Layout Update

Made some updates to the layout to fix a few minor issues.

1. GO Passenger train service will now run on the main line from Alder through Wyandot and Southlake. Hidden staging for GO trains beind the Alder Tannery GO Station building.
2. New sidings at Wyandot to park GO Trains out of service and freight as required.
3. Siding to service Auto Parts plant adjusted.
4. New siding to service Cement Plant. (old Southlake sidings removed.)
5. Decided on Flood Control Dam for river crossing - based on Claireville Dam in Toronto.

Outstanding:

1. Still need to locate Southlake GO station. Issue due to proximity to switches and bridges. May need to locate on curve.

More progress...

Built up one side of the river bank with foam. Originally I had planned a wooden trestle across the river, but have since changed my mind and am planning to run the tracks over a small coffer or flood control dam. That may change before it is done :)





I took a purchased single-track plate girder bridge and used my Dremel to cut off the sides, and glued them onto my double track bridge across the yard tracks.






My drop-in is really a duck-under, since I have not cut the tracks, but designed it so it can be easily converted to a drop-in if I get tired of ducking under. So far it is ok - it is high enough to be easy. I used angle iron and butterfly bolts on both sides to attach so the alignment is perfect, and to allow easy removal.




A close-up of the angle iron and butterfly bolt. Another reason I needed to make it removable is that the whole section to the left also is removable to allow access to the furnace when needed.






An overview of the duck-under/drop-in.








Foam used to build up the left side of the river bank.








View of the river.








Starting to make the Town of Southlake. The main street will be here with businesses.







On the right side of the river the yard track inclines up as it leaves the yard. The cut here will have a small farm on the left of the track. A level crossing crosses the yard track and both main tracks here.





A good shot showing the river with bank forming on the left.








Town of Southlake looking towards the duck-under. I added a siding here to service a cement plant. The main street goes under the CN bridge and there is a Y junction. An underpass will go under the black bridge, while the other road continues toward an Auto Parts plant.




Aerial view of Southlake. You can see the new siding here which will service the Cement Plant.







At the passenger station, I added a siding to park the GO Train when out of service. While there will be hidden staging, this will allow for visible parking like the prototype. The passsenger station will be replaced or expanded, and is just a placeholder for now. This is where the road crosses the tracks. I need to try to find room for the station parking lot.



I had to move a freight siding when I figured out that my Auto Parts Plant would be 12" x 19". I am going to use the Lakeville Warehousing model. The Auto Parts Plant will be the largest industry in Southlake and is based on a Magna Auto Parts plant in Newmarket.




The new siding servicing the Cement Plant. I will be using the Medusa Cement Kit, so it is more of a cement transfer plant. It is based on a plant in Newmarket.






A close-up of the Main Street underpass that goes under the Cement Plant siding.







An aerial view of Southlake, showing the underpasses and siding.

Progress Update

I installed overhead lighting on a dimmer. It is much easier to see when working! I placed incandescent bulbs all around the layout. I may change the type of bulbs for a more floodlight look.









I finished the incline out of the yard, including the truss bridge that crosses the ravine. The incline is pretty smooth, using plywood cookie cutter method. I'm not as happy with the curve across the bridge, but it works. Better to keep bridges on a straight flat surface for sure. 85 foot Bombardier Cab car bottoms out with it's front dam due to the curve and incline. The good news is that the passenger cars should never be in the freight yard.


Step 2 of the river is complete. I finished carving the foam river bed, added river rocks, larger rocks and a piece of submerged wood, used cotton balls for the rapids at the back, as well as a few in the river to show water going around larger rocks. Siliconed glass over top. Next step is to continue the banks up from the glass, then use resin to texturize the surface.



Installed double track plate girder bridge for Town of Southlake underpass. Carved and painted grey the abutments and sidewalks. Will later install foam roadway.

About 75-80% of the track is laid. Tested it, and had to tweak a siding curve as the radius was too tight for longer freight cars. Outside main track for GO Train is working, although the curves are tighter than I would like. The 85 foot cars really should have a much wider radius, but I am restricted in my space.

Will be completing my drop-in next, and completing the track. Decided to double track the drop-in and have two continuous ovals, mostly due to the tight curves. That way the GO train can stick to the outer track, while the freight can use both. Will be putting hidden staging tracks behind some industrial buildings behind the yard for GO train staging. Decided to add a siding to service those buildings.

Backdrop painted & river started

I painted the backdrop with an old sky blue housepaint that we bought 20 years ago and never used because the blue did not suit our room. I rarely through anything out, so glad I didn't. After 20 years, it needed stirring for a long time to get smooth, but it worked. Painting was not that easy - trying to get a gradient from white on the bottom to blue on the top. It ended up more one color and the top is not as blue as I hoped, but we'll see. I made a few clouds - not too much, again I may add more later. I plan to add buildings, roads etc at the bottom.

At the yard throat, leaving the yard, the track starts to incline up, and turn to the right slightly, then it crosses a ravine using a truss bridge. I bought a double track truss bridge, because even though the track is single track, it will have a slight curve across the bridge, so needs the width to accommodate the curve.

The ravine construction consists of a 1" foam piece glued to the framework underneath.







This will be the river bed, and I marked and carved out the river bed from the foam. I will be painting and glueing rocks etc in the river bed, then adding a piece of glass on top for the water surface.






On top of the glass, I will add fake water resin for a texture, but still allowing you to see the river bed below in 3D.







Next steps will be to lay the trackbed for the track crossing the river.

Backdrop board mounted

The backdrop board is mounted all around. It is 1/8" masonite - 24" high. I plan to paint it blue and white - hopefully a kind of gradient. Although it really closes in the space, I am pleased with it, especially the curved corners.

Benchwork

Benchwork completed last week. The benchwork is at 48" high and runs as a 2' shelf around the room. It will have a drop-in bridge that makes a continuous loop for running trains.

Derry, Maine comes to life!

After 30 years, I have decided to build another model railway! I have managed to secure space in the basement and am building a shelf layout.

Originally, I planned to build the railroad based on the area around Quebec City, and then planned to model York Region around Newmarket and Aurora, but as a huge Stephen King fan, decided it would be much more fun to model the fictional town of Derry, Maine, made famous by King in the novel 'IT'.

Watch as the layout progresses...