HOn3 Rio Grande Southern First District 1938-1945

[Dave V]

I was browsing the beginning of this thread...  I've come a long way in my thinking in the two and a half years since I started planning.  I'm so glad I wasn't seduced into multi-level stuff with hidden staging and helices and stuff; there's no way I'd be this far along otherwise.  Also glad I didn't do the San Juan Central plan...although I'd be lying of I said I hadn't been fantasizing about doing the San Juan Central in the current layout's footprint as a much more prototypical freelance.  Oh well...next time!  I have a little more to go before I start shooting for an upcoming annual magazine feature.

I also finally filled the gaps between the bottom of the wainscoting and the platform at Placerville.  No more "floating depot."

[Hawghead]

Dave,

It's all looking great, you don't often see the small details like outhouses modeled.  Looking forward to seeing your RGS 20, it's probably my favorite narrow gauge engine.

Scott

[nuno81291]

The ground cover really makes this layout to me. The yard shot is exceptional. Did you sell or move on from the Midland? Missed what happened to that layout.

[Dave V]

The ground cover really makes this layout to me. The yard shot is exceptional. Did you sell or move on from the Midland? Missed what happened to that layout.

Midland's still around.  Collecting dust.  Oxidized rails.  Haven't decided what to do with it...if anything.  There may come a time when I'll want a tiny layout for something so for now it's "in reserve."

[Dave V]

Messing around with some old E&B Valley car kits that I'd been tinkering with on and off...producing two actual complete models at last.

In the photo below, from left to right, 252 is a Blackstone coach I decaled, 260 is an old E&B Valley coach I built and painted to look like she would have in 1938 (in B&B device but still coach configuration), and 259 is a kitbash representing the car as modified in 1930.



The car on the left is essentially built per instructions.  After RGS passenger service switched to the Galloping Geese in 1933, the remaining coaches on the property went to Bridge & Building (B&B) service (what they called MoW on the Colorado narrow gauge) and received an all-over coat of oxide red paint with white letters.  Later, by about 1940-41, the car would be renumbered 0260 and some of the windows would be boarded up.  The car on the right is a kitbash of a kitbash.  About 1930, the RGS was still running mixed trains and needed some combines, so they took two of their coaches (257 and 259) and essentially chopped a baggage door into them and boarded over the rest.  There's a lot of debate over what color these cars were in service...  257 still exists and appears to have been red on one side and green on the other!  I went with red for consistency, but gold lettering for contrast.  I like the hodgepodge look...it screams "RGS."



So now I can run mixed trains just like the real RGS:

[Lemosteam]

Dave, that last scene is phenomenal!

[DKS]

Dave, that last scene is phenomenal!

Agreed!

[Dave V]

Dave, that last scene is phenomenal!

Thanks!  Just iPhone 8 on HDR.  Nothing special.

[DKS]

Thanks!  Just iPhone 8 on HDR.  Nothing special.

Don't matter on what device you capture a good image... it's the image that counts! (Well, that and the modeling. The modeling fer sher...)

[Dave V]

Eventually I may decide to build the RGS snowsheds at Lizard Head but for now I decided I needed to build part of the snow fences.  I wanted to use one to hide the seam between the backdrop and the foreground scenery while still conveying the sense of altitude and forthcoming blizzards.  For reference they looked like this:

https://ngtrainpics.photoshelter.com/image?&_bqG=152&_bqH=eJxLMTEuNwhOMS9NMw5My_TRrUryNDM3DTZ1Dk22MjY2szIyNbAyNAACK894l2Bn25zMqsSiFO2M1MQUNbBIvKOfi20JkB0a7BoU7.liGwpS7WzmmuWSUhGenZmsFu_oHGJbnJpYlJwBAPvTIRw-&GI_ID=

Anyway, I built it with stuff I had on hand...  Styrene, dowel, and dimensional stripwood.  Probably not unlike the real RGS who used whatever they had on hand...going so far as to weld a crack in the frame of locomotive 20 with a railroad spike, for example.  In later years there were plenty of boards missing from the fences so I left a few gaps:



Before and after:



...and just after:

[Hawghead]

Dave,

The drift fences look great, again a detail you don't see added to most layouts.  I really think you need to look into these. http://www.pdc.ca/rr/catalog/product/ho-code-55-joint-bars/11

Scott

[Dave V]

Dave,

The drift fences look great, again a detail you don't see added to most layouts.  I really think you need to look into these. http://www.pdc.ca/rr/catalog/product/ho-code-55-joint-bars/11

Scott

I'm using code 70 flex...  I didn't see code 70 as an option.

[Chris333]

If you do joint bars the C55 bar would give you more clearance. But I would only put them on the side of the rail you see 

I did etched bars in N C55 long ago and they looked great, but sort of sat at an angle like they didn't fit the rail. So 55 on 70 should be no problem.

[Dave V]

If you do joint bars the C55 bar would give you more clearance. But I would only put them on the side of the rail you see 

I did etched bars in N C55 long ago and they looked great, but sort of sat at an angle like they didn't fit the rail. So 55 on 70 should be no problem.

Honestly that's waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay on the backburner.  I have a lot of more important stuff to tackle for now.  I have a town to finish and a roundhouse to build along with a backlog of a dozen craftsman car kits and two brass DCC installs.

[Hawghead]

Honestly that's waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay on the backburner.  I have a lot of more important stuff to tackle for now.  I have a town to finish and a roundhouse to build along with a backlog of a dozen craftsman car kits and two brass DCC installs.

Dave,

Actually I was just being a wise a$$, hence the troll face.  They do offer them for code 70 if you ever get waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back on the burner 
http://www.pdc.ca/rr/catalog/product/ho-code-70-joint-bars/10

Oh and I sure would be interested if you did a thread on the DCC installs.

Scott