Over the past few years, I have built an HO-Scale, ~18 x ~18 ft sectional layout that is stowable/portable. It currently fits in a two-car garage space. The plan is based on the area in SE Kansas near the intersection of the Frisco's Afton and Parsons Sub-Divisions. It includes a branch line to the town of Weir City Kansas. It is set in the ~1920s, near the peak of activity on the Weir-Pittsburg Coal Field. I will make a few posts on the current status and provide periodic updates.... Current Track Plan:
Here are a few slides from a recent presentation (attached PDF). https://www.trainboard.com/highball...-cherokee-layout-tour-compressed2-pdf.223815/ There is also an NMRA-x talk at (first talk in series in video): Here is a better version of the video from my talk on YouTube:
A few recent photos: A favorite scene for photos is on the South Cherokee Section: (Some PhotoShop-ing from Jim Six here). Mine Section (Still needs a mine structure). MoPac Interchange: Town of Cherokee: Take Care All, -Bob T.
Switching Cars at the Brickyard: Train Arriving in Cherokee from Parsons Sub: Occasionally we run some newer stuff (train at entry to Weir City Branch Line): My apologies to Frisco Friends that have already seen these, -Bob T.
No need to apologize, I've looked through your build thread on the Frisco website several times looking at the photos. Your layout is very inspiring and well planned. Great job!!! Joe
Great stuff! One of my New Year's projects is to reinstate the old CB&Q. This is a grassroots project requiring a consensus of voting constituents and politicians. If this is successful, doing the same for the old Frisco could be the second effort. Frisco rules!
I am sure glad you have used some of my models on you posts, makes me really glad I sold them to you, just as glad you have such a quality MRR to show them on, I always enjoy seeing you efforts.
Prized possessions, no doubt about it, Tom. Without stuff from you, Steve Hurt, Don Wirth, Keith Robinson, and Jim James, my layout would not be half as fun!
The locomotives. rolling stock and outstanding rural scenery combine to make for an superb layout that evokes a feeling and takes the viewer back to the twenties on the Frisco. Thank you for posting.
December 2020 Update: I am working to align this overview and build thread that I have posted on the Frisco-specific form (frisco.org). The goal is to try to get an update out more regularly as the layout progresses or is modified. Feedback from those out there with constructive input is always appreciated, and I hope to find some here on the TrainBoard. The most recent update to the layout is a change the plan that improves operations. In the plan at the top of the page, at the lower right, the south end of Weir City includes a run-around formed by the cross-over near the depot and the turnout south before the brickyard. It turns out that the brickyard section was added after most of the remainder of the layout had been constructed. It was added to give another job/train to an operating session that would run to the Weir Branch Line for a specific reason. To complete that job, the run-around is too short and makes the job a bit tedious, as a 5-6 car train cannot be easily handled. The layout task was to change that area from something like: To expand the run around and add a yard track, something like this: The layout began the process looking like this photo, cleared of structures and details: The areas to be deleted were removed carefully using water/alcohol mix, trying to preserve scenery. Unfortunately, there was a slight curve through the grade crossing and part had to be removed. This included scraping areas where track would be added. Roadbed was then placed and adjusted as needed for a good track flow. (continued).
Next the new areas were masked and track painted with an airbrush, using Rail Brown from MicroMark: Ballast was then re-done, matching neighboring areas. Finally, scenery was repaired, including the replacement of the grade crossing and road repairs. Still needs a bit of cleanup and detailing, but almost ready for water pour in the ditch and a few more trees. Take Care All, -Bob T.
Occasionally, we run some transition era equipment on the layout. A few items were saved from the previous layout, which was a ~1950-ish time period. Recently, I sent a Stewart Baldwin VO-660 to Keith Robinson for DCC & Sound installation (he is using the documented procedure for an upcoming RMC article, I believe), and then on to Steve Hurt for some weathering. Both do great work and have returned to me what is arguably the best looking and best sounding locomotive in the collection. Here are a few photos. Some are taken on a diorama and others on the layout: A "Before" Shot: Nice, but waaaaay too shiny. Now: Happy New Year and Take Care, -Bob T.
I received a TCS UWT throttle as a Christmas gift for the Crawford and Cherokee. This is a "universal" wi-fi throttle that works on layouts running the Wi-Throttle / Engine Driver style protocols. In theory, I could take it to other's layouts and have a throttle that works regardless of the specific control system. This is commonly done using JMRI to run a Wi-Throttle server on a local PC or with a system that supports this interface, like the Digitrax LNWI. Anyhow, I used this gift as an opportunity for a project that I have wanted to do for some time--build a DCC++ system for the layout. You build the DCC++ system with an Arduino board and a "motor shield". The latter is a driver for motors that plugs on the top of the Arduino (Uno Model). These are about 2X3 inches in size. You download some software to program this pair of boards. They make a ~2Amp base station for DCC that is in-turn controlled by a computer. Using a Raspberry Pi, a credit-card sized single-board computer, you install a pre-configured operating system and JMRI bundle on a memory card, stick in in the Raspberry Pi, and BOOM, you have a DCC system which can be used with the Wi-Fi throttle protocols (including the TCS UWT-100). Note that the system is commonly used without the mouse, keyboard and monitor. They are not needed for the layout control, and the computer can be accessed remotely. In the photo above, I am testing the initial install and sorting out a few details. A friend and neighbor has a 3D printer, which we used to create a box for the system, and found a surface mount case for the Raspberry Pi. Here is a link to the source (STL) file for the case: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2853975 I painted up the case, installed the boards inside. The case is a bit tight with respect to mounting screw access. A 3D printed case also comes without hardware. Scrounging through my array of old PC stuff, I managed to find suitable screws, etc., and performed a final test run. We have trains running with the new throttle, including operation of the turnouts (accessory controllers). This will be a fun rabbit-hole. There are several versions of this software and configurations, like DCC++EX which allows wi-fi control without the Raspberry Pi. I will post updates on this front as we look at different options. Take Care All, -Bob T.
Howdy All, Some progress on the Crawford and Cherokee this month. The weather was nice here in San Antonio, so I pulled out the table saws and constructed the new small staging yard sections. Holding true to Joe Fugate's TOMA approach, you could envision building part of the layout (or me operating) as the "Weir Branch Line" with a small staging yard: This type of configuration is a nice out-and-back partial setup, which basically consumes half of the 2-car garage. You can build a train or two in the staging and generate jobs to Weir City and back with a few stops along the way. (I run a Weir City train and a Brickyard Train). This two-track yard will also be position-able on the larger layout near the Lightning Creek Mine with a small "adapter kit" section. Yes, one piece at a time, as they say. I built the staging yard as a pair of 40" X 12" sections, and attached the two of them them semi-permanently with carriage bolts. They are built in the torsion box (waffle) style as with the balance of the layout. The two tracks hold a 7-8 car train, depending upon the consist (Plus loco and caboose). Just about right for this layout. I am awaiting a couple of terminal strips in the mail to finish up the wiring. The remaining debate is "Scenery or no Scenery?" on the staging. I am leaning toward ballasting and a few trees as a scene block. We also had a few new arrivals on the layout. A detailed operations analysis (too few tank cars) tells me that this impulse buy was indeed justified: A recent Tangent Scale models product, somewhat suitable for our modeled era. Almost too nice to weather. Almost... I also bought from eBay the opposite in initial quality--a beat up Accurail car with the most rusty car weight ever seen, and with all detail parts busted up. A bit of TLC and some weathering and we will have a nice KCS USRA-ish boxcar. Very appropriate with the KCS interchange less than 10 miles away in Pittsburg, KS. (It even has the PG shop date). A couple of other mini projects rounded out the progress this month: A nice scratch-built sand or coal bin and some oil tanks from Walthers....again need some weathering. I hope all are staying safe and in good health. Take Care All! -Bob T.
Fantastic progress Bob. Definitely add scenery to the staging yard to match the rest of your layout. Joe
