The Kicking Horse Pass to Field Sub

So I have been toying with my yard side of the layout a bit in SCARM to allow for more engine storage and possible my excursion train in the maintenance section of my yard. I am going to print out some track piece templates to see if I like the final arrangement. Here is a 3D render and a track view. Let me know what you guys think, or if you have better suggestions.

 

So I mocked up my remaining track that I need to purchase. I like how the added sidings to the single bay engine facility look.
Here is how the finished yard will look like.


Last but not least I need your advice guys. I am thinking of placing an interchange track seen here going off the layout.
What you guys think. I am really not looking into expansion of the layout. Just wondering if an interchange track would be a good idea.



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Absolutely go with the interchange track. It costs little in terms of track or real estate and it adds a bit of visual and operational interest. Even if the plans are to keep the layout as is for the present, you would always have a ready made location to expand or add a small staging yard. Any layout no matter what the size should have some form of connection to the "rest of the world."

 

Just remember to NOT hook up the turnout wires to the interchange switch ! Accidently hitting that interchange switch will give ya a 'deer in the headlights' look when a train dives off the end of the track to the floor !! ;-)

I actually had a boogered up Unitrack #6 to use on my interchange track. I soldered the point to the rail. No accidental switching that line ! I have an old locomotive that doesnt run...with a few junk cars added to it...that are under a bridge. They are waiting for clearance to enter Lucky Penny Yard. They have a lllllllooooooongggggggggggggggggg wait...LOL.

 

I am actually going to leave the switch unwired, hand operation only. Also I will have my facia board a bit higher acting like a rail bumper.

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Here is some more progress. I ruffed in my tunnel portals and hill side the tunnel will go through. I am leaving it mocked up this way till I wire, secure and ballast that section of track.

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Got some more landscaping framing done on my layout. I worked around the highway overpass tonight.
In this last shot you can kind of see the cut through the mountain hill side the transcanada highway is going to take that I am going to model.

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More progress on my mountain canyon ridge. More hot glue burns and strips of cardboard later.
You can start to see the little gully under the over pass and the flat ridge in middle of mountain side.
Better angle seen here.
And here is a shot looking down the Trans Canada cut through the ridge. As you can see I am modeling nice steep inclined cut.

Let me know what you guys think.




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Some more progress done on my mountain scene.
Overall shot of the ridge.
Profile shot.
Across from river shot.

Really starting the take shape.

Let me know what you think.




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Looks real Good Peter !
Nice big steep mountains just like the area !!

Steve

 

Been busy with some plastering this weekend.

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More work on the ridge completed tonight.
A nice shot from under the train bridge, finished around the abutments. Here is a shot of the valley separating the ridge from the next mountain to be modelled.


I am finally ordering the remainder of my track next week. Once that is in, I will be finally wiring leads to each piece in the coming weeks.




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Here is some train fanning on my layout. Here is some shots of my CP AC4400
Crossing the Kicking Horse River.
Rounding the ridge.

Here is my BC RAIL GE DASH 8B





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Finished laying my track and completing my track plan. Had a few more pieces to cut and fix some previous ones. Thank goodness O invested in dremel.
view of the two bay engine / car shop and one siding yard. In the distance you can see the small transfer yard and interchange track leading off layout. The interchange line leads to coal mines of south BC.
shot from other end.

Now the fun part of testing the track over and over. Have to fix some kinks and unevenness issues. Then I can mark final placement of each piece. Then the feeder wiring will begin.




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Made a modification to my layout area today. I added another ceiling light to illuminate my yard side of the layout.

Before shot.


After


Much better what you guys think.




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