HOn3 Rio Grande Southern First District 1938-1945

[DKS]

...I really do like how my model came out and that's something considering how rarely I'm satisfied with my own work.

That's all that matters, and a fine job it is.

[Dave V]

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

More like burnt bacon...   

[Dave V]

Last night I built the other trestle right near the Ophir Loop...Bridge 45B.  A shorter, curved single-story trestle, it was unique on the RGS in that in the later years it had a walkway with a fence railing on the inside of the curve:  https://ngtrainpics.photoshelter.com/search?I_DSC=45b&I_DSC_AND=t&_ACT=search

My model is compressed for space and on a 21" radius curve.  I installed the walkway but I’m not going to bother with the fence railings until after I’ve installed the trestle.



After taking the photo I notcied the glue spots on the deck.  I've since sanded them and restained them.

Also been working a lot with JTT trees.  They're cheap by ready-made tree standards but they do come in some very garish greens and tend to be a bit too symmetrical.  I've been trimming and painting their "Super Scenic Pines" to look more ragged and darker (using Rustoleum Deep Forest Green Cammo paint) but when I got the JTT "Spruce" trees I was actually quite happy with the shape.  Just not the color.  I happened to have Rustoleum "Hunt Club Green" paint leftover from a G scale baggage car project, and I hit the JTT Spruce with it.  I've very happy with the new color.  The out-of-the-box JTT Spruce is on the right, with my painted version on the left.  I do let some of the original greens show through "for variety."  Some of the other JTT "Super Scenic Pines" can be seen on the left.  They're pretty full, more like a Colorado blue spruce ironically:



I should note that my photo doesn't do justice to the "Kelly green" tree on the right in terms of just how GREEN it is.

[Mike C]

 Dave , will you be using cork , or just laying on the foam ?  I'm leaning towards cork , but it seems that D&RGW had a bit more ballast profile than the RGS .....Mike

[Dave V]

Dave , will you be using cork , or just laying on the foam ?  I'm leaning towards cork , but it seems that D&RGW had a bit more ballast profile than the TGS .....Mike

N scale cork.  It helps that I have a large supply of it on hand but it works quite well for HOn3 both in height and width.

[Mike C]

 I can't seem to find any HOn3 cork anywhere . I looked at N scale cork , but felt it would be just a bit too narrow . I suppose it won't matter once it's ballasted though . Finally decided to go with Cascade Rail Supply's curveable Homasote roadbed . Should have ordered it a few weeks back though as they make it to order so will take a few weeks to be made     I'll be watching to see how it works out for you .

[Santa Fe Guy]

For my previous layouts and my new HOn3 layout I purchase 3mm sheets of cork, usually 2 x3 feet, and cut my own to size.
A new Stanley blade and I cut using a 3 foot rule as a guide.
I then lay one piece on either side of my track center line so I can achieve good curves.
Saves a ton of money and get the width you want.
Rod.

[Dave V]

I can't seem to find any HOn3 cork anywhere . I looked at N scale cork , but felt it would be just a bit too narrow . I suppose it won't matter once it's ballasted though . Finally decided to go with Cascade Rail Supply's curveable Homasote roadbed . Should have ordered it a few weeks back though as they make it to order so will take a few weeks to be made     I'll be watching to see how it works out for you .

I did a test module with N scale cork and it worked out just fine for me:

[Mike C]

 Looks pretty good !  Neolube on the rails I assume ? What did you use for the dirt ?  Was thinking about sanded grout , but that might be too fine . Hmm wonder who sells decomposed granite .......Mike

[jpec]

Looks pretty good !  Neolube on the rails I assume ? What did you use for the dirt ?  Was thinking about sanded grout , but that might be too fine . Hmm wonder who sells decomposed granite .......Mike

Maybe Arizona Rock and Mineral and I found this place on the intertubes https://www.superiorscenics.com/shop/ballast/
If you don't mind doing your own crushing you can get it at the big box DIY stores too...

[Dave V]

Looks pretty good !  Neolube on the rails I assume ? What did you use for the dirt ?  Was thinking about sanded grout , but that might be too fine . Hmm wonder who sells decomposed granite .......Mike

That's ME weathered rail...  Used real Colorado dirt for the dirt.  Sifted and de-magnetized and baked.  Also threw in a little Arizona Rock & Mineral N scale Cumbres & Toltec ballast on the track.

[Dave V]

I'm continuing to print photo backdrops.  The photo module helps give a hint of what the final scene might look like, i.e., "
It’s late summer in 1947 atop Lizard Head Pass and time is running out for the RGS."

[Santa Fe Guy]

Very nice.
Rod.

[Dave V]

An anachronism... I saw this beautifully built Labelle Florence & Cripple Creek gon at Roy’s Model Trains here in Colorado Springs for a mere 25 bucks. And while it has no business being anywhere near the RGS in any era (let alone mine) it’s always been my favorite narrow gauge freight car scheme. So I bit.



Can't wait to scenic this scene at the north end of Rico...but I also need to weather this engine soon!



Lettered a Blackstone Models red coach for the RGS.  Although steam passenger service ended on the RGS in 1933 when the last of the Galloping Geese were built, several coaches remained on the line in maintenance-of-way service. They were painted red with white lettering in that condition, and remained in coach configuration until roughly World War II when they had some windows boarded up and their car numbers were given a zero prefix.  The real 252 was unique on the RGS having a wide letter board and single pane windows but for now I'm using the more common Jackson & Sharp narrow letter board with double pane window body to represent her.



I had several options to fill a 1x3 foot space at the south end of Rico Yard from a mine to a locomotive coaling pocket.  In the end I went with the Rico stock yards.  While the real Rico stock yards did in fact lie south of the yard, they were actually right on the mainline.  Mine are on a spur as I feel like it's a natural place to store stock cars when they're not running.  But they should generate plenty of traffic.  Going with the Walthers stock yards since I've come up with what I feel is a pretty good technique for simulating aged silvery wood (starting with Rustoleum Weathered Wood flat spray paint).  The two Walthers chutes are spaced for 40' standard gauge stock cars...so mine will have to be modified a bit to accommodate 30' narrow gauge stock cars by shortening the distance between them:



Lastly today I handlaid 2 and a half feet of deck for RGS Bridge 45A at Ophir (the long trestle):

[Rich_S]

Dave, Very nice modeling of the RGS. Now that you are in Colorado hopefully you can answer a question for me. I purchased a DVD titled "Otto Perry's Rio Grande Southern" On the DVD everyone pronounces the name of the railroad as the "Rye-o Grand", they also indicate the nickname of the railroad was "the Southern". I've always heard folks on the D&RGW pronounced the name of that railroad as the "Reo Grand" Did they actually pronounce "Rio" differently on the RGS and D&RGW? The DVD is from Sunday River Productions and although there are some great interviews with people who actually worked on the RGS, in my opinion the DVD leaves you wanting more actual RGS footage.