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I decided to branch the update page to cover the Durango project.

 

8/8/2015

New piece of equipment visiting from Seattle.

7/9/2015

San Juan and The Silverton at the Durango Depot.

The image on the left was an experiment with PhotoShop. Two images sort of merged to help depth of field issues.Original on the right.

I don't have Silverton on my layout but this looks close enough.

6/21/2014

Did a bunch of work for the symposium and never posted any pictures. Here are a couple.

 

1/4/2014

Started closing up the last of the open benchwork. Huge milestone for me.

12/29/2013

Water Tower and Cattle Pens built by Keith Stamper

 

4/7/2013

2/15/2013

Future home of Conoco Oil Depot

2/09/2013

Spent all day out in the train room wiring a new section of track and getting it all working. You wouldn't think it would take all day but I had to string wire from the PowerShield circuit breaker, half way around the layout to get it to the new section, and of course while crawling under the layout kept finding things that needed attention. All of my wires are run through holes in the benchwork and had to drill a lot of holes. Lot of ups and downs and head knocks too. Then string wire through the holes, hook up feeders, etc.

Marc LeChey was kind enough to spike a bunch of track for me on one leg of the wye a few weeks ago while wearing a boot from foot surgery! The K-28 and passenger train in the following photos are on the new track section that Marc spiked.

Not too complicated but if you look at the trackplan you can see that Durango is both a return loop and a wye. If you are wondering why the wye, it is where trains from staging in the next room, assuming it ever gets built, can enter the Durango yard. The staging will represent the Silverton and/or RGS.

It is working fine with one reverser but if two trains are bridging both ends of the reversing sections, things stop. I understand why but will leave it like this for a while. The wye dead ends into a wall anyway but wanted it done where it wouldn't hold up scenery.

The race is on. NMRA LSR convention at the end of May. Nothing like having your layout on the tour to get you motivated to work on it. Plus the train room is always a nice place to hide out.

 

1/17/2013

Been a long time since an update but I have been working on the layout. This area is next to get the scenery treatment and it has had me worried for 10 years. The tracks along the wall were going to be hidden staging representing the Farmington Branch. We brainstormed on this for years and nothing sounded good to me to hide it. Lift out hatches, profiles, etc. I read an article in Model Railroad Hobbiest the other day about sizing your layout operations to your expected crew and realized that I really didn't need this staging. Especially since expected crew is probably 2-4 anyway. I also want my scenery to be top notch, so I ripped out the staging. Kind of fun. Left me with a nice two spur area for an industry and a double ended siding down in the area of the Conoco Oil Depot and the scenery will look much more natural.

Here I will connect the main line back up and install a turnout for the siding.

Future Home of Conoco Bulk Oil Depot to the right.

8/26/2012

Eagle and Bluebell - build by Randy Smith, Canon City, CO.

 

8/12/2012

Thanks to the North Texas Narrow Gauge gang for helping with all the fascia.

All the turnouts on the layout are now wired.

6/4/2011

above photos by Randall Smith

5/29/2011

5/28/2011

 

2/01/2011

 

4/22/2010

1/30/2010

1/4/2010