Colorado Midland Railway Engineering Report

[Dave V]

That steel bridge looks much better than stock ME model. In some of the real photos that red bridge looks almost pink like it has faded a lot. Push Ed over the edge and paint it pink    Kidding.

It pretty much is the stock bridge but with shorter towers.

At least the Ruxton Avenue bridge was definitely a light color:



And it looks like all kinds of colors here:



I was tempted to try to recreate the billboard ad, but as far as I know, the Ruxton Avenue bridge was the only one so lettered, primarily because it sat adjacent to the grounds of the Pikes Peak Cog Railway where it had the best chance of snagging the attention of tourists.

[Bsklarski]

This thread too, shall reach 100 pages before a single piece of track is glued down. 

[Dave V]

Now that I'm laying out the track I need to determine what mining structures will be at the top of the branch.

I have two New River Mine structures already built which could be kitbashed into an impressive stamp mill but I'm worried it might look too modern for 1905.  The Argo Mill in Idaho Springs, CO looks for all the world like a real life bash from Walthers coal mine kits, but was built in 1913.

I have a ME Poor Boy mine, but it will look much better attached to a tipple or a stamp mill.

I have a single track spur and a double track spur in need of mine buildings appropriate for era and locale.  Any thoughts from the masses?  Or am I essentially talking to myself since this isn't PRR or Conrail?   

[Chris333]

Scratchbuild!  Find a real photo of what you want and build. For my Nn3 layout I took measurements of a HO Grandt Line stamp mill and scaled it down to N:
https://picasaweb.google.com/ErieChris333/Nn3#5585946810227133666
Was all Evergreen board and batten sheets and window castings.

Seems like most of your structures would be wooden.

Was the Argo mill on the CM? I've seen it a bunch in the mags and always thought is was served by narrow gauge like that C&S.


Some pics:
http://thumbs.worthpoint.com/mDejpSoERE3PLMHcRNMcQQAlGLM=/400x0/images/images1/1/1206/17/1_42eeff29266bf0cbd40f6cd201ae2e28.jpg

http://www.mininghistoryassociation.org/Meetings/CrippleCreek/Vindicator%20Miners%20VLTM.jpg

http://www.denverstockexchange.com/images/VindicatorPC.jpg

[Dave V]

Yes, Argo was on the C&S Clear Creek narrow gauge.

As for the Grandt Line stamp mill, I'd love to copy it!  Which size board and bat did you use from Evergreen?

I might make mine more of a 20 stamp mill if I have the room.

[glakedylan]

...

[Chris333]

I used .075" spaced Evergreen siding.

Just took these real quick, pardon the dust:



I scaled down the general shape, but changed windows and stuff to fit.

Campbell make a small N scale stamp mill. Still either way you want to shape/size it, I'd scratchbuild.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Also this: http://www.entertainmentearth.com/images/AUTOIMAGES/FPY4415lg.jpg 

I keed, I keed.

[Dave V]

Chris,

Great work!  I had that stamp mill when I was in HO.  I sold off most of my HO but I might still have the stamp mill.  If I can find it I can take measurements.

[Dave V]

More grade work... The 3 levels of track are now obvious. The turnout floating in the air represents the top of the mine branch. I'll eventually fill that area in with extruded foam.



I think if I bevel the sides of those 3% risers I can make the vertical a little less harsh.  I'll toss in a few retaining walls but they will be the exception, not the norm.

Oh, and I do still have my HO stamp mill!  This will make scratchbuilding easy...as soon as I get the siding, the doors, the windows, and the roof shingles.  Tarpaper roofs are easy to model with masking tape painted black--and they were common in Colorado mining--but I really like the look of the shingles.

[OldEastRR]

Just wondering why there is five inches of foam subbase? Will much of that be cut away for ravines, creeks, etc?

[Chris333]

About the shingle roof. Monroe models recently released a coal elevator with raster laser cut shingles. They look good in person and they sell the roof sheets separate http://www.monroemodels.us/9311.htm   I used Builders In Scale corrugated metal for my little building. And Wild West Models makes some different roofing.


About the buffs between the levels. I had the same problem to deal with and tried to vary the treatment. Like extended bridge abutments, wood cribbing castings, some boards behind rails stuck in the ground, small rock outcroppings.

[eric220]

Just wondering why there is five inches of foam subbase? Will much of that be cut away for ravines, creeks, etc?

Now the reason for the Styrofoam depth should be apparent:

[Dave V]

Just wondering why there is five inches of foam subbase? Will much of that be cut away for ravines, creeks, etc?

What Eric said.  There's also going to be a trestle almost 6.5" tall...  You can see the trestle deck just to the left of the steel bridge.

[Dave V]

I did more work on the Colorado Midland.  I changed the grade from 3% down to 2% (4-6-0 thread) and was still able to reach the height I needed.  Now the mine branch trackage is a little clearer:





Started the long process of "excavating" the deep ravine that the larger bridges will cross.  The deck of the wood trestle is visible in the rear and the steel bridge goes in the foreground.  I was skeptical at first of using oxide red (Midland steel bridges) but it really does look pretty good like this: