Still there in this Google May 2023 view:
Now that is a firehouse Mark. Ours downtown is red, and dang big. I don't know when it replaced the prior firehouse as I imagine it had to be replaced considering how big and modern ours is now. I believe it was built either very late 60's or very early 70's, 73 the latest. Looks great though. I really like the roof.
@Mark Boyce posted:Thank you, Richie! Yes Alton, New Hampshire! I found the fire house is right up at Alton Bay. I hadn’t seen anything about it burning and torn down, but it sounds like you are familiar with the community.
My family has summered at Lake Winnipesaukee for over 100 years. We rarely get down to that end of the lake, but I'm familiar with it and, from Dave's google map, it looks like it's still there - near the channel. It might have been the West Alton firehouse that burned down.
Thank you, Dave, Dave, Richie! It looks like a great place for a vacation! The photographs I see of the lake look great! That would be dandy if you get down that way, Richie! Don’t go out of your way, though. It looks like Dave found a good image.
Volunteer fire departments around here are having trouble getting volunteers. They are also merging, pooling resources, and when able building larger fire houses with several bays. A heavy equipment operator bought the vacant fire house closest to us.
Morning Mark, sorry I am a week late but wow what a wonderful job on the fire house! It sure is nice when things come together so smoothly like the way you make it look!
Thank you, Mike! Better late than never, as they say. I hope the new job is going well for you.
I'm moving on to something that I'm not so good at, that is carpentry. I made a somewhat permanent lift-off framework for the corner Idaho Hotel scenic section. It looks rough, but is surprisingly sturdy, and it is relatively lightweight. As is always the case, I used what I had on hand. I used some 1x2 poplar, and some hardboard I had removed from the backdrop sections that were too high for my purpose. The white boards are from an old decoration my wife had discarded. The thought is that I will make the hotel removable, as with any other structures on the layout. After removing the building(s), I will be able to lift this section off and set it on the floor in the adjacent room. Then I will have access to anything underneath. I am guessing I will make the rocky cut in the foreground and hillside to the right of the hotel permanent and the lift-out will seat up next to them with some ground cover hiding the seam.
I shortened it a bit from the mock-up to allow normal access to the two track switches. I'll make a rocky hillside much like you would find along a river, since you can see the edge of the track support where the double track bridge lowers into place. I still need to make some pockets to set the legs in for proper alignment, but it is secure enough it isn't going anywhere for the time being.
Here it is as you walk in the room. The placement of the hotel is approximate at this point of course.
Here is a better view of the little station scene underneath. I'll figure out something to make it a little vignette. I think the verticle separation is enough to not be distracting.
I'm glad I had time to do this now. I'll be getting out-patient surgery on my back Wednesday, July 12th. I have a herniated disc and stenosis at L2, just above my L3-L4-L5 fusion I had done 2 years ago. All of that is pinching the nerves going to my thighs and knees, causing pain with movement and intermittent loss of leg strength. I have to be very careful and have been not doing things that can cause me to fall. Recovery will be like the fusion but expected to be 3 months instead of 1 year for full recovery. Back to the no lifting, then adding pounds in increments. Taking that all into consideration, I'm looking forward to it.
That said, I have two kits to choose from when not working on the layout. One is a laser-cut River Leaf Models one-story brick sandwich shop-diner and the other is an Atlas O plastic car dealership, brick with big windows. I've had the laser-cut one for several years, so that may be the choice, but I may try my hand at a plastic kit again like the signal tower. I have a week and a half to decide and gather up kit, tools, paint, etc.
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Mark, the benchwork looks like it will do just fine. Great idea making it removable. Best of luck on your surgery!
Gene
Good luck Mark and I hope your recovery is swift. It’s amazing what is done on an outpatient basis anymore.
Jay
Mark,
Overall your creativity on this layout has been wonderful. You really have found a way to make it all work, and the hotel vignette is no exception. I also like how you are planning to do the build projects during your recovery time. I'm sure which ever kit you decide to build will come out great and the focus will bring out some additional creativity. Most importantly take it easy before and after your surgery.
Dave
Mark,
Best of luck on your surgery. I hope the surgery and the recovery all go as well and as speedily as possible. If I can help you in any way, please don’t hesitate to ask.
All the best,
Rubin
@Mark Boyce, Mark, page 93 already, Wow, your buildings look so good, I love the firehouse and the hotel, very nice. You must be partly a magician with your use of space, lots of nice work in a modest space. Once you get the scenery in place, it’s going to be a spectacular layout, a fun to run railroad. You have come a long way and I’m so glad I’ve met you along the way. Keep up the excellent work. Happy Railroading Everyone
You always amaze me at what you can do with detail, planning and creativity. This is just another example of all of that focused on this section.
Best wishes on your surgery, you will be in our prayers for sure and hoping for a painless recovery.
Coming along very nicely Mark!
Add me to the chorus Mark. The buildings are coming along nicely. We all have to take liberties with size, scale, and placement on our layouts. After all- our trains run on 3 rails.......
Best wishes for you and a speedy recovery from the back surgery. Chronic back problems suck.....
Bob
Mark, your layout is looking great! I you would like to get more done before your surgery, but if you think about it now is a good time for you to get your back done.
That way you can have all winter to work on it as your back will be better by then! I have faith that you will make the best of the situation!
I pray for a fast recovery!
Thank you, Gene, Jay, Dave, Rubin, Larry, John, Alan, Bob, Mike!!!
I figure as long as the benchwork is functional, it will eventually be covered with scenery so won't be noticed. Sort of like framing a house. Yes, I certainly need to make all track accessible because we know where the trains will derail or the track will fail! 
I certainly appreciate the comments about creativity and figuring out how to cram as much into an 11x11 room, but not make it look crammed. I have so many folks here on this forum to thank for inspiration, ideas, and encouragement!!
When digging out the sandwich shop from a large plastic tote bin, I also discovered another small kit, BTS Greely's Place which is a boarded up cabin. I bought it at least 15 years ago when I dabbled in On30 because HO trains and models were getting too small 
I barely started it when my mother-in-law enticed us to buy her in-law's house 12 years ago. I put it away and then discovered OGR Magazine in a Giant Eagle grocery store near where I worked. It was the issue that featured Dave Minarik's now closed Mercer Junction Train Shoppe store layout about a 45-minute drive from home. The next Saturday, I visited Dave and came home with a RailKing train set. It wasn't long before I sold the On30 engine and cars and the rest is history.
I think I will hold off on Greely's Place until later when I decide to make it either boarded up and in disrepair as BTS intended, or make it a decently maintained and occupied cabin which would fit into my West Virginia layout. So, I will probably make the River Leaf Models Texas Tavern, which I had Andre make custom signs for Burger Hut here in Butler, Pennsylvania. The kit is a hole-in-the-wall place just like the Burger Hut here on Main Street. It's a pretty easy build when compared to the Thomas Station and Greely's Place.
I wasn't going to mention the surgery here, but thought I would have to since the layout construction will come to a halt. I will be glad to get it done. I don't want to dwell on it here, but many thanks for prayers and well wishes. @leapinlarry Larry, I am certainly glad I met you last summer, especially since I wasn't able to endure the car ride we had planned for this past April.
Hey… this forum is sort of like group therapy for train guys. If you're having a physical challenge, we provide the moral support to get you through it. Sharing is part of the deal… at least that's how I view it. Do exactly what the docs say to do. Expect it to take about a year before things really feel normal. Don't take any shortcuts and you'll be crawling under and over the layout before you know it. We're all here for you.
Layout is looking great! Speedy recovery from your surgery! You'll be back at it in no time at all.
Wunderbar!
I couldn’t have said it any better.
Get well soon, Mark.
