Rock Creek Canyon

[MarshLane]

Evening all,

Well I did say I would try and post some drawings over the weekend, but having managed to get a free evening, I have pushed on a bit.  As mentioned previously, these baseboards are laser-cut and I am following a new (for me) way of doing these. These will not be the cheapest baseboards going, I acknowledge that, both in time and money, but with my back issues, I am hoping they will be lightweight and easy to handle.  Currently the first board is designed, and the exported screenshots from the CAD software show the first board, with the track base for the second board added on.

 

Because the trackwork is on a 2.8% grade in and out of the hidden sidings, it has been drawn for the full 180 degree turn - which is 7.5 feet in diameter, and this is then cut into smaller pieces for each board.  Hence, why the base is showing for board 2.

 

 

 

The bottom track, passing through the rectangles in the cross members will be hidden by scenery on this part of the curve, but still accessible from behind if needs be. Around 2/3rds into the curve, the position changes and the bottom track (at that point climbing on to the layout) comes into the scenic area, while the top two dissappear off scene to the hidden sidings and are hidden from view.  The second two, show the scenic divider between the two top tracks - the line at the front in this view, runs up the front through a country/town scene, while the one at the back runs up the back through the yard, before they both meet at the far end of the layout.

 

 

End view

 

 

Rear View

 

The eventual full layout forms a balloon loop on the top level, and a dog-bone on the bottom level where the hidden sidings are. Still plenty to do - the carpenters dowel holes have to be added, magnet spacing, electric pass through etc, and some bits left to sort out with the woodwork, but I am progressing. The current plan is to get the first three boards designed, then send the various drawings for laser cutting, to see how they work and perform.

 

My hope is that the reasonable grade, easy curves and multiple locos on the front/middle/rear will mean that I can easily portray the American style of long trains, especially given the layout size in N gauge!

 

Richie

Edited December 11, 2022 by MarshLane
Reinstated Pictures

[MarshLane]

Well I cannot believe it has been 12 months since I last posted an update!  Time flies too quickly these days - are we sure somebody isn't 'nicking' an hour here and there?  However, I have just had half an hour and gone back through the thread and restored all the images that were missing following the server issues earlier this year.

 

Last 12 months

A bit has changed in 12 months, so its probably best to do a quick update, but just to confirm Rock Creek continues! 😃.  The last update in November 2021, I had started work designing the the new curved sections for the lighter baseboards.  I stopped work on this around Christmas last year, because it came apparent to me that id gone from one extreme to the other, the boards were lighter being smaller but that there would be just as much of a hinderance to erect them.  Therefore I stepped back to have a 'big think' as they say in modern parlance.

 

I took the principals I was working with and built a demo board earlier this year.  That proved the concept in many ways, and confirmed it was a good way to move forward, but also flagged to me a couple of issues that needed further attention.  Such as how to establish diagonal dividers, rather than square ones, supporting the surround structures needed a bit more work, and moving from 3mm to 6mm for dividers and 9mm for the frame would also help.  Still it was a demo, it was there to prove what worked and what didn't. The year has been a bit challenging, juggling work with family issues - both of my parents have not really been unwell but have had numerous hospital visits this summer which has taken lots of time.  Hopefully, things are heading in the right direction now (fingers crossed!). 

 

Moving Forward

So I am back on with designing the new boards, again, the plan is to build one before building the others.  However, having spoken to two different laser cutting individuals, 9mm birch ply is difficult to cut (I need to check with @BrushType4 (more commonly known as Phil at Intentio) to see if he can do 9mm.  Failing that I have contacts for a chap that could CNC mill them out of Ply, who has done the baseboards for a friend of mine.  As previously, lightweight but sturdy and storable will be the key.  The key part of this is being able to work quickly and easily with an open frame principal that can put the railroad in the landscape, and give a minimum of 4ft radius curves, so that long freights with locos front and rear dont derail!

 

I haven't added any more rolling stock this year, although may have a couple of pre-orders in with people!

 

Richie