Post Number 100

Well, this is the 100th post on my JSSX Railway blog. I started writing this blog for about 3 reasons...1st, just to see if I could do it, 2nd, to give me a little something more to do, and 3rd, I thought it might help keep me going as I chip away at my railroad.

I guess there should be confetti and balloons falling at this point, but I thought I'd just look back through some of the first 99 posts.

From the very first post, back in September 2017, here's JSSX switcher 1317 sitting outside the short-line engine shed.



The abandoned and boarded up tower from November 25, 2017. This is actually my 2nd model of this tower, as I totally messed up the first one when I warped and shrank several pieces of the wooden laser-cut kit. Well, I'd never put one together before...I didn't know it would warp or shrink. Lesson learned.



From December 17, 2017 here's an early view of the extension to the JSSX shortly after I had started working on it.  This area had been the main focus of my efforts for the year.



And the same view from just 3 days ago.  It was originally intended to be served by the Grand Trunk, but after careful consideration I've changed that just in the last couple of weeks. I think the short-line is better suited to switching this area, so now it's JSSX territory!

From April 10, 2018, is my scratch-built model of ACME Welding.  Very pleased with how this model turned out, as I'd never really scratched anything before. I worked from photos I'd taken of the prototype welding shop in London, Ontario. You can see where I've located it, in the photo above just to the right of the abandoned tower.



June 16, 2018 featured this closed and abandoned warehouse, a favourite of mine, which sits just beyond the JSSX freight yard.  That's the JSSX work train sitting in front of the warehouse.



October 20, 2018 featured this ex-Milwaukee Road waffle box, which I'd weathered following a prototype photo. This was my 2nd crack at weathering this car, as I'd never really liked how it turned out the first time. The buildings in the background have changed since that time, as the one on the right is now grey brick (re-painted it one day), and the shorter building on the left is moved to another location altogether on the layout.



November 3, 2018 saw this new oil storage operation that has been tucked into a corner on the layout, providing a place for my tank cars to go and bringing additional traffic to the JSSX. Switching cars in and out of here is a little more complicated as it involves a switchback and a runaround track in the street.



And on January 5, 2019 this boxcar conversion was finished up, concluding about 3 weeks of off and on work.  It's a sister car to SP 615243. I like them both the way they are, so I have no plans to weather either of them

So, that's a look back at some of my favourite happenings of the first 100 posts on the JSSX Railway blog. Thanks for looking, I hope you enjoy seeing what I'm trying to do here and will continue to check in to see whats up on the JSSX.

Jim