Progress since last update:

• Finished laying all of the turnouts on the Denver Union Stockyards section.
• Just got to realign the Kato track and turnouts in Commerce City.
• Then on to Flatirons scenery and kit building.

• North Yard Locomotive facilities — All turnouts laid.
• Cargill, Alpine and RG Motorway Industries — All turnouts laid
• Commerce City Industries — Kato turnouts and track partly laid
• Denver Union Stockyards — Two of six turnouts laid

To be actioned in the immediate future:

• Finish laying turnouts at Commerce City and Denver Stockyards
• Ballast track between Big 10 Curve and Crescent Siding
• Install Flatirons scenery
• Start building kits

Due to the size and complexity of the new enlarged Coors Golden branch the sequence of track laying has been changed to the following:

1. North Yard Locomotive facilities
2. Cargill, Alpine and RG Motorway Industries
   • Scenery can now commence for modules 7 & 8 between Utah Jct. and the Moffatt Tunnel East Portal
3. Commerce City Industries
4. Denver Union Stockyards
   • Ballasting and applying of scenic material for the Denver yards & Denver stockyards together with finalising the wiring and the control panels can now commence
5. Craig Branch
   • Scenery can now commence for module 11 between the West Portal and Craig
6. Repair the Joint Line Return Loop & South Denver Module
   • Rewiring of the control panel will be required here
7. Denver Union Station – C&S Trackage
8. UP Industries & small yard
9. Ford Motor & East Denver Belt Line Lead Tracks
   • Ballasting and applying of scenic material for the DUT, Rice yard & industries together with finalising the wiring and the control panels can now commence
10. Coors Golden Branch

Going well. As at 19th November 2023 — Progress is as follows:

1. D&RGW North Yard Classification tracks:
   • Cork laid Completed
   • Track laid Completed
2. North Yard Locomotive facilities:
   • Cork laid Completed
   • Turnouts laid
   • Track laid
   • Kits built
3. Cargill, Alpine and RG Motorway Industries:
   • Cork laid  Completed
   • Track laid
   • Kits built
4. Denver Union Stockyards:
   • Cork laid Completed 
   • Track laid
   • Kits built
5. C&BQ Classification Yard – using Kato #4 turnouts:
   • Cork laid  Completed 
   • Kato turnouts Completed
   • Track laid Completed
6. Commerce City Industries:
   • Cork laid  Use Kato Set-Track
   • Track laid
   • Kits built
7. Grand Junction Loop:
   • Cork laid  Completed
   • Kato 19″ Set-Track Curves Just started to lay
   • Turnouts laid
   • Track laid
8. Craig Branch:
   • Cork laid Completed
   • Track laid
   • Kits built
9. Glenwood Springs Industries:
   • Cork laid  
   • Track laid
   • Kits built
10. Coors Brewery and Golden Branch:
    • Cork laid  
    • Track laid
    • Kits built
11. Ford Motor & East Denver Belt Line Lead Tracks:
    • Cork laid Completed
    • Track laid
12. Repair the Joint Line Return Loop trackage

Action since June 27, 2023:

1. Connected feeder wires for T428 & T429 to PD4 track and control panel
2. Sorted out the G004/G005 track wiring confusion
3. Cut gaps in PD4 white track as necessary
4. Started to test run a train over PD3 & PD4, returning to North Yard over PD2 & PD5 track
   • Need to fix up to 4 or 5 black spots that prevents the train running without human assistance

Immediate Action:

1. Fix electrical black spots on the main line loop of track that prevents the train running without human assistance
2. Update the Denver’s Railroads (DR) website with links to sites with extensive prototype data
3. Change the timeframe on the DR website from 1947-1969 to 1962-1972
4. Make the track laying change as detailed under “Planning Change” below
5. Finish building the South Denver Kits and start building the DUSTY kits
6. Continue gluing rubber panels on garage floor
7. Send Kato drop-in DC locos to Peter Flower for DCC installation

Planning Change:

Based on a number of operational layouts I have been viewing on YouTube of late, in order to start operations earlier than currently planned, I should build the RG North Yard and CBQ 38th Street Yard next.

This would include building the DUSTY Stockyards, Commerce City and the North Yard industries. I have sufficient stock of track, cork and turnouts to complete this task without a significant expense. There are very few operational issues in this build and once complete would enable operations by using the already laid South Denver loop track as DUT and roots south.

Once complete this would enable an Operating Freight and Passenger Layout between Denver North Yard and Grand Junction Loop & Staging Tracks.

Once complete the following urgent actions would be:

1. Install the remaining 6 tracks of the 7 loop tracks at Grand Jct . . .
   • Install BD-20s connecting to the UP/CBQ main line and the 7 staging tracks.
   • Build the Flatirons scenery on the PD5 module.
   • Build the Winter Park/Moffat Tunnel scenery on the PD4 module
2. Lay Craig Branch trackage and wiring and then . . .
   • Build the Craig Branch kits
   • Activate the two PD4 control panels.
3. Activate DUT, South Denver, Joint Line Loop & Staging Tracks
4. Build the Layout Framework for the enlarged Joint Line Loop & Staging Tracks.
5. Relay enlarged Joint Line Loop & Staging Tracks.
6. Lay additional trackage for DUT area.

Action since June 22, 2023:

1. Glued down 20+ rubber panels on floor of layout room
2. Test run Loco over PD4 & PD2 – electrical black spots problems identified

Immediate Action:

1. Connect feeder wires for T428 & T429 to PD4 track and control panel
2. Cut gaps in PD4 white track as they currently light up for multiple blocks
3. Fix electrical black spots on PD4 track
4. Test run a train over PD3 & PD4, returning to North Yard over PD2 & PD5 track.
5. Continue gluing rubber panels on floor of layout room

Big Picture Tasks for Action — once the immediate tasks have been actioned:

1. Install the Kato double crossover and industry tracks on the DUSTY small loop and then . . .
   • Build the DUSTY kits — its time for a change — and finish the South Denver kits.
   • Install all PD7 tackage and activate the control panel.
2. Install the 7 loop tracks at Grand Jct . . .
   • Install BD-20s connecting to the UP/CBQ main line and the 7 staging tracks.
3. Lay Craig Branch trackage and wiring and then . . .
   • Build the Craig Branch kits
   • Activate the two PD4 control panels.
   • Build the Flatirons scenery on the PD5 module.
   • Build the Winter Park/Moffat Tunnel scenery on the PD4 module.
4. Lay the North Yard and CBQ Yard trackage.
5. Enable an Operating FREIGHT Layout between Denver North Yard and Grand Junction Loop & Staging Tracks.

Next Phase: Activate DUT, South Denver, Joint Line Loop & Staging Tracks

1. Build the Layout Framework for the enlarged Joint Line Loop & Staging Tracks.
2. Relay enlarged Joint Line Loop & Staging Tracks.
3. Lay additional trackage for DUT area.

Actioned since 10th May 2023:

1. Extended BUS wiring to second PD4 (Gore Canyon) module and control panel.
2. Laid cork roadbed to Edna Mine, etc on the Craig Line.
3. Began to install PD4 feeder wires.
4. Laid NO-OX grease on PD6 & PD7 loop trackage.
   • D&RGW F7ABA runs very well on this track
   • Cleaned with a Peco block rubber all of the problem spots on PD2 & PD5 trackage in preparation for laying NO-OX on this track
   • Note that all testing has been conducted at NCE speed notch 10 (16 scale mph)
5. Relocated BD-20s and Accessory point motor controls on South Denver PD11 loop.

Immediate Action:

1. Lay NO-OX on PD2 & PD5 track and test the loop.
2. Lay CRC Di-electric grease on PD3 & PD4 trackage and test with ATSF locos to be used at the AMRA show during June holiday weekend.
3. Investigate and maybe fix the “short” problem running lighted passenger cars on PD2.
4. Continue installing feeder wires on PD4 (Gore Canyon) module and test.
5. Lay Craig Branch trackage and wiring.

Ongoing Action:

1. Fix or replace sticky point motors: P313;315;317;318.
2. Design PD4 control panel diagrams with Visio and install switches and LEDs.
3. Build PD3 & PD4 kits and install scenery.
4. Rewire South Denver PD11 trackage and control panel.
5. Finish building South Denver kits.
6. Test run trains from South Denver to Grand Jct. and return.
7. Lay all of the Grand Junction return loop tracks.
8. Lay DUSTY tracks and build livestock kits.
9. Build kits for the layout trackage laid.