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Scenic Line Members' Reports 30 December 2009 |
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Mears' Jct
Jake's going to be busy with showing some stock at the National Western Stock Show, so instead we'll show some of his
work here:
Marshall Pass
Borders have been added to the inside edge of the track to allow for some scenery overhang and fascia. See
Layout Construction for progress on the Dispatcher Station.
Crested Butte
Barry has been fine-tuning the track, and we are now in of process of track checkout with locos and rolling stock. When
this is complete, the next phase will be to install the "hatch" post-track-em.
General
Mears' Jct
Jake's been very busy working on the scenery, especially on the creek bed and hills into the backdrop. He and Barry
worked on a beaver dam under the trestle and the scenery has progressed greatly.
Marshall Pass
GaryM has been working on building the structure to support dispatcher panels and scenery in the interior loop,
relocating DCC plug-ins, carcard holders, and installing a desktop for the dispatcher's work "desk".
Crested Butte
When Barry isn't helping Jake, he's been adding switch motors to the turnouts.
General
Salida
The 105' TT was repositioned and new mounting holes drilled, and new inset nuts installed for the adjusting screws. The
TT was removed for modeling.
Mears' Jct
Some of Jake's latest handiwork. Photo Credits: Barry
Crested Butte
Barry continues adding switch motors to the new trackage.
Parkdale
GaryM made these four aspen for Parkdale or somewhere along the track, at his clinic at last week's Great Train Expo.
These trees were made from a kit, supergluing individual branches one at a time, to a central floral wire. Caulk was
added to the trunk. The trunk and branches were painted a green hued white acrylic. Light strokes of black were then
painted to show typical aspen bark scarring. The trees look a little more like birch than aspen, so hopefully the next
batch will look better. Photo Credits: GaryM
Salida
After long abandonment, GaryM has resumed work on the 105' TT. Several good photos in the D&RGW: Durango to Alamosa and
Salida book are being used for building the prototype. GaryM is also working on connecting switch motors in West Salida.
Hal's been building the coal tower, board by board, from engineering drawings he has crafted. GaryM has also been
making removable gondola loads for the Red Caboose and Blackstone cars:
Removable Loads .
Mears' Jct
Jake has been busy sculpting the terrain under the trestle and working the landscaping behind the creek.
Crested Butte
Barry continues adding switch motors to the new trackage.
W. Salida Yard
GaryM has been reworking the switch throws so they will recess in the fascia. A lot of new wiring and tracing of
wiring has turned up many bad connections. Schematics of the electrical are in work.
Poncha Jct
Grant & Hal have been working on backdrops for Poncha. Grant began completing the fascia above Poncha.
Mears' Jct
Andrew began painting the hills behind Mears'.
Monarch
Alex has been busy this summer putting together the Monarch backdrop from a compression of photos. He is off to
Michigan now, but made a lot of progress.
Panorama View:
Close up views:
Crested Butte
Barry has been working on wiring the track and switches.
General
W. Salida Yard
All the switches and rail have been installed for the new dual gauge track, which replaced all the old narrow gauge track
and added the second dual gauge siding. Previously, the mainline was the only DG track with the rest NG. Now, all the
tracks and switches have been converted to DG. Track feeders are systematically hooked up and tested to the repositioned
main track bus. Lines to the PM4s are being evaluated for rerouting. Fascia for has been cut & installed. Repeated
benchwork head clearance issues have kept website work day injuries to the minimum of ZERO.
Monarch
The mountain range from the wye to Mears' has been repainted in light gray and brown for a basic background
from photographs.
Crested Butte
The last two yard tracks have been installed. Rewiring of the entire area has commenced, with the goal of making the
wiring accessible but hidden from future Florence/Portland scenery.
Clubhouse
The power cord to the air conditioner has been installed and now both A/C units are fully operational again.
Club Roster
More Blackstone High Side Gondolas have been added to the roster.
NG Gondola Roster.
Salida Yard
Most of the the switch motors have been installed except for the track scales and between the turn tables.
W. Salida Yard
The final DG switch is in process of being spiked down, along with the final rails. Re-wiring of the track
with all new switches is in progress. The PM4 for Monarch has all the wires labeled and prepared for
installation, probably after new fascia is re-attached.
Monarch
Reject paints have been purchased to repaint the backdrop from the Monarch wye to Mear's in light grey and tan.
Crested Butte
Floating track has been repaired where the track and cork delaminated and 'hovered' over a dip spot.
The wiring will be redone so future scenery for Florence or Portland beneath
Crested Butte can be accommodated.
Clubhouse
The AC cord for the 24000 btu AC unit has a new plug, replacing the shorted breaker plug, awaiting installation.
In general, cleaning efforts have been initiated to improve looks for an open house next month. Some new framed
photos have been hung, brackets on the front wall installed to store the traveling diorama, with more cleanup and
improvements to follow.
Club Roster
A few Blackstone High Side Gondolas have been purchased, with the renumbering schemes on a few commenced.
NG Gondola Roster.
Hal also purchased a couple assorted Covered Hoppers, which means
another page to the roster needs building.
Salida Yard
GaryM began adding planking to the NG scales. Barry managed to install a new short in East yard which is still being pursued.
Salida
New mega switch (#4) in yard south of the Arkansas River is being installed. Last switch in yard (#5) is under
construction.
Crested Butte
Hal's Engine Shed with Andrew's cinder floor, and Hal's coke ovens being test fitted.
Operations
Since the second Saturady of the month, we previously slated for Operations, it was decided to return to that theme for
some 'play-time'. Most of the day was spent by GaryM and Grant cleaning the standard gauge tracks, and Barry searching
for the East Yard short in futile. Much cleaning was required; however, and we may seriously wich considering sealing
areasaround the garage doors and adding weatherstripping to the doors. A lot of debris continues to be left around on
the layout long after projects are completed, case in point, Poncha Junction. In other words, please clean up your work
area so that trains can be run by someone else.
Also, it was found that several wires from Crested Butte now hang dangerously over the helix tracks, preventing safe
operation of trains, until the wiring is properly stowed. Additional wire on the staging deck was close to the main
helix ladder which needs proper hanging. These areas will need to be fixed prior to the next Operations.
Photo Credits: GaryM
Salida
Barry worked on installing feeders to rails and connecting to the track bus. Both mainlines should now be all connected
except many switches still need motors. Barry discovered the mysterious short in west yard, he found
in Switch #14 (RIP track), where a spike was between two opposite polarity rails (it worked fine before!).
West Salida
GaryM installed and stained some new ties, and spiked down a third new DG turnout.
Mears' Junction
Jake added more hydrocal and sculpting to the hill between the trestle and the backdrop, and riverbed base.
Crested Butte
GaryM trimmed back ties for the new handlaid replacement turnout & stained.
Salida
Barry worked on installing switch motors and feeders to track bus. GaryM painted last pairs of I-beam supports to
live rails, and painted the scale's rails. Began adding planking along and between scale rails. Unresolved short in
west yard. Photo Credits: Grant
W.Salida
Barry & GaryM rebraced and reinstalled risers to roadbed, which had been left incomplete. Roadbed releveled, yard flat,
and all risers & roadbed secured.
Crested Butte
Hal worked on Coke Ovens scenery. Andrew crushed coal and made cinder floor to Engine Shed.
Roster
Andrew programmed Hal's D&RGW #147 SW1000 with Lenz decoder using DecoderPro.
Salida
Barry worked on installing switch motors and feeders to track bus. Discovered short in west yard.
W.Salida
GaryM installed second DG switch. Discovered that some risers were only clamped, roadbed had become out of level, and
not secured to risers in some places.
Salida
Barry worked on connecting feeders to buslines and adding feeders to rails. GaryM completed installing the NG scale rails.
Photo Credits: Grant.
W.Salida
GaryM installed DG switch.
Crested Butte
GaryM spiked down foundation to Engine Shed, and removed tight spots in micro-engineering flex track on coke oven's spur
by cutting spikes on ties where gauge was tight. Hal and Andrew removed dip in track with shims near wye. Hal worked on
oven placements. GaryM spiked down Engine Shed rails. Barry trimmed down the edge of the Gunnison backdrop for a view
of the coke ovens. Andrew stained the Engine Shed ties. Photo Credit: Grant
W. Salida
Began installation of DG switch south of Arkansas River Bridge.
Crested Butte
Installed new replacement switch at depot (broken Shinohara with Fasttracks handlaid switch). Completed spiking of
Fasttracks switch at coke ovens track. Secured coke ovens' spur with clear kitchen caulk.
W. Salida
Another DG switch ready for installation in the DG W.Salida yard. Photo Credit: GaryM.
Monarch
Andrew and Hal installed a tie block bumper at the wye, and stops at the load tracks. Photo Credits: GaryM/Grant.
Gunnison
Hal and Andrew installed an addition to the garden track with one of Hal's bumper for use of a jib crane for RIP work.
Photo Credit: GaryM.
Crested Butte
Hal installed Engine pits with rails on Engine Shed floor, with rail stops. Photo Credit: Grant.
Diorama
GaryM brought out his diorama for Lockeed Martin display. Entitled: A Case Study for Error Prevention: Cape Kennedy,
2:30 PM, 20 June 1970."
(Photo Credits: Grant)
Salida
GaryM continued work on the NG scales. Barry worked on installing switch motors.
Mears' Junction
Jake worked on building up a hill for Poncha Creek to disappear behind, and began adding some rock castings. Photo Credits:
Grant.
Crested Butte
Hal and Andrew worked on laying out the Engine Shed and aligning the tracks. Andrew added and stained ties in Engine
Shed. Photo Credits: GaryM.
Salida
GaryM continues working on the NG track scales. Tom completed installation of the NG west ladder and began airbrushing
the NG yard rails and ties. Hal is modeling a prototype of the coaling tower.
W.Salida
Barry rebraced some of the benchwork where the new roadbed was installed and rerouted some of the wiring for future
access from below.
Mear's Jct
Jake is working on the scenery around the long trestle. Barry is working on the 3-way stub operation.
Crested Butte
GaryM, Andrew & Hal have been adding sidings for the depot and for the coke ovens. The switch behind the depot has been
installed and tracks installed. Switch for the coke ovens siding is partially spiked in.
Salida
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Hal has been researching the prototype 300 Ton Coaling Tower and has a model well underway. "Click" on the image at left to see more photos of the Coaling Tower under Online Structures. |
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GaryM is using styrene I-beams to make the load support of the live NG rails. "Click" on the image at left to see more photos of the Scales under Online Structures. |
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The first new dual gauge switch to go in West Salida off the Arkansas River bridge is now ready for installlation. |
Poncha Junction
Barry completed hook-up and testing of the new yard/wye at Poncha Jct to give us an operational yard and engine turning point.
Mear's Junction
| Barry's been working on getting the 3-way switch to operate flawlessly and has built a mechanism to control the throw by a 3-way toggle, with the center-off position centering the rails on the mainline. The frog polarity for each frog is thrown with the single switch. | ||
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| Jake has transformed the hatch that goes adjacent to the Mears' storage track into a boggy marsh with a beaver pond. | |
| Jake has begun working on the surrounding terrain and looking at various rock outcroppings to apply along the steep cliff faces. | ||
Train Roster
GaryM's D&RGW Hart HK Ballast Hoppers. Although these cars hauled slag ballast from Leadville, they also were pressed into
coal service. Except for a few second hand HM RGW cars, these were the only kind of standard gauge hopper cars the D&RGW
had until they purchased the first set of HT 3-bay hoppers in 1952. This series of cars were built in 1937, and sport the
Royal Gorge / Moffat Road herald. They were eventually repainted with the Flying Rio Grande later after getting shopped at
Burnham. The wheels and trucks were painted Floquil Rail Brown. A rust wash of Burnt Sienna was applied to the lettering
along seams, and at the truck journals and springs. The cars and trucks were weathered with Bragdon powders.
Salida
GaryM built the Scale I-beam supports for the 'live rails'. Hal has been redrawing the Maxwell Drawings and researching
the Coaling tower. Hal has built the framing for the lower half of the main structure and will add Tichey Group coal
chutes and details. The structure is already very impressive looking.
West Salida
GaryM began making the first new dual gauge switch for the new trackage there.
Mear's Jct
Barry started working on operating the 3-way switch. Jake has been busy scenicing the hatch cover.
Poncha Jct
Barry completed the hook-up and testing of the Poncha yard trackage, which is now operational.
Crested Butte
GaryM built 2 new RH switches, one to add a siding behind the depot and the other to run over to the coke ovens. Hal and
GaryM are adding these tracks to the existing track. Consideration in wiring is being taken into account so Florence or
Portland expansion beneath Crested Butte can be added later. Hal installed some cork and luann roadbed. Some ties were
laid for the Micro Engineering track where 'tight' spots were encountered and for the switch behind the depot.
New Member
Jacob Lofgren is interested in joining our club. Since he is not a current or former Lockheed Martin
employee, his membership would be unofficially a "Volunteer Member", like former members Dan Gorny and Steve Janke. We
probably should update our bylaws to make this status official. In the past, we have prohibited non-employees from
holding club office.
Jake is relatively new to model railroading, but has acquired extensive knowledge of the area after living in Salida for roughly 20 years, still operates a farm just across the road from the Salida transfer yard and northwest of Tenderfoot Hill. Jake is very interested in prototype modeling, especially of that particular area. As former Chaffee County Health Official in Salida, he already has used his many contacts with his Salida friends to research the rich history for his own modeling. Starting with a large inventory from an estate sale, Jake plans his own modest layout of a standard gauged DSP&P, with a modernized Crystal River RR lasting into the 60s or longer. Oddly, the AT&SF won the Royal Gorge War so we are left to wonder what then would become of the D&RG? Among his collection, he does indeed start with some nice brass NG D&RGW passenger cars, as well as some wood scratchbuilt passenger cars enough for the Shavanno. Also, he has a train of quality built wood NG kits, ready for action. Jake is an experienced modeler with modules and developed scenery skills, and is a member of the South Suburban Division, NMRA.
Please welcome Jake. You may have met him already at one of the breakfasts we had at the IHOP.
Salida
Switch Panels - A template of toggle switches with interleaving car card holders has been sketched out, to illustrate
placement of switch throws. The toggle switches are placed exactly opposite from the throw tie, except in the case
of crossover switches, where it is placed opposite the center of the 2 switches. This concept is used in lieu of a
layout diagram with the toggles embedded in them, and is similar to those used on several area layouts like Don Meeker's
(where he uses a push button in some places), Dave Cochran's, Doug Geiger's, Pete Doty's and Harry Lindsay's to name a
few.
Scale Track - finally figured out how to support the live rails from the dead rails: with I-beams cut between the ties, resting on long I-beams beneath, holding the scale rails just above the ties. This concept comes from Santa Fe Scale House & Track diagrams that Tom provided. Some of the rails have been prepared for installation until the support scheme was determined.
Feeders - Excluding frogs to the new turnouts, all the track feeds have been installed and now need to be connected to the bus wires.
Poncha Junction
The yard tracks have been laid and now need connections to track power. 1 section of track needs laying on the curve
from the wye mainline switch to the left mainline turnout. East & West are still a little confusing here, and need to
be defined.
Lockheed Martin Display
Work has picked up again for the static train display to be available for Employee events and Cafeteria display. The
display has nothing to do with our current layout, but we do have a photographic display of the layout that does. The
display is approximately 12" x 28", features a straight track with road crossing, Liquid Ox tank, gator pond, USAF
SW1200 (dummy) switcher, USAF 40' boxcar, General Dynamics Liquid Nitrogen Tank car, and NASA ICC Wide Wision caboose.
Ground cover/scenery complete, water to be poured. The street has been painted but needs some more weathering. A VW bus & the sunbathers have been procured. Figures will need to be added, and gators scratch made. Also included will be a 1965 Ford Mustang, USAF MP jeep, and Top Secret crate. The LOX tank is simply a Walthers wide storage tank, with steps to the roof. The tank also has installed a battery operating beacon light. All materials and products are being donated.
Narrow Gauge Blackstone Cars
Caboose Hobbies continues to stock many new NG freight cars with new numbers. Currently, they have several new numbers
for 6000 series flat cars. For those of you who are strictly interested in modeling late narrow gauge; however, it was
noted in the 1943 Official Railway Register that the D&RGW had no 6000 series flats left in revenue service (many had
already been converted to MOW or rebuilt as something else). Note the NG roster pages for the current inventory and
numbered cars still available.
NMRA Regional Convention 2009
This year the NMRA's Rocky Mountain Regional Convention is in Greeley, May 21-24, in conjunction with the opening of the
Greeley Freight House Museum. A primary benefit of being in the NMRA is helping novices get started and developing
their skills, and a huge opportunity to learn and meet other fellow modelers. A convention like this one is a great
opportunity for Denver area members, especially for keeping convention costs down. Currently, Alex, GaryM, Hal and Jake
are NMRA members and encourage others, especially those with less than advanced skills, to join and learn. Also,
the Annual Narrow Gauge Convention will be held in Colorado Springs this year in September. If you wonder what those are
like, check out Alex & Gary's adventures in "Off the Rails" on the home page to see some of the fun.
Salida
Repaired & reinforced points on turnouts #4 and #8 in the Salida Transfer Yard. The latest switch panels were brought
out by Kent, but forgot we talked about lining them up opposite the turnouts, so back to the drawing board.
Operations
The Royal Gorge Route rails through Salida was cleaned with the exception of the helix. Main #1 is operational. Main #2 has
a couple places still needing connection to the track power bus.
Operated GaryM's BLI F7AB powered units. Noted that in reverse the consist would not work properly, usually with the trailing "B" unit not responding to the MU consist. Grant noted similar problems in the past with some of his locos, also possibly BLI's. It may be simpler to reprogram the "B" to the same "A" decoder # to work around this problem.
Max ran around a worktrain with Consolidation #1173 on the Royal Gorge Route (Salida - Tennessee Pass - Gorge - Parkdale - Cleora - Barrel) a few times.
JeffCo Show
Seemed a little smaller this year, they squeezed into half the space they used to have in the past. There were still a
few good deals to be had, and the usual RR pariphernalia. Generally, not a lot of model stuff for sale but Mizells did
have some sale prices on some things that were impossible to ignore, making the trip very worth it. Overall, the prices
seem to be coming down on items, from what I had seen in previous shows there.
Clubhouse
Parker did an excellent job going around vacuuming up sawdust and debris on the floor.
Poncha Junction
Tom completed the realignment of the "east" ladder. Barry & Parker were able to run an engine successfully through the
rewired wye.
Salida
Kent reviewed switch panel design and it was decided to come up with panels to place switches to be opposite or near as
possible the turnout. GaryM worked on the NG track scale.
Crested Butte
Hal worked in Crested Butte on track and building placements.
Poncha Junction
After much consternation, Barry discovered his wiring error which was shorting out the Monarch Branch. Poncha Jct through
the route over the Marshall Pass mainline, up to the Monarch summit, constitutes the PM4 isolated District "Monarch
Branch". When the PM4 is reinstalled, we may wish to relabel this District "Poncha Jct-Monarch Line". (The switch at the
top, through the Monarch wye, loading and empties tracks to and from the CF&I mine, constitute the "Monarch Summit" District
on the PM4 block. The short, of course, was the wye itself which was wired before the mainline was connected, with the
50/50 chance it had been wired right the first time, which means it was automatically wired in reverse.
Unfortunately, if we had chimpanzees wiring things, we would only have to rewire things half the time, instead of every time! : )
Salida
GaryM continued adding track feeders and began laying out the narrow gauge scale rails.
Breakfast Crew
Our road crew was joined at breakfast by Grant, Dave Spritke, Pete Doty and Harry Lindsay. Pete and Harry had been to
the Littleton train wreck site and filled us in on the details. We had a good, hearty breakfast and they were off to the
swap meet at the Christ on the Mountain Church, while the rest of us went over to the club to do some work on the layout.
Train Roster
Some of GaryM's new rolling stock arrived in Salida. Consolidation #1173 headed up an ART Express reefer, (3) 40' wood
ART reefers (in 1950's livery), 36' East Tennesse, Virginia & Georgia billboard reefer, and a 36' double sheathed Cotton
Belt Route boxcar, shown below:
Clubhouse Status
The power conduit was reattached to the exterior pole on Tuesday, 1/13/09, by Lockheed Martin facilities.
Poncha Junction
See Construction photos.
Crested Butte
Hal has beeen busy with installing the Crystal River 2-stall Engine Shed and modifications to the prototype anthracite
loading tipple.
Salida
GaryM continued adding track feeders.
Clubhouse Status
The power was discovered to be restored on Friday. However, it was discovered that the power line conduit has become
detached from the pole out behind our building. This will be reported a s a safety issue to plant facilities. The
conduit housing our power cables is currently only supported by the ground and wire connections at the top.
Poncha Junction
Barry worked on the yard track installation.
Salida
A lot of review and discussion of switch panels. It looks like placing as many switches as near as possible to the turnout
is the most desired arrangement. Design of StevO's YardMaster master panel has been a challenge. Further drafts in work.
Modeling Shop
GaryM's "new" BevBel WP #20120 & #20133 Feather River Route 40' 1937 AAR Box Cars. Brake components removed and rearranged
to proper locations. Tichey Group Ladders & Stirrup steps, brass grab irons, uncoupler levers, brake lines, levers,
A-line air hoses, Tichey & PSC brake components added. Various acrylic paints mixed to match Bev Bel color. Wheels,
trucks painted with Floquil Rail Tie Brown with acrylic Burnt Sienna (added for rust). Lettering stressed with weathering
brush. Testors DullCote applied prior, between, and following layers of Bragdon Weathering powders. Chooch & Life-Like
loads weathered with washes & installed during assembly.
Operations
GaryM's Westside (brass) K-27 #460 successfully traversesed the Poncha Jct wye, after some track cleaning. The trailing
truck wheels were replaced with a plastic set of wheels, eliminating the shorting problem this engine experienced on right
hand turns and after as much milling as possible was done to the frame. It was found that there was still some shorting
with throwing of the switch, with inconsistent results. This requires further adjustment or replacement with a Tortoise.
Clubhouse Status
The temp. inside was 42.5 degrees (fahrenheit). Checking the power in the heater control box and discovered one of the
three phases of power was missing. Checked fuses there and in the power box on our back wall. We are missing one leg of
power into the building. Tried to check at the power box at the pole behind the building and didn't see any easy access
to confirm power.
Poncha Junction
Barry & Andrew hooked up some of the wiring for the control panel to the new narrow gauge wye.
Barry hooked up a drive motor for the far left hand switch off the new wye.
Salida
Kent stopped by and dropped off the latest version of the new Salida control panels.
Operations
Andrew ran an engine he had been working on to break in the motor.
