More Structures for Ophir

I seem to be taking a longer break from the Durango Yard than I originally anticipated.  It may be a form of procrastination, because the next step is finalizing the track plan to Dolores, and then building benchwork!

Meanwhile, I have completed three more structures for my Ophir Loop portion of the layout.  These were all built from Banta ModelWorks kits:  the toilet and handcar shed, and the Oilton Club Saloon.

The toilet and handcar house were painted using standard RGS colors, Jersey Cream and Brown, which are available from PBL.  These are similar to, but not the same as, the D&RGW Depot Buff and Brown.  Exposed wood parts were stained using Hunterline  Creosote Black.  All parts were painted or stained while still attached to the carrier sheets to effect a cleaner look.  I did have a couple of minor problems with the toilet and handcar shed.  The laser cut windows and doors were cut too close to the edge of the the plywood, so I had to do a bit of repairs.  The handcar shed did not come with shingles, so I simply used leftover shingles from the Ophir Depot kit, and stained them with the Creosote Black.  Yes, I have constructed the Ophir Depot!

The Oilton Club Saloon was stained using Hunterline Cottage White stain for the walls, Dark Green acrylic paint for the trim, and Creosote Black for exposed wood, such as the stairs.  The kit includes silkspan for roofing.  I cut the silkspan into four-foot wide pieces, which were installed vertically using Aleene's Original Tacky Glue.  The roof was then painted with Polly Scale Grimy Black, and, when dry, weathered using Pan Pastels.  The only glitch in assembling this kit was that the two short doors were not included.  I was able to scatchbuild the doors from leftover plywood from the kit.  The instructions made no mention of the boarded-up window, and there is no window included in the kit for that location.  Photos show that this window was boarded-up at some point, so that is how I handled that window.

The three new structures for Ophir Loop, from left to right, they are:  the toilet, the Oilton Club Saloon, and the handcar house. 

The Oilton Club Saloon, with it's boarded-up window.

Well, back to working on the Durango Yard.  I need to repair moving damage to the turntable handrails (very fragile!), and I need to attach the Roundhouse roof.  However, before the roof can be attached I need to update or replace some of the microlights in the Roundhouse as some appear to have ceased working.  Also, some minor (I hope!) grading work needs to be done on the track over the ashpit.

The Ophir Tram House

I have taken a break from working on the Durango Yard, and constructed the Ophir Tram House.  This model was built from a Banta Modelworks kit.  The kit consists primarily of laser cut wood parts and corrugated metal siding.  The following photos show certain stages in construction.  All wood parts were stained on both sides using Hunterline Creosote Black stain.  The corrugated metal was first cut to size (1 3/8" tall, and then into panels 11 ridges wide).  The corrugated metal was attached to corrugated cardboard sheets using double-sided Scotch tape.  The corrugated metal was then sprayed with Rust-O-Leum Clean Metal Primer, and when dry, sprayed with Rust-O-Leum Flat Black.  Once dry to the touch, the panels were baked at 250 degrees for two hours to set the paint and prevent chipping.  NOTE:  Scotch tape distorts badly when heated.  Use double-sided masking tape instead!

A quick note about weathering is in order.  I weathered the corrugated metal following installation to the model.  The building was weathered using Pan Pastels, which are available from Stoney Creek Designs.  I used rust and gray to achieve the rusty weathered look of the prototype.

I deviated from the kit instructions in two ways; these will be discussed in the photo captions.

This photo shows the tram house itself following assembly of the framing and interior scribed siding.  This is the first deviation from the kit instructions.  I decided to glue the laser cut framing to the scribed interior siding prior to assembly of the walls to form the tram house.  It seemed to me that this would ensure that the parts fit together properly.  All parts fit perfectly, and I was happy with my modification.

This is the completed roof assembly ready for installation of the corrugated roofing material.

This view is of the base which has etched guidelines for placement of the completed bents.  This is the second deviation from the kit instructions, where I installed the bents to the base rather than to the completed tram house.  I would recommend following the instructions in this case, as it would have been easier to glue the bents to the tram house first.

The "completed" Ophir Tram House.  The Ore delivery chute is not installed, because the chute is braced to an outhouse located under the tram house.  Once the outhouse is constructed, the chute will be installed.

Another view of the tram house.  Note that the end is not square with the sides of the building, adding interest.

The other side of the Ophir Tram House.

Ballasting Track

I have started the scenery on the layout, beginning with track ballasting.  I am starting with ballasting because the Durango Yard was covered in cinders, and it made sense to do the ballasting and the ground cover in the yard at the same time, since it used the same materials.  I started by using sanded tile grout, but completed the project with two products from Scenic Express (http://www.sceneryexpress.com):  Light Cinder Blend (fine), and #50 Dark Gray Ballast.  I used the #50 Dark Gray Ballast for the majority of the yard, with a light uneven application of the Light Cinder Blend for variation.  These products are easy to install, and provided the gray ballast color that I wanted.  All of the ballast was secured using diluted Matte Medium, which I diluted at a ratio of 1 part Matte Medium to 4 parts water.  I used a few drop of Jet Dry (available in the grocery store in the dishwasher soap aisle) as a surfactant, reducing the surface tension of the diluted Matte Medium and allowing it to penetrate the ballast and cinders.

Once the ballast dried, I cleaned the track thoroughly using a steel bristle brush.  I am using Code 55 Flex Track, and the rails need to be very clean with no particles of ballast adhering to the web of the rail.  The steel bristle brush made quick work of cleaning the sides of the rails, and also removed any ballast grains that found their way to the tops of the ties.  Once the track was scrubbed clean to my satisfaction, I then used a track cleaning block to polish the tops of the rails.  All turnouts were thoroughly cleaned to ensure that they moved freely.  I found that the Matte Medium did glue some turnouts in place, but it was easy to free them up mechanically.  I then test ran all freshly ballasted track using my Galloping Goose #7, because it is very sensitive to interruptions in track power.  The countryside adjacent to the yard area has been sceniced using tile grout, ground granite (from drilling my well), and various ground foams.  This scenery will be modified as the Durango area is filled with structures, but at least it looks better with scenery!

Astute viewers will note a change in the track arrangement to the left.  I made a compromise with the track connecting to the Rio Grande Southern.  This track serves as both a connection to the D&RGW eastbound and the westbound RGS.  Yes, a willing suspension of disbelief is required.  Because of this compromise, the track grade climbs, as per the D&RGW, rather than descends, as did the RGS.  I chose to do this because it allowed a more visual separation of the two tracks in the yard.  Just another compromise that we modellers must make!

Also, I have installed the Durango Water tank (a Durango Press [JL Innovative Design] kit), the Durango Sand House (Campbell Scale Models), and Handcar Shed (also Durango Press).  These remain to be 'dirted in' using the cinders and vegetation.

An overview of the Durango Yard.  The water tank, ashpit, coaling tower, turntable, and roundhouse are permanently installed, and ground cover has been applied to the surrounding area.

 

Rio Grande Southern K-27 461 taking water at the Durango water tower.  The yard has been ballasted, and the surrounding countryside has been sceniced.  All track has been scrubbed clean with a steel bristle brush.

D&RGW K-28 476 is being coaled at the Durango coaling tower.

D&RGW K-28 476 has just finished receiving its load of coal in Durango.

Rio Grande Southern 461 is preparing to leave Durango following being watered.

RGS K-27 461 leaves Durango, traveling light.

Wiring with DCC

As with the previous layout, this layout will be controlled using NCE DCC (http://www.ncedcc.com).  When I dismantled the previous layout, I retained all electronic components.  This was a huge time- and cost-saving measure, and allowed me to get trains running quickly.  Once the track was installed in the Durango Yard and the Silverton Branch, I installed 14 gauge stranded bus wires for what will be District One and for the reverse loop.  I color coded the wiring for future troubleshooting, using red and black stranded buses for the District One wiring, and green and white 12 gauge stranded wire (because I had this on hand) for the reverse section.  I then dropped 22 gauge stranded feeder wires from every length of rail to the appropriate bus wires.  The reverse section was gapped on both rails at each end to completely isolate it.  The reverse section was connected to a DCC Specialties (http://www.dccspecialties.com) OG-AR auto reverse unit, and District One was powered via a DCC Specialties PSX-4 circuit breaker.  Details about wiring the previous layout, which are applicable to this layout, can be found at this link:  DCC for the D&RGW.

I added a control bus to the layout, even though the layout will be controlled via radio controlled throttles to provide a backup in the event the batteries fail, or more operators are present than radio throttles. 

The First Train From Ridgway!

Trackwork in Durango is now complete, and the first train, powered by Rio Grande Southern C-19 No. 40, has successfully run from the connection to Ridgway through the reverse loop in Durango and back!  The following photos show this train, and a K-27 and Galloping Goose, at a few locations within Durango.

Rio Grande Southern No. 40 at the end-of-track, which will eventually connect Durango to Ridgway.  The train is traveling Eastbound from Ridgway.

Rio Grande Southern No. 40 has arrived at the Durango Depot in time to meet Goose 7.

Overall view of the Durango yard.  The connection to the Rio Grande Southern is the track on the far left, with RGS No. 40 and its train approaching Durango.

Rio Grande Southern K-27 No. 461 is turned on the turntable in Durango.  A New York Railway Supply turntable controller, relocated from my previous layout, will be used to power and index the turntable.

Rio Grande Southern No. 461, a Blackstone Models K-27, is coaling up at the Durango Coal Tower.  The loco is positioned on the scratchbuilt ashpit.

A pair of Drop Bottom Gondolas deliver coal to the coaling tower in Durango.  The gondolas were built from R Robb and Grandt Line kits several years ago.

Wiring of Durango has been completed, and will be the subject of an upcoming post.  As with the previous layout, this layout is operated by DCC, and will utilize stationary decoders for turnout control.

Track Laying Begins!

I have begun laying track on the new layout. On my previous layout, I hand laid the track using MicroEngineering Code 55 rail, on Kappler wood ties using MicroEngineering Small spikes.  However, I decided to use MicroEngineering Code 55 flex track on this layout for a couple of reasons.  First, the new layout is approximately four times larger than the last layout.  Second, I spent 25 years (part time) building the last layout and since I am now 62 years old, I decided that a more rapid rate of construction would be beneficial.  Therefore, I am building the layout using flex track, but I am building the turnouts using FastTracks assembly fixtures and supplies.


 The following materials are being used for track laying:

1. MicroEngineering
1.  Code 55 rail for turnouts
2. Code 55 Flex Track
3.  Micro spikes
4.  Code 55 rail joiners
2. FastTracks
1. #6 Turnout Assembly Fixtures 
2.  24" and 30" radius Sweepsticks
3. PC board ties
3. Aleene's Original Tacky Glue
4. Chalk
5. Pushpins
6. Straightedge
7. Radius tool

Overview of the Durango Yard.  Note the installation of Flex Track and turnouts.  All trackwork is secured using Aleene's Original Tacky glue.

Closeup view of the yard tracks in front of the Raggs...to Riches Durango Depot.  Note that the yard tracks are curved, similar to the prototype, and that the Durango Roundhouse is now permanently mounted in the layout.

View of the major Durango Yard facilities.  The Car Repair Shops, in the foreground, has now been permanently installed into the layout.  Tracks have been laid up to, and through, the Car Repair Shops.

A view looking toward Durango, and the connection to the Rio Grande Southern Railroad on the left.  The track is slightly elevated on Homabed roadbed to provide separation from the Durango yard tracks.

The Coaling Tower, relocated from my previous layout, is in place, but not permanently installed.  Permanent installation awaits excavation for the ashpit, located on the left side of the coaling track located to the left of the coaling tower.  The track to the right of the tower is the receiving track for coal, and will be elevated.

A Rio Grande Southern stock train arriving in Durango.  This is the slightly elevated track that serves as the connection to Ridgway, Colorado.  The locomotive is a Blackstone Models C-19, while the stock cars are Grandt Line kits built be the author.

Aleene's Original Tacky Glue, used for track laying.

The Phoenix Arises

I have, at last, begun construction of my new HOn3 layout.  The past several months have been spent in finishing the basement, including the addition of an HVAC system, bathroom, workshop, utility room, and layout room.  The layout room itself is approximately 22' by 45', with an additional 4.5' by 9' area which will house my version of Ridgway, Colorado.  As with the previous layout, this layout will be built in HOn3, will include Durango, Colorado, and will be set in approximately 1948.

I have received track planning help from several friends, particularly Steve King and Larry Nyce.  Thanks, guys!  Although the total plan is not finalized, I completed the area that will be occupied by Durango.  I added a line to represent Silverton, which will be mostly staging, but there is enough space to allow for switching activity.

I began, of course, with construction of the benchwork using standard 1x4 lumber.  Normally, I would cover the Durango Yard with plywood and Homasote.  Unfortunately, in the part of North Carolina where I live (Western NC mountains), the standard response at every lumber yard I visited to the question "Do you carry Homasote?" was "Hunh?  What's Homasote?"  Obviously, if I was to build this layout, an alternative needed to be found.

A friend on the Southeast side of Charlotte recommended a product available at Home Depot called Quietbrace.  This is a 1/2" fiber panel that is covered with a very fine layer of asphalt.  I ordered several sheets of Quietbrace and 1/2" Sandeply plywood, and the benchwork for the Durango Yard, and the Silverton staging area was constructed.

Benchwork for the Durango Yard.  The black material is 1/2" Quietbrace.  The white lines are track centerlines drawn on the Quietbrace using white chalk.  The loop is the track used by the prototype to turn the San Juan passenger train.  The white track centerline exiting the photo to the right leads to Silverton staging.

Once all of the benchwork for Durango and the Silverton Branch was completed, I began transferring the track centerlines from the track plan to the railroad.  I found that I needed to make some changes to the track plan as I proceeded, mostly to more accurately represent the prototype track arrangement in Durango.  By the way, I made extensive use of the Durango Workbook published by Mike Blazek  (http://blazeksplan.com/). 

Durango yard track centerlines in front of the Durango Depot.  The depot was built from a Raggs...to Riches kit.  The roundhouse in the foreground was scratchbuilt by the author and moved from his previous layout.  The line to Silverton can be seen in the background in front of (and blocking!) two sliding glass doors.

The Durango Yard showing track centerlines, the scratchbuilt roundhouse, and Depot.  The scratchbuilt car repair shops are located on the left.  It is attached to a base, which will be recessed into the yard, and tracks will be laid up to it.

An overall view of the Durango Yard.  The loop in the foreground is not the loop for turning the San Juan, but, rather, is the Eastbound track out of Durango.  It had to be looped because of space limitations.  At the far left rear of the photo, the track will continue to the left onto the Rio Grande Southern, and eventually to Ridgway.

Looking from the Rio Grande Southern connection into the Durango Car Shops.

Installing the trackwork is next!  I will be using Flex track, but will be building my switches using Fast Tracks fixtures (http://www.handlaidtrack.com/).