The start of Converse Jct. and Antelope mine

Little by little its getting their. I seem to always find myself standing at the cross road of Rebuild Ave. Every time I come to that point it seems i take rebuild ave, then, I look back at the photos I had once taken and say to myself "why did I start over that was looking awesome"  I wish someone would tear that sign down!

trains take back to the track

The engines are back out on the short tempory code 80 track. This small loop section will be the tracks to one of the largest coal mine in the powered river, Thunder mine.

Tack laying tools for a cookie cutter roadbed

Laying easements haven't been so easy using a cookie cutter roadbed for me. Until recently i had only known how to do it but no tools or idea how to go about it.The biggest roadblock was not being able to layout a large radius accurately. I've no idea ware you would get a 24" compos. I tyred measuring out string and wire. String proved to be to stretchy and while the wire worked ok it was very inaccurate. I don't know why, but I never thought of using a narrow strip of metal or wood, but once I had seen it done.. DUH!
The very simple method works great for laying out accurate radius and easements. I started with a 24' radius and marked down and up from their at 1 3/4" this is my mainline track centers. After I marked the various track centers that i will use on my mainline I went 1/4 each side of those marks. This will be the easements that I'm using. you can use whatever track centers and easements you want, i used 1/4 as it was recommended for broad curves in the Track planning for realistic operation book i have.

To draw out the radius and easement (in this case 18 3/4) measure back 19" from the straight leg leading into the corner. You have to add the easement your using to the radius otherwise your not going to have one.



I also marked out cut lines

Here's the radius layed out ready to cut. 18 3/4 C/L and E is the easement

Once the roadbed has been cut and installed onto the layout i draw in the easements. To make it a little more simple to follow i have used some colored pencils.  The offset and radius have been drawn in, now we can draw the easement.
In order to draw the easement mark off a point on each side of ware the offset and straight leg cross, I used 10" but was suppose to use 5".

once each side of the cross is marked layout some pins, nails etc along each side of the C/L's to hold a yard stick or something similar to make a natural curve. Trace the straight edge and you have a easement for your curve.

Heading in a new direction

My lack of updates have stemd from a complated track plan, thoughts into turnouts and turnout control and a want to switch from code 80 to code 55. The freelanced BNSF route I planed just wasent what I want. My passion is unit trains and to be more exact, coal unit trains. Also i want to allow for multipul loop runing of trains. Most of the time i will be the only one useing the layout so this will alow me to have some traffic in the way. Trees for the kirtland route where another issue, i would need far to many. so to cut the cost of trees an open plains area would be idea. with all this i decided apon the famous Power river. 4 track main, open fields, rolling hills, lots of trains running and coal.

Singing the Blues

The sky's are blue and I'm singing the blues but its not because I'm covered in blue paint. The photo shots of the sky refuse to pick up all the color that can be seen. The sky looks good in person, not great but good, it don't show in the pictures. A repaint is in the works and now I have some experience. I made one big mistake in thinking i could replace the nylon brush with a foam brush for blending. Now though a brand new nylon brush waits in the wings. I am banking that a second coat of blue will help darken the sky.

    

A milestone on the Kirtland Route

I have finished drywall work on the peninsula and with that the backdrop is completed and primed.
It is ready for paint but first theirs a few loose ends to finish up.
I have a few more pieces to install on the bech work and only Four more lights to install and wire!

No news is good news?

Not in the case of a model railroad, all that means is no progress has been made and thus; the story of the Kirtland Route for the past few months.

The latest project, and what will be the last of the drywall work, has been rounding off the end of the peninsula backdrop. My original plan was too cut some 3" PVC in half and wrap the 1x4 in it. I thought it would bend enough to fit, however it proved to be too rigid. I use some 3" pipe that we use for sleeve at work much more flexible and does not shatter like PVC. It worked out perfectly once I remembered to bring a section home.

I realized theirs not many photos of the trains on the track so here's a few.