State of the Railroad

I thought I would use this posting to go over the current state of the E&P by looking at what was accomplished this year, what wasn't and what I hope to get accomplished next year.

Let's start off with my main goal for 2016, which was not met, and that was wrapping up the planting of trees.  But I do have an excuse.  Walmart stopped carrying the 98¢ gray paint that I had been using for the tree trunks.  This put me into such a deep depression that I could not face trees for the next seven months.  (I just went back to prepping trees last week.)

However even with the main goal for 2016 missed I did get the following done:

1. The Easton Lumber Company sawmill in Lacey Springs was completed.
2. A faulty switch machine at Swift Run was replaced.  Not an expected nor easy task.
3. All of the track painting was completed.
4. The Crooked Run Trestle area was completed.
5. Hood Brothers Packing was completed and this completed the Hood area.
6. The Brooke station was completed and this completed the scenery from Hood to Thorny Point.
7. The Stanley area was completed which completed the scenery from Hood to Stanley with the exception of Furnace.
8. Five model T Jordan car kits were completed and placed on the layout.
9. The street and sidewalk grading in Thorny Point was completed along with the initial layout of the buildings.
10. The JMRI interlock system and supporting CPU/operating system was upgraded (not an expected task).
11. Eight operating sessions were held bringing us to a total of 143 sessions.
12. The CEO made and served 86 lunches bringing her to a total of 974 lunches!

Now for my plans for 2017.

My goals (in priority order) are:

1. Hold at least ten operating sessions.
2. Once again I hope to get all of the trees planted.  (I think I found a paint substitute at Walmart for $2.00 per can.  I will get a can for testing and if it works out I will probably purchase a case.)
3. Finish the Moormans and Lynch rivers which will finish all of the water except the Potomac River at Thorny Point.
4. Finish the Thorny Point area also except for the Potomac River area.
5. Complete the two Model A sedan and two Model A pickup truck Jordan kits (that were started back in June of 2015) and get them on the layout.

While this is a much shorter list than above, the tasks are far more complex and getting them completed in 2017 will be a struggle.  And most likely other unexpected tasks will come up to fill in the list.

If I accomplish these goals then all of the mainline scenery will be complete.  The only scenery that will be left for 2018 will be the town areas which will include Furnace, Hopkins Spring, Lacey Springs, Broadway and White Hall.  And that will take more than a year.