With the extra meter added to the length of the new garage I have been able to design a small but adequate yard to represent the CB&Q 38th St. Yard and the UP 36th St Yard. They would never have shared the trackage but on my layout they will have to! I now have a 3 reasonable sized yards, the D&RGW North Yard, the C&S Rice Yard and this new CBQ-UP yard.

The new yard is alongside the D&RGW North Yard but only has one crossover connection to allow trains to enter Denver Union Station directly or via the Wye used for turning passenger trains. The crossover also provides access to the engine facilities for both UP and CBQ on the station module. Two yard leads have been provided, one back at Utah Junction and the other doubles with the UP industrial trackage that ran alongside Wynkoop Street.

As long as the track has not actually been laid the Denver’s RailRoads track plan is open to change! The latest change is the moving of Module 12 down by about 18″ giving an aisle space of about 3′ (1m) all the way around the module. A large area of 4m x 1.8m (12′ x 5′) has also been created in the Prospect Junction area. Although I am tempted to add more track I do not intend to do so, or at least not before the current track is laid as planned. Having said that, the movement of Module 12 to increase the aisle space between Modules 11 and 12 has resulted in an increase of 11″ – 21″ to the tracks departing Bond for Glenwood Springs and for the passing siding going into Gore Canyon. This siding, or passing track, can now hold 36 40′ freight cars, 2 Locomotives and a Caboose.

Given that the Winter Park to Granby passing track can hold a 48 car train my goal of running trains of around 20-30 freight cars is very doable. The staging tracks at Grand Junction can hold trains of between 25-30 cars. The staging tracks on the Joint Line are shorter but 3 tracks can hold 25 car trains.  The snip below shows the new positioning of Modules 11 & 12. To view the latest version of the full track plan click here.

Our new 42′ x 22′ (13m x 7m) layout room is ready. Ultimately it will house my 37′ x 16′ N Scale layout built as an island with a 3′ aisle all the way around and a large 4′ (1.3m) aisle  in the centre together with a 12′ x 8′ (3.8m x 2.4m) crew lounge area. The layout will be the exact same configuration as the old Townsville layout, expect that the Prospect Jct. module 5b (see track plan at https://denversrailroads.com/Denver/DR-Layout/DR110.JPG) is now 3′ wider and consequently the tracks have been re-designed to take advantage of the extra space and to create a better Wye at the entrance to Denver Union Station.

A longer run could have been created by building the layout against the walls of the Garage. However that would have meant a module depth of only 18″. By building the layout as an island the full 3′ depth can be utilised. This design choice is particularly effective for the Denver Union Station and return loop modules.

Unfortunately the Garage must be used to store household furniture and the like until the Home is built later this year. But once all that stuff is removed the outside modules should bolt back together with a minimum of effort as they were placed in the container with their legs intact. The centre modules had to be transported without their legs so will be somewhat challenging to connect to the outside modules.

Right on schedule the framework for our new 13m x 7m stand-alone garage/shed home for Denver’s RailRoads has started and is expected to be completed by next Wednesday 8th April 2020.

No windows and only one large rolla-door for moving the modules in. Unfortunately the shed will have to be to store our furniture for the time being. But hopefully I will at least be able to set up a work table for kit making and coupler replacements.