Sunday, April 27, 2014

Bow Creek is up and running

Hi All

With a concerted effort, Bow Creek has been wired and is now fully operational.
I have set up a couple of shots, with 166 with DL39 and CL5 crossing EL53, CL6 and GM20 on 347.

I have installed a backdrop, so this hides the staging yard.
Anyway here are some shots of a classic cross shot.












More later, Cheers Scott

Monday, April 21, 2014

Bow Creek track work almost done

Hi All

Here are some of the latest pictures, I have finished the majority of the track work in Bow Creek.
After messing about I have settled on the track arrangement which removes a runaround and adds a triangle.
I had been looking at keeping the oil sidings separate from Bow Creek yard.
However, in the end this version creates more movements.
Bow Creek, will be serviced from Alice Springs, via a shunt movement.
The locations include:
Left to right:
Oil Siding.
Ballast siding.
Crane - storage siding.
Cattle siding.


 These three tracks are from left to right, Mainline heading south, Bow Creek crossing loop, Bow Creek goods siding.  These tracks then join the rest of the staging tracks, and goes behind the back drop.
 Bow Creek, looking north towards Alice Springs.
 East end of the triangle.



This set up is as good as it gets to have a second yard on the layout, and having a staging area.

What remains is to solder all the track joins, add droppers, install the autoreversers.

Then I can start roughing in the scenery, for Bow Creek, I wanted the three tracks that lead to the staging yard to be partially hidden behind a cutting.

I had also looked at putting some old narrow gauge trackage in there somewhere, maybe maybe.

Anyway lots to do, have a good one.

Scott

Sunday, April 20, 2014

Alice Springs progress almost there with the track

Hi All

Here are some quick pictures of the progress on Alice Springs.
Bow Creek is almost finished with track laying, Cattle siding, storage - crane siding is laid.
Mainline, crossing loop and good siding are all glued down.
Just need to complete the ballast siding.

This will give Alice Springs another dimension, with shunt movements to and from Bow Creek.




Hobsons Bay model Railway Exhibition 2014 report.

Hi All

The twenth Hobsons bay model Railway exhibition was held this weekend, and a couple of new layouts have sprung up.

The first of which is Wallan, in HO scale.

I sprung Jon and Doug drooling over it.

This layout is a clear example of how the hobby has changed, tackling this in N scale in the day was simply a triumph.  Now attempting this exercise n HO scale, thanks to the manufactures, modelling this era is not so hard.
 The line up in the yard of Wallan, most of the manufactures have contributed to the building of this scene.
Not quite sure about the "rolled dooby" clouds on the cut my head off back drop.

 Great presentation of the station buildings.


Overall an interesting approach to a very big chunk of VR, signals are working.  Unfortunately like most VR layouts weathering is almost no existent.
Doug had to touch the sign!

Another new layout is Binalong, so I am told in NSW bin is actually pronounced byn (as in a bind), thus byn a long.  I don't get it, you don't side knee, when you pronounce Sydney, but this is the way it is.

The seamless backdrop is a clear advanced feature.




 A royal steam engine crosses two CFCLA EL class, ugg!
 A truck overloaded with steel, ran into the biggest NCE controller which was placed under the railway bridge!
 Great presentation of the yard, however the use of curved boards could have been accentuated the track curvature that is right through the actual yard.


Here are some prototype pics, taken way back in the late 1980s.

 The bridge at the south of town,
 The station with the great curve through it.
 Check out the super elevation, check out the steam engine water towers, yes this is the 1980s!





Another NSW layout , modelled on a mill in suburban Sydney, this has really come along since I last saw this layout.
An effort has been made to hold it to an era, bit two thumbs up guys!  A great step forward!
I think it is modelled in the early 1990s, nice application, just need to watch the out for the out of era containers, and things like the Aldi truck!

However, absolute proof that you dont need heaps of points and signals or even a station to make a very interesting operational layout.




 One of the few examples of an intermodal terminal that actually has some room to move, does not seem to be impossible to operate.







Healsville




 Two 49s at the mill, I remember Glen doing these sort of jobs (back in the day).  More sound than movement, and turn the marker lights on and see all the rust holes around the bottom of the nose!


Overall

It was worth checking out this exhibition.
Glad to see the Aussie only layout exhibition tradition continues, even if, it now seem to be limited to Victorian and NSW layouts.

Enjoy

Scott