I like that overlay, it sounded great! Was that train 57? I read about it once, it was the hottest train on the system, if I recall. Don't dare make it late! That's some really smooth track, too, something Rock would have longed for in its later years...
Nope, not train #57. It's just a train that I tossed together for the next Ops session and it was handy for the video. I model the Little Rock line between Arkansas and Louisiana, train #57 ran between Chicago and Denver if I recall. But you are right, it was THE hottest train on that line. Thanks. Smooth track is kind of ironic when one models The Rock. Right now it's all just tacked into place until I finish tweaking things and then I'll add a few kinks to it before I add the ballast so things rock and roll a bit as I've done elsewhere.
I remember seeing RI power on the DRGW service tracks in Denver.. They almost always looked as dirty or worse than DRGW power.
After getting the small siding ripped out and the track re-aligned (in the previous video), I started working on ICG trackage. Wasn't happy with where it was going. So I installed a new 20° crossing and moved the ICG track out away from the backdrop. It went from this: To this: I made a quick video for my blog to show how the ICG Ops will work during a session. By installing the short siding on the ICG, it will keep me from having to move the cars off the layout during the session, now I can just leave them on the track until I restage the layout. I have ran a couple of sessions with the new IC track arrangements and they work as planned. Then I got all the track in the area painted so it's ready for ballasting. This is what I used, I started with the dark camo brown, then misted the brown followed by the tan. But before I ballast, I want to start painting my backdrop and get that done so I'm not working over things.
That track plan does look good Allen. Is that track still in place. I know CPKC runs through Ruston now. I've stayed in Ruston a few times travelling between ATL and DFW but haven't checked ot the tracks through there yet. Would be neat to see how it relates to your layout.
Ruston, LA - nice. It's been a long time since I've been to Ruston. The company I work for had a customer (Sure-Pine, part of Willamette Industries) in Ruston that I used to visit. Sure-Pine made particle board and they bought paint from our company (UV curable filler, water-based basecoat, and UV curable clear coat). Sure-Pine would supply coated particle board to other companies that would make store fixtures, many of which were supplied to Wal-Mart. I don't know if Sure-Pine was served by rail.
Thanks! The last time I looked at Google maps I didn't see The Rock's track. Although I know further north, Uncle Petes still running it I think? It's weird and made me scratch my head a bit. I always thought it was the ICG that they crossed in Ruston according to an article in Railfan & Railroad, but when I was virtually driving around there, I noticed the depot which was called out as ICG in the overhead view, but in the street view the KCS Stop sign logo is prominently displayed on the side of their depot. Anyone know when the KCS took over? As far as it related to my layout, probably not close at all. When I was first designing and building it, there really wasn't info out there, that I knew of? What I've gathered to date, the track plan would be much different with the knowledge I've gleaned today.
I wouldn't have a clue who served what. I wish there was an easier way to learn about stuff like this, as I said above, the track plan would have probably been a lot different if I knew more about the actual line.
I think that line went from IC to MidSouth in 1986ish and then to KCS around 1993 when KCS bought the MidSouth.
You could try this link. It is sometimes a bit useful, if they have old aerial views of the place you are looking for. https://www.historicaerials.com/viewer
The clouds rolled in today... It's been a fairly productive Labor Day '23 in the basement this year. I got the rails painted, got the backdrop prepped and got the clouds painted behind Dubach, Ruston and Winnfield. Dubach Ruston Winnfield Virtually driving around these areas on Google Maps, I've decided to do something a little different on the backdrop. On the north end of the layout (also the North side of it) we're in Arkansas so I painted some distant hills. In Louisiana, I have noticed that it is much more flat instead of having hills, it seems like there are a lot of trees that make up the horizon. So I'm gonna try my hand and painting a tree line after finding some nice videos on YouTube showing a simple three step process. We'll see if I can bring out my inner Bob Ross for this?
Thanks Hemi, I'm curious what it will look like after I get the ballast in place. I plan to use my usual mix for the RI track and maybe a grey or buff of the ICG. So it'll be interesting to see what it looks like with different colored ballast as well. Like I said above, I've used the dark camo brown before and to my eyes, it makes it look like fresh ties, since I'm modeling The Rock, I want it to look much older and not well maintained. The brown color when sprayed, looks a lot like the color of the stock Atlas C55 track, maybe a touch darker?
