The Empire

[Zephyrus52246]

It's been a big year for The Empire,  last year at this time I was working on benchwork in the other room for the East staging yard (see pic).  I've completed that and the peninsula and the West staging yard.  The yard tracks need to be laid and sidings added, but it's good to have the whole mainline finished.  Hopefully scenery will start this year.  And backdrops.  And switch machines.  And power routing to the yards.  And...


Thanks to all have watched the progress this year.  I can't believe I got this far.  Of course some of you have built and torn out two or three layouts this year.   


Jeff

[ACL1504]

Looks good Jeff, and I have or may not resemble that comment! I've certainly done my share or redo's.

Happy New Year.

Tom

[S&S RR]

It's been a big year for The Empire,  last year at this time I was working on benchwork in the other room for the East staging yard (see pic).  I've completed that and the peninsula and the West staging yard.  The yard tracks need to be laid and sidings added, but it's good to have the whole mainline finished.  Hopefully scenery will start this year.  And backdrops.  And switch machines.  And power routing to the yards.  And...


Thanks to all have watched the progress this year.  I can't believe I got this far.  Of course some of you have built and torn out two or three layouts this year.   


Jeff

Jeff


You did make a lot of progress this year! I'm looking forward to watching another productive year on "The Empire". 


BTW - I flew right over your Empire on my way to California last week.  It looked like it was snowing - imagine that.

[ak-milw]

Hey Jeff, I have been keeping an eye in here. you know if you painted the top 1/3 of that room black it would be the perfect Milwaukee Road room.

[Zephyrus52246]

After a hiatus for our Hawaiian trip, I've made some progress on the staging yard.  I've gotten the turnouts in for it.  Now I plan to start putting in the yard tracks, back to front.  I don't want to have to lean on the front tracks to get at the back ones.  Unfortunately, I'm running out of Peco Code 83 flextrack as well.   


Jeff

[ACL1504]

Dr. Jeff,

The yard area and stacking looks great. Look forward to the finished yard.

Tom

[ak-milw]

Filling it right up Jeff.

[Zephyrus52246]

Thanks, guys.  I've completed the two rearmost yard tracks.  Ten more to go.    I'm putting them in using Tom's method of drilling a small hole in the ties and using MicroEngineering spikes to hold them in place.  I can remove them without damaging them this way if changes are made in the future.  It's a pain leaning in as that back track in the corner is 40 inches from the front of the benchwork.  I'm also starting to wire the turnouts.  Six down and seven to go.  Wiring the back ones will be not fun.  For those of you planning a layout, narrow benchwork is much easier to work on. 


Jeff

[sdrees]

Hi Jeff,

I just went all the way thru your forum on your Empire.  I am just starting my layout and have completed the bench work.  You have some great ideas that I may steal for my layout construction.  I like the slide out board for your circuit breakers etc.  Anything to keep from crawling under the layout.  I will be following your progress in the future.  Nice work.

[Zephyrus52246]

Thanks for looking in, Steve.  I've completed all but two tracks. Everything still needs to be wired up, however.  I whip the passenger train over the tracks/turnouts to see if there are any derailment issues/clearance issues.  So far so good.


Jeff

[Zephyrus52246]

Finished the trackwork in the west staging yard.  The first pic is from November 8th, when I was still building the benchwork and planning the track layout.  Time to start wiring it up!


Jeff

[bparrish]

Jeff.......

Looks OK to me.

I like all that Burlington stainless.

Here are three pocket calendars from the late 50's and early 60's that show a lot of stainless.  My dad used to get these by the ton every year when he worked in the Q offices.

see ya
Bob

[S&S RR]

Looking good Jeff - steady progress.

[jbvb]

"Where nature smiles for three hundres miles"...

[deemery]

Dr Jeff, do you have 'doctor glasses' like my dentist and some surgeons use for their close-in work?  I visited the dentist earlier this week and was talking to her and the hygenist about their 'loupes' (including the cost, $3k) and how much they liked them.


dave