HOn3 Rio Grande Southern First District 1938-1945

[Dave V]

Just ordered a ton of frog juicers.

I'm going to experiment a little with track-laying this weekend.  The stretch between Bridge 45B (not yet built) and Bridge 57B (built but no deck yet) contains a passing siding representing Lizard Head Pass.  It's very straightforward and free-flowing, so it's a natural candidate for first rails.  I'll drop the frog wires (already installed thanks to Peco--their new HOn3 code 70 line is phenomenal) in anticipation of the juicers later on.  Will drop temp feeders too.

[davefoxx]

I love juicers and highly recommend them.  Good choice, Dave.

DFF

[Dave V]

I love juicers and highly recommend them.  Good choice, Dave.

DFF

It just made sense...  I want to have manual turnout control because I feel decoder control or other remote means is antithetical to the very harsh and hard manual labor that went into running the real RGS.  But I didn't want slide switches (except for my 3-way turnout by necessity) because they don't really feel realistic.  So I opted for Caboose ground throws.  Yes, I know, they're f**king huge, but 1) I'm using N scale ones (the throw distance is still sufficient for HOn3) and 2) I'm actually planning to mount them below grade and extend dummy headblocks on each side, effectively reducing their size by 50% (and making it impossible to throw the lever all the way to the ground where it's hard to pick up again).  I will be using this method:

http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/27492

The frog juicers then take care of the frog polarity that the smaller Caboose throws don't address.  Yes, I know Caboose makes the SPDT versions that control power, but I've used them before and they're enormous, and difficult to hide using this technique.

[davefoxx]

Good choice.  I also think it's a lot easier to wire the juicers than it is to wire the Caboose Industries throws.  I used those throws on the Virginia Central.  I'll admit that they worked great but were ugly as sin.  If you use Hex Frog Juicers (controls six frogs), you only have to run two wires to the juicer to power it up (I just run two feeders from my DCC bus), and then you can control six frogs with just one wire to each frog.  That's ten less wires to run per Hex Frog Juicer as compared to six Caboose Industries throws.  Nice.

DFF

[davefoxx]

That method to mount the Caboose Industries throws under the headblocks is very effective.   In case you're wondering what to use to spike them down, consider two Atlas track nails.  They fit snug through the holes in the throw's base, and the nailheads are almost invisible on the base (and will be hidden in your application).

DFF

[Dave V]

That method to mount the Caboose Industries throws under the headblocks is very effective.   In case you're wondering what to use to spike them down, consider two Atlas track nails.  They fit snug through the holes in the throw's base, and the nailheads are almost invisible on the base (and will be hidden in your application).

DFF

That's what I did when I used them in HO so many moons ago!

[Dave V]

Big update.  No, I didn't lay track on the layout, but I did start working on building the trestle decks.  I started by building a jig.  These are 9' standard gauge ties, but that's what the RGS used for bridge ties.  Also, note the code 55 guard rails on the outside...  Not sure if that's a uniquely RGS thing but very unusual in railroad practice writ large.  The vast majority of RGS trestle decks were built this way...perhaps to simplify flanging operations during the winter?



Mood shot (imagine foreground scenery!)...



So what does the layout look like now?  Well, there's still benchwork to build; the peninsula that will hold Ridgway Yard--the heart of the RGS--has yet to be built.  Clearly there is a lot of fascia work to be done too.  But, I thought it was a good time to clean things up a bit, take stock, and lay out some track, trains, and structures to keep me inspired.



Below, looking toward Placerville. In the front left is where the peninsula representing Ridgway will start. Some of the future yard trackage can be seen lying loose on the left edge.



Necxt, we see Placerville front left, Windy Point where the layout curves around, Ophir in the back corner (that's Bridge 45A waiting to be installed), then in back where the backdrop panel covers the window (it needs to be painted and installed, LOL) is the passing siding that visually represents Lizard Head but operationally can represent both Lizard Head and the Ophir passing siding, then on to Gallagher, with Rico off to the right.



Looking toward Rico from where the future Ridgway peninsula will be:



Lastly, Rico.  Looking north.  While I was planning Rico I was deeply concerned that I would not have enough room.  In reality, I could be working in On30 and still have room, so I may or may not add a few more of the minor tracks that I originally eliminated.  But more likely I'll use the space to the south of Rico for a full model of the Atlantic Cable Mine.  While the real Atlantic Cable was an RGS customer, it primarily did so by shipping its ores to the Rico-Argentine Pro Patria Mill by cart or truck (later years) for refining.  To make things more interesting I'm going to have them ship directly to the railroad.



Wild West Models makes the Atlantic Cable Mine.  The headframe:

https://www.wildwestmodels.com/products/atlantic-cable-mine.html

And the boiler/hoist house:

https://www.wildwestmodels.com/products/atlantic-hoist-house.html

[Point353]

Big update.  No, I didn't lay track on the layout, but I did start working on building the trestle decks.  I started by building a jig.  These are 9' standard gauge ties, but that's what the RGS used for bridge ties.  Also, note the code 55 guard rails on the outside...  Not sure if that's a uniquely RGS thing but very unusual in railroad practice writ large.  The vast majority of RGS trestle decks were built this way...perhaps to simplify flanging operations during the winter?

The following article mentions that the trestles were originally built with the guard rails located on the inside, but that they were subsequently moved to the outside, with the speculation being that it was for flanger clearance.
A timeline notes that major bridge upgrades were made during WWI, so perhaps the change was made in that era?
http://www.rhyman.org/articles/trestles-rgs-style

[Santa Fe Guy]

Just got home from a three week 3000klm road trip with the Boss. Lots of progress since I last checked in Dave and looking really nice.
Cannot wait to get back into my project.
How much did the backdrop images set you back?
Rod.

[Dave V]

Just got home from a three week 3000klm road trip with the Boss. Lots of progress since I last checked in Dave and looking really nice.
Cannot wait to get back into my project.
How much did the backdrop images set you back?
Rod.

You can get all 6 discs for under $70.  But...you do burn through print cartridges pretty quickly.

So I finished the Banta Models Alta Mine tramhouse for Ophir this weekend.  Total work was maybe 8 hours.  Great kit.  I used a David Popp MR Video Plus technique for the rust that he just showed in his latest Olympia "Log Blog" video.  It involves using washes made of weathering powders suspended in alcohol and allowing it to react with Dullcote to get a hazy appearance.

I started by cutting and priming all of the Campbell corrugated siding that came with the kit:



I used washes I made from Doc O'Brien's Weathering Powders, chalks, and alcohol.  I made a wash for brown rust, one for red rust, one for new orange rust, one for grime, and an overall India ink wash as a control coat. 

The sides of the prototype were darker than the sun-bleached roof:



And yes, that odd angle in the front is prototypical, as is the haphazard way in which the bents are constructed.



For the prototype:

https://ngtrainpics.photoshelter.com/search?I_DSC=alta&I_DSC_AND=t&_ACT=search

[Ed Kapuscinski]

After looking at the pics, it almost looks TOO colorful.

[Dave V]

After looking at the pics, it almost looks TOO colorful.

It is, in fact.  I knew in advance that this technique would yield more variation in color than the prototype.  But at the same time the prototype also had an odd purplish hue to its rust that I think would be very difficult to achieve without making it look like I painted it purple.  I’m actually really happy with how it came out and am sticking with it.  It looks like real rust to my eye.

[DKS]

It is, in fact.  I knew in advance that this technique would yield more variation in color than the prototype.  But at the same time the prototype also had an odd purplish hue to its rust that I think would be very difficult to achieve without making it look like I painted it purple.  I’m actually really happy with how it came out and am sticking with it.  It looks like real rust to my eye.

I've seen that purplish rust color myself on occasion, and I found a way to simulate it without looking odd. Floquil Weathered Black is slightly purplish, so I start with a base coat of that, then apply liberal Rustall washes. It's hard to capture it in an image, though; this is as close as I've come. The effect was used on the steel parts of the coal trestle.

[Dave V]

I've seen that purplish rust color myself on occasion, and I found a way to simulate it without looking odd. Floquil Weathered Black is slightly purplish, so I start with a base coat of that, then apply liberal Rustall washes. It's hard to capture it in an image, though; this is as close as I've come. The effect was used on the steel parts of the coal trestle.

That looks really good.  That said, I really do like how my model came out and that's something considering how rarely I'm satisfied with my own work.  It may be more colorful than the prototype, but in person the rust effect looks very natural and I actually like it better than the real thing.  The crew over on the Facebook RGS page gave it a thumbs up so if the "cool kids" are okay with it so am I...      

[Lemosteam]

Oh, so TRW is "chopped liver" to you now eh?