants and rusty junk along with maybe a few more figures and details like mining tools and a few stray dogs, well see-I’m just going with whatever feels right now.
Now all you need is an 0-2-0+0-2-0 Garratt.
That aside, you’ve been doing a great job.
Final Updates! Added back the old old style motorized wagon typical of early trucks
seams to have suffered a break down
scenery finished at the fiddle yard sidings
around the shanty, added the velociped back
reworked the industrial buidling/station a tad, need to find a scale mouse for the cat to be pouncing on
still a few small things to finish, can always add more junk and scale trash but I think its 98% done. Be nice if I could take it to a show sometime, but my car couldn’t carry all of it including the base, would need a van at least. We’ll see what unfolds.
Some one stick a fork in it, I think its done!!!
Excellent job, Victor.
Never a dull moment
Ralph
Piddles the cat has finally found something to chase…must be hungry!
The cat is from a toy “CAT-a-pult” that flings these across the room. The birds are repainted doves from the “California Mission Church” building kits from Micheals Crafts. These are a great source for building details if you live in California.
Simply amazing, you’ve got more detail and action in such a small area, than I’ve got going on in my whole back yard.