Superior & Seattle Railroad Build

Started by S&S RR, December 20, 2013, 10:27:49 PM

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S&S RR



Updated 7/27/19 This index is for the first two volumes of this build thread. Tonight, I'm starting Volume 3 because volume 2 is getting close to the 200 page limit. Starting with volume 3 I will only have an index on page 1 for that Volume. It seems there is a character limit for a post and I found it with this index.




                         INDEX

Volume 1
Vol 1. Page 1   Changing forums - the benchworkVol 1. Page 2   Overview and Status in March of 2014
Vol 1.  Page 3     A look back at the Benchwork and Paster work on the mountains,
                            Painting the Plaster work
             The Photo Back Drops
             Making Aspen Trees
Vol 1. Page 4    Making Pine Trees
              Preparing the Talus Materials
Vol 1. Page 5    Prototype Photographs
Vol 1. Page 6    Prototype Photographs
              Control Panel
Vol 1. Page 7    Layout Diagram "original plan"
              Roundhouse Photographs
              The Stone Roundhouse Build - start
Vol 1. Page 8    Stone Roundhouse Build - the walls
Vol 1. Page 9    Stone Roundhouse Build - the Roof
Vol 1. Page 10  Stone Roundhouse Build - Painting
Vol 1. Page 11  Laying more track
             Planning the town of Sellios
Vol 1. Page 12  Testing track
Vol 1. Page 13  First Runs - lower track
Vol 1. Page 14  Benchwork and Town layout - Sellios
Vol 1. Page 15  Benchwork and Town layout - Sellios
Vol 1. Page 16  Track work in Sellios
Vol 1. Page 17  Planning Structure Placement - Sellios
Vol 1. Page 18  Logo for the Superior & Seattle Railroad
Vol 1. Page 19  Cedar Shingle Pine Tree armatures
              Modeling in the Summer
Vol 1. Page 20  Roofing on the Stone Roundhouse
Vol 1. Page 21  Doors on the Stone Roundhouse
Vol 1. Page 22  More plaster work
Vol 1. Page 23  Installing the DCC System
Vol 1. Page 24  DCC System Discussion
Vol 1. Page 25  DCC System Installation
Vol 1. Page 26  DCC System Installation
Vol 1. Page 27  More track installation
Vol 1. Page 28  Track Testing
Vol 1. Page 29  Door production for the Stone Roundhouse
Vol 1. Page 30  Ballasting The Eagles Nest Yard
Vol 1. Page 31  Ballasting The Eagles Nest Yard
Vol 1. Page 32  Changes - moving mountains
Vol 1. Page 33  Adding some talus materials
Vol 1. Page 34  Stone Roundhouse Build - Tar Paper Roof
Vol 1. Page 35  Stone Roundhouse Build - Doors, Windows, Trim
Vol 1. Page 36  Planting Aspen Trees,
             prototype pictures Aspen Trees
Vol 1. Page 37  Stone Roundhouse Build Trim, Front Stone Work
             Pictures of Mountains with Fall Color
Vol 1. Page 38  The view through "Wayne's hole"
Vol 1. Page 39  Some overall room photographs of the layout
Vol 1. Page 40  Stone Roundhouse Build - Painting the trim
Vol 1. Page 41  Stone Roundhouse Build - Installing the Windows
Vol 1. Page 42  The A&I tube
Vol 1. Page 43  Stone Roundhouse Build - Painting the Roof
Vol 1. Page 44  Stone Roundhouse Build - Final pictures on the workbench
              Stone Roundhouse Build - Moving and installing on the layout
Vol 1. Page 45  Stone Roundhouse Build - Installation pictures
Vol 1. Page 46  Discussion of storage on the benchwork
Vol 1. Page 47  New - flex shaft rotary tool
Vol 1. Page 48  The Eagles Nest Yard
Vol 1. Page 49  Kit discussion
Vol 1. Page 50  Scenery on Mt. Aiden
Vol 1. Page 51  Mt. Aiden Trestle Build - bents
Vol 1. Page 52  Testing coloring for the Trestle
Vol 1. Page 53  Start of scenery on Mt. Aiden
Vol 1. Page 54  Progress pictures scenery on Mt. Aiden
Vol 1. Page 55  Surveying for the Trestle
                         Stripwood for the Mt. Aiden Trestle
                         Casting the footings for the Mt. Aiden Trestle
Vol 1. Page 56  Changes in the Mountains
Vol 1. Page 57  Coloring the trestle footings
Vol 1. Page 58  Mt. Aiden Scenery progress pictures
Vol 1. Page 59  Setting the footings for the Mt. Aiden Trestle
Vol 1. Page 60  Mt. Aiden Trestle Build first Bents
Vol 1. Page 61  Staining Stripwood
Vol 1. Page 62  Mt. Aiden Trestle Build
Vol 1. Page 63  Mt. Aiden Trestle Build
Vol 1. Page 64  Trestle Build progress pictures
Vol 1. Page 65  Trestle Build progress pictures
Vol 1. Page 66  Painting Bolt Castings
Vol 1. Page 67  Installing Bolt Castings - Mt. Aiden Trestle
Vol 1. Page 68  Cutting more strip wood
                         Dealing with impatient forum members
Vol 1. Page 69  Adding retaining walls
Vol 1. Page 70  Trestle Build progress pictures
Vol 1. Page 71  Counting nut and bolt castings
Vol 1. Page 72  Mt. Aiden Trestle - the finishing process
Vol 1. Page 73  Adding Scenery to Mt. Aiden
Vol 1. Page 74  Building retaining wall for Mt. Aiden
                         Pine Tree Production
Vol 1. Page 75  Dead Pine Trees
Vol 1. Page 75  The Brambell's Build Start - What's in the box
Vol 1. Page 76  Brambell's - Site preparation on the Layout
Vol 1. Page 77  Brambell's - Making Extra Castings
Vol 1. Page 78  Brambell's - Changing the site plan to fit my location on the layout.
Vol 1. Page 79  Brambell's - Making Molds
Vol 1. Page 80  Brambell's - Painting the castings
Vol 1. Page 81  Brambell's - Preparing the background scenery
Vol 1. Page 82  FSM Sawmill reconditioning for the S&S RR.
Vol 1. Page 83  Brambell's - Fitting castings to my site.
Vol 1. Page 84  Brambell's - Castings - lessons learned
Vol 1. Page 85  Brambell's - Painting the castings
Vol 1. Page 86  Brambell's - Testing the base with castings on the layout
Vol 1. Page 87  Brambell's - Detail castings - preparation for painting
Vol 1. Page 88  New Tools
Vol 1. Page 89  Brambell's - Warehouse Assembly
Vol 1. Page 90  Brambell's - Painting the detail castings
                         Brambell's - The wood retaining wall
Vol 1. Page 91  Brambell's - More Warehouse Assembly
Vol 1. Page 92  Brambell's - adding detail castings
Vol 1. Page 93  Brambell's - Warehouse Roof Construction
Vol 1. Page 94  Brambell's - Adding the Hoist House
              Brambell's - Adding the back deck
              Brambell's - A test fit on the layout
Vol 1. Page 95  Brambell's - Adding the ground cover
Vol 1. Page 96  Brambell's - Adding the Warehouse back shed
Vol 1. Page 97  Brambell's - More details
Vol 1. Page 98  Brambell's - Building the front deck
Vol 1. Page 99  Brambell's - Building the Trestle
Vol 1. Page 100 Brambell's - The cement wall
                          Brambell's - The Trestle Deck
Vol 1. Page 101 Updating the index
Vol 1. Page 102 Brambell's - Rail Siding and Dock
                          Adding more trees
Vol 1. Page 103 Brambell's Front Office
Vol 1. Page 104 Brambell's Scale and Scale House
Vol 1. Page 105 Brambell's Adding Dirt
                          Brambell's Test Plant on Layout
Vol 1. Page 106 Changes, Dad's, and the old layout
Vol 1. Page 107 Working in the Mountain
Vol 1. Page 108 Brambell's The Details
Vol 1. Page 108 Brambell's Finish Pictures on the Workbench
Vol 1. Page 108 A clean workbench
Vol 1. Page 109 Chippy Hollow Build Start
Vol 1. Page 110 Another Trestle Build
Vol 1. Page 111 More Pine Tree Production
                          Chippy Hollow Painting the wall castings
Vol 1. Page 112 Start of the Mt. Aiden Small Trestle
Vol 1. Page 112 Eagles Nest Hardware Build
Vol 1. Page 114 Track on the Mt. Aiden Trestle
Vol 1. Page 114 Chippy Hollow Build Progress
Vol 1. Page 115 Eagles Nest Warehouse Wall Castings
Vol 1. Page 116 Build Progress Eagles Nest Warehouse and Chippy Hollow
Vol 1. Page 117 Painting the Eagles Nest Warehouse Castings.
Vol 1. Page 118 Progress Report Small Trestle Build on Mt. Aiden.
Vol 1. Page 118 Layout Diagrams update
Vol 1. Page 119 Chippy Hollow Build update.
Vol 1. Page 120 Reusable Mold Material test.
Vol 1. Page 121 Trestle Build Progress.
Vol 1. Page 123 Final Pictures Mt. Aiden Trestle Build.
Vol 1. Page 124 Eagles Nest Warehouse Progress Report.
Vol 1. Page 126 Chippy Hollow Build Update
Vol 1. Page 128 Chippy Hollow Details
Vol 1. Page 128 Chippy Hollow become Walter P's
Vol 1. Page 129 The Staging Yard.
Vol 1. Page 130 The Control Panel Switch Panel.
Vol 1. Page 133 Eagles Next Warehouse - new paint and weathering.
Vol 1. Page 134 Start of the Jacob's Coal Build.
Vol 1. Page 136 Prototype Pictures from Greenfield Village
Vol 1. Page 137 Making room for the inside the mountain helix.
Vol 1. Page 138 Building the Helix.
Vol 1. Page 142 Making molds for plaster castings.
Vol 1. Page 143 More Aspen Trees
Vol 1. Page 146 Start of the C. C. Crow Stone Church Build
Vol 1. Page 147 Making room for the HOn3 Trestle
Vol 1. Page 148 Plans for the mountain top.
Vol 1. Page 148 Hidden Yard Build
Vol 1. Page 150 C. C. Crow Church Pictures
Vol 1. Page 153 Starting the HOn3 Trestle Builds
Vol 1. Page 155 Jacob's Coal Build Update
Vol 1. Page 157 Getting out the saw - more changes
Vol 1. Page 159 Using a Clay Mockups for design.
Vol 1. Page 162 The Start of the town of Sellios
Vol 1. Page 163 Sawmill placement.
Vol 1. Page 164 More on the Clay Mockup.
Vol 1. Page 167 Future Build Plans.
Vol 1. Page 169 The HOn3 Trestle Final Build Pictures.
Vol 1. Page 171 More Aspen Trees
Vol 1. Page 172 Moving on to Volume 2 of the S&S RR Build.



Volume 2
Vol 2. Page 1    Adding trees to the mountains.
Vol 2. Page 2    Using a Mortar & Pestle to create fine sand.
Vol 2. Page 3    Mountain Surgery
Vol 2. Page 4    Clay mockup of Phase III.
Vol 2. Page 5    Phase III Expansion
Vol 2. Page 6    Straightening the curves
Vol 2. Page 7    New Pine Trees
Vol 2. Page 8    Phase III track work
Vol 2. Page 9    More Aspen Trees
Vol 2. Page 10  Making Aspen Trees
Vol 2. Page 12  New Crew member
Vol 2. Page 14  Test planting of Aspen Trees
Vol 2. Page 16  Test running the trains
Vol 2. Page 17  Helix build
Vol 2. Page 18  The HOn3 Branchline
Vol 2. Page 19  New HOn3 Locomotive
Vol 2. Page 20  Using my iPad to design the scenery
Vol 2. Page 21  Start of the Mackenzie Milling Build
Vol 2. Page 27  Start of the Isaac's Coal Build
Vol 2. Page 33  Running trains with the expanded crew
Vol 2. Page 35  Continued work on Mackenzie Mill and Isaac's Coal
Vol 2. Page 44  Adding another layer of scenery with some new Pine Trees
Vol 2. Page 53 Isaac's Coal test plant
Vol 2. Page 54

See post below for continuation of this index - we hit the maximum character limit for a post.






John Siekirk
Superior & Seattle Railroad

Amagic41

Wish there was a way to get the first 20 some pages here
Ken Crump
KC's Workshop
Bowie,Md
www.kcworkshop.com

S&S RR

#2
Volume 2
Vol 2. Page 1    Adding trees to the mountains.
Vol 2. Page 2    Using a Mortar & Pestle to create fine sand.
Vol 2. Page 3    Mountain Surgery
Vol 2. Page 4    Clay mockup of Phase III.
Vol 2. Page 5    Phase III Expansion
Vol 2. Page 6    Straightening the curves
Vol 2. Page 7    New Pine Trees
Vol 2. Page 8   Phase III track work
Vol 2. Page 9    More Aspen Trees
Vol 2. Page 10  Making Aspen Trees
Vol 2. Page 12  New Crew member
Vol 2. Page 14  Test planting of Aspen Trees
Vol 2. Page 16  Test running the trains
Vol 2. Page 17  Helix build
Vol 2. Page 18  The HOn3 Branchline
Vol 2. Page 19  New HOn3 Locomotive
Vol 2. Page 20  Using my iPad to design the scenery
Vol 2. Page 21  Start of the Mackenzie Milling Build
Vol 2. Page 27  Start of the Isaac's Coal Build
Vol 2. Page 33  Running trains with the expanded crew
Vol 2. Page 35  Continued work on Mackenzie Mill and Isaac's Coal
Vol 2. Page 44  Adding another layer of scenery with some new Pine Trees
Vol 2. Page 53 Isaac's Coal test plant
Vol 2. Page 54 Mackenzie Mill Build continued
Vol 2. Page 55 Locomotive Works build initial planning
Vol 2. Page 56 Isaac's Coal detailing
Vol 2. Page 58 Isaac's Coal on the layout
Vol 2. Page 59 Mackenzie's Mill detailing
Vol 2. Page 60 Clean workbenches
Vol 2. Page 61 Locomotive Works starting the build
Vol 2. Page 63 Future build planning
Vol 2. Page 66 Locomotive Works Roof mockup
Vol 2. Page 68 Locomotive Works Building the walls
Vol 2. Page 70 Painting Detail Castings
Vol 2. Page 73 Locomotive Works the layout site
Vol 2. Page 74 Locomotive Works painting the wall castings
Vol 2. Page 75 Locomotive Works starting the interior details
Vol 2. Page 77 Locomotive Works coloring the wall castings
Vol 2. Page 79 Locomotive Works the roof construction
Vol 2. Page 80 Monster Model Works brick tower
Vol 2. Page 82 Locomotive Works Inspection Pits
Vol 2. Page 83 Locomotive Works Brick Floor
Vol 2. Page 86 Locomotive Works Roof test fit
Vol 2. Page 87 Locomotive Works Overhead Crane installation
Vol 2. Page 90 Locomotive Works more interior details
Vol 2. Page 95 Mackenzie's Mill back on the details
Vol 2. Page 96 Locomotive Works interior lighting
Vol 2. Page 97 Locomotive Works coloring the metal roofing
Vol 2. Page 99 Locomotive Works more interior details
Vol 2. Page 102 Locomotive Works starting the exterior details
Vol 2. Page 103 More lighting for the layout
Vol 2. Page 105 Mackenzie's Mill Pond
Vol 2. Page 107 Planting more trees on the layout
Vol 2. Page 108 Using a mortar and pestle for grinding dirt fine
Vol 2. Page 110 Locomotive Works LED lighting
Vol 2. Page 112 Locomotive Works interior lighting test
Vol 2. Page 115 Layout Expansion
Vol 2. Page 117 More Aspen Trees on the layout
Vol 2. Page 118 Start of the Threadwell's build
Vol 2. Page 120 Threadwell's  site planning
Vol 2. Page 123 Ipad mockup of the Threadwell site plan
Vol 2. Page 124 New resin walls for the build
Vol 2. Page 125 Starting the build on the workbench
Vol 2. Page 126 New pictures of the finished area of the layout
Vol 2. Page 128 More Details for the Locomotive Works build
Vol 2. Page 131 New Engineer on the S&S RR
Vol 2. Page 133 First structure build for my Grandson
Vol 2. Page 136 Expansion Plans for the S&S RR
Vol 2. Page 137 LED lighting for the Threadwell build
Vol 2. Page 138 Adding water to the Threadwell build
Vol 2. Page 140 Threadwell build moved to the layout
Vol 2. Page 141 More Trees
Vol 2. Page 142 Sewall's build start
Vol 2. Page 143 Adding the signs to the Locomotive Works
Vol 2. Page 144 Threadwell build photographs after adding the scenery
Vol 2. Page  146 More layout pictures
Vol 2. Page 148  Design plans discussion
Vol 2. Page 149 Baseboard for Sewall's and Fox Run builds
Vol 2. Page 150 Finishing the turntable area in front of the Stone Roundhouse
Vol 2. Page 152 First locomotives on the turntable
Vol 2. Page 152 First locomotives on the Eagles Nest turntable
Vol 2. Page 153 Scenery work around the Stone Roundhouse
Vol 2. Page 154 Draft Layout diagrams for the Phase IV Expansion
Vol 2. Page 155 Servo Turnout Controls
Vol 2. Page 156 The Phase IV Expansion begins
Vol 2. Page 157 Moving furniture and the Phase IV base cabinets
Vol 2. Page 158 Design Changes for the Superior Yard
Vol 2. Page 159 Phase IV construction - the helix
Vol 2. Page 161 Walter P. visits the S&S RR
Vol 2. Page 163 Workshop ExpansionVol 2.
Page 164 Benchwork on the Phase IV expansion
Vol 2. Page 165 The table top of the lower level of the the Phase IV expansion
Vol 2. Page 166 Using lasers to keep the track straight
Vol 2. Page 167 The Phase IV Track work begins
Vol 2. Page 169 Design Changes
Vol 2. Page 170 Control Panel Build
Vol 2. Page 172 The North Yard Construction
Vol 2. Page 174 Control Panel Construction for Phase IV


Volume 3

See page 1 of Volume 3 for this index continued - I hit the character limit for one post. :o
John Siekirk
Superior & Seattle Railroad

ACL1504

"If we are to guard against ignorance and remain free, it is the responsibility of every American to be informed."
Thomas Jefferson

Tom Langford
telsr1@aol.com

S&S RR

Happy New Year!

I'm spending the day updating the financial plan and watching the Rose Bowl. Tomorrow I start the big push on the layout to get all the tracks installed and wired, the DCC installed, and trains running. I have decided that updating forum threads, and structure builds will be on hold until that is complete.
;D :)
John Siekirk
Superior & Seattle Railroad

S&S RR

I wanted to update everyone on the progress I've made on the Superior & Seattle.  I'm keeping to my plan of waiting until the track and electronics are completed before starting a new build thread.  To-date I have 40% of the track installed and wired.  Actually ran a few engines through the completed track work.  It is great to see so many layout threads getting started here.  I'm also looking forward to getting started on a new thread here soon - well depends on your definition of soon.  6 weeks = 40 % well you can do the math. 
John Siekirk
Superior & Seattle Railroad

S&S RR

#6
It is time to get started with the Superior & Seattle RR build thread.

So how do you start over with a build thread when you had 5 years of history somewhere else?

I'm currently laying track and wiring the layout after completely starting over 5 years ago. The starting over consisted of tearing out all of the previous layout except the bench work. I decided that my new layout would be a mountain layout and so it is. It is a freelance Railroad that goes from Superior (the Upper Peninsula of Michigan) to Seattle through the prettiest mountains the builder could find along the way.  I just opened the 33rd 100 lb. bag of plaster.  Those of you that saw my original build thread have seen pictures of this process.  I will post the pictures of this process here as I complete each section of the new layout.

So as I was laying on my back wiring the layout today, I was thinking of how to get this new build thread started.  Since this is a build thread why not start with what I've been looking at the past six weeks - the foundation of the layout - the bench work.  This picture is one of the tunnels underneath the mountains of the layout. I'm taking the picture from about the middle of the tunnel so it is about 30 feet to the far wall.  It kinda looks and feels like a mine shaft. A few of the features I want to point out are; the false floor 4 inches above the cement basement floor and the floor drains, the conduit that carries the 110 volt power to the control panels, the double 2x4 posts every six feet (also, if necessary, I could cut the layout up in six foot sections to move it), and the wall outlets every 8 feet so I can plug in power tools. The layout is not attached to the walls.  All of the buss wires you see are number 12 wire.  The layout is wired for block control so it is very easy to locate any wiring problems by throwing switches at the control panels. Right now all the wires are loose, so I can get at them to connect the jumpers. I will bundle them after everything has been tested.



Why the false floor - the area underneath the layout is our storage area. If a pipe breaks in the house everything is off the floor.  I learned the hard way that this was necessary when a supply pipe in the bathroom decided to break.  Sidebar - if the builders used plastic supplies in your house replace them - they get brittle and break.

In my next post I will describe the water management system that I put in before I put 3300 pounds of plaster mountains underneath an upstairs laundry room, bathroom, and kitchen.
John Siekirk
Superior & Seattle Railroad

S&S RR

#7
The area above my layout room has one inch of concrete and a ceramic tile floor for the laundry room, a bathroom, and the kitchen. If anything goes wrong with any of the equipment in these three rooms the water would end up running through the heating ducks and right on top of all my scenery.  So I installed 4 inch floor drains in each room upstairs and piped them through the mountain scenery which extends up to the ceiling. As you can see from the pictures the benchwork has been modified a number of times in this area.  The pipe in the pictures is for the  floor drain in the kitchen - it is right under the dish washer where it can not be seen.  The drain for the laundry room is under the washer, and in the bathroom it is piped off the floor mounted heating duct.
John Siekirk
Superior & Seattle Railroad

S&S RR

#8
Finally for today - my mode of travel underneath the layout.  My knees were getting real tired of crawling through the tunnels under the layout, so I built this cart to navigate through the maze of tunnels. I can position the back rest in any position, including a full laying on my back for the tight low ceiling areas. It doesn't have a Hemi, but it sure has made the wiring job much easier. The 5 inch wheels are the key to easy navigation. It is now time to get on that cart and get the wiring completed so I can get back to the structures and scenery.

John Siekirk
Superior & Seattle Railroad

ak-milw

Hey John, just make sure you don't doze off laying on that thing.   ;D



8)

jbvb

I haven't seen that kind of under-layout view since the old TMRC layout in MIT's Building 20 was demolished.  We had little carts to roll around underneath to get at switches, relays and wiring.  We called them 'bunkies'.
James

S&S RR

James and Andy

Thanks for following the thread.  When I was in college I may have called the cart a "bunkie" and took a little snooze on it, but thanks to that college education I now have a better place to rest.  The cart sure has helped with the wiring of the layout.
John Siekirk
Superior & Seattle Railroad

S&S RR

The attached layout drawing is a test.  When you click on the attachment do you get a nice big picture of my layout diagram?
John Siekirk
Superior & Seattle Railroad

gnatshop

Quote from: S&S RR on February 21, 2014, 09:24:07 PM
The attached layout drawing is a test.  When you click on the attachment do you get a nice big picture of my layout diagram? 
Got it - that's an awesome layout drawing!

S&S RR

Quote from: gnatshop on February 21, 2014, 09:33:48 PM
Quote from: S&S RR on February 21, 2014, 09:24:07 PM
The attached layout drawing is a test.  When you click on the attachment do you get a nice big picture of my layout diagram? 
Got it - that's an awesome layout drawing!

Thanks David - that's one. 
John Siekirk
Superior & Seattle Railroad

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