West Pickering, Craig's Canadian project

[Craig Watson]

Some pics of the work in progress on the curves as mentioned in the last post, the original location of the curves can be seen on the baseboards.

 

 

 

Cheers

 

Craig

 

 

[AndrewC]

Looking really good.

 

If I was to nit pick, I'd say get rid of the hayes bumpers and replace them with buda wheel stops. Far more common in Canada than the bumpers. This guy does a 20 pack for < £9 http://www.shapeways.com/product/XWZARFY94/wheel-stops-ho-20-pack-c83

[Craig Watson]

Looking really good.

 

If I was to nit pick, I'd say get rid of the hayes bumpers and replace them with buda wheel stops. Far more common in Canada than the bumpers. This guy does a 20 pack for < £9 http://www.shapeways.com/product/XWZARFY94/wheel-stops-ho-20-pack-c83

Thanks Andrew,

 

I went for the bumpers as they were what I mostly saw when doing some research by looking around the various industry tracks on my last few visits to the Ajax area.

 

Thanks for the shapeways link though, they'll come in handy at some point!

 

Cheers

 

Craig

[AndrewC]

They

 

Thanks Andrew,

I went for the bumpers as they were what I mostly saw when doing some research by looking around the various industry tracks on my last few visits to the Ajax area.

Thanks for the shapeways link though, they'll come in handy at some point!

Cheers

Craig

They must be newer additions or they've been in hiding :-)

 

In all my years of wandering about Canada I never saw a bumper only rail stops like the buda. They also seem to be a more eastern thing in the US as well. The BNSF, MRL, and UP lines I've railfanned through the North West all have the Hayes wheel stop if anything at all instead of bumpers.

[Craig Watson]

They

 

They must be newer additions or they've been in hiding :-)

 

In all my years of wandering about Canada I never saw a bumper only rail stops like the buda. They also seem to be a more eastern thing in the US as well. The BNSF, MRL, and UP lines I've railfanned through the North West all have the Hayes wheel stop if anything at all instead of bumpers.

Two of the locations in the Ajax/Pickering area I had a look at over my last few visits can be seen below, all with bumpers, that's why i went with them!

 

 

 

Cheers

 

Craig

[Craig Watson]

It's been a while since I updated on the progress of the layout, the new extended curves are now done and the last few months have been spent basically having some fun running the layout and adding to the fleet here and there, one item I'd been looking out for was another GO MP40, luckily I was offered one recently and it arrived yesterday with another 3 bi levels, I've also got a few of the new livery cars on order too.

 

As soon as the MP40 arrived it was given a test run, its the one in the middle of the pic, number 637.

 

 

Cheers

 

Craig

[NickBrad]

This looks great, just read through from start to finish

[Craig Watson]

This looks great, just read through from start to finish

Thank you, i really need to update it more often!!

[Craig Watson]

Since Donny4472's New Westminster layout was exhibited at Falkirk last November I've had a few loco's belonging to a fellow club member which haven't been picked up yet!!

 

So last night I had a look at what was there, took some of the home fleet off the layout and had a play with some of gridwatcher's locos!

 

Here are a few pics.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheers

 

Craig

 

[rapidotrains]

Very nice modelling. Now all you need is a Turbo....

 

-Jason

[Craig Watson]

Hi all,

 

Next up for the layout is a visit to the Falkirk Model Railway Exhibition in a few weeks time, the layout is partially stripped down at the moment to finish off some small scenic jobs before the show.

 

Details for the show can be found at http://www.falkirkmrc.co.uk/falkirk-model-railway-exhibition

 

Come along and say hi!

 

Cheers

 

Craig

[PaulRhB]

Lets hope you get it down south sometime

[Craig Watson]

The layout had its second outing over the weekend at the Falkirk exhibition, it ran well all weekend and I got lots of favourable comments!

 

Its clear that there are a large amount of Scots who have been to Canada as plenty recognised Tim Hortons and the GO Trains!

 

Also a successful weekend in that the layout was awarded the President's Shield yesterday afternoon, what was even better for our modelling group was that we had 3 seperate members with their layouts at the show and we were all awarded with a trophy, Bill Wood with Glenfinnan won the exhibitors cup, Graeme Moyes with Cement Quay won the Tony Cornwell cup and we won the Presidents Shield!

 

Got a day off today now so going to do some tidying in the garage and get the layout set back up hopefully!

 

I'll attach some pics later this morning.

 

Cheers

 

Craig

[Craig Watson]

Some pics,

 

Set up and ready to go on Friday night.

 

 

 

Overview from yesterday.

 

Some of the action over the weekend.

 

Cheers

 

Craig

[PaulRhB]

Nice to see you got the shield well deserved!

[Craig Watson]

Nice to see you got the shield well deserved!

Thanks Paul,

 

If you look at the last pic there's another familiar layout in the background, was funny seeing them both together!

 

 

Had a day off on Monday and was hoping to get the layout unpacked and set up again but didn't get round to it, will need to be next week now as we're off to Manchester for the weekend, concert on Friday night then staying another night to do some Christmas shopping, and a convenient trip to the Manchester exhibition!! seconded into a training post at work so plenty of time on my hands (for now!!)

 

Cheers

 

Craig

[Craig Watson]

Also received my lettering order yesterday, a few days late for Falkirk but the next time the layout is out the lighting pelmet won't look as plain!

 

 

 

Cheers

 

Craig

[PaulRhB]

Thanks Paul,

 

If you look at the last pic there's another familiar layout in the background, was funny seeing them both together!

 

Oh yeah, snuck in the back

[Craig Watson]

Been a wee while since I updated the thread, spent last week in New York on holiday with the family and managed to squeeze in a visit to Trainworld in Brooklyn and picked up a few bargains making the trip worthwhile.

 

Intermountain ES44DC 2235.

 

Athearn Genesis 1021.

 

The layout has also received two exhibition invites for later this year, I've got a few minor jobs to do with the control panels to improve reliability, the push buttons used for the points have behaved ok at exhibitions but they sometimes play up when the layout is set up at home, the plan is to replace them over the summer, I also have a digitrax PM42 to split the layout into 4 power districts which still has to be installed, hopefully I'll get the time to install this over the summer too.

 

I'll update with the exhibition details once they're 100% confirmed.

[Craig Watson]

Recent progress on the layout has been mostly stock related, it is now confirmed as attending two exhibitions in the coming months, St Andrews on the 5th and 6th of August where the layout is representing our Scottish Diesel and Electric group and Ayr on the 16th and 17th of September.

 

I was in hospital a few weeks ago for a gallbladder operation so the recovery time has let me get on with a few small jobs and projects mainly on the rolling stock, some 26 boxcars now weathered and a few locos worked on too!

 

Also received my Rapido F40PH-2D rebuild which has taken over duties from my Walthers one!

 

I've also set up a facebook page for the layout, it can be found here.

 

Hopefully we'll see some of you at the forthcoming shows.

 

Cheers

 

Craig

 

 

[BR60103]

Craig

when the actuary I worked for had his gall bladder out, he consoled himself with the knowledge that, if he survived the operation, for insurance purposes he would be rated normal.

[Craig Watson]

A few new arrivals just in time for next week's St Andrews exhibition, the plan is to run these in mixed rakes just like I seen when we were over a few years ago.

 

 

[Adrian Wintle]

A few new arrivals just in time for next week's St Andrews exhibition, the plan is to run these in mixed rakes just like I seen when we were over a few years ago.

 

20170727_163740.jpg

 

20170727_163734.jpg

 

I have yet to see a solid rake of the new scheme, so mixed rakes would be the best idea.

 

I keep hoping that Metrolinx will see the error of their ways and return to the 'proper' GO green for the trains and signage (and put the logo back the way it was, without the gap between the G and O). Not going to happen though - like any good excess layer of bureaucracy it needs to justify its existence. It does do some good things (Presto) but it also tends to meddle with things that aren't broken.

 

Adrian

[sjgardiner]

I have yet to see a solid rake of the new scheme, so mixed rakes would be the best idea.

 

I keep hoping that Metrolinx will see the error of their ways and return to the 'proper' GO green for the trains and signage (and put the logo back the way it was, without the gap between the G and O). Not going to happen though - like any good excess layer of bureaucracy it needs to justify its existence. It does do some good things (Presto) but it also tends to meddle with things that aren't broken.

 

Adrian

There is at least one solid trainset of the new look in service, but generally speaking, now that the old cab cars have almost all been replaced, at a minimum every set has a new look cab car.

 

One note for you Craig, as far as I know, Metrolinx has not repainted any cab control cars into the new scheme, so a mixed set would still have an original green cab on the end.

 

Stephen

 

Edited for stupid iOS autocorrect changes to words

[Craig Watson]

There is at least one solid trainset of the new look in service, but generally speaking, now that the old cab cars have almost all been replaced, at a minimum every set has a new look cab car.

One note for you Craig, as far as I know, Metrolinx has not repainted any cab control cars into the new scheme, so a mixed set would still have an original green cab on the end.

Stephen

Edited for stupid iOS autocorrect changes to words

Thanks Stephen, I didn't pick up the Athearn cab control car in the new livery as I knew they hadn't done any, I've got three originals anyway, the number they have produced their version in is one of the new cars too, the Athearn triple pack are all coaches too which is handy, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that someone does an end for the new cars on shapeways!!