Update From March 2026

Barn Update

It’s been quite a while since I’ve done an update here. However, I think it is time to do updates again. I have plans for the 2026 construction season. There are several areas of the barn that I plan to update this year, which will get us to the point where I can create the train room.

• The Backroom / Workshop Area
  • We did a lot of work back here since the pictures were last taken. Brand new doors, 3 new walls, and all the old stuff have been ripped out. We installed temporary work benches from repurposed kitchen counter tops.
  • I’ve started building a nice level floor that is insulated so we can properly heat the space.
  • Electrical service has been added with improved lighting.
  • This year, the rest of the floor will be built, and the wall between the front of the barn and the backroom will be rebuilt and properly insulated. I will also be creating built-in storage shelves on the east wall.
  • The stairs to get upstairs will also be rebuilt this summer, reconfiguring the layout of the south side of the room.
• Upstairs / The Train Room To Be
  • The upstairs of the barn is currently unfinished. It’s 129 years old post and beam construction. We’ve had some work done to add collar ties as well as 3 half-inch steel cables that handle the structure.
  • The plan for this summer is to add plywood to the floor to stabilize things. I will also be adding 2×4 studs from the new floor height to the beams to provide some wall structure protection for the next step.
  • We will be spray foaming the entire wall and roof structure to create a very large insulated room. The upstairs is 50x 27 ft with a ceiling height at the center of 14 feet to the peak from the floor.
  • After insulating, well cover the studs from floor to beam height. Everything above the beam will get painted with fire protective paint over the insulating foam. We’ll leave that all exposed.
  • We’ll be adding 3 different large ceiling fans to move the air. We’ll also be adding additional lights.
• Still be determined
  • How are we going to heat the workshop (downstairs, back room) and the upstairs?
    • Not sure yet.
  • What floor covering are we going to use?
    • Probably indoor/outdoor carpet
  • Control tower for the trains
    • Given the structure of the west side of the room, we can add a raised control tower that will allow for some track Walk Under (no ducking required) to allow us to continue loop track options when we set up the layout.

Future Posting

I plan to post more in 2026 to keep things up to date. We will be taking pictures as we go.