Just getting into this forum, slow to pick up new tech, kinda like the NP was! Been enjoying the site tho'! Going to do the Helena, MT Railfair this April and hop[e to run into some one or two of you. Used to go there when in Livingston, as Sleeping Giant RR, doing custom painting and building. Now, just working on my own stuff in N-scale. Am building a W-3 by GHQ on a Riv frame with a remotor and other fun details. Then have plans to build a Q-1 or 3. No layout yet, but that's another story. PS- My wife puts up well with trains since i took her on the Boone Scenic dinner train when i proposed!!!
Welcome to Trainboard, badlandnp! I have spent a lot of time on those mountains west of Helena. The Railfair was a great place too. I picked up a number of great Larry Fisher and Oleg Stavrovsky prints. I couple are professionally framed. the rest will be too, in time. While at railFair, look for a Mullan Pass book, if you don't have it: http://www.amazon.com/Northern-Paci...V3T4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1325835427&sr=8-2. I have a copy, and love it. No layout yet? Not sure what your space, occupation or health situation is. but hollow-core door layouts are a great way to start. What would your chosen era dn locale to model be? I'm guessing transition era, but not sure what local you like. On a hollow-core door, you could build portions of Mullan Pass. The sweeping curves at Austin could be one side of the layout, while Skyline Trestle could be the other side. The upper loop at Austin could exit thru the monster cut at Iron Ridge; that cut could double as the cut near Skyline Trestle. Skyline could exit into east portal of Mullan Tunnel. Mullan tunnel culd exit into a grove of trees, and go back to Austin. One large loop, but 2 distinct scenes. I can almost picture big Yellowstones panting on their knees at 5MPH, belching billowing clounds of Rosebud coal cinders.... or a brace of new SD45s with screaming turbochargers gasping for air in the mountain air... Prototype inspiration from Mullan and MRL here: http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/showgallery.php/cat/581
Thanx for the welcome! Have ridden locomotives for testing while in helper service on MRL over Bozeman pass and as far as Logan, west and Bidg Timber, east. Lots of fun! Noise in the tunnel as the engines wind up their dynamic brakes. It is a major RUSH!! Had a 3x5 layout when i was in Livingston, but it's curves wouldn't handle steam, so it is gone. I did display it at the Helena show 2 years running, about 1994 -5. Have the beginnings of a 5x7 layout framed up and built as 2 modules. It is standing on end in the shop til I can build a RR Shed out in the yard. My version of a mancave! Watching trains climb over Beaver Hill east of Glendive is one of the unsung beauty's of these badlands out here in eastern MT. They really WORK to get coal over the line!!!! Again, thanx for the welcome! I will try to see Mullan, never have yet amazingly!
