Printing Car Cards and Two‑Position Waybills for Zones 1–3
Printing Car cards and two‑position waybills for 94 car spots across all three zones, creating realistic freight cycles for smooth, prototype‑inspired operations.
Laying Out the C&NW Yard
March 1st marked yet another major turning point for the Cedar River Valley: the day the C&NW Yard, representing Zone 1 of our layout, finally began taking physical shape. After weeks of leveling modules, installing wiring, and confirming alignment across all twelve sections, the focus shifted from carpentry to trackwork—the moment every modeler looks forward […]
Twelve Modules Standing
February 27th marked one of the most transformative days in the Cedar River Valley project so far. After months of planning, building, wiring, and steady progress, all twelve modules were finally stood up and locked into place. For the first time, the full footprint of the layout existed in three dimensions, not just on paper […]
A Full House and a Productive Work Session
February 1st brought one of the most energetic and enjoyable work sessions the Cedar River Valley has seen so far. The layout room was filled with good company as Thomas Heilman, Ron Copher, and Al Lesky from the River Rail Group joined fellow S scale modeler Charles Sherman for a full afternoon of hands‑on progress. […]
The First Modules Arrive
Just before the end of the year, the Cedar River Valley reached an exciting milestone: the first module sections arrived on December 23rd, built by Dan Benjamin of the River Rail Operations group. Up to this point, most of the work had focused on the Zone 2 shelf and the early shaping of the layout’s identity, […]
The Beginning of Construction
Construction of the layout officially began on August 10th, marking the start of what has already become a deeply rewarding and creatively energizing project. At that time, the railroad carried the working title Midwest Grocers Association, a name chosen mostly as a placeholder while I focused on benchwork, early track planning, and the first structural […]
Welcome to the Cedar River Valley
Welcome to the Cedar River Valley website—a home for the ongoing construction, research, and storytelling behind my S scale model railroad set in 1968 La Crosse, Wisconsin. If you’ve followed the project through social media, or if you’re discovering it for the first time, I’m glad you’re here. This site brings together the layout’s history, […]