Rio Grande — Ridge Siding — HOn3

You not Wrong Tony
I’ve left the trees out to Air
My O scale test track had a set of trees that I’d used black n gold hair spray on and 2 years later when it was sold to a new owner you could still smell it
And girls spray it and walk round with the stuff in their hair all day would do my head in

 

Presentation is everything
So even the Behind the scene bits have just had a lick of Saturn Black so there’s no Raw timber visible,
I’m very happy with the new fiddle yard/Storage, siding section it’s very light and easy to handle.
The parts are out in the afternoon sun to bake dry.
the track goes back down in the fiddle yard section tonight if it’s all dry.
Also started to put some of the trees back I’m in not going to fix the trees in place until the backscene is in just in case needs some adjustments.
However still waiting for the Backscene fingers crossed the printer gets it done in the next few days so I can install it and the top pelmet with the LED lights



Starting to look more like it should fingers are crossed the backscene will be ready soon

 

Yes legs just set up the scenic section on its new legs It originally was on a shelf so didn’t have legs

Did some testing of the points and discovered one is very hesitant to move, swapped out the motor same issue swaped the wiring same so not sure as the point is free in the blades etc have to check to see if there is a mounting issue was perfect when I installed it a couple of weeks ago

 

just found the issue with the point

Wrong wallwart power supply had picked up the one from Moonan Flats that I only use 4.5volt one as only has 2 points.
Grabbed the one I was using when I installed the motors a 9volt, looks exactly the same, well all the points work nicely now

 

Thanks Ian
Yes I’m looking forward to it as well

So the paint was Dry enough tonight on the new storage yard boards, so the yard track is now down and fixed in place, just the curved sections at the ends to finish off.
These 2 tracks will hold 2 trains each plus as a bonus I was able to add a extra siding at one end of the storage loop As I had found a spare “new” point, this siding will run round the inside of the corner module it will be about a 17inch radius curve a little tight but will only be used to back Freight rolling stock along it or a Galloping Goose for an extra train, the engine will still remain on the straight part of the yard, the main track Radius is about 19inches it is Narrow Gauge so tight corners are the norm, at least these are in the non scenic area

As far as operation at the show, The layout will have 5 or 6 trains
One will always be in the scenic area loops so there is always a train to see, and will be alternated with one of the trains from the storage loops.
If two people are operating, a train from each direction can arrive and cross in the yard and then depart.
Then there is Lazy mode set two trains running in the same direction 1/2 a circuit apart so the time without a train in the scene is minimal.

Track Down in the storage yard

 

Got to test the clearance on the curved section before everything is permanently affixed.
Plenty of clearance even with the bigger K27 locos.
The curves take more than one lengths of Peco Flex so a join is required part way round, for this I have used a pre cut PC sleeper section (gap Master) and just to be sure added a short “check Rail” this will make sure no issues with the join even though it is on a fairly sharp curve

The passenger car is in the dead end siding, Bumblebee C19 #345 is the loco on the main.
as can be seen, plenty of clearance

 

Ok so cutting it fine the Backscene has finally been received so the layout can now be finished as in Plemet and lighting added and scenics finished, as I had a basic idea of the size but until the print was done on the aluminium composite panel couldn’t be sure exactly.

So what dose it look like just sitting in place
These poorly lit iPad photos don’t do it justice but show you the basic scene
It’s a original photo of part of the the Colorado Mountains that sits well between the modelled scenics

 

Thanks Gary
That’s the idea fall in Colorado and the Mountains gets dry and then it snows.
At least there a good supply of water from that big tank

 

So what do you do when you can’t sleep at night ant you keep think about ways to make something better.
Well this morning it was Rework the wiring on the layout to make it super simple for exhibiting and make a all new Control panel
So there are 8 points on the little Rio Grande Layout 5 in the scenic area plus 3 in the staging/fiddle yard, so that was 8 point switches but was that really nessasary did I need to change all the points individually or could I do some in pairs or even switch in another way.
In the end 8 switches turned to 4 switches, all be it 2 traditional toggles and 2, 3 position rotary switches
So there are now only 4 switches on the new control panel I don’t think I can’t get it any more simple than that
To achieve this I used a single toggle switch for the Staging yard this changes from the inside track to the out side track, 3 points in total, a 2 at the end with the extra siding and a single point at the other.

In the scenic area the access to the 3 loops is now controlled via 2 rotary switches with the 2 points on each switch the idea is you just line up the rotary switch to the track you want so that eliminates 2 more toggles and the last point is to the Tank Spur line this is still the toggle as the access is part way down the loop so paring this point with the one that leads to the siding wasn’t an option if it was closer i could have got it down to 3 switches.
It’s all wired up and tested and it works just need to mount the switches to the new panel that is also mobile so you can operate from it from either end of the layout as I have fitted a nice Long tethered 14 wire lead the new panel diagram looks like this and is currently waiting for the adhesive to dry on the mounting of the diagram overlay to the new panel that I have made.

Image of the new panel overlay/ Layout Mudmap with some Rio Grande Railroad emblems on it as well

 

Thanks Dan.

You may have worked out by now I have quite a few different areas of modelling that I really like, The Rio Grande Narrow Gauge system is definitely one of those with it’s Big locos on 3ft track I was first introduced 5o the Rio Grande when I was given a video (VHS) of the last years of operation and the rest is history as they say.
Started with Old Brass models in HOn3 of the C class 2-8-0’s and K Class 2-8-2’s then when Blackstone came out with a range of RTR I sold the 30+ year old brass models to get some of the new with factory fitted sound ones, Then I got modelling Rio Grande in US 1/4” O scale and now even 1:20.3 Scale Garden Railway versions are part of the roster.
So you could say I Really Really like the Rio Grande Narrow Gauge.

 

New control panel was wired up last night and then a small addition tonight at the suggestion of the wife (ignore these suggestions at you own peril) , of a set of LED lights so you know which way the Staging tracks are without having to look at the points as we will be operating from the front this is a good idea so the addition was quickly added.
The finished (at this stage) panel.



The Back scene sections have been added, the frame to hold the front pelmet and light panels are now installed
The back scene panels being thicker than The originally intended printed paper one required some scenic surgery with a large knife to trim the foam to fit the 3 mm aluminium composite panel

And then it was onto fitting the trees back to the scene I have decided that fewer trees are needed as the back scene dose blend quite well and the more trees the less you can see of the scene
Still about 20 more trees to replant but at least 30 won’t be going back on.
Before trees back scene just fitted

After some trees installed back onto the layout starting to look like a Model Railway again

Still more to do but it’s getting there can’t find my HO farm animals to go in the paddock on the hill at the worst I’ll pack some up at the show and stick them on the layout sat morning.

 

Thanks Pete
How about now with the LED lights now in the top of the pelmet
Only needed 2 runs of LED front run is Bright White and second run is warm white
You need both or it goes very blue or very yellow
The two in combo create a nice light spectrum.