Missabe layout progress

[Kevinkrey]

Thanks for the comments.:mrgreen:

Still no word on the decoders. I am becoming angry, my LHS is not the prolem, but my favorite supplier, Walthers where it is comming from! I checked the website and it is in stock at Walthers. How long does it take them to ship it?

On a brighter note, I cought some pics of a brand new (well rebuilt SP unit, but new to DMIR:mrgreen Missabe #413 with a more worn in Missabe #406 trailing. Caught them bringing a load of taconite pellets into Two Harbors with a fresh layer of snow. Winter always comes earlier in the Northwoods of Minnesota.
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[bigsteel]

great pic kevin :thumb:,is that a module or your layout?--josh

 

[jr switch]

Looks great--

This is going to be a fun layout to watch as it comes together. You are off to a great start and sounds like you have some good ideas. Please keep the photo's coming --- JR

 

[Kevinkrey]

great pic kevin :thumb:,is that a module or your layout?--josh

Thanks for the comments! That is not my layout, I took a piece of white foam, placed it on a board, and then some old Bachman EZ track. I placed three trees, a tiny bit of clump foliage and then put down some flour. I took the photo in my backyard, I love taing pictures now that I got a camera!

I was doing some pondering last night and I found a spot for a track to diverge from the main and run to a lumber yard to add some operating interest. I will post pics when I do more!
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[bigsteel]

Thanks for the comments! That is not my layout, I took a piece of white foam, placed it on a board, and then some old Bachman EZ track. I placed three trees, a tiny bit of clump foliage and then put down some flour. I took the photo in my backyard, I love taing pictures now that I got a camera!​

I was doing some pondering last night and I found a spot for a track to diverge from the main and run to a lumber yard to add some operating interest. I will post pics when I do more!​

cool,I'm building a Christmas layout for an area on my bay windows shelf,i cant wait to finally have an excuse to model a winter scene :thumb:

that lumber Yard sounds pretty cool :mrgreen:,theres still quite a bit of room on your layout for alot more switches though,if you catch my drift :twisted:.--josh

 

[rogerw]

best use of flour I have ever seen Kevin . Nice shots

 

[Kevinkrey]

that lumber Yard sounds pretty cool :mrgreen:,theres still quite a bit of room on your layout for alot more switches though,if you catch my drift :twisted:.--josh

I know, there IS a lot of room left, very tempting, but I want to keep a Northwoods feel, The real missabe can go on for miles without anything but the mainline, I want to keep that. I'm even trying to conceal the lumberyard from the layout with a hill.
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[DrGeologist]

I love what I’m seeing so far. I’m looking forward to watching how you progress.

I find it interesting that you’ve used cork track bed on top of foam board. I’m currently starting my first layout and I’m using extruded foam, however I was planning on just laying the track directly on it. Other than sound dampening, are there any other advantages to having the cork? …if so, I may look into getting some for myself.

Thanks.

 

[Kevinkrey]

To my knowledge, the only reason for cork other than sound absorbtion is for the look. That is why I usee it. It helps give the look of the raised roadbed on the real railroads. You could post a new thread asking about uses of cork roadbed.
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[jesso]

Kevinkrey,
Was wondering, how did you carve your river banks? I have a big foam carving project ahead and yours turned out nice.

 

[Kevinkrey]

Kevinkrey,
Was wondering, how did you carve your river banks? I have a big foam carving project ahead and yours turned out nice.

I drew the slope I wnted on a piece of paper and measured up in 2 inch (the size foam I used) intervals to see how many layers I need. Every piece can be smaller than the one below to minimize waste. I glued the pieces together and carved out with a bread knife. I sanded with a sanding block and now I need to appy my plaster/paint mix to fill in chunks that I pulled off by using a bad sanding block.
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[Kevinkrey]

No updates lately, but I have made good progress. Until today that is, there was a derailment between an empty taconite train and a mixed freight. I now have a continuous loop mainline, but the bridge is just a board.​

 

[AmericanAirFan]

I can't figure it out how did that derailment occur? :-S

 

[Kevinkrey]

I can't figure it out how did that derailment occur? :-S

The taconite hoppers were sitting on their track and the other train had a loco attached to the CSX coal car. The coal car and a covered hopper took a massive leap off the track hitting the taconite hoppers. The locos stayed on the track and were driven back to the yard.

Tonight I layed the spur to the lumber yard. Here are some pics. there will be a hill dividing it form the mainline. Where the trucks are there will be a paved area. There will be a lumber storage building. The final layout other than track is not finalized.
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[Kevinkrey]

Forgot the pics again.
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[Kevinkrey]

Today I relaid some track and have an official continuos loop of track minus the bridge over the river which has a temporary plywood bridge (I red greened it):mrgreen::thumb:​

The track I relaid will now allow me to run my steam engine anywhere.​

Tommorow will be a busy day, I will have a test "operating session with a switchman (my friend) to do the dirty work well I do the fun stuff. I also plan to work on the lumber yard scene, maybe start building a structure. Ill try to get pics because I will run some pass. equipment.​

Still no decoders, but I did talk with the LHS. The order was sent but they have not heard from walthers or found the paperwork they filed when they placed the order.​

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[MadHatter]

Let us hear how the op session goes.

 

[Kevinkrey]

the op session never really happened. But I did run trains, just no realistic operation. One problem I have is that I have a really step grad that runs for about 4 feet, its a real workout for norhtbound emptys, and the loaded southbounds almost double speed. Is there some type of remote trainbrake I can buy, because it is near impossible to keep a speed on the incline? Or any product to help in the uphill/downhill speed differences?

Another thing I did today was work on the lumber yard scene. I added a hilll between it and the mainline, and put in a paved lot. I placed vehicles and a boxcar on the lot and put lumber stacks where they should be. hope to make the scene a little greener soon. There will be a building in the rectangular unpaved area.

 

[slagpot]

Here is the trackplan for my layout. It is based on the Iron Range division of the DMIR ( Two Harbors to Iron Junction).

Kevin,

Perhaps you and I can do some bussiness. I'm going to need 9,000 tons of iron ore a month to keep DRSC alive.How about an interchange ? I'll keep your taconite trains running and you keep my furnace running.

Patrick
Beaufort,SC
Dragon River Steel Corp {DRSC}

 

[Kevinkrey]

I've been wanting an interchange track, and now I most definatley need to find the space.:thumb:

Unfortunately, my taconite cars will not leave Missabe territory, but feel free to send cars my way and the DMIR would gladly forward them up to the taconite plant and back, if you need raw ore, not taconite, Ill have to do some dealing with the taconite plant, but for the right price.........