CPR Mountain Division “Kicking Yahk Pass”(April 29 2020)

Nice texture on the stone piers. Very exciting...it's a detail that will make the whole scene in that area.

The bridges look great on those abutments!  Great progress!

  Thanks for all the comments on the abutments..looks like I will be making more for the remaining bridges.

    I picked up a bunch of Weaver telegraph poles off day 'bay and they just showed up today at my door. I was going to scratch build these but I can't make them look this good and would probably drive myself nuts trying to lol

  These are a dead ringer for the ones I remember seeing along the mainlines during my youth.

  I will be painting/detailing these as well 

  Al

 I have managed to detail 30 telegraph poles thus far. insulators painted white for the most part. I will be painting some insulators with Tamiya clear green for some variety.

  Here is a pic of the "bouquet" as of tonite 

Al

Al, looks like purple is ok too.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/-5-rar...90-1900/122749110165

 Hello Arthur

    I have included a few pics of my small insulator collection.

   Yes, the purple ones are pretty!

Al

Finally had a chance to run some trains. Here is a quick vid of 2816 on passenger duty....

Al 

Congratulations on your train running!!  They look great moving along on your layout!!

  Making mountain's, hot gluing supports and getting things messy. Here are  few pics.....in progress  lol

Foam mountains don't look like much at first, but when finished can look great!  Are you going to cover them with sculptamold or another product?

Hello Mark

   I have more foam to install before I start fill cracks etc with yellow expanding foam insulation(spray can).

     I will see how that looks before I start going at it with the hot wire cutter. 

    Yes the foam looks pretty lame at this stage of the game.  Most important is to ensure clearances in the tunnels and build in access as I go along.

   Al

Al, I have used the spray foam myself.  Yes until you get farther along with cutting and shaping, the mountains can look very 'abstract'! (How do you like that word to make it look like you and I know what we are doing?)  LOL. Carry on; it will look great!

  Greetings All

    Finally had time to get back to working on the layout. The "canyon" line I have had envisioned for some time. 

  Figured I better get at it. Here are some pics of the work

Al

That's a deep canyon, Al!  What kind of bridge are you going to have holding up the track!

is the cat the construction inspector?

          Very nice Al !!     looking good !

 The "canyon" is approx. 18" railhead to bottom. I have envisioned scratchbuilding a wooden trestle but it wouldn't look right with the Mainline CP locos I will be running(my opionion lol).

  I am looking at using another Lionel # 231 truss bridge(upside down this time) to give it that heavy

mainline look at this time. If I can muster up some energy after work I will continue on my quest...

  Mark, I was checking out your layout thread and I have an idea for your track plan

 Al

albertstrains posted:

 Just finished up painting the base colours for the Roundhouse. Ran out of paint for the bricks, so I went with good Ole red primer(pretty much exact match). All windows, doors, gutters a roof are painted flat black.

   I will probably paint the mortar lines on the walls(since I've gone this far).

 Al

That is one cool work bench.  

Albert,

This is the first time I saw your layout.  You are doing a fine job.  I'm amazed that you are able to cut all that styrofoam without major static electricity issues.  It really is looking good.  

albertstrains posted:

 The "canyon" is approx. 18" railhead to bottom. I have envisioned scratchbuilding a wooden trestle but it wouldn't look right with the Mainline CP locos I will be running(my opionion lol).

  I am looking at using another Lionel # 231 truss bridge(upside down this time) to give it that heavy

mainline look at this time. If I can muster up some energy after work I will continue on my quest...

  Mark, I was checking out your layout thread and I have an idea for your track plan

 Al

I agree, most all of us like spindly trestles for an application like this, but the heavier truss would be better for your mainline trains!

 I know about getting home and feeling too tired to do anything.  Both my dad and father-in-law retired lass than a year older than I am now.  As I recall, they didn't get a lot accomplished after work at my age either!  

I am all ears for any suggestions you may have!  Whoops!  You may say, 'scrap it all and do something totally different!'  Ha ha!

albertstrains posted:

  Greetings All

    Finally had time to get back to working on the layout. The "canyon" line I have had envisioned for some time. 

  Figured I better get at it. Here are some pics of the work

Al

Al- very nice layout. First time I've seen your thread in a while. That open cell styrofoam can make quite a mess.
I like your helper too!

Bob

Kali is the Project Manager/Tunnel inspector. We have disagreements on whose layout it is at times but work things out.lol

 Ive been dealing with RA the past few years and it has really taken the wind out of my sails plus a crazy job that leaves me more or less kaput to fo much else....oh well could be worse right?

    I enjoy even just spending time just doing some "imagineering" with my fuzzy friends in close company

Mark i will try email you

Thank you for all the high 5s lol

Al

M

RA - Me too!  In fact that is what got me rethinking the access holes on the layout.  

Let's just retire right now and play with trains full time!  :-)

Thanks, I'll watch for the email.  No rush; take care of your work and yourself!!

albertstrains posted:

Kali is the Project Manager/Tunnel inspector. We have disagreements on whose layout it is at times but work things out.lol

 Ive been dealing with RA the past few years and it has really taken the wind out of my sails plus a crazy job that leaves me more or less kaput to fo much else....oh well could be worse right?

    I enjoy even just spending time just doing some "imagineering" with my fuzzy friends in close company

Mark i will try email you

Thank you for all the high 5s lol

Al

 

M

Al- we have a "Cali" too...small world. So far she hasn't found the layout but she camps out under the Christmas tree each year. Sorry about the RA, its gotta suck for sure.

I felt guilty not posting a "train" pic.....so here you go lol

   Al

Mark.....lets retire now! lol

  Im on the "Freedom 95", meaning I retire then after Ive topped up my pension...hahaha

Al

All,

The truss bridge idea looks good!  So does that CP Steamer!!

Actually, I have two small frozen pensions and am now collecting.  I took an early out, then went right back working as a contractor for the last 2+ years.  Of course I am being paid from a different pot of money than before.  I think I will have to wait 3 years until I can sign up for Medicare before I can really retire.  LOL

Finally have trains running again!

Finished up the electrical feed and here we go ....traffic across the bridge

   Here are a few vids

Al

Al. Just finished skimming through your thread from start to here.  Nice work and interesting layout design.  You have good modeling skill sets and it shows. Congrats on a nice layout and fun trains to watch.

albertstrains posted:

  I think this plan has a little more interesting operating, as trains have to go up and over. I was thinking to two trains operating on the mainline and maybe switcher for around the yard.

  Minimum is O72 with O84. Scenery....well, lets say very mountainous terrain.

 Grades should be OK( 3%?). Atlas TT and two roundhouse kits(I had to do it)

   I have some of the other plans that evolved from my original pretzel layout to this one, I case anyone would like to see them posted.

  I will see If I can post my crappy basement plan as well

Al

I like this layout and would like to reproduce it in a spare bedroom.  I see the grid but don't know what the scale of the lines are.  What are the dimensions of this layout as it is drawn??  Thanks.

Heĺlo RangerDude

Gridlines are 12"

Al

rangerDude,

It's about a 17' x 17' area. I called it Al's Pretzel. I remember when he was developing the plan and it immediately hit me that it looked like a pretzel. Oh, I really liked it and he's developed it nicely.

it shows off the trains and has operational features for play value.

Thanks Carl.

Hmmmm.  My room is a little smaller than that.  I wonder if it would work to shrink it down with smaller radius curves (054 and 045)...  Hopefully the grades won't get too steep.  I'll have to play around with it and see if I can make it work.  I was working on my own design but it was very flat...no crossing over of trains and I like trestles and bridges.

Here's a quick O54 single main sample that is approximately 11x11 and ends up with 4.4%/4.7% grades (purple tracks) for a 6" elevation.

 Been off work the past 6 months on disability and haven’t had much steam in the boiler to get things done on the layout.

  I have managed to finish up a few pieces of rolling stock  since I have procured the appropriate decals.

  I am looking to repaint another MTH Royal Hudson and CN 6060 whenever I can get motivated.

   Here are a few pics of the 2 passenger cars and a box car I have recently finished.

Al

Al, I’m sorry you have had health problems!  I’m glad you are getting some things done with the great looking cars.

Al, great job with the passenger cars. Back in 2014 "Chinook And Hobby West" was working with MTH to do these CP 64' wood sided passenger cars but never happened, not enough preorders I think.

If you go to YouTube and type in "Canadian Pacific 64' Woodsided Passenger Cars from MTH", you can see the promotional video for these cars.

Get well soon. 

  I have recently finished up the motive power to pull the 2nd set of heavyweight cars I have painted and modified to resemble CPRs Dominion circa 1929-1950s

  Locomotive is an MTH Royal Hudson #2851 that has been detailed and repainted similar to the 2860 with accurate colours and graphics 

Al

Those Hudson's are beautiful. Very nice work Al.

Bob

Excellent!

 Thanks Guys for the comments! 

 I have been able to catch up on my painting list and am currently working on an MTH CN 6060 . Once completed I can start to think about building some mountains lol

   Here are some pics of the great detail on this model 

Al