(Mini) layout update

Some progress to report

Greetings, the snow is starting to fall so it's officially model railroad season. I've managed to make some small progress on my layout in the past few weeks. Here's a summary.

Tweaking the track plan

I felt the layout would operate better if there was some "off layout" staging on the peninsula. That way a train could start on the workbench (east) staging move through the layout and exchange cars, then head to the staging track on the peninsula (west staging). I have more rolling stock than can operate on the layout at once (anyone else?) so I want to put a drawer under the layout beneath the staging tracks so cars can come on and off the layout. 

The trackplan on the home page does not yet reflect these changes, but what I also wanted to do was divide the peninsula with a view block, separating Korex from a two-track staging yard. But to do this I really needed to lengthen and widen the end of the peninsula. Which brings me to the point below: 

Move to extend, widen the peninsula

The move to extend and widen the peninsula took some re-jigging of the benchwork.  But I had the space in the aisle, so I figured I should take it. The staging tracks will be on the right. There will be a scene divider (backdrop) about six inches in from that right edge. Korex will go on the other side. 

Here it is with the foam added. 

I decided that the original peninsula width (21 inches) was too narrow to accomplish what I wanted. So I extended it two feet in length and widened it about eight inches at the end and tapered that back to the 21 inches. About six inches of the peninsula will be a two-track staging yard and Korex will be on the other side of the scene divider. 

I want to try and model Korex true to its size, but as a background building. The prototype has four siding tracks and at any given time there can be up to a dozen hoppers at this industry, including the off spots. I may have to crunch that down a bit, but I don't like having all small industries, even on a small layout. Here's an aerial shot of Korex:

This is an aerial of Korex from the west. You can see it's a large industry that takes plenty of plastic pellet hoppers. 

Here's a shot from the ground level where the tracks diverge:

This is Korex from ground level. This is where the tracks diverge: off-spots on the left, unloading tracks on the right. The fact that it's a big, busy customer makes modelling this industry appealing to me. 

Adding a hill to the "back turn"

The hill begins to take shape. I'm considering adding a drainage ditch between the track and facia you see at the left. 

While I was waiting to get some lumber to re-jig the peninsula, I decided to fill the area between the back turn of the "U" and the backdrop. I used left-over foam insulation and covered it with Sculptamold. 

This is the start of the hill. The south wall is to the left, the west wall is straight ahead. 

This is the first time I've done any scenery but I'm fairly happy with how it turned out. I found the Sculptamold a bit dry at the suggested mixing instructions, so I added more water. Upside: it spread more smoothly. Downside: it took forever to dry. Next time I'll stick to instructions. I think it's supposed to be that dry.

This is the hill after the Sculptamold was applied. The camera light meter wasn't set right here so it's hard to see the detail in the white Sculptamold here. 

I worked left to right and the first effort was much lumpier than where I finished up on the right side. Next step is to cover it with some tan latex paint and ground turf, foam, etc. I'd like to add a shallow drainage ditch between the track and facia in this area. 

What's next?

Here's a brief list of what I hope to accomplish in the next few weeks.

• Build the scenic divider for the peninsula.
• Figure out where the buildings and road will go on the left (non staging) side of the peninsula. 
• lay track on the peninsula, wire and test it. This will mean the entire layout (aside from the east staging) is operation.
• Cut and contour the shape of the drainage ditch.
• Get the facia attached to the layout. 
• I may also paint the foam all over the layout, with plans to scenic it later. The pink is driving me nuts!

I love to get comments. Come back for future posts, in which i will introduce the layout's motive power.  

Happy modelling.

Layout update coming, in the meantime

Greetings everyone, I've managed to make some progress with the layout recently and an update is in the works. In the meantime, enjoy this video which I think really illustrates the importance of always taking great care when handling a new locomotive.

Railfanning the Junction

Things were moving right along at Lambton on Saturday.

A commenter to this blog recently said he'd heard that Lambton Yard had closed and asked whether I knew if this was true.

I don't know the answer to his question but sometimes after stopping in and seeing long stretches of empty tracks at the yard, I wonder myself. There's been times the yard tracks are empty and no power is parked in its usual spot near the southwest corner of Runnymede Park.

Canadian Pacific Railway is undergoing an intense slimming down under CEO (and former CN boss) Hunter Harrison. This excellent story in Canadian Business magazine spells out some of Harrison's sweeping plans to streamline the railway's operations. They include selling off locomotives, trimming the payroll and closing certain yards, though Lambton is not mentioned specifically in the story.

I spent much of a sunny, humid Saturday on my bike photographing and railfanning movements in and around the yard and I'm happy to report it was a busy place with lots of freight moving. Of course, much of this traffic involved trains moving past the yard along the main but there was a lift, a crew change at the office and some power parked in its usual place in the few hours I was there.

So hopefully Lambton will remain a busy place, with lots of switching to see. Watching trains roll at this location is always a good source of inspiration as I attempt to model part of this area.

Here are some pictures of the excursion in sweltering weather.

AC44CW awaits its next assignment 

I've seen this AC44CW sitting at Lambton  a few times in recent weeks. This shot was taken through the fence from the Wal-Mart parking lot. Are they using this big guy for yard work?

Yard power ready to roll

CP 5994, an SD40-2 parked in the power spot

The following images are from one train that arrived from the west, changed crews at Lambton, then rolled north through the diamond after leaving the yard

Lead unit a leased unit

This leased CEFX unit led a long train out of Lambton and north at the diamond. 

Always fun to see a lash-up with leased power. This one led an easbound into Lambton where it changed crews before heading north up the diamond with a long train.

These leased units really get around. This flicker image shows CEFX 1051 working in Romulus, MI, back in Sept. 2011.

Steel coil cars

This was a long train (I didn't count the cars). The entire lead end was a long cut of these steel coil cars, like this one:

There must have been 100 of these cars alone. 

Great tags

Some of the cars on this train I shot because they had great tags. I often crop these image tags, print them out on photo paper and use them on models. I describe that process here. 

Nice bright colours on this boxcar. Modellers, you have my permission to right click and 'steal' this tag for use in your fleet! It's not like the artist (vandal) will come after you for copyright!

I liked this tag too. The blue robot thingy would look good on a model. 

Que Seca, Seca. This would look great on an auto rack model too. 

Another nice bright auto rack tag you could use. Sorry that I cut off the right side. This is why shooting stationary rolling stock is better for using the tag. 

Auto-Max cars

We make a lot of vehicles here in Ontario. Here's two tight shots of some AutoMax monsters. Again, all this rolling stock was in the same train. 

These Auto-Max cars stack autos on three levels. 

We're not in Kansas anymore. 

Hey, how did you get Soo rusty?

The guys over at the Rustbucket forum might want to take a look at this Soo boxcar.

As for the layout? I've been pecking away that the wiring and track laying. Though it's hot and sticky now the cool fall weather is surely on its way. Before we all know it the snow will start flying and modelling season will resume.

The allure of modular model railroading

As a member of a modular club, I would only be "partly" responsible if the layout is terrible!

Having only recently made my re-entry into this hobby, I’ve not yet had a chance to actively pursue becoming a member of a model railroad club. I’m sure it’s great to share the hobby with others, but on Internet forums I often hear complaints about the challenges of being a club member.

Many report struggles with other members who are overly rigid about the adherence to a particular prototype, strict layout standards, etc. At the other end of the scale, others complain about members who are too flippant in their approach to modeling. It seems most club members have experienced at least some level of squabbling, difficult personalities and political infighting.

I’m sure most of you know how this goes. One member wants to model the transition era of a specific railroad; the other wants the rules relaxed so modern diesels can run alongside steam locomotives (including an HO version of Thomas the Tank Engine). Some members want a longstanding club to make the switch to DCC; others don’t see the sense in spending money to replace a block control system that’s worked well for years.

Almost any group, in any hobby, experiences these kinds of issues. It’s hard, if not impossible, to get a group of people who all want to row the boat in the same direction at all times.

This is partly what makes modular model railroading so appealing to me. You’re still part of a group, still get to run trains and share the hobby with others, but you’re also free to do what you want with your little bit of the layout (within the design standard parameters of course).

You can model as much or as little as you want, see and learn from what others have done and when the day’s done, your layout comes home with you (in most cases). Any interpersonal annoyances are minimized because you don’t have to iron out the intricacies of layout planning with three dozen other people.

Like anything, there are tradeoffs. My sense is that it’s more difficult for a modular club to achieve the same level of realism as a permanent club layout whose members have all agreed to put their collective efforts toward recreating a particular prototype.  Take the Waterloo Region Model Railway Club as an example. Although based in southwestern Ontario, the club models Canadian Pacific operations in Northern Ontario in the 1970s. I’ve not seen the layout myself but the results look amazing on the club’s website.

Obviously every member has agreed to this plan and as a statement on the club’s website explains, the adherence to such a specific prototype has actually helped the membership avoid infighting.

“By choosing a specific prototype, no one individual or internal group could determine what the WRMRC will or will not model, because the prototype railway has already dictated how it must be done,” reads the statement. “The decision to model a prototype freed us from a lot of undesirable politics, and united us towards a common goal.”

Interesting. Still I’m keen on checking out an HO scale modular club, which I also think better suits my (rather limited) skills as a modeller. There doesn’t appear to be one in Toronto proper, but if anyone knows of one or is interested in talking about it, please email me at back.on.track@bell.net.

As for my layout .... I've got track and wiring to complete and only recently addressed a pressing wire shortage, which was holding up progress. Update soon.

Rolling through the diamond

Caught this train at Ostler Street crossing. It was heading southeast from the CN end of the diamond.  A transfer run I'm  guessing. Lots of boxcars but a few tanks, covered hoppers and some autoracks too. 

Blue sky ahead! Backdrop installed

Goodbye tool rack; hello blue backdrop. 

Layout progress is inching along. Summer is here and I've always considered model railroading more of a winter pursuit. Still, I managed to get the backdrop installed last week, so no more brick wall/tool rack backdrop.

I was worried the colour was too light but the paint store guy convinced me it would be blue enough, and I'm glad he did. In these photos it looks almost too white, but in real life, it more closely resembles sky.

Here's two more pics.

Here's one looking in the other direction.

Here's one looking toward south west corner of the layout. Throttle pockets would be a good idea about now!
I realize that I could have curved the hardboard here for a more eye-pleasing corner, put I found it would have made it too hard to put a building there. 

Next will be to finish getting the track down and wired. I'm pondering widening the peninsula (not pictured) to make way for a larger industry.  Future plans also include uploading a short video to show the trains running. Happy with the way everything is operating during the test runs so far. Really enjoying DCC.

After that, the plan is to add the staging yard behind the workbench and fascia. 

Until next time...

CSX train derailment video....

You think your derailments are frustrating?

Derailments are a pain ... but next time you have one on your layout, watch this video and imagine how the crew of this CSX freight feels!

If you're the impatient type, zip ahead to about the 3:40 mark.