Feather River Canyon in N-scale

[rodsup9000]

 Last nights work session turned into train running session.    NO pics but had fun.


I did get all the Micore laid in Portola and the subroadbed cut for rest of the mainline. I still need to add risers and add more benchwork where Clio Trestle will go. When I get home off the road next week, I hope to get all that done, all the cork down and start laying track.  Then start working on the trestle.














 While researching what industries was around the canyon in the early '50's, I found some info on Feather River Railway. It was a 3 foot narrow gauge logging railroad that operated just north of Oroville. I have some Nn3 stuff, so I think I will do some sort of representation of the rr. 

[rodsup9000]

  I'm getting so close to getting all the mainline done. The only benchwork that need to be finished is the Clio Trestle area. I plan on building the trestle and adding the scenery around the towers at the work bench. For now I'm just going to splice in a piece to get the mainline operational. More on that when the works starts.

 Clio trestle to Portola with track laid
 I don't think I've said that I do use HO cork everywhere but the yards, and in the yards I use n scale cork for the mains. I cut about 1/8" off each side on the HO cork with the table saw before splitting it. Where the double track goes, I use unmodified HO cork with the pieces from cutting it in the center.   








 Portola yard area





















 

[rodsup9000]

 Portola to the helix

[Cajonpassfan]

Wow, what a monster
Great progress, Rodney!
Following with much interest...
Otto K.

[C855B]

Yeah. When he's done... looks like next week at this rate... he's going to come help me finish my own unmanageable mess.

Just kidding, Rodney, just kidding. See you in June.

[rodsup9000]

Wow, what a monster
Great progress, Rodney!
Following with much interest...
Otto K.

 Thanks Otto, I'm getting there slowly.




 

Yeah. When he's done... looks like next week at this rate... he's going to come help me finish my own unmanageable mess.

Just kidding, Rodney, just kidding. See you in June.

 I would like to get over there sometime soon and help, but I guess it'll be after the convention now. One of the my favorite parts of building a layout is benchwork and track laying, so yes I want to come help you sometime.
Also I need to talk to you about the servo mounts that you are trying out. I'll call you later today or tomorrow to talk to you about them. 
 

[rodsup9000]

 Here is a video that my friend Shane has done on the layout. He'll be doing another as soon as I get all the mainline in.

[rodsup9000]

  Made lots of progress today.  Getting ready for the golden spike on the mainline.
This will be in 2 posts to get all the photos in.


  To get the mainline operational, I put a piece of subroadbed in and added track till I can get Clio Trestle built.






Rest of the mainline

[rodsup9000]

 





























  This is all that is left to install and all the mainline will be done. 









 Now on to soldering all the drops in and installing the switch machines.

[davefoxx]

Congratulations on reaching the golden spike!  Obviously, there's much work that remains, but I look forward to video of your mainline to give a real idea of the run.

DFF

[Specter3]

That is a huge layoUt. Congrats on a nearly complete mainline.

[Cajonpassfan]

Congrats on the golden spike Rodney, a great push get the thing running! Awesome!
You are very brave to run a 60 car train on the high line without any protection.... I was very brave too until a "trip" pin snagged a joiner and most of my GFX train ended up in a pile scale 30 floors below. Never seen so many Intermountain parts at once before.  Still finding errant pieces two years later
Just saying...
Best, Otto

[basementcalling]

Hit us with a ceremony video.  That layout is massive. How much do you plan to try to have ready for the convention?

[rodsup9000]

Congratulations on reaching the golden spike!  Obviously, there's much work that remains, but I look forward to video of your mainline to give a real idea of the run.

DFF

 Thanks Dave, hopefully we will do the whole layout video next Wednesday night. I have a mini camera coming from china that will hopefully fit on a center drop flat to do a cab ride video.

That is a huge layoUt. Congrats on a nearly complete mainline.

Thanks

Congrats on the golden spike Rodney, a great push get the thing running! Awesome!
You are very brave to run a 60 car train on the high line without any protection.... I was very brave too until a "trip" pin snagged a joiner and most of my GFX train ended up in a pile scale 30 floors below. Never seen so many Intermountain parts at once before.  Still finding errant pieces two years later
Just saying...
Best, Otto

 Thanks, Otto, and yes I've had some cars fall off in that loop. The good thing is that there is a shelf with foam about 6" below the benchwork and I haven't damaged any cars yet.

Hit us with a ceremony video.  That layout is massive. How much do you plan to try to have ready for the convention?

 A video will be coming with the golden spike being driven. I want to have all the scenery done around the Keddie Wye, Williams Loop and Clio trestle areas. Then I will start working scenery from the Wye towards Oroville.

[rodsup9000]

  I got some of the wiring done before I have to go back out on the road.

 All the drops are in and soldered to the block buss's in the Keddie yard.





 I'm using 1156 lights for my short protection and they work well. The yellow and blue are the buss wires from the booster. The orange and red are from the block buss.


 Here you can see the booster buss that go to one of the 10 amp boosters I'm using. The run from the booster to the Keddie junction buss is about 50 feet, so I have them twisted.