Post #22

 I mentioned back in Post #19 that I was going to build a terminus track based on the one that was at Aurora. The town was located 35 miles (56km) west of Chicago and located around the Fox River. The terminus was right on the bank of this river as shown in the photo below.

 My HO layout is not based on anywhere in particular in the USA but I have based certain locations on photos I have come across in my research. This one for Aurora stood out and that photo has plenty of modelling elements in it. One photo I have collected suggests that it snows there and the river freezes over. But that would be a too easy model, just fill the area with plaster and spray water over it?

I have dedicated one corner which will be near the trolley shed to be the Aurora terminus. I am calling it that as presently I haven't named anything on the layout. Maybe as I live downunder in Australia I could call it the 'Southern Aurora'

Photo: Vintage Rail Journeys

I chose this corner to work in as I was able to use flex track as it won't be laid in a roadway. By doing a combination of road and non-road construction this has allowed me to progress the layout quicker and also adds some variety in tracks.

I then cut away the edge of the baseboard down about 30mm to allow for the river to be modelled at a lower level. At least the outer boards were of around 80mm wide boards so it could be cut down readily. I also added a corner bracket there for more strength.

Ready for the cut, no going back now

 

The track in my usual fashion ran inwards and not parallel to the edges, I'm sure it looks better. I used a jig saw to make the longer cut in the front board, and it came out close to being level. One thing I have to be mindfull is that everytime something is attached to the baseboard the added weight will be required to bourne by the two pivot points, so I hope I haven't reached the breaking point (yet). So the river bed was made with some scrap plastic and cut out around a vertical support and lined up to fit the edges.

Work in progress

Ready for the river

One thing that I had rescued from a previous HO railway laout was a timber bridge model that had come out well. It had four support walls as well giving more character to the bridge. Although I didn't notice any at the real Aurora terminus I decided to include it at my terminus. The only problem was that there had to be two sides for the bridge and on one side there was limited space to fit anything in. It comes up close to the crossing loop so by the time the scenery gets done around it there won't be a lot of water showing. Anyway it gives a reason for the bridge.

To simulate the river I used some texture paint applied with a sponge to the plastic, this then gave a rippled effect to simulate movement in the water. After this had dried I then applied some Tamiya Flat green over the white texture paint. As this gave a flat finish I then painted gloss Mod Podge over the green paint to end up with a gloss finish. The river near the edge was painted a Tamiya Buff colour to simulate shallower water than the middle. A previous river I made for my On30 narrow gauge layout required $150AU worth of resin. I wasn't going down that road again and tried to do it on the cheap.
 

River and bridge in place

I finally got the river glued into place and I am about 90% happy with the outcome, the gloss certainly gives a good appearance of flowing water. I regret I had prematurely cut the plastic not parallel to the track thereby loosing an Aurora style river bank appearance. Anyway I am sure it will come out alright. Plenty more scenicing and track ballasting yet to do.

Post #21

 One of the key factors in the layout design has been the unexpected purchase of an Electroliner set recently. It was too nice to let it go and I immediately purchased it. This rush of blood made me realise that the whole lot of previous planning of a layout with just trolley cars was now altered. As this set is made up of four articulated cars you could almost call it a train. But in real life most of its journey between Chicago and Milwaukee was on a railway like right of way where very high speeds were attained. But at the other end of its operation it was also able to negotiate street trackage and elevated systems and sharp curves to get to the terminus. It was the sharp curve situation that was going to effect me in the layout design.

Oh for some overhead

 Prior to sending the unit away for a decoder fitout I read that the unit was suitable for ten inch radius curves, so I promptly set out making paper templates, cutting them out and laying them all over the layout to try and find a final design.

The Electroliner was the first unit that I required to be decoder fitted as this was going to set the minimum radius curve size. I still had that magic ten inch figure that I was hoping for. Late last week I got notification that the decoder had been fitted and it was ready for collection. Last Saturday was the day and luckily it coincided with a model railway exhibition where I was able to receive it. It was also fitted out with a sound decoder which compared with either a  diesel or steam sound decoder I must admit sounds pretty boring. Sometimes you felt that even before it was fitted out it was already making a similar sound with the existing motor! Anyway it has been done and has a nice horn and compressor sounds. And also the two bells which I presume is some sort of conductor communiciation with the motorman. Coupled with the head and tail lights it has come out well.

One bit of feedback I got from the person fitting the decoder was the difficulty of removing the body from the chassis to do the work. There seems to be two items the body and the window section that have to coordinate being able to be released together. This was made more difficult for him as apparently it seems like the windows and body sides were assembled before the paint had dried and getting them to release wasn't an easy job, thanks John for your careful persistance. When I received my first locos when there was only one number in my age, the Tri-ang loco bodies were just held on with a screw, so simple but it worked and was so much easier. These days it seems it is pot luck what bit you push or pull to get the bodies off.

 I was running it on my sons layout to see how it performed and I am pleased with the end result. This is one very smooth unit. Having had some fun letting it stretch its legs (the driver probably thought he was on his way to Milwaukee!) it was time to test the minimum radius curves. I had made up a ten inch template and then had a section of flex track bent around into a short section for testing. As soon as I hooked up the DCC the sound unit came on. At least the driver seemed to be ready. I slowly inched up the throttle to number one on the dial and it slowly moved around the bend. But unfortunately it had derailed a couple of tiimes so I was ready to declare the ten inch test a failure. Now I had read on Facebook after I had posed the ten inch curve question that by modifying the diaphragms or adding some weight underneath this could solve the problem. I thought that I would choose to step up and go to an eleven inch radius curve and use this as the basic minimum curve for the whole layout. I am sure traction modellers have a laugh at rail modellers when they say they can go around eighteen inch radius - hey try traction land where we can do an eight inch curve!.

The failed 10" radius

It was a case of back to the drawing board and make the next one up - an eleven inch radius template. Eventually I made up something that looked like it would work. The track laid was taken up and reconfigured to an around eleven inch curve. So after getting it all ready, controller hooked up, unit on track it was tried out and after about ten trips back and forward it was deemed a success resulting in nil derailments.

Successful eleven inch curve

So that's where things are up to at the moment. The Crash Test Dummy has done its job, only issue it may have caused some problems now trying to fit in curves that are now one inch broader. But now the minimum radius has been determined the next step is to lay out the rest of the layout design. I hope it all fits!

Post #20

 Well the time has come to lay the first track on the baseboard. The concept plan has been worked out, the baseboard and frame have been made so I am making a start finally. Time flies and it has been over a year or so since South Coast Traction was first thought of.

I was always wanting to make the plan of the track layout as interesting as I could make a traction layout. I wanted to steer away from parallel running along the baseboard edge. I know most cities are laid out in this format but when you only have an 8' x 4' to work with it needs to be as interesting as I can make it for operation. As previously mentioned the invention of DCC in relation to a traction layout is certainly a game changer. A previous layout could only use DC and ran with a multitude of switching a DPDT switch up and down to choose between two controllers, well no more of that with DCC. The only downside of that is all my DC trolleys now have to be fitted with decoders.

On a previous post I mentioned that I like to lay out track and buildings on the baseboard to get a visual and feeling to see how it will look in the future. I have cut out 10" radius paper templates to accomodate the Electroliner which will then have trackage rights over the whole layout. A model exhibition and sale day attended recently resulted in acquiring a few more buildings and other useful items to go on the layout. A bonus was a box of buildings that included the Walthers Merchant row of buildings already assembled, although the painting was a bit rough but that can be fixed when I get around to that part of the project.

The above photo shows the track swinging away from the basboard edge to present a more interesting curve and add some character. This section may even acquire some centre street poles just for a difference. All the buildings I have so far are only up to three stories tall, I think that many multi story buildings would a view blocker type effect so I won't be using them.

Also to add some interest as can be seen in the above photo I am going to incorporate a standard gauge siding to a factory that will run from the edge of the board to just inside the board to a factory. I will place a loco and a box car on the line somewhere. Originally the line was going to dive down in a cutting under a road bridge but after attending a sale day I acquired two dummy crossing signals that made me change to a level/grade crossing. I am going to try and get the siding a dual purpose one and erect some overhead and use it for the traction layout as well. I have a freight motor and a PE model of Electra that can be used.

Next post I will start on the trolley barn tracks.