HOn3 Rio Grande Southern First District 1938-1945

[Dave V]

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[Dave V]

Another variation...  This one allows access to visible staging representing Ridgway and Rico.

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[Missaberoad]

I like it...

One question, I've seen the "mine over the main track" scene many times before on model railroads.
Was there a Prototype for this or is this a compromise for space?

[Dave V]

I like it...

One question, I've seen the "mine over the main track" scene many times before on model railroads.
Was there a Prototype for this or is this a compromise for space?

100% prototypical.  In fact, my plan for Ophir is every structure exactly as it was with no compression.

[Missaberoad]

Nice! that's going to look spectacular... the view from the "bluff" over the backdrop will be close to that first shot... 

[SSW7771]

I like the latest trackplan.

[nuno81291]

The solution to move staging to the back and make it accessible is a big improvement in my mind...very nice and looks to make staging less of a headache with more direct access and less hidden trackage for Murphy and his law to come into play

[Dave V]

Time to start stockpiling HOn3 track!

[davefoxx]

Time to start stockpiling HOn3 track!

Haha!  Coincidentally, my HO track, roadbed, and wiring is being delivered today.    I've got benchwork to build!

DFF

[MichaelWinicki]

I think it's a winner of plan Dave.  I like the operating potential.  The location of the staging is solid.

[Dave V]

And now back to model railroading...

This past weekend I started work on a Model Railroad General Store kit for RGS Caboose 0404.  It's a nice kit but the plastic handrails are a tad fragile.  So far so good.

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[ArtinCA]

Your last plan does work well. Having staging out where it's easy to get to beats banging you hand on the benchwork.

Are you scratchbuilding the mine at Ophir?

[Dave V]

Your last plan does work well. Having staging out where it's easy to get to beats banging you hand on the benchwork.

Are you scratchbuilding the mine at Ophir?

I think I will scratchbuild the tramhouse...  The kit goes for over $100 and it's essentially a box with legs.

SO, I haven't done a whole lot lately in HOn3 as I've been doing work on the N scale Colorado Midland (and spent a couple weekends riding actual narrow gauge trains here in Colorado).  Decades ago my father bought an Empire Midland brass short caboose that had a brownish primer on it.  At some point over the years the box foam adhered to the caboose and damaged both it and the paint.  I've been working on stripping and repainting it:


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[Dave V]

Painted, lettered, and weathered the Empire Ltd RGS caboose and lettered/weathered a Micro Trains C&S reefer.


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[Dave V]

I have another 72 feet of code 70 flextrack inbound.

Been giving lots of thought to this and am wondering of something much more modular versus traditional layout design would be my speed.  Not only is it then portable (even though I hope this is our forever home) but I can build it in LDEs.  Rico and Ophir make perfect little LDEs and then much of the rest can be negative space.

Dunno.  I'm back to design paralysis.  The biggest issue with doing "modules" will be dealing with the curvature at Ophir as well as the long, tall trstle 45A:





EDIT:  I'd originally planned to use 2% grades (as opposed to the close to 4% typical of the RGS) but am re-thinking that.  While grades, and their subsequent tonnage restrictions, add operating interest, they also add operating issues when you're just roundy-rounding on your own.  So, I could always "simulate" grades by having the tonnage restrictions and doubling rules in place during a session.