Clearwater Valley Railway Co.

[PRR Modeler]

Impressive Ron. When you stain the ties that doesn't loosen the glue?

[ACL1504]

Ron,

Looks like you have it all tied down now.

Tom 

[elwoodblues]

Thanks for the comments Rick, Larry, Philip, Jerry, Curt and Tom.

Curt, I have had no issues with the glue loosening when adding the stain, the stain dries pretty quickly plus the stain is oil based.

While I'm here I might as well post another update.

Update #13 . . . The Track Gang Continues it's Work




After allowing the glue to dry overnight it was time to add the first coat of stain.  The colour used is Minwax #224 - special walnut, I've used this stain on the rest of the layout.





After allowing the stain to dry for a couple of hours I use a sanding block with 100 grit sandpaper to sand the top of the ties.  Once all the stain is removed from the top of the ties I know that the top of flat.  This will eliminate any low or high spots when I lay the rail.  This is the west end of the staging yard.





The east end of the staging yard.  Once all the sanding was competed I used a shopvac to remove the mounds of sawdust that was left by the sanding process.





With the sawdust removed it was time to re-stain the top of the ties.





The other end of the staging yard with the re-stained ties.  For the record approximately 750 ties were harmed in this process.

Now the rail can be laid, which for me is the fun part.

Thanks for looking in.

[PRR Modeler]

That color is very good Ron. You can almost see the ties covered in Creosote.

[Larry C]

Ron great job on the ties and coloring. 750 ties? Yikes, that's a lot of wood; enjoy.

[Rick]

Ron, nice job on staining and leveling the ties.

[Jerry]

Ron just looking at the ties and the coloring it's perfect.

Jerry

[ACL1504]

Ron,

Great job, the color looks natural for creosote ties.

Tom 

[elwoodblues]

Thanks for the comments Curt, Larry, Rick, Jerry and Tom.

Progress will slow down and then come to a screeching halt very shortly as my work assignment to Florida is only a week away.  I do hope to get a bit more done before I leave.

[PRR Modeler]

Ron don't forget shorts. It will be Africa hot before you know it.

[Philip]

Quit! Then you won't have such distractions. 

Looks Great Ron!

[elwoodblues]

Thanks for the comments Curt, and Philip.

Curt, you make it sound like I'm going to change from complaining about the cold to complaining about the heat in short order.

Philip, I tried quitting but they won't let me.    Although I have told them that this is my last road trip.

[Philip]

Thanks for the comments Curt, and Philip.

Curt, you make it sound like I'm going to change from complaining about the cold to complaining about the heat in short order.

Philip, I tried quitting but they won't let me.    Although I have told them that this is my last road trip.

Roger That!

[elwoodblues]

Well it's been awhile since I last posted to this thread but I'm now back from the Florida project and settled in so work can finally continue on the staging yard.

I'm going to call this update. . . . . . 

The track gang finally starts working in the yard.

First up is to prepare the turnouts for installation




First up is to add the "frog" wires to the frogs.  This wire will be connected to a frog juicer.  All the turnout frogs on the layout are connected to frog juicers as I do have some short wheeled locomotives (critters and porters). 





Usually once the frog wires are installed the turnout is usually ready to install.  In the case of the triple turnout DCC feeders wires needed to be installed as the track between the frogs need to be powered due to the gaps in the turnouts.




Now the fun part, drilling the holes and feeding all the wires through.  I hate to admit this but this turned out to be delicate process.  






The turnout spiked down this is the base point for the rest of the track laying process for the yard.






The turnout leading to track 5 is installed and spiked down





The turnout to the caboose storage track is in place and spiked down.  Because the track between these turnout are short (approx 2") I soldered the rail joiners to the rails, normally I don't do this as each piece of track get feeders wires so I don't rely on the rail joiners to transfer power.

Thanks for looking in.

[Jerry]

Ron that is totally amazing!  The wiring and putting in the turnouts everything lined up perfectly.

Jerry