Superior & Seattle Railroad Build

[S&S RR]

I have a question for the forum? I will double post this in the baggage car to make sure everyone sees it. I'm in the middle of the design work for my S&S RR Locomotive Works which will include a machine shop with a overhead belt drive. I have hundreds of pictures of the belt drive system and the castings for the steam engine that drives it.  My question is how is the boiler typically housed and the steam run to the steam engine that drives it. I'm looking for pictures of  "boiler houses" with details of the mechanics.  Can anyone help?

[jrmueller]

I wonder if the East Broadtop  RR historical society has any information.  Several years ago we had a tour of their machine shop.  It remains the same as the day when the railroad closed and the workers left, including tools on the benches when the workers left. There was an extensive steam powered belt system.  Jim

[S&S RR]

I wonder if the East Broadtop  RR historical society has any information.  Several years ago we had a tour of their machine shop.  It remains the same as the day when the railroad closed and the workers left, including tools on the benches when the workers left. There was an extensive steam powered belt system.  Jim

Jim


Thanks for the input, I will check it out.

[deemery]

This book is great!  It's done by the former owner of Western Scale Models:  http://www.montageww.com/thesierrarailroadmachineshop.aspx
I'm not sure if the new owner of WSM got the rights to the books. 



dave

[S&S RR]

This book is great!  It's done by the former owner of Western Scale Models:  http://www.montageww.com/thesierrarailroadmachineshop.aspx
I'm not sure if the new owner of WSM got the rights to the books. 



dave

Dave


Thanks again for the input - I would love to get my hands on a copy of the Sierra machine shop book. I have all of the machine tools that the new owner has made available in HO scale. Your post prompted me to take a look at the website.  I didn't see any mention of the books. I have been picking up anything new that he makes available at the Narrow Gauge Conventions. I need to keep an eye on his website.

[S&S RR]

Yesterday, Wayne Olson spent the day with me and it turned into a track work day.  I continued laying track and Wayne started the painting process. We have a few hundred aspen trees and about a 100 pine trees all ready to plant on the layout but we decided to get the track work done before we started planting. I will have a day or two of plaster work to do in the area where I had to change the grade of the track. I'm really looking forward to getting the trains running again.

[S&S RR]

I made some progress today on my Jacob's coal build.  The coal bins have been assembled and I can start getting an idea of how big I want to make the complex for the space I have on the layout. I have two kits so I'm making the complex double size or maybe a little smaller than double.  After a number of different scenarios I'm leaning towards having a 5 bin design.  I have a few days before I have to make a final decision so I'll leave the mockup on my workbench while I finish the frame work for the coal bins.

[S&S RR]

The differences in look on the coal bins is me playing with the color by  lighting it with a pure alcohol wash.  I love the way you can change things and then just match it by adding more chalk or washing it with alcohol. I really like this technique. I also did a little sanding to get a perfect fit which can also be easily fixed when I do the final coloring.

[S&S RR]

I also started putting the track down in the area I needed to repair.  I needed to change the grade to meet my grade specifications.  I will have to do some retaining wall and fill work which will really add to the realism of a mountain railroad in this area.

[S&S RR]

Over the weekend, I received my order with supplies from Barrett Hill Trains for the turnout control panels.  I saw these for the first time a few years ago at the Narrow Gauge Convention. I will post pictures as I get into the project. These are touch control switches with LED indicator lights to show which direction the turnouts are set too. If this first section goes well I plan on using them for the whole layout. 

[GPdemayo]

Nice progress John.....looking forward to seeing the touch control switch installation.

I've seen them advertised and they look like an interesting alternative to toggle switches.

[ger deguelle]

Wouw looking great

[S&S RR]

Nice progress John.....looking forward to seeing the touch control switch installation.

I've seen them advertised and they look like an interesting alternative to toggle switches.

Greg


Thanks for stopping by the thread.  I really liked the way they looked and worked when I saw them at the Narrow Gauge Convention a few years ago.  If this experimental installation goes well I will be doing the whole layout with them. I will post progress reports when I get to the installation.  So many projects.

[S&S RR]

Wouw looking great

Thank you for the kind words and for stopping by the thread.

[jimmillho]

Nice progress John.....looking forward to seeing the touch control switch installation.

I've seen them advertised and they look like an interesting alternative to toggle switches.

I will be watching also to see how these switches work.

Jim