"From Eugene to Florence"; Southern Pacific on the Coos Bay branch

[Ronald48]

Hi there,

 

I properly introduced myself and now I will start a new thread of the building of my 6th exhibition layout. It will be American H0. All of those previous ones where switching layouts with no possibilty of runnung around. This one will be a pure scenic layout in a circle with proper staging.

 

Original I started with this plan based on a Cascade theme:

 

CascadeSummitV2.0 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

I do have a complete staging yard ready for this layout, used as end staging for my 0n30 layout:

 

schaduwstation by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

In March I visited a modelling friend who is a "fan" of my layouts and modelling, and by circumstance he had 2 modules for me that he couldn't use and are build with my standards. I bought and took them to use with this layout:

 

DSCN6355 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

DSCN6357 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

At the end of March we went to America for a one month vacation. Part of that was through the Northwest along the coast of Oregon. As Southern Pacific fan a visit to Coos Bay was a must and I did. Hooked by the subject I decided to do a piece of the Coos Bay branch of the Siskiyou Line. Part of that are a lot of bridges and some drawbridges. It still has 3 places with drawbridges; Coos Bay, Reedsport and near Florence. So I decided to change the theme and to make a single line layout with bridges and water, and I took this part as example:

 

20160429_103857 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

. by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

On Google Maps:

 

hillout95 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

As detail:

 

hillout96 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

I drew a plan on paper, my preferred methode:

 

. by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

As I had the 2 modules I needed a third. So I went to the home depot store for some wood with my granddaughter:

 

20160427_160424 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

And started the middle module. I do that with 3 U-style carriers over the module. The background and floor provide for the strength:

 

20160428_175242 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

20160428_191001 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

With temporary roof:

 

20160428_191047 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

And layed out on the ground next to my house. Bit wobbly.... :

 

20160428_200640 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

20160428_200657 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

This is the status now. I do consider to "flip" the plan on the modules as it will better fit the space. I will get back on you later on

[John B]

Look forward to seeing this - one of my favorite parts of the US.

 

Stayed a night in Florence a few years ago, and had a very good dinner at the old SP depot building (IIRC it had been moved from it's original location). Sadly the light and weather weren't great so I didn't take any photos.

 

Florence is a charming town, well worth a visit. A must see for aficionados of roadside kitch is "Bliss' Hot Rod Grill" which has chopped classic Chevys and other classics galore. Conveniently located on US-101..

[trisonic]

Look forward to more chapters in this build. As John said an interesting part of North America.....

 

Best, Pete.

[Ronald48]

Thanks guys. It will go on. The layout will be on the Warley show coming November

[Ronald48]

Well, little response but we are going on.

Start with the middle piece:

 

20160503_113508 by Ronald-45, on Flickr.

 

20160503_113512 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

Glued together:

 

20160503_114743 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

The parts where the bridge will turn on later:

 

20160503_114743 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

The baseplate has a Delrin bearing:

 

20160503_120227 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

One on the turning plate::

 

20160503_120419 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

I will make the bridge this way. Normally it is turned a quarter:

 

20160503_122230 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

20160503_122258 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

When the bridge is opened this will be the position:

 

20160503_122317 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

This is how it is made by the manufacturer. The pin on the gearwheel trips the endswitch:

 

20160503_122352 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

For my situation it will be like this:

 

20160503_122342 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

The bridge itself starts with the middle pieces:

 

20160503_122342 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

One will carry the enginehouse later on:

 

20160503_143626 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

8 racks to sort out the pieces:

 

20160503_143833 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

Belonging together:

 

20160503_143837 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

The first pieces are glued together with the middlepiece:

 

20160503_161031 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

And the second side:

 

20160503_161810 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

And together:

 

20160503_145336 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

4 strips for reinforcement:

 

20160503_151607 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

20160503_152311 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

And both bridges sides ready:

 

20160503_163600 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

Started the floorparts of the bridge today, one original 2-track and 2 new 1-track ones:

 

20160511_153000 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

Cut the so I can build the bridge as it should be.

And 5 sets for one half of the floor:

 

20160511_155605 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

And glued together with the first carrier:

 

20160511_161120 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

Later more!

[Ronald48]

The first part of the floor is ready:

 

20160511_164805 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

[roundhouse]

A part of the USA that we visit most years these days although not yet made it to the Coos Bay Area.

Who makes the bridge kit?

Look forward to seeing this layout develop.

Ian

[McRuss]

Hello Ian,

 

I think that could be a Walthers kit for the bridge.

 

Markus

[Ronald48]

Hi guys,

 

Thank you, and indeed it is the Walthers kit:

 

20160430_130436 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

[Ronald48]

EDIT.. something went wrong, will post again tomorrow

[Allegheny1600]

Wow!

This is looking most impressive!

I shall enjoy following.

Cheers,

John.

[Ronald48]

Thanks John!

 

This will be the idea:

 

uitwerking1 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

[dullsteamer]

That's a very dramatic scene you're building, I too will be interested to see how it turns out. And the way you've built the modules is quite clever as well. Good luck with the project!

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[long island jack]

will watch with interest, to see how you blend the water into the back scene.

 

Ray

[railroadbill]

Went through coos bay last year on way up Oregon coast so this looks interesting. Rather like US railroad bridges. Look forward to seeing how module develops.

[Ronald48]

Thanks guys!

 

Went on with the bridge floor. After cutting I glue the parts together and straighten them out with rest parts that I cut out:

 

20160511_152725 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

 

The cutting tool, a Trumpeter saw:

 

20160511_160802 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

After making a set of 5 I glued them to the first girder:

 

20160512_163058 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

To the second and starting another one:

 

20160512_164229 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

And both ready:

 

20160512_165105 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

The piece that connects the two and that is necessary to connect the bridge to the rotating part:

 

20160512_165131 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

Glued to the first part:

 

20160512_165255 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

The set of two:

 

20160512_173527 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

And glued together:

 

20160512_173731 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

The floor is ready now. After drying I dis a testfit with the sides and floor. I'm staisfied, all fits well!:

 

20160512_180052 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

20160512_180032 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

20160512_180027 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

Painting; I started with the floor. I use Revell paint in a spraycan, the bas is black number 8 and the topcoat will be iron number 91.

First coat of black:

 

20160516_154041 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

20160516_154256 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

Spraying the sides:

 

20160516_174018 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

And together:

 

20160516_191952 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

The paint dries very fast, I put on the iron colour after one hour:

 

20160521_131100 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

Later more!

[NickBrad]

That's a great engineering project you've got going and bodes well for a lovely scenic railroad when finished

[Ronald48]

Thanks!

 

Today I went on with it. I wasn't satisfied with the end pieces so I modified them:

 

20160526_101344 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

I cut out the top middle piece:

 

20160526_101527 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

The first one broke so I had to fix that with a little glue. here both are prepared:

 

20160526_102632 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

There where some pieces left from the cutting so i took them and used them. Only disadvantage is that these parts are left and right oriented so I took 2 equal parts:

 

20160526_103440 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

And both parts ready:

 

20160526_110454 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

So time for some colour. Again, first base coat of black:

 

20160526_132013 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

20160526_132319 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

And iron:

 

20160526_134139 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

20160526_135635 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

Also I painted the base of the machine house:

 

20160526_135639 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

Started that one also, painted it and its windows and door:

 

20160526_143729 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

Time to join the first side of the bridge to its base part. I first cleaned the pieces where the glue goes:

 

20160526_151917 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

20160526_152205 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

Some elastic band holds the peices together while drying:

 

20160526_152922 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

The machinehouse is almost ready:

 

20160526_153850 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

And a overview of my workspace today 

 

20160526_154007 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

Later more!

[Ronald48]

So far the bridge looks like this:

 

20160526_163217 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

And in the middle module it will look like this:

 

20160526_193607 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

20160526_193731 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

Later more!

[Ronald48]

For the middle module I still needed the undervalance. Made it out of restwood:

 

20160530_110137 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

Glued and nailed to the front:

 

20160530_111016 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

For lighting the modules I choose LED strip. Therefore I will mount 3 strips of 3cm wood in the modules:

 

20160530_111304 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

Measuring:

 

20160530_112237 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

Cutting them out:

 

20160530_112703 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

20160530_113957 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

And all three ready:

 

20160530_114601 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

Later more!

[roundhouse]

I have loads of Led strip lighting that was ripped out of furniture when the client didn't like it. Some has recently been used and it's very effective. Just takes a while to clean up the old self adhesive tape from its previous use.

[Ronald48]

Thanks! I purchase mine through the internet from china.

 

Little update; the roof is spiked and glued to the middle module:

 

20160531_112257 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

Later!

[Ronald48]

Today a little update. I am in the middle of nightshift so I do not need to much on my hands. Made the middle pier electronics.

 

The parts to build the microswitch assembly:

 

20160601_152429 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

Assembly as per instructions:

 

20160601_152935 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

And glued in the middle pier:

 

20160601_153240 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

After that I soldered the wiring and diode in the pier to the switch:

 

20160601_155238 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

And it should work. Here a video:

 

- 

[roundhouse]

Are you going to cut a hole in the baseboards under the mechanism just in case the microswitch etc. needs maintenance or replacing?

[Ronald48]

So, today I went on and started a 4th module. I decided that it will suite the theme much better that way because of the space it gives me.

Some wood, bought locally:

 

20160604_153735 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

My open-air workshop beside my house:

 

20160604_160350 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

Started with the end U's:

 

20160604_160355 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

And ready:

 

20160604_161954 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

I already had a flat module of 50 by 102,5 cm so I glued and nailed the U's against it:

 

20160604_162933 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

And that lookes like this:

 

20160604_163652 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

Had some hight difference now:

 

20160604_164027 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

Filled that up with one sheet of 9mm:

 

20160604_171019 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

Now the background get in place, some glue will hold for now:

 

20160604_171614 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

A sheet for measuring the underside spiking:

 

20160604_172206 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

20160604_172210 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

And ready so far:

 

20160604_175201 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

And together with the rest:

 

20160604_191812 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

And one story higher:

 

20160604_192140 by Ronald-45, on Flickr

 

Still some finetuning to do coming week!