Burlington Northern's Scenic Subdivision

[Kevin C]

I have made no progress on my home layout since January, but I have been busy on another project.

In January I joined the local model railroad club and during the AGM that took place soon thereafter, we as a club decided to build an HO and an N Scale modular layout to show at the annual hobby fair that happens every April in our area. I built the modules according to the bendtrack standards, and then with the help of my brother and one of the other members of the club that models in N Scale, we scenicked it up to a point for the show.

I have included photo's below. The layout comprises a long winding country scene with a double mainline on the one side, with a four track fiddle yard on the other side of the scenic divider. The one end has a container yard on it while the other end has very basic scenery. ( We are still to decide what we want to do down that end ).

[Kevin C]

The show is now over and the modules are packed away at the club until the next time.

It is now time to get working on the home layout again. I decided to get started on the main helix as this will be a large task that when complete will connect all levels together on the one end.
I cut the first of the risers and got it place.

[Kevin C]

From my last post I changed my mind.

I was going to work on the helix but something was bothering me. I was in too much of a hurry to get the bench work done, lay track and get trains running, I was not thinking about what should logically be done next. I looked at the level 2 bench work in position and started wondering how I was going to fit the corner backdrop into position. This was a big challenge for me.   

I finally found a simple solution. With the access I have to laser cutting and bending machines I designed steel brackets and backing frames. I then attached wooden boards to the frames. Next weekend I will purchase the masonite to glue to these boards. I did find a narrow piece of masonite which I clamped temporarily in place and was pleased with the results. 

 The first photo shows the new corner post and frames in position.



The next photo shows the wood backing boards attached to the frame.



I will hopefully have the masonite glued in position and painted by the end of next weekend.

[Kevin C]

The only task I managed to complete on the layout this weekend was to buy a sheet of masonite, cut it to size and glue it into position to form the backdrop in the Level 2 corner. Progress is slow at present.

[Kevin C]

I made a little more progress on the layout over the last couple of weekends.
I fixed the Level 2 backdrop into position in front of the window and painted the backdrops. In addition, I installed the Digitrax Bus on Level 1 and connected the feeders to the existing track. I even managed to test run a train.

The following two photo's show the backdrop now painted with bench work going back into place.

[Kevin C]

Christmas came early for me this year !!. My long awaited 4 car runner pack of Montana Rail Link grain hoppers, courtesy of PWRS and Micro Trains arrived in the post on Friday.
I can't wait to get them running on the layout when the complete loop is finished.

 

[Philip H]

coming along very nicely sir.

[Kevin C]

Thank you Philip.

I am presently putting the finishing touches to the CAD drawings for my Helix Segments. I have taken a sheet of Plywood into work so I can start cutting them during the week.

[Kevin C]

I spent the afternoon making legs for the "visable / hidden staging " to move it into position and check for heights.

I will now make two frames on wheels, onto which the staging and lower level modules will be attached. This will enable me
to pull them into the open for maintenance should the need arise. The hidden staging is behind the lower level with the deck height
being approximately 3 inches lower than the deck height of the front module.

[Kevin C]

I managed to get my sheet of plywood onto the laser machine on Friday to cut out the first few segments of the main helix.
Now I can start on this part of the layout construction. I had previously cut out the segments by hand with a jig saw and drilling machine but I was not happy with the results.
This method is so much easier.

 

[GaryHinshaw]

   Wow, that is really sweet!  No fair, you guys with your lasers...

[Kevin C]

LOL!!

Although the laser machine makes some tasks easier and faster, I am finding it hard to find the time to get it all together.
I am so busy at work at the moment, however, I did manage to spend a few hours in the train room this weekend. I machined two of the joints with a router and glued the first and second segments
togeteher. I also test fitted the third segment.

[Kevin C]

I spent today in the trainroom moving track and turnouts around on Level 2 to form my final track plan that I was happy with.

The double mainline runs along the front of the benchwork with a run around track as well as the sidings for the Intermodal Yard and Grain Silo behind that.

[Kevin C]

I managed to cut the base and a couple of segments for the second helix on Friday. I put it in place today so that I could work out the entance and exit track angles.
I need to get these parts cut this week before I start my month long vacation on Friday.

[Kevin C]

I have continued to work on the big Helix again. Track laying on segment one is complete, and segment four was glued into position this morning.