Panarama Views of the LVN

Running Chris Lyon's LVN (Lyon Valley Northern) is always a blast as your trains traverse beautiful countryside scenes and huge industrial complexes.  The image above shows a lengthy coal drag passing behind the Glycol plant.  Photo Ron Newby.

Here is a similar shot taken at a slightly different angle without the coal drag.  Note the lovely lake in the foreground to the right.  Chris is an amazing backdrop painter and his work allows the layout to "go on forever".  Photo Ron Newby.

Here is the view at the bottom of the stairs when you enter the basement.  The container terminal is in the foreground to the left and the BNSF engine facilities are to the right.  Photo:  Chris Lyon

A closer look at the container terminal with the huge structures towering above in the background.  Chris has made great use of a central divider which offers a backdrop for a number of scenes.  Photo: Chris Lyon.

The large yard here offers long sidings for the many trains.  You can see the cut of coal cars on one of the back tracks.  Photo:  Chris Lyon.

BNSF Executive units haul the coal drag around the bend by the lake during an ops session.  Photo: Paul Smulders.

It's all smiles from Joel, Bob and me as the three of us take in the action in what looks to be a busy section of the layout.  Photo:  Paul Smulders.

Chris, the mastermind behind the layout, is observing the action in the distance while Ron and I check our train orders.  Monique is on a stepstool working the yard over by the grain silos.  Photo: Paul Smulders.

Chris shared this image with us of his Richmond Yard area.  This yard acts as a time saver, a clever inclusion into the overall train operating scheme.  It is challenging and rewarding!

Chris used spray bombs to help paint the large walls of his grain elevators.  He snapped this image in the middle of an ops session.

Paul Smulders snagged this shot of the coal drag passing the 3rd class Canadian Northern station I built for Chris.

Chris S. is working Richmond Yard as Joel is all smiles running the layout!  Photo:  Ron Newby.

Paul and I look over Chris's handiwork during a short break in the action.  Photo:  Fred Adams.

Across the lake we see some real beauties resting in the BNSF engnie shop in this photo taken by Chris of his layout.

This distant shot shows the size of the layout room with five of the many operators pictured in one shot. Photo:  Paul Smulders.

Chris snapped this photograph of the diesel engine idling beside CN Elsbeth Tower, named in honour of his daughter.

Chris also captured this shot of the Northern Alberta Railroad (NAR) diesel entering the diesel facility at Richmond Yard.

Paul Smulders was very impressed with Chris's magnificent mine complex and his photo can only capture a fraction of the entire facility.

Yes, you can plainly see that it's smiles everywhere whenever the Friday Night Crew runs trains.  Monique had camera in hand to get a shot of Fred, Bob and Joel kibitzing during the session.  While these images were taken at an earlier session, we will be visiting Chris's layout this coming Friday evening for more fun and camaraderie!