Cisco Bridges: a new layout concept

[Baronjutter]

I remember way back in the day you had a bit of a yard and plans for an industry or something over there.  I think going back, like you're planning now, is the right idea.  The bridge scene gives a nice open watching long trains go by experience,  and you can easily fit some fun switching and industries back there.  Hell make it downtown Vancouver,  make it an urban port.  Variety is great and all you need is a tiny tunnel of some sort and can easily say the two scenes are hundreds of km apart.

[davefoxx]

You can say "I told you so"

Nah, I wouldn't do that.  Besides, have you looked at my thread?  I'm the king of redoing stuff umpteen times.  Plus, had you not gone all-in with the last reconstruction, we wouldn't have really nice shots like this (despite the removable section not being in place):

Damn, you're good at building scenery.

DFF

[Scottl]

Thanks both for the encouragement and complements.   I've been pleased with a few accomplishments on this new section of the layout.  In the staging yard I have Tortoise motors controlled with DCC so I have all routing with nice simple macros.  It is great to control every aspect of the layout from the handheld controller- very slick and satisfying to hear the motors turn at my command.  I also tuned all of the turnouts as per some advice (courtesy of the search engine here) and they run much more reliably.  The scenery has worked out well including a proof of concept for the 3D printing of rock masses, and I now have the rock sheds moving again as a project, so I suspect I will complete the scene. 

The attraction of a terminal operation is growing.  There are some great and manageable prototypes in both Vancouver or at Ashcroft.  Either prototype is easy to mesh with the Cisco prototype.  I'm in no rush to do anything as I'm playing the long game here- I doubt I'll have another layout at this house so I will work with what I have and probably replace Skoonka at some stage.  I suspect part of my M.O. is building for the sake of building, so that won't be easy to hold back indefinitely.

In the meantime, I have been assembling and weathering a grain/phosphate train and having a blast with oil paints and graffiti.  Those cars will look their age when they roll through the canyon as a train. 

[Scottl]

Another kick at the can, this time envisioning how I could incorporate a working CP mainline into an Ashcroft Terminal.  I have indicated the CP line in blue track and it acts as a long siding with storage for a train, but still feeding into the Cisco scene.  This would be quite easy to implement and would add interest, especially with the diamonds that are used to gain access to the intermodal and warehouse trackage in Ashcroft (both of which are drawn from the prototype plans, although the crossovers are freelanced).  Reaches are all pretty good (28" or less to the back track) and no hidden staging.  I would have room for 1 CP train and 4-5 CN trains, plus another train broken up in the terminal, and both lines would remain fluid.

An alternative would be to alter the duckunder and have a shallow crossing that brings the CP line around the front of the peninsula and makes use of the existing cosmetic line in the Cisco Bridge scene (approximate violet track).  It would then cross over another temporary "bridge" to close the loop in Ashcroft.  The second bridging would not be a big deal as I rarely need to get to the back of the Cisco scene, but if I every needed to, the bridge could be removable.  The foreground changes on the duckunder are possible, but would need some careful planning.  Ending up with two operational mainlines would both add interest to Ashcroft and also to Cisco.  No, I would not build the CP Cisco bridge 

[Scottl]

Forget the violet option in the above track plan.  I forgot that the CP line is about 4" below the CN line in the Cisco scene.  It is not possible to easily move the CP line up and down as indicated. 

I'm getting a pretty clear sense that Skoonka has to go.  I ran trains yesterday for a few hours- it is kind of cool to sit on a chair and watch everything from at or below track level.  But I had a few stray derailments in the hidden track area which have convinced me it is not reliable enough to depend on.  Removing and replacing the scenic covers to the hidden staging are both a pain to do and also risky to all of the trains on the layout.

Demolition tenders will be solicited 

[Philip H]

Even if its not prototype, could you just leave the tops off, and then have a partially hidden yard that sometimes pokes through the trees?  I doubt it would runi your photography at track level or of the bridge . . .

[Scottl]

I could definitely leave the tops off and probably rework the remains to be more attractive.  I guess in the end it comes down to the question "is going around in loops enough?"   I'm not convinced it is at this point, but perhaps I'll change my mind.  Nothing radical until the new year.

[LIRR]

i'll say it again.....that's one of the best bridge models i've seen

[GaryHinshaw]

I really like the Ashcroft Terminal concept, and the plan you have sketched above seems quite workable.  Does the CN line actually have access to the terminal though? I couldn't see where it does on any map, and the level crossing of the CP main seems a bit strange.

BTW, here's a cool photo.

[Scottl]

That is a great picture, I would guess he used a UAV to get that perspective.  I'm thankful to see almost no trees in the scene 

The terminal is not built up very much yet, but according to their "plans", there would be access by CN.  There is a hanging turnout where the terminal trackage connects to the CP mainline, so I guess they are still hopeful.

Given the topography evident in that photograph, I expect that it might actually be a bit challenging to connect CN to the terminal.  I may have to bend the rules a bit to make this work, but I figure I've earned a little modelling licence. 

[Scottl]

I've been thinking a lot about what to do next with the layout.  I suspect 2017 will be a year of change, one way or another.  In the meantime, I took the opportunity this holiday to run some trains and enjoy the roundy-round action.  It is kind of fun to sit in the pit and watch them go through the scenes. 

I've also acquired a few new locomotives to round out the fleet, including one of the new FVM AC44 units in CN.  They are amazing and give the Kato a real run for the money.

A parting shot for 2016 with a lucky railfanning catch.  A CP mixed freight led by a CEFX bluebird passes under a CN AC/DC combo hauling sulphur to the the coast.

[C855B]

Breathtaking, Scott. Magazine cover material. The rockfall detail is mind-blowing. One of those "Is it real?" shots.

[Scottl]

Thanks!  I had a lot of fun taking shots from different angles but GIMP saved the day.

[GaryHinshaw]

Great shot!  It really should be in a magazine. 

May 2017 be a good year for you and your modelling - whatever direction it goes.

[Santa Fe Guy]

Nice shot Scott.
Rod.