Superior & Seattle Railroad Build

S&S RR · April 20, 2016, 08:45:54 PM

Quote from: Donato on April 20, 2016, 08:07:48 PM
OUTSTANDING !!!!!

Thanks - a few more touch ups and it will be ready to add to the layout. I 'm looking forward to finishing up the track work in this area of the layout so I can add the structures and finish the scenery. Thanks for stopping by the thread.

S&S RR · April 20, 2016, 08:46:45 PM

Quote from: ak-milw on April 20, 2016, 08:41:00 PM
Nice job John, really like the gantry crane

Thanks Andy. The crane was part of the kit. It really was a pleasure to build.

Janbouli · April 21, 2016, 05:23:10 PM

Fantastic Job , wow , all the details.

S&S RR · April 21, 2016, 06:08:13 PM

Quote from: Janbouli on April 21, 2016, 05:23:10 PM
Fantastic Job , wow , all the details.

Thanks Jan - it is all about the details.

ACL1504 · April 21, 2016, 06:25:22 PM

Well done John, very well done.

Tom

sdrees · April 21, 2016, 08:04:08 PM

John

Your model really looks great, but l will say it again, I really like your rock work.

S&S RR · April 22, 2016, 09:11:45 AM

Quote from: ACL1504 on April 21, 2016, 06:25:22 PM
Well done John, very well done.

Tom

Thanks Tom - It has been a fun project.

S&S RR · April 22, 2016, 09:14:05 AM

Quote from: sdrees on April 21, 2016, 08:04:08 PM
John

Your model really looks great, but l will say it again, I really like your rock work.

Thanks Steve. The rock work and scenery really help the structures look good. The structures are suppose to look best on the layout not on the workbench.

S&S RR · April 23, 2016, 10:43:35 AM

I took a look at the workbench and was just going to get things cleaned up for my next structure build when I decided to put in the staging yard I had planned for in this area. I will soon be running lots of test trains and I needed a place to store the trains while I work on the layout. I had a little short staging yard on the lower level but there was 20 feet of hidden track that needed to be maintained to get to it. This yard was left over from my previous layout and I had always planned to remove it. After trying to get the hidden track working for a couple hours - I decided it was time for it to go. So the first picture is about halfway through the removal of the lower yard.

This benchwork is going to give me some much needed shelf space in my work area.

Here is the new benchwork going in. This yard will be off from the upper level of the layout.

This is the view from my workshop - the new track will end at the paint booth giving me space for at least 6 - 12 foot long staging tracks and another 6 - 3 foot long feeder tracks for more rolling stock storage. Okay breaks over - back to work.

The track running along the wall goes to a reversing loop in my workshop today. In the future (I have to finish the layout in my current space allocation, per the boss) it will be the mainline to the town of Superior.

S&S RR · April 25, 2016, 09:52:06 PM

I'm building a few of the sections of the new yard on the workbench. What a great way to lay track and wire it in a hurry. This section is ready to install.

S&S RR · May 02, 2016, 09:51:33 AM

I thought I would post an update this morning. I have been away from the layout for a few days helping with my new Grandson Isaac John. He is actually on my lap as I post this. We are making plans for the area near Mount Isaac.

I did manage to get the rocks that I collected on my last trip out West crushed down to the right size. A 3 pound hammer did the trick - the finished product looks good.The only issue was a sore arm the next day. I'll post pictures when I add them to the layout.

KCS Trains · May 02, 2016, 01:06:57 PM

John, getting back to the pictures of Walter P's Wholesale, you really don't get a full appreciation of a build until you put it on the layout and see how it fits with the surrounding scenery. I enjoyed your build, but I'm really digging it more after seeing it on the layout. Congratulations. It must be nice to be retired and able to work on it every day. Phil

S&S RR · May 02, 2016, 01:48:39 PM

Quote from: KCS Trains on May 02, 2016, 01:06:57 PM
John, getting back to the pictures of Walter P's Wholesale, you really don't get a full appreciation of a build until you put it on the layout and see how it fits with the surrounding scenery. I enjoyed your build, but I'm really digging it more after seeing it on the layout. Congratulations. It must be nice to be retired and able to work on it every day. Phil

Phil

Thanks for the kind words and for stopping by the thread. I really like to make the structure fit the scenery so your comments are much appreciated.

As for retirement - it's the best job I ever had.

S&S RR · May 12, 2016, 08:28:02 AM

Here are some progress pictures of the staging yard I'm working on.
This first picture is looking from the paint booth towards the wall between my workshop and the layout room. The second is from the area above my workbench looking back toward the paint booth. This yard will be setup to stage and store trains. I'm trying to make use of all of the available space.

S&S RR · May 14, 2016, 02:52:50 PM

Time for another update: The staging yard is complete except for running the power. Track is in, turnouts are setup with manual controls, and the power drops are all in. The two turnouts that control traffic off the mainline into the yard are controlled with tortoise controls so I can wire them into the main control panel. This afternoon I plan on running the power to this section of the layout and it will be functional.

How long do you think it will take me to fill all the new shelf space around the workbench?

The next project will be the helix inside the two mountains to get the trains running on the upper level.