The St. Louis & Denver Railroad - Part III - The Build

[jbvb]

I've used the ME "micro" spikes in two places: I laid a siding using code 55 rail; the micro spikes were small enough that I had no problem with flanges etc. I also replaced the old, larger spikes in a turnout I plan to have judged for the "Model Railroad Engineer - Civil" AP certificate someday. In both cases, I found that if I didn't drill pilot holes, I bent quite a few of them. But they are the right size, more or less, so they look the best in pictures.

[GregoryDeMayo]

.....lot's of progress Greg. Looking good my friend!.....Santa brought me the track laying tool set (Rail Nippers, Spiker and Spike Remover) so I'm running out of excuses.....

Bob:

Thanks for looking in.

I'm glad Santa was that good to you, You'll really like the tool set. It will speed up the process and make your life a lot easier. Drop by anytime and get an up close look.

By the way, the house across the street with the great room for your layout, just had a $46,500 price reduction.

[GregoryDeMayo]

.....the ME "micro" spikes.....if I didn't drill pilot holes, I bent quite a few.....

James:

I just got in my sample of "micro" spikes from ME and you are right, they bend very easily and would not be practical for the whole layout. Since I don't want to go to the trouble of drilling for all the spikes, I guess I'll just keep on cutting the heads of the small spikes.

Now for the funny part........

The sample of "micro" spikes from ME came in last week in a #10 envelope. I opened the envelope and there was a kleenex folded into thirds inside. I unfolded the kleenex and found a small 1" x 2" clear sealed plastic bag containing the "micro" spike samples - all 3 of them. Not 30 or 300 or 3,000, just 3 each!

I almost fell out of the chair I was laughing so hard. All that trouble - addressed, stamped envelope, kleenex, sealed plastic bag - for 3 spikes. I found this very amusing, but I do thank ME for the sample and appreciate their saving me about 10 bucks to find out they would not work for what I wanted them to do.

Oh well, back to modeling.

[ReadingBob]

Greg,

What's up with this? Two weeks with no progess report? I expected you'd be hosting operating sessions by now. Sheesh......some people. You must be spending too much time waiting in line at 4 Rivers Smokehouse for BBQ (we tried to get in their a couple of weekends ago and couldn't even find a place to park).

[GregoryDeMayo]

.....Two weeks with no progess report? I expected you'd be hosting operating sessions by now..... You must be spending too much time waiting in line at 4 Rivers Smokehouse for BBQ .....and couldn't even find a place to park.....

Progress? Operating Sessions?? You have to be fooling with my head - such as it is!

This economy sucks and all I've been able to do is put in 10/12 hour days doing marketing for the business. Who has time for trains? But, there might be light at the end of the tunnel (hope it isn't going to be a train wreck), I've had a few nibbles the last 2 weeks that might turn into some work in the not to distant future.

4 Rivers is always packed. The lines out the door don't seem to slacken around lunch and dinner, but do thin out at opening and in the mid afternoon. Pegi and I called in an order and walked over and brought it home - didn't want to wait in line. Plenty of parking around back - on the north side.

We'll try to get a Northern Division meeting of the Butty Group next month and try to get in there early.

[GregoryDeMayo]

I hope everyone had a good Christmas and a safe New Years eve. I can’t believe that February is here already.

I’ve finally stole a few minutes to report on train related activity. I really have been trying to get this done for a few weeks, but ReadingBob has been nagging about the lack of activity on this thread - so here I go!

I have been doing marketing for the company and it is really starting to interfere with the modeling and cutting into the time I have to work on the layout. I want to get to building a few structures and designing some structures to scratch build, but the time hasen’t been there. But the good news is that I have been able to steal a few minutes here and there and have done a little ballast on the mainline and electrical work in the yard.

I started out by getting the branchline and mainline spiked down fully so it would be ready for ballast. I started with the cinder on the service track lead on the left side of the photo below and ballast on the mainline at the switch for its passing siding on the right.

Exhibit #1 - (S032)

StLD-S032.jpg (122.54 KiB) Viewed 595 times

I then continued the mailine and passing siding out a couple of feet from the switch. I got it out far enough so that I could try adding a little dirt and weeds in the drainage ditch between the tracks.

Exhibit #2 - (S033)

StLD-S033.jpg (162.1 KiB) Viewed 595 times

The next shot is of the branchline and yard tracks where they come off the mainline. The 2 tracks on the left are 2 of the 3 legs of the branchline wye. The 2 tracks in the center are the service track and yard lead converging on an upgrade to the raised mainline. The 2 tracks on the right are the mailline and the mainline passing siding.

Exhibit #3 - (S046)

StLD-S046.jpg (164.96 KiB) Viewed 595 times

The final shot is of a dirt drive going across the one side of the branchline wye and uphill to an as yet undetermined business in a small area between the mainline and branchline.

Exhibit #4 - (S047)

StLD-S047.jpg (151.97 KiB) Viewed 595 times

Well, that is about all for now, back to 1:1 work. See y’all next time.

[gnatshop]

Time Moves On!!

Here you are working 10-12 hours a day, and I'm retired and still haven't got much train stuff done in the
last few months. But everything's relative, and a long as it's still active in your mind, it will get done in
it's time. The ballast work and the dirt road crossing look great.

The guys in the Osram Lamp truck look like they're supposed on a delivery run, but are turning toward the
closest Bar & Grill. They don't like late afternoon deliveries!

I noticed that you bumped Cap'n. Mikes thread. If you like his sense of humor and commentary, you should
subscribe to his UP magazine - it's a hoot!

[gnatshop]

Sorry, it was Part II of your build that you bumpedl
I was just reading the last few posts between you and Cap'n. Mike.
Wonder what happened to him? - he hasn't posted in a while.

[rebel]

Sorry, it was Part II of your build that you bumpedl
I was just reading the last few posts between you and Cap'n. Mike.
Wonder what happened to him? - he hasn't posted in a while.

He, like Longhorn, besides being busy, don't like the banter!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Anyone come to mind? Hey, don't mind me, I like the banter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ReadingBob]

Thanks for the update Greg!

Heads up...possible (more like probable) road trip next weekend (probably Saturday 2/11) to visit the Suncoast Center for Fine Scale Modeling.

http://www.finescalemodeling.org/Openhouse.html

Let me know if you're interested/available!