Colorado Midland Railway Engineering Report

[Dave V]

After many months of inactivity, progress has commenced again on the Colorado Midland!

I've started roadbed and tracklaying...pics to come.  I generally try to assemble as much track as I can at the workbench where I have a nice soldering environment (versus on the layout).

Also, today a gem arrived from Trainworld:



For now it's painted as D&RGW C-28 #683. The real 683/583 looks very different, but also has the distinction of being the only extant D&RGW standard gauge steam locomotive (not counting the K37 narrow gauge class that were kitbashed from standard gauge boilers).

Of note, this paint scheme dates from some time after 1921, 16 years after my 1905 era, and anachronistic for this engine's appearance.  My intent was to strip it and letter it for the Midland.  I don't know, though...she looks awfully pretty!

[basementcalling]

After many months of inactivity, progress has commenced again on the Colorado Midland!

I've started roadbed and tracklaying...pics to come.  I generally try to assemble as much track as I can at the workbench where I have a nice soldering environment (versus on the layout).

Also, today a gem arrived from Trainworld:



For now it's painted as D&RGW C-28 #683. The real 683/583 looks very different, but also has the distinction of being the only extant D&RGW standard gauge steam locomotive (not counting the K37 narrow gauge class that were kitbashed from standard gauge boilers).

Of note, this paint scheme dates from some time after 1921, 16 years after my 1905 era, and anachronistic for this engine's appearance.  My intent was to strip it and letter it for the Midland.  I don't know, though...she looks awfully pretty!

Pretty penny there.

I thought your CMRR was G scale?

[Dave V]

Pretty penny there.

I thought your CMRR was G scale?

Nope!  My G scale railroad is based loosely (as loose as loose can be) on the narrow gauge Rio Grande Southern:

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=32192.0

..i.e.,

[Dave V]

Back to the Midland...

[delamaize]

After many months of inactivity, progress has commenced again on the Colorado Midland!

I've started roadbed and tracklaying...pics to come.  I generally try to assemble as much track as I can at the workbench where I have a nice soldering environment (versus on the layout).

Also, today a gem arrived from Trainworld:



For now it's painted as D&RGW C-28 #683. The real 683/583 looks very different, but also has the distinction of being the only extant D&RGW standard gauge steam locomotive (not counting the K37 narrow gauge class that were kitbashed from standard gauge boilers).

Of note, this paint scheme dates from some time after 1921, 16 years after my 1905 era, and anachronistic for this engine's appearance.  My intent was to strip it and letter it for the Midland.  I don't know, though...she looks awfully pretty!

I have the 2-6-0 version of this locomotive, probably one the best locomotives I own! smooth running, and surprisingly strong. It's a bear to DCC though...

[Chris333]

Excellent progress! The 2 locomotives have a family look.

[Dave V]

Excellent progress! The 2 locomotives have a family look.

It does illustrate the tremendously oversized tender for the 4-6-0, though...

Once the layout is in running order and roughly scenicked I can re-attack the steam locomotives and make them look better.  Eventually I'll want to go DCC so one train can circle the main while another works the mine branch.

[SSW7771]

Dave,

I am in Colorado Springs this weekend to visit my brother in law at the Air Force Academy. Not sure if you know this but the Ghost Town Museum in town is housed in the old Colorado Midland shops building and across the parking is the old roundhouse.

http://www.ghosttownmuseum.com/history.htm

The roundhouse has been turned into storefronts and an restaurant. We stopped at the restaurant on the way back down from Pikes Peak to have a couple of beers. They have a large photo of the roundhouse in use on the right as you enter and the gate to the patio had the Colorado Midland logo in it. I though you might want to check it out if you have not already.

[Dave V]

Sure have!  I've had dinner and beers in the old roundhouse.

[Dave V]

I've made quite a bit of progress this past week:

Wired/laid the track in front of the depot.
Roadbed laid up to the bridge locations.
Scribed stone mortar lines into the Fine N Scale concrete trestle footings for the steel bridge.
Completed deck for steel bridge.
Built a Colorado Midland boxcar from a Fine N Scale kit (awaiting decals).
Painted/lettered the tipple for the Smuggler silver mine.
Started fitting the smaller trestle bents.

[Scottl]

So many words, so few pictures...

[Chris333]

So many words, so few pictures...

You took the words right out of my head.

[Dave V]

Patience, young grasshoppers.  All will be revealed when the time is right.   

[Dave V]

Testing track and playing with trains...



Here's the finished steel trestle.  The "concrete" Fine N Scale footings were carved to represent stone:



I took a break from layout construction to build a boxcar for the Midland.  It's one of the Fine N Scale resin kits.  Here it's representing one of the Midland's Barney & Smith 1887 34' boxcars.  The door type is all wrong, but it opens left like the prototype.  The Midland had right-hand open boxcars as well.  These kits are very well detailed with tiny etched details that make them look even nicer than the RTR 36' cars from Roundhouse/Athearn.  I am well stocked with correct custom Midland decals.



Lastly, the Midland now has its own public Facebook page!

https://www.facebook.com/N-Scale-Colorado-Midland-Model-Railroad-962404053798467/timeline/

[Scottl]

Very nice.   The detail on that boxcar is very impressive.  Do you think it could be used on Nn3 as well?