Denver & Colorado
Recording the progress of building the Denver’s RailRoads N Scale layout
All genuine posts are welcomed and will be acknowledged. Please submit your first post by email to: dennis@denversrailroads.com
End of Year 2023 Review
Current Action through January 2024
- Finish laying the track for the last quarter of the Grand Jct return loop and staging
- Redraw tracks for Coors/Golden branch in CADRail
- Change wiring to reflect direction of trains (currently wired as a loop)
- Test and run main line trains
- Prepare to start building kits and/or scenery
- Finish building South Denver kits
Progress to date and 2024/25 Action Sequence
- Coors Brewery and Golden Branch:
- Cork laid
- Track laid
- Kits built
- Glenwood Springs Industries: Cancelled
- Cork laid Cancelled
- Track laid Cancelled
- Kits built Cancelled
- Craig Branch:
- Cork laid Completed
- Track laid
- Kits built
- North Yard Locomotive facilities:
- Cork laid Completed
- Turnouts laid
- Track laid
- Kits built
- Cargill, Alpine and RG Motorway Industries:
- Cork laid Completed
- Track laid
- Kits built
- Denver Union Stockyards:
- Cork laid Completed
- Track laid
- Kits built
- Commerce City Industries:
- Cork laid . . . Use Kato Set-Track
- Track laid
- Kits built
- Ford Motor & East Denver Belt Line Lead Tracks:
- Cork laid
- Track laid
- Kits built
- Repair the Joint Line Return Loop & South Denver Module:
- Repair track
- Finish building kits
- Wire New Control Panel
- Denver Union Station – C&S Trackage
- Cork laid
- Track laid
- Kits built
Change of Direction . . . Let’s get something finished!
Rather than continue “putting the layout back together” which really means lots more carpenter jobs I have decided to start to build the entire layout starting with Module 1, which already has 5 loops of track installed for the Joint Line return loop.
I have already started to lay new roadbed. I prefer cork but I found that I had a lot of Woodland Scenics foam trackbed left over and as it had already been used in this module I have used both foam and cork.
To be continued . . .
Kato Test layout (aka C&S Leadville Branch line) Update
Back on 20th May 2019 I introduced the test layout on the Blog page and detailed a number of objectives, mainly relating to using the test layout to test a whole raft of electronic options. Initially as part of the layout build I installed a number of NCE BD-20 block detectors and DCC accessory control boards. At that time I did learn a lot about using such devices.
However now that I am going to build the layout as a functioning switching layout I do not think it is worth the effort and cost of installing a lot of electronic devices on such a small layout. Signals would look nice but along with block occupancy lights they are quite unnecessary on such a small layout, where you can see at a glance where all the trains are.
Consequently I am going to remove all the BD-20s and save them for the Denver’s RailRoads layout, which I hope to restart early in 2021. That layout will need a lot of electronics to function as planned. The Kato layout only needs a number of of SPDT or DPST spring toggle switches to change the built in motors in the turnouts. It has a single circuit breaker which should be adequate for such a small layout. The Wye/reversing section could cause a few challenges, but we will see.
Making the electrics simple will free my time up to build a complete operating layout before Christmas (2020) that will provide interesting switching challenges. Furthermore there are 3 or 4 kits to build and some interesting mountain scenery to create. I have already installed the two #6 turnouts between the red and green lines which will improve operations considerably. The next task is to make a cut along the white dotted lines (on the updated track plan below) and raise the 3 tracks at the back by an inch or two. That will improve the scenic look of the layout and maybe also raise the track level equal to the back board of the layout making it much easier to add the 150mm (6″) extension to the layout.
13m x 7m (42′ x 23′) Garage Plans submitted for Council Approval
We have today submitted plans to our local council in Western Australia to build a 13m x 7m (42′ x 23′) Garage to house the Denver’s RailRoads layout. If approved I can set up the old Denver’s RailRoads layout, which measured 12m x 6m, without any changes to the basic plan. However the extra one meter (39″) to both the length and width means that I can make the following enhancements to the layout:
- The redesign of the tracks entering Denver Union Terminal Station (DUT) from the North and East including the Wye used to turn passenger trains so that they could back in to the station.
- The addition of the Union Pacific 36th Street yard and the Pullman yard.
- Widening the aisle width between module 12 and module 3 from 1.3 feet to 4.3 feet.
Phase III Update
Thanks to the hard work of Rod and John all of the Denver Union Terminal (DUT) tracks have been laid and SEEP turnout motors have been installed – wired and tested – under the baseboard. Now onto the laying of the tracks for C&S’s Rice Yard and the passenger coach yards.
Phase II and Phase IV combined into Phase II; Phase V becomes Phase IV
The main line between Glenwood Springs and the Wye at Denver Union Terminal (DUT) is almost complete. I just have to install the Wye track to the north of DUT, (the connection to the east is already laid), and relay two or three turnouts on the main at the Prospect Junction end of North Yard. Then I can connect the remainder of the Kato extender tracks across the module 6 & 7 divide, patch up a couple of broken tracks and start making connections to the control panels, starting back at Black Hawk. Once all of the feeders are connected to the BUS it should be possible to run a train around the loop.
The changes to the Phase numbers will be reflected in the main web site pages in the fullness of time. Reducing the number of Phases to four will align with the planned N-Scale magazine articles.
New Year (January 2019) Update
Although some weeks have gone by, little has changed since the November update. The magazine article has been completed and should be published in the May/June edition of the N-Scale magazine. Rod is still working hard on pre-wiring the turnout motors for Phase III – Denver Union Terminal (DUT). Both John and Rod are currently on holiday.
I have made a breakthrough with the installation of KATO extender tracks between the Belt Line module and the North Yard module in Phase II. I have successfully installed Kato extenders on 4 tracks which paves the way for continuous loop train running. However when I went to lay more track in the yards I realised that because the module is against the wall it will not be possible to install point motors from underneath the baseboard because you cannot reach or see the top of the tracks. It is ok to “pop-up” the baseboard for BUS wiring. Consequently I have began to raise up the turnouts, one by one, and install PECO point motors attached to the turnouts. This has the advantage that once track laying is complete, wiring the turnouts to the control panels is a relatively quick job.
Once the yard tracks, turnouts and motors are installed I will work backwards along the main line to Glenwood Springs. With regard to the mainline all of the turnouts are to be computer controlled, which means that a number of DCCconcepts AD-S8sx decoders will need to be installed, together with NCE BD-20 block detectors. The Grand Junction loop turnouts will also have to be rewired with AD-S8sx decoders and 14 more NCE BD-20 block detectors added. Once complete testing with JMRI Panel Pro and Railway & Co can commence.
Phases 1 to 5 November 2018 update
I am not sure anyone reads this Blog except of course the Web Robots. If you do read the blog please register and make a comment, or send me an email. However the blog was started as a useful place to record the progress on my layout, so I will keep updating every so often.
Phase 1 – the Clear Creek RR continues to progress. All track is laid. All turnout motors are installed. By the end of today all of the BUS wiring will be complete. Golden Station building is complete and five other kits have been completed. In addition the scenery work and ballasting has been completed on the canyons west of Golden. The scene is ready for photographs to be taken for an upcoming magazine article, except for the addition of some model people. This will happen once they arrive by mail from the USA in about 3 weeks time. Two new control panels for Black Hawk (Power District 2c) and Idaho Springs (Power District 2b) are ready and awaiting artwork and connections. Golden is in Power District (PD) 2a, Glenwood Springs in PD2 and the Grand Jct Loop in PD1.
Work will shortly commence on adding the industries and rolling stock into the “Ship It” Prototypical Switch List Generator program.
Phase II – the Main Line from Grand Jct Loop to D&RGW North Yard. All track laying and BUS wiring is complete, and in the process of being tested. The point motors have been installed and are currently being connected to the Power District 2 & 3 control panel and to Relay switches which will change the lights on the control panel to indicate direction. 30 NCE BD-20 track detectors have been purchased for installation in the return loop and the main line. An NCE AIU01 Auxiliary Input Unit has been purchased to link the track detectors with the Railway & Co “Train Controller” computer system.
East Denver Belt Line – all track has been laid and most of the turnouts will be controlled by Caboose Industries ground throws.
Phase III – Denver Union Terminal (DUT). Rod has finished laying track in the main station complex. Installation of the point motors has commenced. This is expected to take some considerable time. When the track BUS and point motors have been tested we will carry on installing the C&S/CB&Q Rice Yard, the coach yards and industrial branches.
Phase IV – D&RGW North Yard and industries and the UP 36th Yard. All work is on hold pending the completion of the work on Phase II as above.
Phase V – the D&RGW Main Line from Denver to Glenwood Springs and a branch line to Craig. Peter has laid all of the cork roadbed for this phase and I have finished the Gore Canyon scenery for the time being. Track laying for this phase will begin after phases 3 and 4 are complete.
