Three steps forward, one step back......

I'm still making slow, but steady progress on the layout. I didn't make my Christmas deadline for finishing all track work but I got close. Since I didn't make my goal, I thought I'd take a break from track and work on some bridges and structures.

Here is the new and improved Tibbe "T" girder span. The other span broke while putting it in. The crack was small but I knew it was there so it had to go. I now just need to get the track back down on the bridge and I can start scenery on this part of the layout.

 

 

 

This bridge is on the NS just before the KCS crossing at Meridian. I plan on there being a low, wet, swampy area here.

Work has also begun on Crawford grain from the post below. So far, there are two Walther's Big Grain Bins and a Walthers Surge bin in place. Also note the progress on the scratch build of a 60' diameter grain bin from a Rix kit and an 8" PVC pipe. I ran out of Rix parts today. Hope to have more by the end of the week.

And finally, the step back. Back in October, I had a track laying blitz with help coming in for the week. Well, I now have to go back and make some major repairs over all the track we laid in October. We didn't cut in any expansion joints when we laid it so this cold weather seems to have made the track buckle. I'm going to have to go back, make quite a few cuts, re-glue track and add in some feeder wire. Not fun!!!

Planning ahead.....

I'm almost done with laying track so I'm starting to plan for the next stage; scenery and structures. One of the first structures I want to tackle is Crawford Grain pictured here. I've been trying to find some large grain bins that match these but not had much luck. The Walther's bins are about as close as I can find but aren't anywhere near big enough. If anyone has any ideas, please let me know.

Lots of progress since my last update!!

I've made a good bit of progress since my last update. Here's a few shots. 

This is a view of the "Louisville" yard on the upper deck. That right hand turnout will lead to one more yard track that will have the Georgia Pacific lead off of it. This is the only track left to install on the upper deck. My goal was to have ALL track in by Christmas. Not sure that I'll make that but I do plan on having all the upper deck done. 

This is a shot of the East end of the Meridian yard on the lower deck. The yard is KCS while the double track on the right is the NS. This yard is complete. The only track left here is a four track hidden staging yard behind the backdrop. The switch for this yard is on the other end of the yard and will go though the backdrop via an industry roll up door. 

This is a shot of the KCS main from Artesia as it approaches the NS crossing at the East end of the Meridian yard. I'm starting to get more bridges in. This is another Scale Segmental Bridge Co. kit that was a joy to build. The double track in the background is the NS, I've got another concrete bridge that I hope to get in next week. 

This is a shot of the Crawford siding and the Crawford Grain spur. This was the last siding that I had to get in on the lower deck. There is very little track left to install. On the lower deck, I've got that hidden staging behind the Meridian yard, another four track hidden staging behind Artesia yard, the Wye track at the North end of Artesia and finally the TXI Cement plant South of Artesia. On the upper deck is that one yard track and the Georgia Pacific track. Once I get all that in, I'll be done with track and ready to move to structures and scenery. I'm ready for that.

Getting more track down!!!!

Even though the blitz is over, I'm still hard at work getting track down. I've still got the three yards and a few industries left to lay. This week, I've been focusing on the yard at Artesia.  

Here's a prototype view. Notice the four tracks in the upper left of the photo that curve off the the left side of the photo. These are the arrival/departure tracks. Since I'm building on a narrow shelf, I'm having trouble working these into the layout. If you look at the track plan for the lower deck in my first post, you'll notice that I've got one track going through the backdrop as a wye and the other three tracks ending at the back drop. I'm toying with the idea of taking all four tracks through the backdrop to use as staging. I'm looking for any suggestions on this. 

Here's a shot of the North end of the yard on the layout. I've still got the Wye track to lay where the brick at the left edge of the photo is. Also, working on the engine service area where the two bricks are in the background. 

Here's a view from the South end of the yard along the yard lead. In the center of the photo you can see the switches for those arrival/departure tracks. I'd like for them to be fully usable. 

I've also been working on getting the Tibbee bridge in and in service.  Here's a shot of the first train to cross Tibbee. This has been a fun project and it's getting closer to being done. I've got to replace the concrete T-girder section as I broke it during the install. For now, it's superglued together and the track on the bridge is just laying in place held by rail joiners. I'll just have to live with a slow order for a while. The T-girder section and both truss piers are all products from Scale Segmental Bridge Co. Keith at Scalebridge.com has been a HUGE help on this bridge. Both truss piers were custom made for this bridge but are now in his product line. I like having the first production run supporting my bridge. ; ) 

And here's a fun video of the second train to cross. I don't think Tibbee has actually ever had a double stack cross it but in my world it will. 

The blitz continues....

We're still making good progress on laying track. Hope to get a lot more done tomorrow on the last day of the blitz.  

Miles is hard at work putting the last piece of the upper level main in. Miles and Fran have been a HUGE help in getting the upper level in. I've learned a lot from them so far and get something new each day.  

Here we see the first train make the loop around the upper level. I can now make a complete run from around the lower level, up the helix, around the upper and back down the helix. I plan to get a clock out soon and time the lap. 

We've also started on the first area to get scenery. This is the HWY 82 underpass. The bridge was scratch built from Rix beams and scale lumber. The abutments were cast with U-30 plaster and the piers were custom done by Scale Segmental Bridge Co. This will be one of my favorite scenes.

Track Blitz

I've got the pleasure of having Miles and Fran Hale down for a few days to help with the layout. We started our track laying blitz this past Thursday and have made great progress. As of this post, we have the upper deck main line in and running from the helix around to the Starkville passenger depot. Here are a few shots of what all has gone on.  

This is a shot of a quick mock up of a farm scene that will be on the upper deck as you exit the helix.  

This is a shot from the end of the upper deck peninsula looking back at the helix.  

Here's a shot of the upper deck wye. The track going through the backdrop will cross over the lift out section and enter the Louisville yard. 

This is a quick mock up of the HWY 182 underpass at Mayhew, MS. This scene will be the first to get scenery. 

Finally, this is a shot of my test locos as they pass the Borden plant in Starkville. More to come soon.

Catching up on my updates......

It's been quite a while since my last update. I've also gotten quite a bit done since then. First of all, I've gotten about 80% of the fascia and valance up and painted. You can't tell from the photo
but the paint is a CTC green that Tony Koester gave me the formula for. 

The other big thing is the entertainment center and shelves I added under the layout. Painted black, you really can't tell how they're made. Basically, there is a 3'X4' two shelf bookcase on each side of the TV. There will be black curtains below the layout that will hide the chest of drawers on each side. I'll get this in as soon as I finish the fascia. 

 

I've also continued work on the Tibbee Bridge. The wooden trestle approach is complete. The T-girder concrete section is going to be re-done. The pilings under it are a scale 15'. I want to move them up to 18' to match the trestle. Also, the concrete pier on the North end and the Brick pier on the South end are currently in production at the Scale Segmental Bridge Co. I had a completed brick pier for the South end that looked great but it met it's fate after it was accidentally dropped. 

I've also begun to add in structures to see how things will fit. Here you can see the Borden plant and the Starkville Passenger depot. These two models were built by Rich Cobb and look fantastic. Work has also continued on roadbed spline. I've got about 95% of the spline in. there are only a couple industries that still need spline. I've got a track laying blitz scheduled to start on the 29th. I've got some help that will be in town for a week. We hope to get most of the track laid during that time. I'll post more updates soon.