BNSF POWDER RIVER

The start of Converse Jct. and Antelope mine

2011-12-29T16:26:00.000-05:00

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

2011-10-22T19:09:00.000-04:00

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

2011-04-17T17:03:00.000-04:00

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

2011-04-10T21:21:00.000-04:00

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

2011-02-06T14:15:00.000-05:00

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

2011-01-22T10:31:00.000-05:00

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?

2011-01-16T13:19:00.000-05:00

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.

Current events

2010-11-15T18:26:00.000-05:00

Major headway being made in the construction department is leaving me very optimistic and hopeful, i can finally see some light at the end of the tunnel. This was a 4 day weekend for me, gun season is piratically a holiday. But having Monday off the goals heading into the weekend where set high.
Friday

The shortest track holds two
C44-9W's and 25 coal cars

Reconstruction of hidden staging behind the backdrop was due up if anymore progress on the backdrop was to be made. All of the track their was previously used, some improperly gaped and was the first track installed to get trains up an running and some had seen its fair share of bumps. I intend to have block detection and signals. So the insulating gaps at the turnouts are placed far enough back so no equipment can hang into the turnout without that turnout being shown occupied.

With the track fixed the backdrop could be hung and muding proceeded.

Saturday
Not much time into the layout Saturday. Did some cleaning up in the room and wired the staging tracks.

Sunday

My goals for the weekend where to place hardboard above the top level lighting, give that area a more finished look, finish drywall work, and paint the yellow room something other then yellow.
By Sunday the drywall work was nearly finished, so my next agenda was to give the upper level lighting a finished look. The first thought was a drop ceiling with the frosted plastic stuff. First glance at parts seemed reasonable, but after a quick estimate i realized that i wouldn't be going that route. Instead i simply painted the visible bench work and hardboard flat black.

Leaving Sunday the hardboard was cut & painted, half the bench work painted and only one more drywall seam to finish up.

Monday

The goals of the weekend where all met i am extremely pleased with how everything turned out. Painting of the room is done the backdrop is up most is primed and only one joint to finish sanding and muding. But finally it looks like something!

Progress on the Kirtland Route

2010-09-28T18:07:00.001-04:00

My how time flys, I found little of it to spend on the layout over the summer.

I know the golden rule is to not make the bench work deeper than one can reach. I made that mistake in both corners! I corrected one of the corners by moving the backdrop away from the wall allowing access to the back of the loop and one end of the staging.

As for more of an official update:

I am closing in on finishing the bench work, only need a few more boards. also a few more sets of lights and then I will be done with bench work and lighting! In the meantime work will commence on the backdrop.

Light bulbs on over the Kirtland Route

2010-02-15T20:59:00.002-05:00

Lighting is everything!

This is the first serious layout that I have built. So of course it must have great lighting. After shopping around and pricing everything out I decided that not just lighting was important but the cost(s) that comes with it (Now and everyday they are on). The CSX Dixie Line has come up with a great and easy to follow How to Lighting page. I like the idea he has come up with, but I need 30+ fixtures, placing them a little more then 2 feet apart. Using Jamie's fixtures puts me around $160. That's more then I am willing to pay for lights, so off to google I went!
I searched many sites, found many options, none cheaper then the idea Jamie came up with. Then, while strolling threw Wal-mart I came across the cheapest lighting option I could find. They offer some $6.50 double flood lights, they are a bit more then the single sockets I found at Menard's for 2.99 but come with wire nuts and offer a great way to mount to the layout with out buying anything more. I drilled a 1/2" hole and inserted the end that orginaly threaded into the base of the flood light, it is a snug fix but I am going to glue them also. The bulbs also come from Wal-mart, 75w warm light, energy efficent, $.97.
My lighting system will cost around $126.00 or about 4.25 per fixture. (still to much in my mind)

My trip to Menard's resulted in crossing paths with some 1"x4" x 6' pine. At only 1.15$ per board its very effective, cost efficient, easy to use and greatly to my surprise none of it has split while sinking screws. It is not the highest quality lumber. but, Doing some digging and eyeing up the boards, I had no trouble finding some that are "good enough" They come in all different lenghts and withs but 6' fits in my car much better then 8'.

I have no idea how i could see what i was doing without the lighting. Its amazing how much better they make the layout, locomotives and freight cars look, I never noticed the detail in some of my freight cars. Especially the few quality ones I own.

2010-02-09T18:30:00.000-05:00

I purched a new Fox Valley BNSF GEVO on ebay last week. it is and amazing looking locomotive and runs just a good as it looks, cant wait to buy another one!

I have completed the area on the other side of the drop down bridge. Here the track sneeks threw the wall into a small stageing inside the closet

I set up some trees here to see how well the backdrop trees i painted would look togather.

I cant wait till I can get some secenery done.

Next to do is to set up some lighting I've been putting this off but before I can proceed much further this will need to be completed.

Folding bridge in place

2010-01-17T11:49:00.001-05:00

The drop down bridge is finally installed and works well. Had it not been for a post on the CSX Dixie Line about building a folding bridge, my wouldn't be done yet but it was a very easy install and works great.

I did have one problem that im not real excited about. One of my turnouts landed on the seam for the drop down bridge i very well couldn't cut it in half so i was forced to let it overhang an inch. being that the switch over hung i have no place to install a manual ground throw, so i had to use an electric switch. as longs it don't get snagged on anything their shouldn't be any troubles.

In other news I was forced to change the inbound track work around the Coal mine. I aparently mesured incorrect and my inbound tracks were to short. Leaving the end of the train out on the main line. The change ended up working out better all aournd. My in bounds now run behind the coal mine instead of in front next to the out bounds from the flood loader. if you scroll down you can see how it was originally planed.

Its been a while

2010-01-05T10:53:00.000-05:00

Its been a while and I've gotten a few things done at least.
the coal area is coming along and trains are running

The background is an ongoing project still. the original plan was to just have a blue sky backdrop but that was just not getting it done. The blue sky is air brushed and the rest i have hand painted I'm about halfway done with an 8' section.

Track work takeing shape

2009-11-12T17:13:00.000-05:00

I soldiered a few peaces of flex track together for the peninsula. its a process that im getting much better at.
I don't think the tools im using where intended for such precision work but they do get the job done and as they say practice makes perfect.

above is my soldier joints now. I placed 2 wire feeds to this section of track, about 3 feet apart.
Below is the one of the first few i ever made and the equipment im using.

Sub roadbed from Oscoda to Loud Dam

2009-11-12T09:02:00.000-05:00

Here are the photos of the sub roadbed from Oscoda to Loud Dam. not much to look at yet but getting their.

The Kirtland Route

2009-11-11T08:53:00.000-05:00

The Kirtland route is my fictional N-scale layout Trains will be run in a point to point operation, but continuous will be an option. The layout is along the wall with a peninsula
The Bench work, for the most part, is completed and the sub roadbed from Oscoda (hidden staging) to the Wye at Loud Dam is completed. I hope to have some photos up soon.