Weekend Update 1/29/23

[Dayliner]

Craig--nice work on the Arbutus bridge; I hope to have a Malahat section on a future expansion of the layout.

Tim--I have a similar upside-down forest of feeder wires under the new Lake Cowichan! 

I had hoped to finish tracklaying in Lake Cowichan this weekend.  As you can see, close, but no cigar--there was too much going on at work this weekend.  I still have one piece of track to fit (the shingle mill spur coming off the crossover at the west end of Lake Cowichan yard), as well as a couple of pieces that still need feeder wires connected and have to be glued down, but everything else is now in place.  I should be able to meet my goal of having all tracklaying complete by the end of the month.

The first picture shows the upper level looking east to west:  the CN Cowichan sub line to Youbou is along the wall, with the E&N Lake Cowichan yard angling across to the far corner.  You can see where the shingle mill spur will come off the far end of the crossover.



Here we are in the Lake Cowichan yard at track level, looking east.  From right to left the tracks are the siding, the main, and the log loading track.  I like the nice reverse curve in the siding. I probably should have stripped off all the old roadbed and laid all new before starting on the track, but everything is level and the track is solid.  I'll probably fit or trim some roadbed for cosmetic purposes, and then start on the wiring!

[John]

Lots of great modeling everyone ..  I'm not sure if 3D design can be considered modeling, and the time I've spent on this building, I could have probably scratch built it - but it's very satisfying for me .. I can finally use my meteorology training (3D visualization) for something useful \

This weekend I continued to work on the design for the Donald E Six Mill complex in Middleburg Md  ( https://www.google.com/maps/@39.5902263,-77.2226102,3a,75y,248.88h,94.12t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s3HbuAr3y5aj0hrDFmwfT6A!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 )

This structure will become the centerpiece of a quasi FeeMoN Module

The updated 3D designs are below

[chuck geiger]

[nkalanaga]

Yes, 3-D design is "modeling", especially in the computer sense, "simulating something".  You're making a digital model of a physical object.

Years ago, back when "personal computers" were truly primitive, one of the model magazines had a sort column on a model railroader with no layout, or trains, or even a place for them.  He had programmed one of those early computers to drive a replica CTC board for his favorite division, and was "operating" his railroad, just as a real dispatcher would.  The computer provided "staging" at both ends, and he had to keep traffic moving on the modeled section.  The programming controlled the trains, to make sure they behaved as the real trains would, to keep him working.