The second layout we visited on Saturday night was Ted Schnepf and the Fox Valley O Scale layout. The tour guide describes the layout as:

“The Fox Valley O Scale layout is located in Ted’s home and is based on early and late diesel, Iowa secondary main line of the Milwaukee Road. It has two visible levels and two hidden levels. The club has proceeded forward with a new addition this year. Come see the progress they have made!”

You now enter the layout room through a new entrance, with a wide hallway and a few steps down into the old part of the layout. The existing railroad is multi leveled and has scenery. There are trains everywhere. We were standing in an isle and heard a growling above our heads and that when we realized there was a staging level above the ceiling tiles. One end had an opening with morrows to see the yard tracks. there is also a lower level staging area.

They have made nice progress on the new room which should more than double the railroad. I was happy to see some new layout building techniques being used like spline roadbed and multi-level shelves. They have a good crew and a lot of work in front of them. I look forward to seeing what progress they make by next year’s show.