Planning Idaho Springs

After all the water work needed a change of pace. The next area down from Argo Tunnel is Idaho Springs. My inspiration was Harry Brunk's UCN. His Idaho Springs is amazing.

The original plan was to base the DG&CCRR on the UCN modifying for space. As I researched more it became apparent that the original plan did not fit my era. Twenty years is a long time and there were many changes. So out came the Sanborn Maps (1907), Harry's 2 books: Up the Clear Creek and More up the Clear Creek, and Mike Blazek's Idaho Springs Workbook. All are excellent resources. Mike's workbooks cover city by city and his maps are excellent.

The Draft Plan:

This is the draft plan. Trying to learn XtraCad but slow going.

So for two days it has been to the train building to try and map it out. My wife came out to see it yesterday and said, why don't you draw it on big paper. Guess I should have thought of that, I just used a marker on the painted sound deadening board.

Here are couple shots:


Stanley Mine complex and Hukil Mine, track sweeps right to left up a 2.5% grade on it's way to a lift out and then Georgetown and the loop.


Looking East from Stanley Mine you can see water tank. Spur on left is for Lumber yard and cattle pen. Where track splits is the depot and downtown.


Looking west from east of downtown. This is taking a lot of fiddly adjustments for clearances. Ending up moving town 6" upgrade (West)towards the Stanley mine to let track follow creek more.


Here are some temporary buildings to try and visualize the main street. The railroad runs through the alley in front of main street (Miner Street in Idaho Springs). Couple of items I'm struggling with:

1. Advice has been to try to slant both rails and parallel street to convey depth. Can't seem to get that to work. Miner Street and the rails do shift north at the depot. Hopefully that will achieve the same result.

2. Buildings against background. They will be shallow, maybe 1/2" so that will be a challenge. Probably will use pictures inside to help with depth.

3. Background, seem to be ruling out photo backdrops. Might be able to do a panorama, photo edit, and print. Timeline works against that, not going back to Colorado until next summer. Painting seems to be way forward, but prospective and never having done make this an open issue to me.

4. Main street width. Right now I have 2" with side walks. Last picture shows it i narrow. How much space I can give up and shift scene towards front on plan is under consideration.

That's about it, starting to come together. Now if I could build my stub turn-outs and get back ground painted I can proceed.

Thanks Cameron