Industries

As indicated in my 24th May 2020 blog post I felt that having a Reefer based industry on the layout instead of a Timber based industry would be easier to operate and more in keeping with a small layout based on a railroad set in 1934. The significance of the year 1934 is that it was before 1937 when the use of “billboard” advertising on freight cars was banned by the Interstate Commerce Commission, and thereafter cars so decorated could no longer be accepted for interchange between roads. It was also a year after prohibition ended in 1933!

Unfortunately I could not find a meat packing industry that had existed in Leadville at any time, so I have had to invoke ‘modellers license’ and move the Mountain Meat Packing company from Craig to Leadville. So I have dropped the Smith Lumber company in favour of the Mountain Meat Packing company. I have also moved Acorn Petroleum Inc. to the shorter siding previously allocated to Smith Lumber company.  Mountain Meat Packing will be represented by the Woodland Scenics “Clyde & Dale’s Barrel Factory” and placed on the long siding. This should allow for quite a few reefers, boxcars and stockcars. I have also removed the Resurrection Ore Mine as there really was no room for that industry and we already have a Hopper based mine at Climax. The new track arrangement is as follows:

Layout Operations

Trains need to be made up on the front 3 tracks and then be sent around the layout for a few laps and then brought into one of the sidings and switched accordingly. The train then makes a few more laps before going into staging and being reconfigured.

Although Denver’s RailRoad’s cannot be put back together again before December at the earliest the Kato Test Track, described in my 20th May 2019 Blog post, is alive and well and after a quick rub with a Peco track cleaning block I was able to run a locomotive around the loop.

So as I have 6 months with no activity on the main layout I have decided to look to see if I can extend the layout into a workable railroad. The following photos show the layout as it is today.

The original trackplan, drawn in Anyrail and built as per the above photos, looked like this:

Although Denver’s RailRoads new home is built the home for my wife and two Boxer Dogs is still a fair way off. So this is what it now looks like inside:

My railway modules are in there – somewhere, along with a couple of hundred storage boxes and some furniture.

Furthermore, although the modules made the trip ok the adjustable plastic legs (see top photo below), which were strong enough to support the modules, were not strong enough to support the weight placed on top of the modules in the containers (see bottom photo below). That’s a big deal as I have no idea of how I am going to lift the modules and attach new extension legs. I may have to build new L girder supports and then detach the modules from their current L-girder supports and move them (with some help) over. I would like to raise the bench-work by about 4″ so that’s a strong probability.

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.

I have now posted the entire “Railroad Activity since 1850” onto the web site at https://denversrailroads.com/Timeline.htm. You can find it on the reference>general reference information tab.

There are 153 events listed by date and by group. Groups include manufacture dates for 50/60s locos, complete trailer activities, fallen flag dates and name trains that ran through Denver. This should help anyone trying to create a prototype railroad in the 50-70s period.

Installation will commence on April 3, 2020 for our new 13m x 7m stand-alone garage home for Denver’s RailRoads in Western Australia. On the other hand we are still waiting for the house plans to go with the garage! It is hoped that some of the modules from the old layout will be delivered and set up soon, but they may have to wait until the house is complete. However I am expecting that I can start building and painting kits in earnest long before then.

Yesterday, the foundation was poured for our new 13m x 7m stand-alone garage home for Denver’s RailRoads in Western Australia.

Photographs, documenting our progress, will be published as developments occur.