The Grizzly & Dilapidated Ry.

[kyle creel]

Thanx Larry C*, thanx Curt,and thanx Phillip;

Today (Friday)- I went ahead and installed the bus wiring     - although I ran outta gas and didn't solder anything .....it sucks only having 30% heart function ......... I'll try again tomorrow(Saturday) and see if I feel like screwing with it, -otherwise, I'll wait till Sunday       .....

Here's some shots of the feeders;.. and the bus wire running under the layout in a couple of spots .....thanx again for the kind words and interest in the project.......ya'll come back by anytime            ............

KYLE CREEL
G&D Ry Co.

Feeders............................

 

Bus wire...........................


That's about all for now......see ya....      

[Philip]

I hear ya. The required contortionism to run electric is not fun. Not at this age

Hence my lack of installing LED street lights and building lumens.... Candle for everyone!

[Larry C]

Kyle I feel your pain!! Getting under a layout at our ages is a real PITA but sadly necessary if you want to run trains. Take your time with it and don't overdue.

[deemery]

Kyle I feel your pain!! Getting under a layout at our ages is a real PITA but sadly necessary if you want to run trains. Take your time with it and don't overdue.

It's more of a PITB (Pain in the Back)    I carefully measured my comfortable working position, and then bought a stool of exactly the right height.  Turns out mine has wheels and trays to hold the wiring supplies, bonus feature!

dave

[friscomike]

Howdy Kyle,

Good luck with the wiring.  After hearing your pain with it, I think I'll procrastinate a little longer on the Canyon wiring...lol.  

Nice work.  I used suitcase connectors before and didn't have issues with them, so I'm trying them again.  I am worried about the smaller wires coming out.  I'll find out when I connect the power.

Have fun,
mike

[kyle creel]

Thanx Phillip, thanx Larry C*., thanx Dave, and thanx Mike;

I decided to go ahead and finish up any "underground"(under the RR) work this evening   (Saturday) and so I wired the "Contraption", put it back in the pit and ran the wires down through the pivot hole to the MRC ARU under the RR - connected them up-and fastened the ARU to the support that it is next to.     ........ it was nice not to have to screw around with separate 'insulated conductor rings' and all that crap that goes with putting power to the rails on a regular TT bridge         ........this one is so simple in its' function  - no 180 degree rotation; just a simple 60 degree 'swing over' to the exit track and you're on your way         ......I'm already lovin' it     ...'coolsville'         ...................

OK; tomorrow I'm hoping to get the feeder wires soldering done; and if it goes smoothly   ....I'll be gettin' out some rollong stock and movin' em down th' line         ......................

Thanx again so very much for poppin' in and droppin' a line or two it is very much appreciated and is very inspiring.........       see ya...................      

KYLE CREEL
G&D Ry Co.

Adding wires and dropping them...............................
   

Connecting it all up and securing the ARU to the support.....


Hope it all looks OK     gotta go................                

[PRR Modeler]

Looks like you're making great progress.

[Philip]

I need one of those battery powered creepers. 

Knowing my luck the switch would get stuck and I'd be stamped to the underside of the layout or unproot the entire layout!

Philip

[PRR Modeler]

I use an adjustable shower chair when working under the layout.

[kyle creel]

Thanx Curt, thanx Phillip, and thanx Curt X2     ;

Well- as of last night - all the 'underground' work is done       .........now for the 'GOOD STUFF' ...

Today (Sunday) I decided to (and I may still) solder the track feeders   ....BUT         first I had to go back and pull all the 'anchor pins' holding the trackage in place where it wasn't glued down yet -...and glue those spots down (I use CA glue and an activator) then I needed to vacuum the trackage and surrounding real estate   and just as I finished and was reaching for the solder and iron .....I realized I still hadn't checked to see if there was enough room for the ground throw on the main line behind the engine shed in Dilapidated   ....*^*%*....$&%$....%#!@%....&^*^)           ...of course there's NOT     so I fixed the issue with an extension going out the other side under the other tracks via a small tube and over to a spot by the depot                   VERY COOL INDEED!!!!!!!

I was so satisfied with myself ...and how it worked out....that I put back the engine shed and oil tank for a "look-see"       ALRIGHT!!!!!!!! and then it happened....      

DANG!!! THAT BLASTED MOMENT OF INSPIRATION SLAPPED THE SH$T OUTTA ME AND I HAD A VISION                   ......what this thing needs is a CREEK     a what? A CREEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!.....so I made one......running along the G&D Ry. trackage.......It starts as a small water fall image in the backdrop just above the mine tracks, and runs UNDER and pops OUT of a rock fomation  IN 3D!!!!!!!!!;... then under the track level via a small trestle and drops off another small short water fall --then under the G&D Ry. via small bridge/culvert and meanders its' way down 'along side' the tracks and off the layout just before the town of Dilapidated...               COOL..

That's my story Your Honor, and I'm stickin' to it       .........pictures to follow..............
I hope everybody has a wonderful day........thanx again for stoppin by.......see ya        

KYLE CREEL
G&D Ry Co.

Fixing the ground throw issue.................not enough room...and no access.........


let's fix it.........................
      

I'll show all the details of the planned creek in my next post......       thanx again ..........  
 

[kyle creel]

Alright fellas ...here we go     ..........here's the stream, and also a couple of shots before the waterfall and after the waterfall was added to the backdrop.........there's also an interesting (to me) pair of shots looking east through Dilapidated and west down the right of way/creek scene towards "Woods' Ridge" and the curve at "Desperados' Gap"         .....let me know whacha think   .......thanx again for stoppin' by..... ....see ya.......  

KYLE CREEL
G&D Ry Co.

Before the waterfall..........................................................after.......................


This shows where the water comes out (in 3D) and goes under a short trestle..........
blue arrows are the water path....red arrow marks the waters' exit and start of 3D..............


Next up is the 2 shots looking east into Dilapidated and west along the G&D and the creek towards "Woods' Ridge"
east.............................


west.............................


That's about it for today....never did get the track soldered...   oh well.."Tomorrow IS another day"...to quote Miss Scarlet O'Hara                       see ya..............

[PRR Modeler]

The water feature is going to be great. Nice adaptation for the throw.

[friscomike]

Howdy Kyle,

Good luck with the track feeder solder task.  Not so much fun I think.  I like the idea of a creek.  I've seen many great photos from the steam era of trains along a creek.  Looking forward to your implementation.

Have fun,
mike

[deemery]

Kyle, consider signs of wash-outs along the creek.  Even now on the Durango & Silverton, I think you can see some bent chunks of rail from where the track was washed out in the spring.  

dave

[kyle creel]

Thanx Curt, thanx Mike,and thanx Dave;

The first train; mixed train #3 headed by 2-6-0 #6 left Grizzly depot today at 5:00PM sharp     with 1 loaded box car and 1 loaded flat car and a combine full of mail and express pkgs. along with 4 passengers; it arrived in Dilapidated at 6:05PM sharp,     and proceeded with #6 uncoupling and backing onto the 'Contraption'....it was then 'turned' and proceeded off the 'Contraption', past the depot...uncoupled the combine and moved it to the depot track to finish unloading.  Locomotive #6 then spotted the box car and flat car on the siding behind PHARTZ &  SCHMELLING and WINDBREAKER after pulling out the 2 tank cars that were to be taken to Grizzly on the return trip.   After coupling up to the 2 tankers and the combine #6 topped off with water and fuel oil for the return trip.     The consist departed Dilapidated at 7:00PM and arrived in Grizzly at 8:05PM #6 then uncoupled from the consist and proceeded to the roundhouse......           coolsville.........

I ran my first train this evening, sh$t it was fun!!!!!!           .....I also got all the feeders done earlier, and installed the Digitrax Loconet input panels     ......I'm movin' and groovin'           ..........

I shot some pictures of the G&D Ry. yard and sidings.....FILLED WITH ROLLING STOCK           .....it actually is starting to look and act like a RR .....

Thanx again for all the stop-bys, comments, suggestions and relating of experiences...it all helps sooooo much and is very very much appreciated       ..........here's the shots of the RR.......hope they look OK ...........

KYLE CREEL
G&D Ry Co.

Walking in ...................and looking around the room........L to R, the layout height is at 56 and 1/2  inches; so I held the camera up above my head for the first shot...the rest are a little above eye level.....




...and back at the entry....


Thanx again fellas for following along....I can't believe I finally ran a train   ....it's been since late DEC. of 2023       that I haven't had an operational Miniature RR......man I love it.......      
all for now.........see ya