Gibbon, Cozad & Western - "The 100th Meridian Line"

[C855B]

Finally, some good news to report:

1) The server has been recovered from backup with new (to me) hardware. All that's left is sync'ing the temporary e-mail server and updating DNS, and we're done.

2) No apparent issues with the lighting system after the hit. Still too cold to mess with the railcam... maybe later next week.

3) Sky is done:



Lots o' touch-up was required to even the transitions. Tarps will take two to remove so as to not spread overspray dust everywhere; I'll have help tomorrow. At that point benchwork and track construction resumes.

[marklin-au]

   Wow you have been busy . Looks fantastic .

[C855B]

A fair bit of track has gone down now that the sky is done. The "high lines" from the backbone have descended into Complication Junction (construction name only), with all nine turnouts installed and operable.



Some roadbed is down into Sinclair (far left), but it might not see track for a while since the Phase 0 plan might leave it stub-ended. That way I can concentrate on finishing benchwork (behind the camera) to complete the whole dogbone. Intent was to have the full running loop done this week, but a cold is limiting personal uptime.

In other progress news, our building contractor will be paying us a visit tomorrow to survey the next project, a garage/storeroom adjacent to the studio. We put this in the budget for 2019 after our experience with the box truck prematurely aging from being left out in the weather. This way the replacement will have shelter and I have someplace to move the construction detritus out of the middle of the layout space. Weather permitting, it should be done by end of January.

[C855B]

Oh... almost forgot. Railcam is still offline, and I miss it every time I hear a horn while working on the layout. I did take advantage of above-average temps to open the box for diagnosis. Fortunately the high-res camera was not damaged, the problem was the environmental control electronics in the outdoor housing. Replacement parts are due this week, just in time for things to turn cold again. Of course.

[wazzou]

@C855B
Mike, I notice you don't sand the shoulders of your cork roadbed prior to laying track.
Do you eventually do that?

[basementcalling]

Are those #10 crossovers?

[C855B]

Yes, and yes.

Still experimenting with fast methods to deal with the bad edge on the cork. Haven't done any ballast work yet since there's a boatload of track painting to be done first.

#10s everywhere on the mainline, #7s in yards, etc.

[davefoxx]

Still experimenting with fast methods to deal with the bad edge on the cork. Haven't done any ballast work yet since there's a boatload of track painting to be done first.

If it helps, I like to use one of those foam sanding blocks.  By not being a hard sanding block, it can form somewhat to curved roadbed sections.  The real advantage is that if you use it on the edge, you can actually sand the opposing sections of cork on parallel tracks.



DFF

[basementcalling]

If it helps, I like to use one of those foam sanding blocks.  By not being a hard sanding block, it can form somewhat to curved roadbed sections.  The real advantage is that if you use it on the edge, you can actually sand the opposing sections of cork on parallel tracks.



DFF

Hand model @davefoxx demonstrating beautiful cuticles and proper sanding technique to preserve his fingernails.

[coldriver]

looking good!  What's the track spacing on your mainlines?

[C855B]

1.25". Not that this spacing is particularly magic or precisely following prototype, but it's what the #10 turnouts are designed for without modification as crossover pairs. And it happens to look reasonable. It also works well around curves without having to widen things to accommodate long rolling stock.

As to the sanding block for tuning the roadbed profile, I do use one for smoothing the cork tops, but I've tried it before and was too fine a grit to make a dent in breaking the sharp edge. I'll run by the paint store today to see about one in a coarse grit, otherwise the game plan was moving in the direction of a power tool of some manner.

[GaryHinshaw]

Looks great!  Big time railroading in the making.  Can't wait to see what the signal crew has planned for this interlocking.   

I use a single-edge razor blade to trim schmutz from the cork before I lay it.  It should work fine afterwards as well, if you can get the right angle.

[C855B]

... Can't wait to see what the signal crew has planned for this interlocking.   

Big things, provided I can get JMRI's signal logic to cooperate.

I just played with an idea on the roadbed profiling that appears to be quick - hit the edge with a coarse sanding drum in the Dremel, follow with a medium-grit sanding sponge. It's messy, but with as much as there is to do, speed counts.

[C855B]

Into the home stretch! On Phase 0, at least:



Cans are clamping the glue. Last bit of benchwork to go is the dogbone loop attaching to the left here. I'll start on it tomorrow, the steel circle and supports for it will take a couple of days.

[C855B]

While I'm thinking about it, adjusting the plan for the dogbone loop was a good opportunity to update the artwork for Phase 1, adding the first peninsula with LDEs Afton Canyon and the Kelso station:



This is on the books to have done by end of 2019, with the ultimate objective in good enough shape for the NMRA national convention in July 2020. That doesn't seem all that ambitious relative to Phase 0, but there's a bunch of electrical work remaining on Phase 0 and, of course, scenery on Phases 0 and 1 where I will have help. Lack of yards/staging is somewhat addressed in Phase 1 with Yermo and Kelso, plus I figured out a temporary connection west out of Sinclair for a reasonable grade to handle through traffic.