D&RGW narrow gauge: Back to scenics.

[pH]

14 hours ago, JZ said:

 

Sumpter Valley Railway 2-6-6-2. Maybe if the D&RGW bought them when the Uintah Railway closed.

Well, the Colorado and Southern did look at maybe buying them when the Uintah Railway was shutting down (though they decided not to). So them remaining in Colorado was a historical possibility. 
 

(Edit - just looked at the bids!! How much do you want it?)

Edited March 9, 2022 by pH

[JZ]

17 hours ago, pH said:

Well, the Colorado and Southern did look at maybe buying them when the Uintah Railway was shutting down (though they decided not to). So them remaining in Colorado was a historical possibility. 

And Baldwin submitted plans for a Mallet version of the K-27. Would be ideal for freights over Durango-Antonito.

17 hours ago, pH said:

(Edit - just looked at the bids!! How much do you want it?)

Yes, I wouldn't be surprised if this reached $750 or more. Then there is the postage, $81 to UK, plus another £120 for a decoder, then fitting lighting, new motor, possibly gearboxes. We could be looking at £300 or more. I was hoping this would be something that 'slipped through' on ebay. Sometimes you get lucky.  At the end of the day, it won't fit my turntables and I don't have the space for a Wye. Besides, it would look silly on a 6 car train.

[JZ]

On 19/02/2022 at 21:30, 2996 Victor said:

 

 

Incidentally, not sure if you knew but there's a very interesting article on the Creede branch in Colorado Rail Annual No.14.

 

Cheers,

Mark

A big thankyou to Mark for pointing me towards this.

Apart from a couple of small tears in the rear of the dust jacket, now repaired, it's in great condition for a 43 year old book. Interesting articles on the private cars and Creede.

[JZ]

It had been planned to go back to Colorado at the end of May. A few days in Durango, with another trip on the D&S, then follow as close as possible the route of the RGS. Then on up to visit Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. November was pencilled in for another trip on the Hurtigruten, my fourth. But all the cheaper cabins have sold out and I don't see the point of getting a more expensive one when all I want it for is to sleep. And now Australia has opened up to tourism again. In 2020, I had shifted my annual leave onto rest day weeks to go back to NSW for five weeks. I had flights, hotels and campervan all bookmarked. All I had to do was open up and click and it would all be booked. Fortunately I waited to see if covid would blow over before booking. It didn't. So.... Dilemma.... Do I do Colorado, something which could be put off until next year, or Australia, which if I don't do it this year, I may never do again. 

[JZ]

Another book arrived today. More interesting from a structures point of view. A brief history of each town and then and now comparison photo's. Though the now is mid 1960's,

[JZ]

The decision has been made, annual leave move request is in. It's Australia for 5½ week October/November. Week in Sydney, 3 week campervan heading north and another week in Sydney before flying home.

[JZ]

The Sumpter Valley Mallet went for £304 in the end. By the time postage, GSP was paid and the cost of fitting new motor, sound and light, this could easily crept up to the £800 mark. Didn't want it that much.

 

Anyway, I have picked up another 9 items of Blackstone freight stock at very reasonable prices and they were fairly local, in HOn3 terms, in Shaftesbury. Two were repeats and have been renumbered. Popped down and collected the other night, then along the road to visit 'Jack Benson' to drop off a gas station that was surplus and swapped it with an Artitec warehouse that will now sit behind the Lucyville stockyards.

 

These cars mean I now have enough of each to run two trains of most stock and as I now have some of all types of freight car that ran on the D&RGW and RGS, I won't be looking to buy anything else. Unless............ No, no, defintely not. Though........... There is a Blackstone caboose on ebay at the moment. And yes, I have put a bid in, but won't go chasing it if it goes above what I have bid. Really just want that K-28 now.

 

 

[pH]

1 hour ago, JZ said:

The Sumpter Valley Mallet went for £304 in the end. By the time postage, GSP was paid and the cost of fitting new motor, sound and light, this could easily crept up to the £800 mark. Didn't want it that much.

And it looked much better when it was a tank engine on the Uintah anyway.

 

https://www.republiclocomotiveworks.com/images/UintahMalletAtAtchee2.jpg

Edited March 17, 2022 by pH
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[JZ]

29 minutes ago, pH said:

And it looked much better when it was a tank engine on the Uintah anyway.

 

Totally agree. And it would fit on a turntable. But on the very rare occasions the tank versions turn up on ebay, they go for eye watering prices.

[JZ]

Just occurred to me, that not only last years March picture was a pipe train, but this years is as well. But you'll all have to wait until next March to see it.

[JZ]

April picture of the month.

473 and 498 leaving Durango with an eastbound freight. May 6, 1956.

 

In other news, Kitwood Hills models have announced and one day only release of HOn3 turntables. I have secured one of only 48 to be made. This is the first time these have been available since I ordered my other in 2019. This will save me converting the Con-Cor N one I have. This will be sited in Ava City. I had originally thought about a wye there, but it would have taken up too much space.

Edited April 13, 2022 by JZ

[JZ]

One of the things done during the RMweb downtime, was the Classic Miniatures kit. Based in the station at Forks Creek on the Colorado & Southern, it is the ideal size for the proposed (a bit like) Creede layout.

 

Also, The Silver San Juan and Rainbow Route books have arrived from across the water.

 

 

Edited April 1, 2022 by JZ

[JZ]

Finally got aroundto putting names on the stations.

These are both plastic kits from Model Power and Atlas that were picked up fairly cheaply. For the time being, they will do the job, but the long term plan is to replace them with suitable laser cut wood kits. Already have a few in mind from Banta Modelworks, Mount Blue Models and Carolina Craftsman Kits.

[JZ]

House at the trestle, Ophir. Banta Modelworks kit.

 

[JZ]

Slightly warmer weather means a return to working out in the shed.

 

 

The steel trestle is now fixed in position and track laid up to it. Just popped out this morning and realised I hadn't put the dropper wires in. DOH. Never mind, I had drilled the holes and, though awkward, they will still be able to be fitted.

Of to a retirement do in Gloucester shortly, so no modelling today. But I still have another seven days off before returning to work, so I plan to get the cliff wall finished and onto the waterfall behind this trestle.

[JZ]

Back out in the shed today.

What better siting for the house at the trestle, than at the trestle.

 

Sited a water tank at the other end.

This is a Durango Press kit of the Quincy & Torch Lake RR. Hardly prototypical for the D&RGW, but I like it.

I put into it's own little diorama this morning, then added it to the layout.

 

Starting to run low on Sculptamold and the Amazon price has trebled since my last purchase. Anyone know where I can get some?

In the meantime I am trying some DAS Papier mache to see how that goes.

[JZ]

Added this little shack behind the water tower.

It's a one piece resin casting of unknown heritage that was given to me by Jack Benson.

[JZ]

First loco on the high trestle.

A little kick where the code 55 joins the 70, bit I filed it down now.

Edited April 11, 2022 by JZ

[JZ]

A bit of paint and a few trees.

Next is to get some powders on it to further blend it in, a few clumps of grass, paint the rails and ballasting. But today, it's off to the South Western Arms at St Denys, to sample a few ales.

[JZ]

An enjoyable afternoon at the South Western at St. Denys with an old school friend. If you're an ale drinker, it's well worth a visit. 9 ales on yesterday, managed 8 of them, halves, not pints, before having to get the train home.

Finally got around to getting all loco's on the Sprog this morning. No major changes, just adjusting some sound levels and setting maximum speed. Aware that clearances were tight on the next section of high line, I took the K-36 out to check. 

A little tweaking was required, but with the Chooch rock face being flexible, I could push it back slightly and also ease the track away. Next is to get it ballasted.

Edited April 13, 2022 by JZ

[JZ]

The trial with DAS papier maché is starting to look like a failure. According to the instructions, a 2cm layer should dry in 24 hours. 48 hours after laying it, a 6mm layer is still wet. So, after a google search for alternatives to Sculptamold, I found a similar product at https://www.geekgamingscenics.com/. called modelling compound, and at a similar price to my last Scultamold. Recommended by several as an alternative, I took the plunge and bought some. Time will tell.

[JZ]

[JZ]

A friend commented that it was highly unlikely that a real railway would be built on such a narrow shelf. I showed him these photo's.

Photo's from TripAdvisor, Antony D'Amato and Durango Train.

Edited April 13, 2022 by JZ
spelling

[Nick C]

21 hours ago, JZ said:

An enjoyable afternoon at the South Western at St. Denys with an old school friend. If you're an ale drinker, it's well worth a visit. 9 ales on yesterday, managed 8 of them, halves, not pints, before having to get the train home.

 

Last time I was in there, they had proper scrumpy, in an unmarked barrel on the bar! Also a very friendly cat, who came to join us... That was probably a decade a go mind you, so I'm glad to hear it's still good.

 

Do they still have rude labels on the taps of the mass-produced lagers? I seem to remember that Fosters was labelled something like "Finest Australian Cat's Urine", or words to that effect!

[JZ]

2 hours ago, Nick C said:

 

Last time I was in there, they had proper scrumpy, in an unmarked barrel on the bar! Also a very friendly cat, who came to join us... That was probably a decade a go mind you, so I'm glad to hear it's still good.

 

Do they still have rude labels on the taps of the mass-produced lagers? I seem to remember that Fosters was labelled something like "Finest Australian Cat's Urine", or words to that effect!

They had Weston's Old Rosie on a hand pump, but no, the lagers don't have rude names anymore.