HO somewhere in Appalachia.....

[3DTrains]

absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with my layout, but I think it's a cool picture nonetheless....

+1

Cheers!
Marc - Riverside

[LIRR]

The Golden Spike......

Connected both ends of the visible main line.

[davefoxx]

Congratulations!  Now you can sit back, grab a beer, and JFRT, which is what I did tonight.  Fun!

DFF 

[LIRR]

Overall room view before the back drops make it impossible. bottom of track plan is along the wall to the left

[LIRR]

Another view looking in the same direction, area at right is where I started. Coal tipple is out of sight beyond the corner wall

[LIRR]

Looking in the other direction, turn back blob out of site at bottom of photo

[davefoxx]

Hawt! 

[conrail98]

Man, still contemplating going to HO with a smallish coal hauler layout and this isn't helping! Seriously, looks real good, can't wait to see more progress,

Phil

[LIRR]

First train staging to staging....mine run passing Sunrise Coal loader #27

[LIRR]

Narrowed it down to the Norton, VA  – Appalachia, VA area. The Southern, Interstate and L&N all ran to and between both. N&W was in Norton of course. I considered NW because the black dip-job would be an easy repaint, but NW is a low priority. Clinchfield, Southern and Interstate all ran to Miller Yard. I won’t necessarily be replicating any specific locations, track arrangements or operations, but this gives me a plausible location / operating scenario to develop further.   

[LIRR]

first Southern power, waiting for decals....

[davefoxx]

Loves me some Southern Ry.  If I didn't model the Seaboard System, I would likely model the SOU.  Hawt.

Did you paint that F unit?  If so, nice job.

Oh, and think about how hot that Sergent Engineering couplers on the front of that F unit would be? 

DFF

[LIRR]

the F7 was originally NYC, I bought a new shell from Bachmann in the Norfolk Southern scheme and removed the lettering. I need to remove the numbers as well. they belong down below with the lettering.

[Kuchler10]

The concept for this layout is neat. I loved reading about the Interstate RR and the other operations in that area. Lots of interesting modeling opportunities. Can't wait to see the finished product.

[LIRR]

It’s been about a year since I started the HO layout. I am not sure of the exact date I started demo on the N-scale railroad, but a very early photo showing the first area demo’d is dated November 22, so let’s say it was last Thanksgiving Day weekend.  I’ve made good progress since.

All visible trackage is complete. I have some work in the woodshop staging yard to do and the continuous run connection isn’t complete yet. I reused nearly all existing bench work, stripping it down to the old plywood sub-roadbed.  I had to add a bit where this old sub-roadbed was only as wide as the right-of way between towns. Track is code 83 on cork roadbed on homasote that’s on the old plywood sub-roadbed. Sidings are on N-scale cork. New masonite fascia installed everywhere but the 2 river crossings sections, I have some trimming and fitting to do in these locations. 

Feeders are soldered to nearly every piece of rail, although some shorter lengths are soldered to the adjacent rail. Hidden tracks have feeders soldered to every piece of rail and jumpers soldered across the rail joint. All visible tracks are spray painted flat dark brown. Track from my starting point (top-right on the track plan) to the yard area has all ties individually painted with varying random shades of light brown, grey & mud. This is time consuming, but can be done a few minutes at a time and I like the look and think it’s worth it.

I went with DCC, an NCE Powercab with an SB5 booster. I have 2 of 4 EB1 circuit breakers installed so far. All track is powered and operational, although I have more feeders to connect to the power-bus. I will separate the last 2 districts after I install the last 2 EB1s. I have 3 more (UTP) throttle panels to install as well the cab bus to complete. All but 1 turnout are controlled with manual Bluepoint switch-throws from the fascia.  The last 1 was right over bench work structure and is has a flickable center spring.

I’ve settled on a location, era and operating scenario for the railroad. I’ve assembled 26 Accurail freight cars as well as 3 Kato covered hoppers. I have another dozen or so cars, mostly Walthers Mainline with a few Athearn. I’ve converted 12 so far to Kadee 158 couplers.

I scratch built a long background flat furniture factory, altho it’s neither finished nor painted. I kit-bashed a coal tipple from a Walthers kit. I shortened & completed a Central Valley truss, although it’s not painted yet. I made stone abutments using my floral foam method again. I have some scenery started between the coal branch and lower main line, using green floral foam. I’ve scratch built 10 pine trees; I have another 9 ready for painting & static grass application.

So, all in all, I think it’s been a good year.