Spokane Portland and Seattle Railway

[alcoRS1]

Layout is on hold for awhile, this happens every summer, and picks up again in winter. Also I am working on my 2010 challenge, I have been thinking on redesign of 3 of the sections, I love doing that. I will post a design this week.

[alcoRS1]

Been awhile since I have done anything, but today I started tiding up a little.

 

and videoed this with my new iPhone 4

 

 

 

The layout is going to be split 50/50, one half US, one half UK, I have ordered my first UK loco (Class 24, BR blue weathered with DCC Sound, Bachmann).

 

here is the new layout plan

 

[alcoRS1]

Starting to take shape. My dock loco stage area is glued, will add the turn out controls later

 

 

had a problem with my Soundtraxx Tsunami, it when over a switch, and hit some dirty track, then it quit moving, but sound still plays. called Soundtraxx, they told me I blown an on board fuse, and need to send it in to get it fixed (guess it is cheaper than buying a new decoder).

 

so my Brass Also RS1 is temporary out of action.

[alcoRS1]

got some more area freed up, will be laying down a small yard for the port, but this is once I have done ballasting the UK side.

 

 

 

 

basically the wall will disappear, and the area behind is available.

[shortliner]

Thats starting to look good, Warren - nice job. I've got some ballasting that needs doing if you'd like to pop round!

[alcoRS1]

Thats starting to look good, Warren - nice job. I've got some ballasting that needs doing if you'd like to pop round!

 

I would not come it some ballasting, There is not much to ballast on yours, should not take long.

[Andrew Peters]

Well here is the start of my Alco RS-1 Brass loco with powered inline trucks from NSWL

 

with not central motor, there is lots and lots of room for a good size speaker, that I could never dream of fitting in a HO loco. very happy with the results.

 

 

Looks great,

 

I'd like to do the same with my S1 but I can't see if they still make them or which would be the right 1 for me, any idea's

[alcoRS1]

Looks great,

 

I'd like to do the same with my S1 but I can't see if they still make them or which would be the right 1 for me, any idea's

 

is your s1 brass?

 

if so you could do the same, NSWL make powered truck that would fit and S1. The S1 had 8ft wheel base on the trucks and NWSL does make DPT for them I believe 37053-4 33-1 HO 8′-0″ 40″ SW1500, etc is the correct one you are looking for. you use you side frames and glue them to the tabs in between the wheels

[Andrew Peters]

is your s1 brass?

 

if so you could do the same, NSWL make powered truck that would fit and S1. The S1 had 8ft wheel base on the trucks and NWSL does make DPT for them I believe 37053-4 33-1 HO 8′-0″ 40″ SW1500, etc is the correct one you are looking for. you use you side frames and glue them to the tabs in between the wheels

 

I wish I could afford brass models ,

No it's a Atlas loco. I also want to fit sound in and there isn't much room under the hood and I'd like to tidy the cab.

[alcoRS1]

I wish I could afford brass models ,

No it's a Atlas loco. I also want to fit sound in and there isn't much room under the hood and I'd like to tidy the cab.

 

it will still free up a lot of space inside if you use the NWSL trucks

[alcoRS1]

Layout is put on hold.

 

Looks like I will only have 14ft x 2ft so I need to design a new layout. I thinking of redoing the port, I learnt a lot from doing this one, I could keep it, but seeing this layout is going to be 11ft scenic and 3ft fiddle yard, I want to make the space a little better used, may just a grain storage on the river, cement import, and a small gas business requiring tank cars.

 

My UK layout also will be ripped up and moved also to a 14ft x 2ft

 

These will be shelf layouts, one above the other.

 

Then separate I will build a free standing US modern day layout, based around a ethanol terminal (ethanol download), and maybe one or 2 other industries. this layout will be a 12ft x 2ft. I have already ordered the Atlas Genset UP locos that are due to come on the US market very very soon (so rumors say).

 

My garage is 19ft x 19ft so there will be lots of empty space, i will only occupy 14ft x 7ft.

 

the self layout will be portable, I am going to build shelf mounts to take the 6ft x 2ft sections, and 3ft x 2ft section

[shortliner]

Warren - take care with the 6' x 2' sections - they can get awfully heavy quickly, and become very unwieldy if you need to move them - you may be better with 3 of 4' x2' instead Are you going to use the Walthers Kits for the Ethanol. Have a word with DaveB on this forum - he was doing an ethanol terminal layout

Best

Jack

[alcoRS1]

Warren - take care with the 6' x 2' sections - they can get awfully heavy quickly, and become very unwieldy if you need to move them - you may be better with 3 of 4' x2' instead Are you going to use the Walthers Kits for the Ethanol. Have a word with DaveB on this forum - he was doing an ethanol terminal layout

Best

Jack

 

I staying clear of the Walters Ethanol, Seeing this is a download terminal and not production, it just needs some tanks and unload tracks and storage. I already have 18 Athearn Ethanol cars. I have built a small ethanol plant before Walters even announced ethanol, and did my own home work on plants. I got lots of piping already.

 

But my SP&S will be 2 industries, this layout will sit above the UK layout on the shelf, the industries are Fuel delivery and Grain milling, both are fictitious, but could be found in the local area, era around 1965, this layout will mainly be served my my SP&S brass locos, which now includes 2 Alco RS-1, 1 Alco RS2 and 1 Alco RS3. but will not have more than 2 locos on the layout at anyone time.

 

 

 

One day, if we move, I either want a 3 - 4 car garage, or a large back yard so I can have a 30ft x 15ft train shed. Till then these 3 layout should be enough, for now.

[alcoRS1]

 

Final plan for the new layout, shelf is built (minus back drop, that will be glued today, painted tomorrow).

[alcoRS1]

will paint the back drop tonight

 

 

here is a length shot

[DaveB]

I'll be watching this with interest, as I'm now progressing well on my own ethanol site. Away this weekend, but after that I'll take a few pics of progress so far.

Keep up the good work Warren.

 

Dave

[DaveB]

Took a few indoor pics in my hallway - will try for out door ones when the weather is better.

Hope these show the layout of my ethanol plant at Falcon Lake.

 

 

 

 

 

[alcoRS1]

I really like it Dave, looks really good.

 

How long is the layout?

[DaveB]

I really like it Dave, looks really good.

 

How long is the layout?

 

 

Its 16ft in the pictures, but I'll be adding another 4ft at the ethanol end (Fiddle yard)

[alcoRS1]

 

 

 

Track is glued in place, wired,

 

Started to build the roads, next will block off the fiddle (staging area) yard.

 

Purchased some street building to build up the store front of the down town. The trains enter from the fiddle yard between buildings, roll across the road and into the down town yard. There are 3 business served in this area, West Mills Gains, Albania Oil Products (asphalt) and Vancouver Goods Exchange.

 

tomorrow I will also set up the switches (points) switches.

[alcoRS1]

 

Painted the backdrop, and the new road,

 

Time to make the sidewalks and start ballasting the track.

 

I am a little pissed, the soundtraxx decoder I just got back from being repaired has blown the on board fuse (it only effects motor), instead of paying $23 dollars to get it fixed I have decided to just put in a digitrax, and use the soundtraxx for sound only, stupid decoder. the train jumped the switch (got an issue with the dummy truck, one wheel is wonky and sticks, will fix it at the same time I put in the decoder).

[alcoRS1]

 

nearly finished the road, one section left to detail

 

as for my brass,

 

the motor and trucks have been sent back to NWSL, for an overhaul, my version was the first of this product line and a prototype, so David agreed to upgrade them for free (add a motor to the dummy, so I will have duel powered trucks), put the self setting fuse so, the decoders are protected. I cannot speak highly enough about NWSL, the quality of product and the service they give, just awesome.

[shortliner]

Very nice job on those roads, Warren

[alcoRS1]

Thanks Jack,

 

Layout is on hold, until I work out what I want to do with it, not sure I like my plan.

[F-UnitMad]

Very nice job on those roads, Warren

It certainly is... can you give us a bit more description of what you've done, Warren, as the photos jump from what looks like a rather lumpy mess, to very nice ashphalt . Can you describe the technique for us...?