Weekend Update 8/22/2010

[up1950s]

Wow Guilford Guy that is a terrific frosty depiction you have created . The best I think I have ever seen . How did you create the misty foggy frosty air effect ?

[Chris333]

Richie,

Somehow I didn't notice till you painted it, but that new cab really covers up the motor. I like it!

[esa123]

Hello Everyone!

It was a very busy week of non-railroading commitments for me (i.e. camping with Marine artillery in the field) however I did manage to finally finish all the turnouts I needed for my new model railroad. It's a model of Progressive Rail's, Airlake Industrial Park in Lakeville, Minn. I first read about this operation in an article by Jim Hediger within Model Railroader's "Seven Railroads You Can Model" pdf compilation. Interestingly enough, this operation was featured again in a recent 2010 issue of MR (can't remember which one) as an example of a simple switching layout. Unlike all previous published plans for this operation mine is in N scale and follows very closely the true track arrangement as seen via prototype photos and Google earth. The bench work is Siever's and measures 1 ft x 8ft via two joined 1x4ft sections. Track is a mixture of Atlas code 55 and ME code 45. All turnouts are Fast tracks code 55 #6 or #7. Turnout control will be via Tam Valley servos. The pics are just my initial planning, I hope to have all the road bed and track down by next week.

Erik

[Dave V]

I've been musing a bit on the challenges of a dual-era layout, and what the "limits" are between eras beyond which it becomes more challenging.  Fortunately, the RoW in 1980 looked a lot like it did in 1956.  By the mid-80s, though, the Middle Division had changed forever with the elimination of much extra trackage, towers, and other railroad-related structures.  In fact, I'm thinking it would make a nice article for a future issue of the Conrail Modeler during a thin month, since I know other guys that are doing it.  On that subject, I'm still working out the specifics of the first issue, and have not forgotten.  Anyway, here are two pics illustrating "twice the railroad in the same space"...

[BOK]

I see you have added a run around track to the PGR lakeville layout.

We never (I still don't think they have added one) had one when I worked there a few years ago and it certainly would have made things easier. It was a facinating and innovative place to work back then but a real pain to switch in.

Barry

[jsoflo]

I finally got around to finishing a custom 53' CP Rail Gunderson stand-alone wellcar I started ages ago but never finished:



I did this by cutting the articulated end off a Kato BNSF MAxi IV and adding the unarticulated end from another well, than repainted portions and decaled.

[up1950s]

Richie,

Somehow I didn't notice till you painted it, but that new cab really covers up the motor. I like it!

Thats the best thing about the conversion . I hated that motor butt mooning me .

[BCRail_FSJ]

Put the finishing touches on four kitbashed boxcars.  Also extended the lower deck benchwork in preparation for tracklaying towards the future helix to the upper deck

[DKS]

Follow-up to my earier post--just completed a full-bore lighting test of the marquee, with interior lighting and animated sign.

[Guilford Guy]

Richie- I first sprinkled baking powder around a section of flex track until the area looked decently covered up to railhead height. I then flattened out and lumps by dragging a piece of styrene lightly over the powder. To get the the swirling blizzard effect, I took a handful of baking powder, hit the shutter, and blew it at the front of the unit. After all the shooting was done, I vacuumed up the baking powder on the track, and washed the locos in the sink.

[conrail98]

Ripped a few more pieces of plywood for the benchwork and finalized my 2nd level plan. I just have to the finish staging plan and I will probably feel comfortable doing all the benchwork in the near future. Oh, and also got permission from the wife to go to the MER Princeton Jct. Convention,

Phil

[wm3798]

No pics yet, but I got back to the decoder bench on behalf of one of my oh so patient clients...  Henry, 8 down, 4 to go!

Lee

[NorfolkSouthern9708]

So I bought two cars this week.



Dig the Pig....

[esa123]

Thanks Barry,

Any tips on how things really operated once I get to that point will be most appreciated! I agree with you, I didn't think they had a run around track from the literature I've read. However, while looking at an aerial view with an overlaid track plan it appears they do have the some sort of run around from the main line to just past Highview Avenue which runs up until a little before the cross over (below Progressive's offices on this map). The link to the picture I'm using is below.

http://wikimapia.org/#lat=44.6337305&lon=-93.2362407&z=18&l=0&m=b

So if that's portraid differently than in real life, you'll have to let me know so I can get rid of it! Thanks for the help  

Erik

[up1950s]

Richie- I first sprinkled baking powder around a section of flex track until the area looked decently covered up to railhead height. I then flattened out and lumps by dragging a piece of styrene lightly over the powder. To get the the swirling blizzard effect, I took a handful of baking powder, hit the shutter, and blew it at the front of the unit. After all the shooting was done, I vacuumed up the baking powder on the track, and washed the locos in the sink.

Wow , no photo trickery at all . Fantastic .