Telluride Branch and Pandora

I have recently completed the Telluride Branch of the Rio Grande Southern Railroad, including the Pandora mining area.  The track plan for Telluride and Pandora was designed using Mike Blazek's Telluride and Pandora workbooks.

As with the rest of the layout, the track consists of Micro-Engineering Code 55 Flex Track.  There are 22 turnouts in Telluride and Pandora, all of which are handlaid using FastTracks fixtures.  Two of the turnouts are curved turnouts custom built to fit on the curves entering Pandora.

The turnouts are controlled, as on the rest of the layout, by Tortoise by Circuitron slow-motion switch machines.  Berrett Hill Easy Wire Tortoise Adapters ( click here) are used to simplify wiring.  Fascia-mounted Berrett Hill Touch Toggles are used for control.  

Wiring has been completed, and will be the subject of an additional post.  UTP panels have been installed in the fasica, although the layout is equipped with radio throttles.

A swing gate was installed across the bathroom doorway to connect Telluride to the rest of the layout, while still allowing access to the bathroom.  This will be the subject of a future post as well.

Overall view of Telluride.  Note the Raggs....to Riches Telluride depot.  The first train, headed by RGS  455 is leaving town.

The first train from Telluride is crossing the double deck swing gate .

The first train from Telluride is now leaving the swing gate, and is descending Keystone Hill, which on my layout is located above Placeville.