That crazy Bruce!

It's been a crazy summer and while I've had more time that usual to work on the train, I've been putting things off. Recently, Bruce and I exchanged some emails and set "a train play date" as Lisa calls them and I suddenly had some motivation - I mean he can't come over and see NO progress, right?
I managed to get enough of the new barn built to place it on the layout and I put in a new fence between Isaly's and the East Yard and glued down some brick roads and sidewalks in Uniontown. That, plus the base I built for LAS Fabrics would have to do.

Isly's Deli with a border fence, brick road and sidewalk

It's always great catching up with Bruce and we talked about our summer, upcoming travels and then focused on the layout. Like the email exchange, it was inspiring getting his perspective and thoughts on what we could do for some of the scenes and I was pleased that the trains ran fairly smoothly while we were talking.
Then he dropped the bomb.

Purchased backdrop for Herminie

We were discussing backdrops and I like the one I purchased for Uniontown. I talked about what I wanted to find for behind the mine in Hermine, a backdrop for the city scene in East McKeesport, and the corner of the layout between the two.

Same backdrop in the corner

"What do you think about painting a backdrop?" he innocently suggested.
I may have sputtered the beer I was sipping, not sure. My artistic skills are limited to black and white...as in I think I can cover a white space with black paint. But, he talked me into it. We parted with him planning to pull the 1947 MR article that he thinks is the best How To on the topic and me focused on pulling sample photos from my PRR books for inspiration.
This should be interesting!