Tuesday before Hanukkahgiving Update(Thanksgiving and Hanukkah fall on same day this year).

Tuesday before Hanukkahgiving Update(Thanksgiving and Hanukkah fall on same day this year).

With book published and new office\workshop mostly done it was time to get back to layout.

Enlisted aid of my 14 year old son Gavriel. Taught him to build stub turn-outs, so he has made 2 for me. He actually enjoyed all of it except the frogs and wing rails. Posted the 24"-21" curved turn-out stub before. A 21"-18" curved stub is on the work bench.

So out to the layout. Finally happy with Idaho Springs plan.


This is two context shots showing Idaho Springs mock-up looking upgrade.




This is a close-up of the area from Stanley Mine upgrade. Hukil mine will be across creek with spur. The parallel lines going to upper section from Stanley will be a wagon road with bridge and toll booth. Plan will become clearer as you see the creek bed cut-out.


Here is roughly the same shot with the removable Mountain roughed in. Stanley is lower right and track goes right to left behind the mountain.

One of the issues I need to work out is how to get the 2-3% grade on the curve and the lower the water for bridge clearance. In past cut out plywood and replaced with a lower section of plywood. Here that is probably not the right solution due to structural issues, needing to increase height of roadbed anyway.

Options are: lower discussed above, cut track roadbed out and raise it (concerned about twist in roadbed), ramps like from Woodland Scenics, or adding another layer of blackboard or foam and then cutting creek out making it deeper and laying track on uncut portion. Leaning towards adding a layer to both raise and allow deepening of creek. May go try foamboard again.


Showing creek bed cut-out on front 1/3 of section. Between Stanley and mainline. Hukil is planned for far side of creek.


Showing cut-outs and where base of mountain goes.


Final shot showing remaining cut-out to be done.

If I go the route of adding a layer it will require redrawing plan on 2nd layer, cutting out creek and making transition from original height to new height. Adding just a 2nd layer for roadbed might be easier but will require more fill-in work.

Thanks Cameron