West Pickering, Craig's Canadian project

[NIRCLASS80]

Looking good.

[Craig Watson]

Just a quick update on the layout as its been a while!

 

Track and point wiring is now complete, the fiddle yard entrance and exit routes are controlled by push buttons via home made diode matrices, the front control panel had push buttons controlling individual points with a few diodes to prevent conflicting moves at the east and west ends of the station.

 

I've also switched DCC systems, I turned 40 in September and my wife treated me to a Digitrax Super Chief system as a present, its been extended with extra sockets and handsets ready for its first outing.

 

I also have installed 4 Tomar Industries 3 head searchlight signals, these still have to be wired once I work out a circuit with diodes again!

 

Work has also continued on the scenics, the two extra boards to take the layout to just short of 20 feet have also been built.

 

I have some pics to sort through and post of recent progress.

 

On the rolling stock front I've just finished a Kaslo CN SD60F and have some minor work to complete a BC Rail C44-9WL.

 

The layout also now has a name, "West Pickering" and will be appearing at Model Rail Scotland in a few weeks representing Bonnybridge Model Railway Club, hopefully we'll see some of you there!

 

Cheers

 

Craig

[Craig Watson]

As promised, some pics of recent progress, mainly quick grabs on my phone.

 

Fiddle yard extension board ready for track.

 

Track laid.

 

Front extension board.

 

 

 

 

Fiddle yard control panel.

 

Loco projects.

 

Cheers

 

Craig

 

[Satan's Goldfish]

I do enjoy this one! Are you likely to do any shows further south at all? (Or am I going to have to wangle any invite up North? )

[PaulRhB]

I do enjoy this one! Are you likely to do any shows further south at all? (Or am I going to have to wangle any invite up North? )

Yeah another Epsom marathon?

Looking great Craig, I definitely thought there was something missing in the first pic

[Craig Watson]

Yeah another Epsom marathon?

Looking great Craig, I definitely thought there was something missing in the first pic

Yeah that was a good one, long trip but great to show the layout off to a totally different audience!!!

 

Who knows, it came about after Glasgow so we'll see what happens!

[Craig Watson]

Lots of progress has been made over the past few weeks with more scenic work carried out as well as bits and pieces such as road lines etc being done, haven't really taken any decent pictures but will get some over the next week or so to update the thread.

 

While exhibiting my sons layout with him at the Kyle exhibtion last weekend I managed to pick up an undecorated bi level coach from one of the traders for £20! It will be finished as one of GO Transit's all over advert wrap cars, there have been a few over the last few years to chose from but I quite like the look of one which carried a BMO/Toronto FC advert for a while so I'll be starting work on designing a decal to see how it goes!

 

It's in white primer for now!

photo 3.JPG

 

Cheers

 

Craig

A project I recently went back to was the above coach, I found the correct picture online and designed the decal sheet with the image, logos and roof exit markings, the idea was car 2041 in its BMO/Toronto FC wrap advert it carried back in early 2008 as per http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1285712 

 

I finally got some time to work on it today and ended up with it just about finished, a few home made decals, plenty of microset and microsol and a little bit of patience has resulted in a new car to add to the fleet for Glasgow!

 

Decals on.

 

Varnishing and reassembly complete, some minor paint for steps etc still to do.

 

Cheers

 

Craig

[PaulRhB]

Says the pic is no longer available Craig. I guess it's one of those dot coverings on the windows so they can see out? What transfer paper did you use to create them as they've settled very well. Must have been a long job

[Craig Watson]

That's strange as I copied the link from the site!!

 

This might work, it's a different pic,

http://abpr.railfan.net/abprphoto.cgi?april08/04-05-08/GO_Transit_2401_ad_car-Union_Station_03-04-08.jpg

 

I used clear decal paper, it's the bare metal foil co stuff, tried it with white too but got better results with the clear, it's not perfect but I'm happy with it, took an age with microsol to get the decal to sit properly!

 

Cheers

 

Craig

[PaulRhB]

Yep that works and proves it's a nice job.

[Craig Watson]

After much burning of the midnight oil over the last few days the layout is now set up at Model Rail Scotland for its debut show, the layout went up ok and is now stocked and ready to go for tomorrow morning, really looking forward to the weekend now!

 

 

 

 

 

Hopefully we'll see you there.

 

Cheers

 

Craig

[peach james]

Having spent weekends in Pickering as a kid, it so looks the part.  The only building which doesn't fit to me, is the McDonalds.  The DQ, tummy hurtn's (Tim Hortons) & the Comfort Inn (at least, that's what I'd label it) all look the part, but I can't think of a McDonalds like that in the area.  Other ideas would be the "Golden Griddle", which used to be @ Pickering Town Centre, (as a stand alone), and there have been (mostly gone now) an couple of older pub buildings.  (There's one @ Liverpool & Highway 2, NW side).  The stand alone McDonalds in the old Metro East Trade Center lands is a "conventional" Canadian McD's, and I can't think of an older one.  (there may have been one in the mall across from the Town Centre, back when there was a Canadian Tire there).  Dad prefered (and I'd agree) with going to Harvey's.  If only he hadn't taken me there with the safety glasses on...

 

Don't make the mistake of having anyone except your joggers, or people walking from the parking lot to anything.  Simply, it just didn't seem to happen when I have been in Pickering.  I certainly was looked at interestingly when I would walk to the GO station...

 

(Dad's house is near enough Brock & Highway 2)

 

James

[Craig Watson]

Thanks James, the Mcdonalds kit was used as it was the only one available so will do until I can find the time to build something more like the ones around Pickering/Ajax.

 

The rest of the business names were taken from the various malls etc around the area that I have memories of from my visits to my aunt in Ajax.

 

Cheers

 

Craig

[PaulRhB]

Have a good weekend and hope someone can catch some videos

[long island jack]

i'll be there Saturday, will have a good look at your work, and try some photos.

 

Ray

[Mike at C&M]

For a person who doesn't normally bother with railways across 'the pond', I found the layout very entertaining.

 

A job very well done.

[long island jack]

well I got there, but as to photos Camera threw a wobbly, don't know why, but these are all I got

 

Craig, hope the goodies work ok

 

Ray

[Craig Watson]

Thanks for the comments above, also the pics Ray, and yes, the goodies worked great!

 

Well, that's the show over, we were packed and on the road for around 18:15 thanks to the hard work of the Bonnybridge members who made it along today, had a great weekend, some minor teething problems but nothing worse than expected given it was its first time out on the road!!

 

I didn't manage to get many pics, what I did get were taken on my phone but the layout got plenty of interest and some really good comments which made it all worthwhile, had a few discussions about further shows but for now its next outing is to Falkirk in November.

 

Here are a few of the pics I managed to get over the weekend.

 

Nice plaque for its first show.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The pic that makes it all worthwhile, a decent crowd watching the layout this afternoon.

 

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this thread so far, when I look back at the very start and read over the posts with advice and encouragement you've all been a great help, now to get the layout set back up at home this week to start work on ironing out some of the small problems encountered over the weekend!

 

Cheers

 

Craig

 

 

 

[Craig Watson]

Found this short video of the layout on YouTube too.

[sjgardiner]

Looking good Craig,

 

Congrats on the first show for the layout.  It definitely has the feel of the suburban east end of the GTA.  I also wanted to congratulate you on the BMO Ad Wrap Car.  That worked quite well and adds some difference to the GO Train.  Next you'll have to re-spray a couple into the two tone barf/baby-poop green scheme to modernize the train

 

Stephen

[Craig Watson]

Thanks Stephen, pretty pleased with how it went and plenty of comments, a few people recognised the GO trains although that's not surprising given the amount of Scots with links to Canada!!

 

Made a start on putting the layout back up at home tonight, it lives in my garage so unfortunately I can't have it at the length it appeared at Glasgow!!

[Scottish Modeller]

Hi Craig,

 

The layout certainly looked good at Glasgow.

 

I only got a short time to watch trains go by but must be a feature for this years Falkirk show?

 

At least then I will be able to have a good look at all the detail bits as well as watch trains go by.

 

Thanks

[Craig Watson]

Thanks Phil, Falkirk will be it's next outing, the G scale is getting a rest this year, heading to New York in a few weeks and have a few trips to shops planned so hopefully there will be plenty more details to look at by then!

 

I have some good pics taken over the weekend by Ian Rankin which I'll get on here when I get a chance, I'm doing an article on the layout for the Canadian Railway Observations e-magazine site too.

 

Cheers

Craig

[Craig Watson]

Some more footage of the layout at 3:55 on the link below.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=voaNDy-uQzo

 

Cheers

 

Craig

[Craig Watson]

As mentioned a few days ago, Ian Rankin who was exhibiting Humber Yard at Glasgow managed to get some good pics of the layout which he has passed on to me, I've attached a few below.

 

Now that I've managed to get my breath back after last weekend I've made a start on making a few minor alterations to the layout, the original plan for the layout envisaged it only being 4 feet wide with the fiddle yard boards being able to be attached to the rear of the scenic boards, this led to the particularly tight curves at the ends of the layout, this was further hampered by the fact that the layout has to fit in my garage so the up and over door needs to be able to clear the end backscene!

 

After putting the scenic boards back up in the garage I was able to measure how much room I had to add a few inches onto the ends of the boards to allow the curves to be eased a little to allow the larger wagons and coaches to run a little bit easier, I've now nearly completed one end and should have the other completed later this week.

 

 The tightness of the original curves can be seen below

 

 

The soft drinks factory and distribution sidings which receive corn syrup and despatch boxcars, the decal sign started peeling off with the heat in the hall so will need to be redone!

 

 

The lumber sidings at the other end of the layout, the Southern boxcars can usually be seen in the sidings adjacent to the real Ajax station as they serve a pallet/lumber yard on one of the industry tracks nearby.

 

 

Toronto bound auto racks.

 

 

Oshawa bound GO train using the eastbound loop platform.

 

 

 

General scenes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheers

 

Craig