Introduction from a Colorado native

mmyers05 Feb 22, 2012

  1. mmyers05

    mmyers05 TrainBoard Member

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    Hello all,I figured that after quite a long time (probably many years by now) of stalking around this board that I should probably go ahead, make an account and, you know, post things. :)I have the model railroad bug pretty bad and have quite a few layouts under my belt. I started in N-scale (freelance, transition-era steam through generic desert scenery) before joining an HO modular group (still reasonably active). Then I was distracted from both of those pursuits by a five year jaunt into On3 (mainline Rio Grande) and most recently am returning to N-scale (someone decided to take my space away...).My current n-scale project I at least consider fairly ambitious: the Denver & Salt Lake (Moffat Road) over the infamous Rollins Pass during the mid 1920s. I will not have much in the way of layout updates to contribute any time soon (my lack of a garage to do framing in is holding me back a tad), but I am working fairly hard to completely revamp my rolling stock collection after five years in boxes. To that end I am actually building an entire D&SL rolling stock fleet (gondolas to boxcars to cabooses to locomotives) using computer modelling and 3D printing. They're even coming out well enough (to my rivet counter eye at least) that I might make a topic of it over at the main N-scale forum here eventually. :)Anyway, looking forward to coming out of the shadows of guest membership...
     
  2. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Welcome to Trainboard, Mmyers05!

    Not only am I am Rio Grande fan, I'm a Moffat Route nut. When I read you wish to build Hell Hill, I just about jumped outta my seat. :D:D:D I have spent hours reading books, Google Earth, photo tours and anything I could get my hands on for Rollins Pass. Bollinger & Bauer's Moffat Road is an invaluable resource. My buddy Mikel (Alaska GP49 here) has made a few trips over the Hill, and has many photos from those trips. How can you go wrong with a prototype known for miles of snowsheds WAY above 10,000 feet elevation, imfamous blockades, brutal blizzards, Needle's Eye Tunnel, Rifle Sight Notch, Arrowhead, Corona (not the cerveza), Yankee Doodle Lake and Devil's Slide? How do you plan to model the 200-class articulateds?
     
  3. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Welcome to TrainBoard! Looking forward to reading about and seeing photos of your modeling efforts.
     
  4. xpedx

    xpedx TrainBoard Member

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    welcome from another colorado modeler

    jeff morrison
     
  5. Ironhorseman

    Ironhorseman April, 2018 Staff Member In Memoriam

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    Welcome aboard! :)
     
  6. rg5378

    rg5378 TrainBoard Member

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    Welcome to Trainboard. It sounds as though you have an ambitious project on your hands!. Looking foward to hearing about your progress. Be sure to post occasionally. Even if all you do is show off a small project (example: a car that you have lettered and weathered for the D&SL).

    from: another Colorado Native.
     
  7. Eagle2

    Eagle2 Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Welcome from the base of Pikes Peak! I for one will be looking forward to seeing some demonstrations of the 3D printing; I've seen some folks to detail parts and the like with that technique but your ideas sound pretty ambitious. Please do keep us in the loop.
     
  8. mmyers05

    mmyers05 TrainBoard Member

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    Good to hear that I am not the only D&SL nut out there! You forgot to mention the steady 4% grades through, I am seeing that becoming a bit of challenge for N-scale steam :) lol. Oh well, the challenge is all part of the fun in my opinion!

    Anyway in answer to your question:

    Bachmann N-scale C&O 2-6-6-2 mechanism + this (okay the physical printed version of this):
    2-6-6-0 Shell (19).jpg
    Still a fair amount of work to get done, but I think you get the idea :)


    I would love to! As you can probably tell I am completely sold on this technology! Here is part of what I have so far:

    D&SL 30000 Series Gondola.jpg
    D&SL/DNW&P 30000 Series Gondola
    Arrives fully assembled as shown. I cleaned, spray primed and brush painted it to get it into the condition pictured. I did no sanding, filing or any other smoothing. It negotiates a 9 3/4" radius curve and is essentially RTR less MT arched bar trucks and a brake wheel (still need to add that). Price? A hair below $20 (or less if I order several): okay, so it's not the cheapest rolling stock in the world... But hey, it's custom and built exactly to my specifications! That has to be worth something... :)

    Fowler Clone Test Shot 1 (6).jpg

    D&RGW Fowler Clone boxcar anyone (as seen in Antonito)?

    As I said I am totally sold on this process. After only a few months of work I now have three gondola classes, one caboose class and two boxcar classes in production/nearing completion. The only thing stopping me from making more progress is the 1000 miles currently separating me from the Colorado Railroad Museum (and the next batch or research I need).
     
  9. FriscoCharlie

    FriscoCharlie Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Glad you took the plunge! Welcome aboard.

    Charlie
     
  10. Eagle2

    Eagle2 Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    The detail on those cars is outstanding!
     
  11. r_i_straw

    r_i_straw Mostly N Scale Staff Member

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    Welcome to Trainboard.
     
  12. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Excellent! I have no access to 3d-printing; where do you get yours done? Same with technical drawing ability. You going to do your layout with steady 4% grades? It would be as difficult to operate as the prototype was. You could start at the floor for Tolland and Irvings (Winter Park) and work up to 60" plus elev. for Corona! Giant's Ladder would be awesome in N. Finding photos of the structures at Ranch Creek (covered wye), the snowsheds, the Corona hotel and other signature features will be difficult. Don't forget to model the failed divide tunnel near Yankee Doodle Lake. Denver, Utah & Pacific started it and did not complete it. The debris pile still prominently juts into YD lake, it's clearly visible from Google Earth.

    What printed resources do you have? If you don't have the Bollinger/Bauer book, do get it. It would be invaluable to you. I'm trying to think of other books I have that might be useful. Not sure if the Beebe & Clegg D&RGW book or Robert Athearn D&RGW book would have any info on the DNW&P/D&SL.
     
  13. mmyers05

    mmyers05 TrainBoard Member

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    I order all of my rapid prototypes through Shapeways. That's part of what's so cool about this process: you don't need any technical knowledge of the hardware or printers themselves. Just upload your designs, order them and in a few weeks they arrive in the mail!

    I'd like to try steady 4% grades. I might be totally crazy to think that grades that steep would work and I recognize that (perhaps motorized boxcars could help? :) ). That said I'm probably going to build a test layout before I fully commit to that standard. I plan to need a fair number of mallets regardless :D

    At least as of right now I plan to model the section of the grade from just below Yankee Doodle to Eye of the Needle. I found that the track arrangement through that area lends itself well to the L shaped layout I will have space for. Plus, like giant's ladder, I can realistically run my trains through the same scene three times at three different elevations (around 24" total vertical inches at 4%!). There wouldn't be any interesting switching to speak of (other than the water stop and passing siding at Jenny Lake) but I've always been a 'set up the trains and watch them run' kind of railroader anyway.

    As for research, I've driven the pass from both the east and west sides (never hiked to Devil's Slide through unfortunately; the weather got the best of me) and own "Rails That Climb" by Bollinger; "Denver & Salt Lake Railroad" by Griswald and "The Giants Ladder" by Boner. Of these, I found the last one the most interesting: Uncle Dave was quite a guy... Other than that I reference the CRRM and their collection of "Corona Telegraphs" from the D&SL historical society. Now if only I could get my hands on articles from issues 1-3; the CRRM collection is missing them...
     
  14. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    You could def build thatsection pretty faithfully, esp with a 4% grade. I woudl urge a test layout with 4% grades and compensated curves.
    As far as D&SLHS, they offer back issues at Moffatroad.org.
     
  15. mmyers05

    mmyers05 TrainBoard Member

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    Yea that's the plan - I used 4% grades on my On3 layout and it created some interesting dynamics (I was very unnerved the first time I heard my 4-5 pound locomotives skidding downgrade as they were pushed by the weight of a train).

    Yea the back issues are great! But unfortunately volumes 1-3 are mostly listed as "out of print/unavailable". I've been in email contact with them however and things are looking promising :)
     
  16. Jim Wiggin

    Jim Wiggin Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Welcome aboard! I'm very interested in hearing about your 3D modeling.
     

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