The Grizzly & Dilapidated Ry.

[kyle creel]

Thanx Larry C*., thanx Phillip, thanx Mike, thanx Michael,and thanx Curt,....and thanx to all who dropped by for a quick look-see.....       ....

I stopped the construction        ....

I realized the project had become too complex,  .. tracks in concentric circles with one of them (the inside one) hidden inside a mountain...     ....can't get to it....and just too much trackage in this amount of space....       ....Tuesday night ...(not TUESDAY AFTERNOON...       ) ...I decided to sleep on it...and Wednesday morning I had an idea ..     ....just do a simple figure 8 over and under , with access trackage from Grizzly, and an interchange with the D&RGW at Dilapidated; and put Po-Dunk Jct. under the arch bridge where the access tracks to Grizzly are...             ......simple....clean....and much more 'do-able' at 72 ..   ...if I was in my 50's or 60's I'd build something a bit more "grandiose"...   ...

But it is what it is.... and as such - Today (Friday) I went about reconfiguring the layout according to the NEW TRACK PLAN...       ...(ya'll knew that was coming)....     ....it's actually pretty cool and concise, it'll give me continous running, and a built in - '2 trains a day' need in order to service both the "I Me Mine' gold mine and Scavenger Inc. at Blackrock, ...   and the depot, 2 industries, and the D&RGW interchange at Dilapidated.....plus.....

Trains headed to Blackrock MUST back out of Grizzly and down to Po. Dunk Jct.        then forward and take the branch line up to Blackrock... after working Blackrock- leave going forward, taking the main line all the way down to Grizzly   .... and trains going to Dilapidated leave going forward on the main line all the way to Dilapidated, work the D&RGW intchg. then the sidings-and then forward to take the branch line down to Po-Dunk Jct. to return to Grizzly- switching to the main line at Po-Dunk Jct. and backing the rest of the way into Grizzly....           both trains back into trailing switches to work the respective sidings....easy-peasie, one train to Blackrock in the morning, and one train to Dilapidated in the afternoon ........I love it......simple one man operations, and continous running for 'funzies'...       ......pictures below of the plan and the progress made today....    

Track plan...........................(sideways...sorry)  


Blackrock....so far.......


Po-Dunk Jct. ...so far......


Dilapidated and the D&RGW intchg......so far.....


That's all for now .....I'm tired .....   ..it's 12:24 AM CST (Sat. morning)    and I'm gonna grab a little 'shut-eye' before the dirt starts flying again tomorrow, er, uh, today Saturday......
thanx again for stoppin' by........see ya.........        
 
KYLE CREEL
G&D Ry. Co.

[PRR Modeler]

Interesting Kyle. Simpler is often a better solution than complex.

[Larry C]

Kyle glad you saw the track problem before you went much further. So 10th time the charm?

[elwoodblues]

Kyle, you're making great progress.

[kyle creel]

Thanx Curt, thanx Larry C*., and thanx Ron....

I finished working on the project for today (Saturday) ....   ...I have all but two sections of foam risers glued in place, and went ahead and mocked everything else up for fit and appearance....     ...

This week I'll work on getting the remaining risers and roadbed glued down, then I'll finish soldering the track sections together and attach feeders to them before gluing them down....     ....

I can already tell that this incarnation of the G&D is gonna be one that I really enjoy...       ....I'm getting the images in my head together regarding the scenery, and have decided what to do on the backdrop to enhance the whole 'picture'.....     ......here's some shots of todays' efforts......hope they look OK.....

Dilapidated.......



Blackrock.........



Po-Dunk Jct. .....



That about winds it up from this end, thanx again for stoppin' by .......see ya.....        

KYLE CREEL
G&D Ry. Co.

[deemery]

I'm looking forward to seeing how you 'scenic-in' the arch bridge.  That's certainly a dramatic piece on the layout.

dave

[Michael Hohn]

Kyle,

The scenic possibilities are almost endless.

Mike

[friscomike]

Howdy Kyle,

Congrats on the simplified layout plan.  I've always found it easier to have a structure completed or at least a mockup when finalizing placement, elevations, etc.  Glad you can envision the final layout design.

Have fun,
mike

[Jerry]

Kyle that arch bridge should be a real focal point.
Looking forward on how you scenic it.

Jerry

[kyle creel]

Thanx Dave, thanx Michael, thanx Mike, and thanx Jerry;...and a big 'ol thanx to everybody that just grabbed a look-see        .....

Today (Sunday) I decided that the I Me Mine bldg was blocking too much of the scenery of 'Woods' Ridge behind it, and Scavenger Inc. was also too 'overbearing' and blocking a good view of 'The Arch' in the rock formation behind it....     ....so I took a nap and I figured out that all I really need for a 'mine theme' spot in that area is a loading structure - something simple....     .....the mine itself is 'off stage' in the viewers mind...         ....and so I found a piece of the curved 'trestle works' from the old mine scene I was gonna build last year and positioned it so that all the tailings are brought across the trestle and dumped into the waiting ore cars to be hauled away...the gold is transported under armed guard by truck from the mine to the mine office in Blackrock and then loaded into an REA boxcar and shipped to Grizzly for transfer to the std. gauge for shipping elsewhere ..    ...I also moved Scavenger Inc. from Blackrock over to Dilapidated and moved Phartz & Schmelling from Dilapidated across to Blackrock where its' 'personality'         isn't so 'obtrusive'....in Dilapidated the townsfolk were a bit less than enamored with the 'aroma' of the odorizers produced to add to natural gas so gas leaks can be detected...             .....pictures below........all for now ....thanx again for stoppin' by......see ya.......      

KYLE CREEL
G&D Ry. Co.

The new 'I Me Mine' transfer trestle at Blackrock................

Phartz & Schmelling at Blackrock.................................

A start on the 'scenery idea' for the branchline run up to Blackrock

A 'new look' Dilapidated.........................................




Hope the shots look OK................          

[kyle creel]

Here's a shot of the 'whole enchilada'........      .................
The layout height is 56"....all the new 'stuff' is a max of 5" higher......or 61"...............

[Philip]

Looks great!

[Jerry]

Looks like a keeper!!!

Jerry

[kyle creel]

Thanx Phillip, and thanx Jerry;

I've run into a dilema      ....you're both correct ....it looks great and it's a keeper...     ...BUT        (here we go again         )....2 things....one of which is a biggie  ...I didn't realize the elevations were going to be quite the issue they have already become - in just the first phase of actual  construction      5 inches is about 1 inch too high for me... ...and I don't think I'm gonna dig the 'backing out of Grizzly to go to Blackrock... ...and if I'm being honest with myself...     ...I really do NEED and WANT ..       ..an 'out and back' (reversing loop) feature..     ......soooooo......

YOU GUESSED IT          a modification ....however..       besides no Arch Bridge...   ..it's still the same overall trackplan           ..... the only other changes are the elevations, and one added cutoff turnout to allow 'out-and-back' and/or continous running...                      

I've lowered Blackrock one inch to 4 inches..it doesn't seem like much, but it makes a huge difference....I also will not have the Arch Bridge involved in the layout...     ....a bit too much drama for such a small RR.....   ...instead        ... a secure high line at 4 inches elev. 2 feet across at Blackrock then dropping to 3 1/2 inches elev. and then 3 inches elev. (a two foot long 4% grade) and staying at that elevation all the way across to the corner and behind Dilapidated, then another 4% grade drop for three feet, down to one an 1/2 inches elev. across the front of the layout...once the turn in the center of the layout is reached (still at one and1/2 inches elev.) a cut-off for continous running goes to the right,...we don't take it ....after the turnout, the grade drops at 4% for three more feet reaching '0' elev. just outside Grizzly....             ....if you take the cut-off instead, you're at one and 1/2 inches elev. for two more feet and then begin the longest (5feet) 4% grade climb up to 4 inches elev. at Blackrock....         .....

Now the rest of the story,.....           ....

Starting out from Grizzly - just outside town, our train climbs the 4% grade for 3 feet to one and 1/2 inches elev. around the turn in the center of the layout all the way to the D&RGW interchange at Po-Dunk Jct. elev. one and 1/2 inches....then we begin another 4% climb for 3 feet up to three inches elev. and stay at that elev. till we reach the turnout where we go left to get to Dilapidated...we drop at 4% for 3 feet down to one and 1/2 inches elev. ...then back through the turnout (and to the right) that leads to Dilapidated up 4% for 2 feet and arrive at the depot, elev. two and 1/2 inches....we leave Dilapidated and head down 4% for 2 feet to the elev. of one and 1/2 inches...and continue on up at 4% for 5 feet to Blackrock at 4 inches elev.....then repeat the last part of the journey back to Grizzly as described earlier...                 ...I hope ya'll aren't too confused.....               ......

The map below will (should  ) explain it all.....just start out at Grizzly.......


Whadda ya think...yes...no...maybe...                 .....this'll make construction so much easier, no more falling off my '2 step'-step stool while trying to get down,...             ....I forgot to mention that part.........             ....oh well...all's well .......and thanx a bunch for stoppin' by....       ...ya'll stay tuned......all for now....see ya......            

KYLE CREEL
G&D Ry. Co.