Got my lighthouse keepers house but decided I needed a garage so building one. 100_0025-5 by John Moore posted Oct 22, 2023 at 5:20 PM
Well got the lighthouse keepers house installed and then built a garage for it also. 100_0001-3 by John Moore posted Oct 24, 2023 at 4:54 PM Now I am at the harbor area fitting and repairing the power station complex of three bldgs. An oil fired steam plant and two power stations. I am also trying to fit my viaduct track around it and still make it high enough for a road and a track to pass under. Right now I have 20 feet of overhead clearance. 100_0026-1 by John Moore posted Oct 24, 2023 at 4:47 PM And the steam plant and power stations 100_0027-2 by John Moore posted Oct 24, 2023 at 4:47 PM
Yesterday I solved the problem of routing the viaduct by the power plant. I also managed to keep clear of the ferry unloading area but now an issue in getting to the tank farm for the power plant. 100_0002-1 by John Moore posted Oct 26, 2023 at 5:13 PM Solved that by coming off the front of the layout but I need a unitrack 90 deg. crossing though which should arrive in the post tomorrow. However I now have a grade crossing. I could order some Kato unitrack grade crossings but have a few Atlas ones and the unitrack adapter for Atlas track so decided on that route. In this photo one grade crossing uses the untrack to Atlas conversions and the other uses just a short section of unitrack. 100_0003-2 by John Moore posted Oct 26, 2023 at 5:13 PM However both ways leave the Atlas track suspended which means either build the road up or come up with a different idea. 100_0004-3 by John Moore posted Oct 26, 2023 at 5:13 PM So I came up with an idea that took three tries last night before success, I had saved several sheets of thin cardboard used to back pictures. Seen in the photo next to the spray can is that cardboard. One could use poster board also. Took two pieces to staircase up to the crossing. I then used some Squadron white putty to level everything off and some sanding. 100_0005-5 by John Moore posted Oct 26, 2023 at 5:13 PM Since this is carboard and I plan to use water based paint which will cause distortion I sprayed both sides of the pad with clear spray lacquer. And a close up of one of the pads before painting. 100_0007-6 by John Moore posted Oct 26, 2023 at 5:13 PM This weekend I will secure to pylons to the viaduct and then to viaduct to the layout.
The finished project. 100_0008 by John Moore posted Oct 26, 2023 at 7:21 PM Now pondering vehicle roadways. I am going with Evergreen scribed sheets of styrene for sidewalks and thinking about using heavy grade construction paper for asphalt roads.
The thing about Kato unitrack viaduct is it is meant to go between two elevated sections and not to ground level. I chose the viaduct design because of having sides and at least 3 to 4 feet will be near the edge of the layout, thus preventing a locomotive from taking a plunge. Thus I had to create a transition section, 100_0010-2 by John Moore posted Oct 28, 2023 at 11:29 AM So I turned to cardboard again, this time a tad thicker so I could depress the sides and get some side slopes. Using the section of track as a pattern I laid it out on the cardboard and then cut it out. I compressed the sides using glue and some Hemostats (surgical pliers) I layer the slope using short sections of cardboard of differing thicknesses and finally glued the track to the cardboard. Filled in with some clump foliage and then ballasted the sides and Walla a transition section from the viaduct to the layout base. 100_0009-1 by John Moore posted Oct 28, 2023 at 11:29 AM And the transition section in place. 100_0001-3 by John Moore posted Oct 28, 2023 at 12:01 PM
The Kato Inclined Pier Sets include end-pieces that serve the role of a bridge abutment. The gradual inclined pier add-on sets include two short piers for the adjacent ground-level Unitrack pieces. I saw your surgery on the viaducts, and thought a belt sander, with a light touch, would come in handy there. And I like the viaduct housings' (and piers/abutments/etc.) looks when painted black.
I must say, that's quite an S-curve in that zig-zag approach to the viaduct. But if your trains can handle it, that's all that counts!
My locos can handle for some the 4 and 5/8th inch radius but all can run on 8 inch or under depending on the loco.
The viaduct is done except for one small anchor section that I need to add a touch of glue to. And the first three buildings have been added back to the harbor. Already have had an engine under battery power on the viaduct. I have kept the grade to 3%. 100_0002-1 by John Moore posted Oct 30, 2023 at 5:48 PM And the last spike was driven in the mainline today with the arrival of the Kato 90 degree crossing. Now just need some unitrack power cord extensions. 100_0003-2 by John Moore posted Oct 30, 2023 at 5:48 PM Now need to apply some plaster and plaster cloth to the area I tore up And then I can position the power plant bldgs. and the fuel tanks.
The viaduct on the rear is longer than the front due to design of the layout base thus a longer distance to spread the grade out. Viaduct piers are raised about a half inch higher than normal over the harbor channel to get ships masts clearance. Without that raising the grades would only be about 1% on the rear and about 1.5% on the front. The original grade out of the harbor to the mainline was 2%. All freights are double headed with some triple headed so grades and curvatures mean nothing to me. Remember as I have said before a layout designed with a narrow gauge flavor but on standard gauge. Original layout had mainline curves of 8 inch radius. All my motive power is small about 2.5 to 3.0 inches long and the maximun car length is in the 40 foot range. The largest locos are the 44 and 70 tonners and I did a modification to enable them to run on track radiuses under 9.75.
That ought to be a sight: three 44 tonners in a lash-up! I really like your concept of "narrow gauge flavor but on standard gauge"!
Here are some of the reasons I can model tight curves. Some of the little fleet of passenger and freight locos. 100_0015-1 by John Moore posted Nov 1, 2023 at 5:52 AM I applied plaster repairs to the tore up are a last night and this morning I have a coat of paint drying on the area. And I just ordered some Kato unitrack 24-827 power supply cords to extend my power supply to the power pack. .
Well now at the West end of the layout working on my brewery siding. Taking time out to refurbish the structures as I go and one in seriuos need of a refurb is the Virginia Brewery. This is a totally scratch built structure out of styrene based on plans I found in a narrow gauge publication and was built to scale. The only thing I added was the circular stone silo. It had the square stone silo. 100_0016-5 by John Moore posted Nov 1, 2023 at 7:50 PM The real building still exists in Montana and still brews beer. It was never rail served so I added loading docks at the rear. Tomorrow I am due to get another shipment of track so I can get back to the harbor to lay more track. Originally this structure was part of a group of five structures so I will go with the flow and see what now fits in.
Well since last night I have been fighting with the layout site for the brewery. Problem be that the brewery is so large and there are 4 more smaller structures that make up the whole brewery compound. 100_0017-3 by John Moore posted Nov 2, 2023 at 12:56 PM Three of the other structures that I am cleaning and repairing that go with the brewery.. 100_0019-1 by John Moore posted Nov 2, 2023 at 12:56 PM I have even thought of giving the brewery a place of honor on the shelf and looking for a smaller version but so far most of what I have found does make me happy. So the battle goes on. Meanwhile I have put together a set of power transmission towers and are finding them to tall so another battle there. 100_0018-2 by John Moore posted Nov 2, 2023 at 12:56 PM
Well may have solved the brewery site. Went and created a ladder of short radius Peco turnouts and using a wye turnout at eack end I have created a run around track for switching. Have created four sidings. I will use my Kato flex track in here. The tail end of the run around track is my Kato 4 and 5/8 radius curves. 100_0021-4 by John Moore posted Nov 2, 2023 at 7:00 PM And I may have found a replacement for the Brewery building and will know the results of a bid I have in on Ebay in about an hour and a half. And the new brewery that I just won on Ebay. Starting with a kit I should be able to modify it as needed. 100_0002-001-6 by John Moore posted Nov 2, 2023 at 9:23 PM
