New power for the Madras Layout

I designed the Madras layout to be switched with an SW type locomotive, but did not have one that was ready to go with sound until now. I of course have a few small locomotives, but the are in varying stages of incompleteness and I was not looking to purchase another project. Recently BLI announced a SW1500 and they looked great, but were not really in the cards, so I had not grabbed one. I recently picked up a few projects and found myself with a little extra money, so I went ahead and purchased a Great Northern SW1500 painted in Big Sky Blue. I have tested it out on the layout and the unit runs well. I do need to fix a few spot on the layout as I am not getting great electrical contact in a few spots. This of course was was not a problem for the six axle power I was using before, but made switching hard as the unit was just to big. I am not going to do much to the unit other then maybe change out the hoses and use some Pan Pastels to add a little weathering. This will be for the layout and also a unit I would take to train shows. I do want to do a little programming with the sound and the speed curves, but all very minor items.

Finishing up Track Work

I have finally finished the ballast and weathering of track on my Madras Module. My next project will be to start adding some details, like joint bars, derails, clearance marks and switch stands. I also need to finish the buildings for these modules so I can complete the scenery around the structures. I am also thinking about adding a couple of backdrop sections to better complete the scene.

EARTHQUAKE!!!!!

Well not exactly.

The move from Oklahoma to Idaho was not especially kind to my Deschutes module. Also during the last setup I discovered that the ballast from Arizona Rock and Mineral was magnetic. My plan was to remove all the ballast and  track, then just fix the cork. I was also thinking of adding some signals to the section for added interest. As I was removing the track and ballast I was noticing how heavy this module was. I then remembered that the back of it was a solid piece of 3/4" plywood along with a solid stack of dense foam. I decided that since I was going to redo the track I would redo the hill also. I have decided to reduce the slope of the hill to make it lighter and easier to transport. Also since it will now be a stand alone module I wanted the hill to be more natural and less of a "camel hump." I am trying to save as much of the rock face as I can, but have already lost a large chunk. The plywood will be cut down with a jig saw then I will cut out the inside making a lighter module. I am also tempted to try the Bragdon Geodesic Foam Kit as it is strong, flexible and durable. I will finish clearing off the old scenery and start reworking the hillside and supports. It should not take me long to put it back together if I can find the time to work on it.

Decisions, descisions...

I am nearing a point on my Madras Modules that I am looking to the next project I want to tackle. I have all the buildings figured out for Madras and all the basic scenery completed. Once I get the basic structures roughed in I can then wrap up the main scenery and move to adding details at my leisure. Since this is for training purposes the structures are not going to be super detailed to start, over time if I decide to take them home I may add lighting and more details, but mostly they will just be good representations of what was there.

So with this project winding down my mind start to wander onto what I should do next. I have been debating doing more of Madras or maybe even Redmond but after winning a slide off of Ebay I have decided to return to Bend Oregon. I have always wanted to model the depot and I have already started the underpass at Greenwood Ave. The warehouse across the track from the depot is a neat structure along with the REA building. It would be a simple double track module that I could detail and use in photographing trains and equipment, it would be easy to build and would be a real signature scene.

I also have decided to take my 90 degree module and instead of modeling somewhere in the Deschutes canyon use it to model Canal Place, a street that paralleled the track leading to the Brooks Scanlon mill. I have built a number of houses of the year and not really had a place to put them, this will be a show case of some of my structures along the edge of the layout.

Rock and...more rock

These modules represent an industrial area, which I wanted to reflect in the way the track was arranged and weathered. Most of the ties were covered over, which is often used by MOW to hold things in place without putting in ties. This usually works for awhile, bu the ties start to rot away causing unstable track conditions. I wanted to show the track as worn and in need of some ties, which will encourage operators to slow down when operating over this "Bad Track." Before I added ballast I painted all the ties on the industrial track, even though I knew some would be covered with ballast. I also decided to follow the prototype and use the same rock around the structures to ballast the track.

Here is a view looking towards the depot, which shows Clowers Seed and the crossing that takes traffic to Jefferson Plywood and Nichols Warehouse.

Back to work!

I have resumed working on my Madras Switching layout with the figuring out the location of the structures along the backside of the module. I have decided that since this is for training I am going to make close approximation for the structures and will not super detail them at this time. I will design them so I can come back at a later date to add details if I decide to. The three buildings I am focusing on are Clowers Seed, Madras Produce and Cascade Potato. They are all three corrugated metal buildings, but each have some unique features. This will make it more interesting too look at then a bunch of Pikestuff styled buildings. I plan to have the base of the three structures by the end of the month. This means that they the walls and roof will be assembled so they are solid structures. Here is a view looking along the track.

Let there be light...very very very tiny lights **UPDATE**

** I started a post of Model Railroad Hobbyist covering the work I am doing with these LEDs **

http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/24856 

 

One thing I have been wanting to do is try the small LED offered by companies like Ngineering. Once I did a little research I found that I needed more tools then what I already had in my collection and moved on to other projects. With a few projects on hold waiting for me to decide on what to do with the interior lighting I bit the bullet and purchased the Super Starter Kit from Ngineering. This is almost everything you need to start soldering Micro and Nano LED's. Everything else that is required is pretty standard issue model railroad supplies. So here is the box with all the list of goodies:

Here is all the goodies out of the box:

Next step will be to finish reading the instructions and then begin experimenting with the LED's