Rio Grande Southern in HON3

[Midniteflyer]

I have recently started building a module set the will be of the Rio Grande Southern in HOn3. For anyone not familiar with the RGS it was a line that ran from Durango,Co. on the south to Ridgeway,Co. on the north a total of 162 miles with a branch to Telluride,Co. You can see alot of history and photos of the RGS at the following link.....

http://rgsrr.home.comcast.net/~rgsrr/

I will be building a total of 12 modules with a total dimension of 14'x24'. I am using Micro Engineering track & Turnouts. All TO's are thrown and juiced with Tam Valley products. The 3 areas I will model are Telluride, Trestle at Green Mtn. Ranch and Dallas Divide. I chose these areas as they are level areas of the line. The RGS had a ruling grade of 4%.

the first modules i have started are of Telluride, total length of the set is 16'. I have the track layed and all the wiring done. Here is a map of the Telluride yard. I am modeling the area from switch to switch, not doing the "Y" at this time.
http://www.ghostdepot.com/rg/mainline/san%20juan%20branch/telluride%20yard.gif]http://rgsrr.home.comcast.net/~rgsrr/

htttp://rgsrr.home.comcast.net/~rgsrr/

I will be building a total of 12 modules with a total dimension of 14'x24'. I am using Micro Engineering track & Turnouts. All TO's are thrown and juiced with Tam Valley products. The 3 areas I will model are Telluride, Trestle at Green Mtn. Ranch and Dallas Divide. I chose these areas as they are level areas of the line. The RGS had a ruling grade of 4%.

the first modules i have started are of Telluride, total length of the set is 16'. I have the track layed and all the wiring done. Here is a map of the Telluride yard. I am modeling the area from switch to switch, not doing the "Y" at this time.
http://www.ghostdepot.com/rg/mainline/san%20juan%20branch/telluride%20yard.gif

Here are some pics of the build so far.


Coaling stub, Enginehouse track, storage tack, main & siding, Short siding is the scale track it is now modified to connect with branch track to the right.


Wiring done, I have the Tam Valley servos on a seperate circut with a booster as a a circut breaker so that the TO's do not cycle if there is a short.


Fascia /LED controllers installed.........


I have the River cut in as of yesterday and am now to the point of building the structures. The depot will be a laser kit from Raggs to Riches and the Section House a laser kit from Banta Models all other strucures will be scratchbuilt.

Here is a video of the first test run of the mods..

[svedblen]

That looks really nice! I like it that you have left so much space "uncluttered" by track. How many modules is this? Or is this one large monster module ... and 12 of those  ?

And yes, what is the purpose of the recess in the fascia?

Lennart

[Dave V]

Big RGS fan here! 

What year are you modeling?  I'm partial to late 30s/early 40s.  The Victor Miller years.

[Midniteflyer]

The difference in the front of the mod is the difference in module width.  This is 3 mods in length.

Dave, I am modeling ruffly 1930 to 1950.  All my locos are K27's and C-19's. Being a RGS fan you know #455 was wrecked and rebuilt with a modified standard gauge cab and that is one of the K27's I have.

There was a article in the last 2 issues of the Narrow Gauge & Shortline Gazette on the Miller Cars.

[Dave V]

The difference in the front of the mod is the difference in module width.  This is 3 mods in length.

Dave, I am modeling ruffly 1930 to 1950.  All my locos are K27's and C-19's. Being a RGS fan you know #455 was wrecked and rebuilt with a modified standard gauge cab and that is one of the K27's I have.

There was a article in the last 2 issues of the Narrow Gauge & Shortline Gazette on the Miller Cars.

Honestly, I much prefer the pre-wreck wood cab #455...  In that same era you had the 3 ten-wheelers, the two C19s, and the C17, Pierce-Arrow Geese, and the first appearance of the sunrise logo.

[Midniteflyer]

I agree on the wood cab. Wish Blackstone would do it. #455 has the Sunrise Herald, Have #40 and #41 is on reserve. Have #5 & #7 of the Geese. 2 K27's with the flyfing grande paint. Nice thing about the RGS is it was heavily photographed and "The RGS Story" Volumnes are priceless. I also live 80 miles from Ridgeway and the museum there. I travel the RGS right-of Way alot in my work too.

[Midniteflyer]

Got the first structure almost complete for the Telluride modules. Still need to do the foundation on the frostbox and the stone footings on the timbers. This was a Durango Press kit, a basic DRGW tank but was easy to modify to match the Telluride tank. Still think i will get some "Wild West Models" Singles for the roof, not real happy with the cast roof. They print shingles like "Paper Creek Models" did before they went out of business.




Not the best pics but you get the Idea......lol.

Next up will be the section house i think. Going to do some ballast work today.

[Dave V]

Looking forward to seeing this all come together.

[Bremner]

Lwt's just say that I grew up RGS....it will always have a soft spot in my heart

[Midniteflyer]

Sorry i have not updated in awhile. I have been working on some structures for the mods, they are on the time consuming side. Here are the pics of the Depot, Section House, and the progress on the engine house. Have also done a start on some scenery.

 

 

Section house


Enginehouse - 18'x120'


Start on some scenery......... Not a good pic but you get the idea.

[svedblen]

Great work on those structures! I assume they are scratchbuilt, but could as well be craftsman kits (meant to be a compliment).

[Midniteflyer]

Enginehouse is scratchbuilt, the Depot is Raggs to Riches Laser kit and the Section House is a Banta Model Works Laser kit.

[rgs_info]

The modeling work is amazing, especially those structures.  I'm planning on starting a Telluride engine house myself, based on Scale Structures Durango car building shop.

Anyway - I'm posting to this old thread just to update the link to my site.  The comcast address is dead now; the new URL is:
http://www.rgsrr.info

- Steven Haworth
RGS history - http://www.rgsrr.info/
Blog - http://rgsrr.blogspot.com/