Colorado Midland Railway Engineering Report

[OldEastRR]

Instead of the Bar Mills kit, I'd recommend this small curved trestle spot as an opportunity to scratchbuild one out of scale dimensional basswood. It's a project that's not too difficult, $cheap$, and fun to build.

Scratchbuilding ALL the bridges might be a daunting prospect, but just picking one of the smaller ones, like this one, could provide a fun modeling opportunity.

I'd strongly recommend using styrene components to scratchbuild instead of wood. The plastic joints meld instantly with glue, you can control the final color (wood tends to soak up or alter stains and paints), and the trestle will be stronger as plastic, which has a little more give than wood. I've accidentally smashed partly or wholly enough of my scratchbuilt wooden structures (you know how fragile a scale wood-made plank fence is?) to make me go with styrene now.

[Cajonpassfan]

Any room for a coaling facility like this?
The ten wheeler ain't bad eiher
Fun fun stuff!
Otto K.

[Dave V]

Instead of the Bar Mills kit, I'd recommend this small curved trestle spot as an opportunity to scratchbuild one out of scale dimensional basswood. It's a project that's not too difficult, $cheap$, and fun to build.

Scratchbuilding ALL the bridges might be a daunting prospect, but just picking one of the smaller ones, like this one, could provide a fun modeling opportunity.

I'd strongly recommend using styrene components to scratchbuild instead of wood. The plastic joints meld instantly with glue, you can control the final color (wood tends to soak up or alter stains and paints), and the trestle will be stronger as plastic, which has a little more give than wood. I've accidentally smashed partly or wholly enough of my scratchbuilt wooden structures (you know how fragile a scale wood-made plank fence is?) to make me go with styrene now.

I appreciate all the advice, but I have no plans to scratchbuild trestles.  Gonna roll with kits.  It's not that I don't think I can do it; it just doesn't look fun to me.

Any room for a coaling facility like this?
The ten wheeler ain't bad eiher
Fun fun stuff!
Otto K.

Love it, and if the CM were to be my primary layout I would do it.  Alas, my little layout will not have room for something like that.

[wm3798]

I like this.  Nice to see you moving forward with such an interesting departure from what we're used to seeing.  Keep up the good vibes!

Lee

[timgill]

It's not that I don't think I can do it; it just doesn't look fun to me.

Now, wait a minute, we'll be the judge of what's fun for you! 

Those kits should work great for those bridges.

I must say, the decal job on the 4-6-0 looks quite sexy!

[Dave V]

I like this.  Nice to see you moving forward with such an interesting departure from what we're used to seeing.  Keep up the good vibes!

Lee

Glad to hear it!  It's both exciting and daunting to tread where few have gone before, but it's certainly given my hobby mojo a much needed steroid shot.

Now, wait a minute, we'll be the judge of what's fun for you! 

Those kits should work great for those bridges.

I must say, the decal job on the 4-6-0 looks quite sexy!

Thanks!

And yes, Railwire is my judge, my jury, and my executioner!  The lack of Conrail blue on this layout will invariably incite the Eastern contingent to pitchforks and torches.

[C62-2]

You're not working hard enough at finding an excuse. The rio grande had ex-conrail units, and "Colorful Colorado Railroads" has a picture of PRR units that made it out to Colorado.

[Dave V]

You're not working hard enough at finding an excuse. The rio grande had ex-conrail units, and "Colorful Colorado Railroads" has a picture of PRR units that made it out to Colorado.

Nice!  Except that the rails were gone from my part of the Midland by 1921...   

[Ed Kapuscinski]

The lack of Conrail blue on this layout will invariably incite the Eastern contingent to pitchforks and torches.

It's not blue, but...

[Chris333]

 

[Philip H]

 

Chris333 FTW folks.  Please exit the Internet in an orderly fashion, single file through the revolving door to your left.

[Dave V]

Add a third axle to that, stretch the boiler, and add an extended coal bunker and you'd have a dead ringer for a Midland 0-6-0!

[basementcalling]

How about some railroad porn in this thread? Any photos of *(Conrail) blue foam or plaster to share yet?

Could you use that shade of blue on the backdrop or in one of the creeks, Dave?

[Dave V]

Have not started actual layout construction yet.  I need to have a plan for the bridges before I do.  I'm at the point now where if I can get a free weekend (it's ski season after all) I can probably start.  The first task is dismantling the Unitrack layout that's there now.

[delamaize]

Add a third axle to that, stretch the boiler, and add an extended coal bunker and you'd have a dead ringer for a Midland 0-6-0!

Ya know Dave, that could be an easy steam bash....

Atlas/micro ace 2-6-0 mech, scratch build the boiler and cab, Off the shelf detail parts, and a cut down bachmann slope back tender and you'd damn near be there. I'd power it the same way Chris333 did his 2-6-2.....