The St. Louis & Denver Railroad - The Build

[GPdemayo]

Looking good Greg.  I, too, enjoy handlaying track.  To me the hard part is the planning involved.  You really want to get it right the first time since it's a little more difficult to 'move' after the fact.  The big benefit in my mind is being able to lay track to fit an area rather than designing an area to fit prefab turnouts and crossovers.

Carry on!   

Right on the money Bob, the flexibility is great and I'm a sucker for anything made of wood.


I think the planning part is tons of fun and like Pegi says I'm right at home with all that anal stuff. That's probably why none of the layouts I did as a kid lasted more than a couple of weeks. I'd draw up a track plan, tweek it a bit, build it, run trains for a few hours, then tear it up and start over.

[gnatshop]

 

I'm a sucker (Stop - enough said) for anything made of wood.
like Pegi says I'm right at home with all that anal stuff. . 

Glad you said it before we did!! 

[GPdemayo]

I'm a sucker (Stop - enough said) for anything made of wood.
like Pegi says I'm right at home with all that anal stuff. . 

Glad you said it before we did!! 

I figured I'd get there before you hopped all over that one.....

[GPdemayo]

Hi again! I finally got a few minutes to post the rest of the pictures of the tie installation. I left off with the mainline and passing siding ties coming around the curve in front of where the station will be.
 
The following pictures will show the sequence of the completion of the mainline ties from where I left off to the juncture between phase 2 and phase 3.
 
Exhibit #1 - (T366)

 
Exhibit #2 - (T367)

 
Exhibit #3 - (T368)

 
Exhibit #4 - (T371)

 
This pretty much finishes the majority of the ties for phase 1 & 2. I will soak enough ties for phase 3 in a week or two so they will have plenty of time to dry out. I don't want to run out like I did for the mainline and branchline in phase 1 & 2, this makes to much of an interruption in the flow of the work. Now off to check the supply of ties, purchase what I may be short on and get them to soaking.
 
I like the contrast between the high profile ties on the mainline and the low profile ties on the brachline. The different ballasts (cinder on the branchline and in the yard and light gray along the mainline) will also add to the contrast and definitely define each track.
 
This is starting to get real interesting as the switches and the rail gets installed. It will be nice to get these finished and get onto some scenery installation. I can visualize rather well, but it will be neat with the scenery added so it brings things to life so others can see it too.

[ACL1504]

Greg,

That track work sure looks good! I bet it only takes you a few days to do a three foot section. Keep up the fast pace. You may be finished a few years after I get mine finished.

Tom

[PennsyJ1]

Greg,

That track work sure looks good! I bet it only takes you a few days to do a three foot section. Keep up the fast pace. You may be finished a few years after I get mine finished.

Tom

Looks like new type of rolling stock Tom, no rails are needed. He could beat you.

[GPdemayo]

Greg,

That track work sure looks good! I bet it only takes you a few days to do a three foot section. Keep up the fast pace. You may be finished a few years after I get mine finished.

Tom

Looks like new type of rolling stock Tom, no rails are needed. He could beat you.

I don't need no stinkin' rail.....

[ReadingBob]

I got your back Greg.  Just ignore those naysayer's.  I love hand laid track.   

[GPdemayo]

I got your back Greg.  Just ignore those naysayer's.  I love hand laid track.   

Thanks Bob. I love the hand laid and wouldn't change for anything.....except for a large cash incentive.....nooooooooooooo!

[GPdemayo]

Hello again - it has been awhile!
 
Only a few things to report in this episode. I have been in marketing mode for the business the past month and haven't had a whole lot of time for the layout.
 
I have been concentrating on getting all the trackwork completed in the corner of phase 2 so that I can get the Saturday Butty Group over to help me slide it back into position so I can begin the benchwork for phase 3.
 
I have been cutting switch ties for phase 3 and getting them and the cross ties stained and drying on the patio. I have also been assembling the last 5 switches for phase 2. I prefer to install the switches first, then start the rail from them, so I need to get them completed.
 
I'm finding that by building the switches with an assembly line approach, it goes more efficiently. I cut and file all the guard rails, frogs, stock rails and points at one time, then solder everything together at the same time. The three completed switches are on the right and the pieces for the other two are on the left in the photo below.

Exhibit #1 - (T388)

 
The picture below shows the location of a couple of the just completed switches. The first one was installed next to the tower and is the lead into the 3 track yard. The second will go on the empty ties in the center next to the TV remote.
 
Exhibit #2 - (T375)

 
This reverse shot shows the switch installed and the first lengths of rail from the switch into the yard.
 
Exhibit #3 - (T382)

 
This whole process is getting easier and better as I have progressed. Keeping the waves out of the rail on a straight stretch and flowing nicely around a curve is better than when I started in phase 1 and the switches are looking better with each one I build.
 
I am glad I didn't let Tom talk me into flex track, I really like the look of the rail on creosoted wood ties. I just wish I could have come up with an efficient way to get the tie plates under the rail so that the track has more detail. The only problem I'm having is with the spikes from Micro Engineering - the heads are so big I have to snip off part of each head to make it fit and look right. Anybody know of any other manufacturers out there, I can't seem to find any others and it would be nice not having to spent all those hours cutting spike heads..
 
This last photo shows the rail installed on the lower side of the wye heading downgrade to the brewery and chemical plant.
 
Exhibit #4 - (T395)


That's about all the time I have for today. I will try to post more pictures of the progress I've made and my experiments with ballast in a week or two. Tom was over last week and told me to get the ballast down in that part of phase 2 before we moved the layout into place, so I have to make up my mind what material I want to use. Since everyone knows he is El Presidente of the Saturday Butty Group, I guess I will just have to follow orders and get it done.
 
See y'all next time.

[ACL1504]

 
"I am glad I didn't let Tom talk me into flex track, I really like the look of the rail on creosoted wood ties.
 
See y'all next time."


Not to worry, I have plenty of time still!

Tom

[GPdemayo]

 
"I am glad I didn't let Tom talk me into flex track, I really like the look of the rail on creosoted wood ties.
 
See y'all next time."


Not to worry, I have plenty of time still!

Tom

I don't think so..................................I won't change my mind, not that you only have a little time.....

[jbvb]

Years ago you could get Rail-Craft spikes, which were about the size of ME's Small but had much shorter/flatter heads.  I have about 50 left from the packages I got from an estate a few years ago; I save them for high-visibility locations.  I wish ME would re-engineer their dies, as I've read that they originally bought the Rail-Craft line.

The alternative is ME's 'Micro' spikes, but they bend very easily; I have to drill holes for them, which is OK when super-detailing for the Civil AP certificate, tiresome otherwise.

[tct855]

Gregory,
                 Wow, I'm so glad to see & enjoy the craftsmanship of building hand laid track.  L@@ks awesome sir.  I just love seeing and can appreciate the modeling skill of building hand laid track with custom fast track switches.  Awesome.  Thanks for sharing!   Keep up the great old school.   Thanx Thom...

[S&S RR]

Greg

The track work looks great!