For quite a few years now the scenery on the layout has never been finished. I like a realistic scene though, and I’ve been considering updating it.

Late in the summer I took a road trip to Kansas and got right in the country that the layout is supposed to represent. In doing so, I drove through a lot of small towns and it gave me some ideas toward changes.

Short version is I’m experimenting now with the setup seen below.

Several things are moved from where they have been for years, most notably the gas station, the grain elevator, the warehouse, and the stock pens. Across the highway from the gas station is a hamburger stand (or a stand in for it), and the bottom edge of the photo is the edge of downtown of the town. With the grain elevator off on the siding now to the right. I’m liking the general outline, and will as the fall progresses make an effort to flesh out the new setup more, and fill in details like grade crossings and such.