Polar Express

I haven't done much scale modeling, but I did go to the North Pole. The 1225 from the movie and rode in the caboose.

Bucksport Progress Report

Currently all installed track is operable. All electronics local and remote are working properly. It is time to run some trains. Or I could install signals…..naw….time to run trains.

New Control Panels

I have been in the process of making new control panels. One for the New Paper Mill and one to replace to temporary one at Wiscasset.
In both cases the bleed over from white paint into the black was not acceptable and the new panel just didn't look right.
It would be easier in the long run to re-make the paper mill panel and change some of the holes around for a better layout and then re-paint the other one.
As of this afternoon the new panels were much better and I can start installing them tomorrow. Then once that is done (and programming to the computer) I will have full local control, which will make testing and ops much easier.

On To The Control Panels

Today was spent finishing up the tortoise machines to the computer, which has been completed. Then I spent time finishing up the power connections to the track.

I have advanced to working on the design for the control panel for the paper mill. Size wise it will come from the old Portland panel, it will be a little tight, but doable. Tomorrow I will start the panel building process. This will take a few days from start to finish.

Powering up the Paper Mill

The last couple of days I have been getting the main, the siding and the two yard tracks powered up. This includes 10 of the 15 total tortoise machines to be able to use all of those tracks. The tortoise machines and the Occupancy Detection are working on the computer.
What this means so far is that the paper mill can act as a four track staging yard as far as testing is concerned. It gives me staging at two ends and a yard in the middle. A good chance to move cars and check track work.
That being said, I still need to get a local control panel to make turnouts easier to use.

Paper Mill Progress

The paper mill track work is 95% complete.  Power will come next. For those of you that saw the last layout. There is more space and a few more spots than the last time. Included this time is a smal yard for storage. We might even be able to have a full time operator at the mill.

The first picture shows the mainline from the south. You will see the yard lead and the power plant.

Then you come upon the warehouse and the south end of the yard. Along with the Main and passing siding.

Now you see the Kraft Mill and the tank dock after that.

Next you will see the double tracks for the pulpwood and wood chips. There is also a short track to hold and engine and a caboose. 

Paper Mill going in

Things have been a little slow going with house remodeling and trying to decide on alternate benchwork.
Now the paper mill has its plan developed and currently the south end is being put in place. 

This go round the complex will have roughly the same amount of spots. They will be a little more spread out than the last time and this time there will be a small yard with a lead so the work can stay of of the main.

Some good news… two of my biggest boxes that weren’t previously opened, were opened today (because the paper mill buildings were in them). Very minimal damage. Mostly some seams that will need more glue.

Benchwork Additions

Not a real good picture, but you can see the newly added 30+ feet of bench work. I also have 32' more of bench work that is in the middle area, testing for aisle space for people.

The boxes will get moved as the track comes down the mainline and more bench work gets built

Area Op Sessions

Op Sessions are opening up. It looks like I will have four in about a months time. I was able to run the Asheville Yard at the Apple Valley Railroad Club today. I had a great time.

Rough ideas

Orange is bench work, black is track.

The first idea was a long central peninsula with the main yard on the peninsula.

The new idea was to move to the peninsula earlier and move the main yard to the far right and the YM’s can stand outside the layout, with everyone else inside. Big gain is shorter aisles.

Finally some action

After many months of delays, I have finally gotten a lot of items into the attic. Another stack will go to the kids and the kayaks are ready for the garage. This gives me a room about 25' x 17', plus the staging area. Roughly half of the total space available for the layout.
In the meantime I just put together some pieces for the center peninsula for sizing purposes. One side is 24" deep and the other is 31 1/2" deep. A 2 x 4 will go between them for a backdrop. Currently the middle has 16' of length. This leaves me with an aisle of 37" and the other is 43". The wider side was for the yard area. Since then I have another idea to check out for benchwork location, so the aisles could be equalized.
Yes, the kayak will have its new location tomorrow.

Train Room Update

Sheet Rock is up in the areas of the train room that it was needed. Hopefully that means progress will be had soon.

RR update

My railroad is shutdown for now because there will be a basement renovation in the near future. Part of that is finishing of the walls in the train room. This will apparently start next week. That part is very good. Once we get past that, I may need the room for the storage of furniture during the renovation.

I guess I will spend time decalling rolling stock and putting sound in locos. Maybe even more planning of the RR.

Chuck

Wall preps

It looks like sheet rock is coming soon. It just means that not much will happen on the railroad until this is over. And then the serious building can start.

More land aquired

I just acquired another eight foot of benchwork. I should be able to finish Wiscasset now. Maybe even a temporary staging for a little more action. Fingers crossed.

Lights

I have figured out how to turn lights for individual buildings on and off with the computer. I will be able to program lights as needed for some variety in operating after dark.

More lights

A few more buildings have lights installed. I have ordered quick disconnects so I can change buildings if necessary.

Let there be light

I said I was going to more on the layout this time around. Adding lighting was one. Some of my buildings had lights but I never hooked them up to the accessories bus. I can see where some adjustments will need to be made. All of these buildings are in Searsport.

Backdrop started around Searsport

I have been working on the backdrop around Searsport. So far the sky, clouds, and hills are in. Trees will come later.

The right side of Searsport

The left side of Searsport

The exit of Searsport to the north.

Switch lists or Car Cards

I'm attempting to learn the JMRI Operations section for switch lists. I probably won't want to change from car cards, but I figured that trying it with a very small layout would be the best time to figure it out.

Rolling Stock Update

Spent the day opening all the rolling stock boxes to organize them by type so I can find them better as the layout grows. 

I took a closer look at the Athearn reefers. Over time they had parts missing and I moved parts around to get at least some cars with all of the parts. I even upgraded the wheels to Intermountain with soldered resistors. Now I need at least 11 sets of latches for the hatches. This might mean that I will be culling down the reefer count.

I have been wanting to upgrade some of the cars that I didn't like so much or were too modern. I have placed a number of them in the for sale box.

Not much going on

Not a lot to post because I have been too lazy. Today though, I decided to get back down there a do some things.
I adjusted the helix so that the track had a slight elevation on the outside rail. I had one spot that dipped the wrong way and it took a shim to fix that. Then I was derailing at a joint. It took a bit of soldering to get things right and now it appears that I am ok (for now).

8 foot Extension complete

The extension to include the north side of Searsport (top) and Wiscasset is complete. This includes all of the track and computer connections. It also includes a temporary control panel. Only the left side works because that is all I need for now

The left side of the new section. Of course I forgot to put in all the buildings.

The right side of the eight foot section.

The next section will include the rest of Wiscasset.

Electrical and Electronic Day for Wiscasset

Not much to show picture wise, but today I hooked up all parts of the new section including turnouts. I also got them working from the computer.

Chuck

Current dispatchers screen

Screen shot of actual screen for dispatcher. It does not show the sidings and yard in Searsport.

Wiscasset

This is the new work for now. I was able to clear out another eight feet so I good add enough yard lead in Searsport to be able to pull a whole yard track at one time. I also started on one half of Wiscasset. The rest will happen when I clear out more room.

Searsport

The left side of Searsport.

The right side of Searsport.

Track Photos

Below is the nine track staging yard for St. Albans

Below is the helix to get you out of St. Albans. Three turns gets you to the wye so you can head for Portland. The last turn gets you up to Searsport and the direction of Bangor.

Below is the wye at Belfast.

Train room dimensions

The unfinished storage area is where the trains will be. I am currently along the bottom wall. So far I have St. Albans staging with 9 tracks. It goes up a three turn helix to Belfast, where like the old Wiscasset there is one industry and now we can get to the start of the next town. And a couple of industries. If you go the other way out of Belfast, you go up another turn of the helix and end up in Searsport.
Searsport has an actual arrival and departure track and the yard lead can pull a whole track at once. Also the sidings are much longer.

Anyone still out here?

 I will be starting this blog back up, if anyone is still interested. I had been on Facebook for a while and now I left there and will start back on here. Since the last time the layout was torn down for a move and now I am restarting in a new location.

Let me know if you see this post.