Thanks to the friendly members of the Sun N Sand club in Scottsdale, Arizona, on a recent weekend I was able to run trains for the first time in three years. The Rio Grande PA's and the California Zephyr car set which I had purchased several months ago finally came out of their boxes. It was a thrill to see one of my trains running again. This opportunity began a week earlier when I had dropped by the club's layout and was impressed with the energy and friendliness of their club. After taking a few pictures  of their layout, I shared a few photos of the MK&P layout. I even got an invite to become a club member. Too bad I live four hours away and then for only five months of the year. Plus my unpredictable schecule makes it nearly impossible to participate in an regularly scheduled activity.

I had visited the park a couple years ago. An account of the visit can be found in the March 10, 2008 entry in this Journal. The Sun N Sand is one of three clubs occupying a building in  McCormick Railroad Park. While making my recent return visit I learned they are scheduled to move into a new a new building being put up by the Scottsdale city parks board to house new layouts for the N, HO, and O scale clubs. I decided whenever I again had a weekend in Phoenix to make a longer visit with the club to find out more about their project. It was on this second visit of the summer when I ran my California Zephyr.

Fortunately for SNS one of the club members owns a commercial property with some empty space where the club stores their NTrak modules. And that is where they are buiilding their new layout. The bench work is built in sections which will be separated for moving and installation in the new building. SNS is one of the oldest NTrak clubs and their lengthy experience building modules shows in this construction. They are using 1/2 inch plywood for light weight. The sectional approach also allows wiring to be done without crawling under the layout. The layout will have separate wiring for DC and DCC. Because several members have locomotives without DCC installed, it was decided to retain both DC and DCC control systems. This sort of dual system likely will not be needed when this generation of modelers has been replaced by a new generation.

Last month on another weekend I attended the Spring meet of the NMRA Arizona Division in Flagstaff. The clinics focused on the experience of the host club shifting to more formal operating sessions on their HO scale layout. A final presentation was made by a member of a Scottsdale HO club. He showed how a club could move from the track warrent style of operation being implemented by the Flagstaff club to timetable and train order operating. TT&TO operations is all the current rage in model railroading circles and I thought this was the clearest explanation I had heard of how to begin TT&TO operating. TT&TO was certainly a prevelant mode of prototype operations during the steam and the transition eras. I was interested, however, if any railroads were currently operating under this system. After the presentation I approached the presenter with my inquiry. His response was I should "grow up" because I would never be permitted to operate on any quality layout without learning TT&TO. He asserted any other system is little better the "sending up smoke signals. I would suppose the fellows in the UP Omaha dispatch center might be a bit surprised to hear they are just sending up smoke signals. And I certainly hope TT&TO is not a requirement for a quality layout. While I understand it is incongruous to be using radio dispatching on a steam era layout, would it not be equally out of place using TT&TO on layout featuring contemporary mainline railroading? And is CTC only appropriate for dull-headed operators?

 The rail yard at the South Rim in Grand Canyon is undergoing significant modifications. For more years than I have been in the Park several tracks have had no connection with the rest of the yard. The Park Service has decided to remove these un-used tracks and put parking for tour buses in their place. From a practical point of view this makes a lot of sense, but it does remind me that the days when rail travel had large significance for the the Grand Canyon will never return. It was, after all, the Santa Fe railroad which built the El Tovar hotel, Hopi House, and Bright Angel Lodge. The railroad was a major player in tourism development in the Grand Canyon. Those rails which were being pulled up were at one time required by the level of rail traffic to the Canyon. One train a day, sometimes two, handle all of the current rail passenger traffic. The American Orient Express had been making a few visits each summer to the Canyon, but no more. Although the successor train to be operated by Xanterra will likely be seen here at least a few times when it begins operations next year.

I have also managed to squeeze in a small bit more railfanning at one of my favorite locations just west of Flagstaff. This train has just completed the climb out of flagstaff, one of the steepest grades on the line in Arizona. Only two lead units and two DPU's on the tail managed to get these containers up the hill. Many trains have a much larger power requirement. This entry has not had any central theme, just accounts of unrelated experiences since returning to Arizona. Maybe I can manage something a bit more coherent for my next entry.

Posted by The Station Master at 12:01 AM CDT

Updated: Wednesday, 28 July 2010 1:23 PM CDT

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I hardly took notice of the first symptom this past summer. Only a small thing which hadn't happened for going on three years. After arriving back in Death Valley, however, yet another recurrence was followed by more and unmistakable signs that the illness was returning. At the time, purchasing the UP 1995 Rio Grande Heritage locomotive seemed like a nostalgia thing. I thought the model railroading bug was permanently dormant. But then, something which had interested me since my early days in the hobby, the new DD40AX Centennial model caught my eye. Full blown relapse was becoming an increasing threat. Strong enough now to put me into an armchair. Reserving the new run of the California Zephyr eleven car set made it clear the disease was progressing. Of course those cars need locomotives to pull them, don't they? And I've always admired the Alco PA's. Those striped Rio Grande units will look great at the head of the California Zephyr. When reserving three of Fox Valley's ES44AC's I was nearly in a fever. So what's the problem with a couple SD70AC's? PWRS had a great sale on an SD-60M with the new BNSF swoosh logo. Buying on-line is so easy!

Is there any cure? Is all of this leading anywhere? Difficult to say. I am back in the armchair I occupied for so many years, contemplating what could be done with that hypothetical basement (maybe not entirely hypothetical). What might I put in that sort of space? Certainly not anything so grand as was planned for Augusta Station and the Missouri Kansas & Pacific layout. You do not go from the Mississippi to the Rockies in a basement. Work on that project, however, has given me a clearer perception of what sort of layout will best suit me.  Sorry Missouri and the Midwest, my heart and perhaps my talents are still more in the western mountains than the eastern USA.

While sitting in my armchair where am I looking for inspiration? I have loved riding the Durango & Silverton twice in the past two years. The scenery is spectacular. Spending winters working in Death Valley National Park is exposing me to railroading in the California and Nevada deserts. This area provides a setting for the newest project layout in the pages of Model Railroader magazine. I've made brief visits and plan on future ones to Tehachapi and Cajon.  Working in Grand Canyon National Park gave me the opportunity nearby to see heavy transcontinental traffic on the BNSF mainline. Long strings of intermodal cars filled with colorful containers behind the latest motive power make a powerful impression.

So what to do with that hypothetical basement? Working on the MK&P layout reaffirmed my preference for N scale. Although I love the DSNG, I am not ready to venture into Nn3. The Colorado Midland would offer a standard guage alternative. However, the rolling stock of that era was not nearly so colorful as contemporary freight cars. Tehachapi and Cajon have been modeled several times and I have never been a "me too" sort of person. Would a double track transcontinental mainline layout fit into a small basement? At least in N scale it should be possible to realistically model big mainline action. Such a layout would likely require several operators or else have a railfan orientation watching continuously running trains, possibly computer operated. At  least for now, something else has caught my imagination.

On three occasions I have traveled to south central Colorado to ride on the Rio Grande Scenic Railroad. For me, the steep and winding route over La Veta Pass is what Rocky Mountain railroading is all about. Passenger trains headed up with a steam locomotive carry tourists between between Alamosa and the town of La Veta. This tourist passenger train operates on the rails of the San Luis & Rio Grande, a freight hauling railroad. While not numerous there is a diversity of rail customers. The SLRG connects with the Union Pacific at Walsenburg providing interchange traffic. Operations are uncomplicated and laid back. Meaning it should be quite comfortable for one or two man layout operations. The railroad has only five diesel locomotives and owns no freight cars. That limits the need and hence the expense of many custom decals and painting.

The SLRG would be a fine candidate for a prototype styled layout. But I prefer freelancing. I do not have patience for doing the detailed research. Nor am I confident enough of my scratch building skills to build a prototypical layout. The SLRG can be a suitable reference for a freelanced layout, however. "Fantasy" and "freelance" are not synonymous. I like to keep my layout concept anchored in real life. Freelancing gives freedom to draw from favorite locations on more than one railroad and space for artistic license as well. Arriving at a realistic appearance by finding an appropriate blending of those things is for me part of the fun of freelancing.

As I see them the essential elements of the San Luis & Rio Grande are a short line railroad serving a broad alpine valley in Colorado by providing a connection via a high mountain pass to the mainline of a class one railroad. Many of the customers are agriculture related, but others exploit natural resources for industrial purposes. Tourist trains are an additional source of revenue. What else would I like to add to these essentials? While a short line can provide relaxed operations, I also enjoy watching mainline action.  Making a mainline double tracked allows for continuous traffic without a lot of operator attention. I am also fascinated by industrial structures and the switching activity associated with industrial districts.

So how to bring all of these interests together? The most obvious question is how to bring together the rural character of the SLRG with my mainline and urban interests. I think the answer lies in earlier operations of this route while it was still part of the Denver & Rio Grande railroad. In those days, trains originated in Pueblo.  So for my layout let us suppose the connection to a mainline is located in a modest size city rather than a sleepy small town such as Walsenburg. I would want to avoid modeling a large yard, so the interchange point would be a simple siding where my short line would drop off and pick up cars. The mainline would quickly disappear in the direction of the city center. Let us locate this interchange alongside an area with industrial activity provided for by the mainline road. The mainline switch jobs would originate in an off layout yard. That yard would in fact be a hidden staging yard for the entire layout.

But how do you have a double track mainline co-exist alongside a short line? That would be where the climb up to a high mountain pass comes in. While the short line train is climbing up the mountainside, at the bottom the mainline trains are speeding past the foot of the mountain ridges. Mainline tracks need not be in sight for a great length to provide views of hot shot intermodals, a coal drag, or manifest freights. The mainline would pop into a tunnel somewhere before the short line crests the alpine pass.  Thus the short line is allowed to descend into the valley which belongs to it alone. At the center of the valley is the hub of short line operations. From it's small yard the line would continue toward the far side of the valley. A branch would proceed back along the valley floor in the direction of the mountain pass. While the SLRG mainline connection is the Union Pacific Railroad, I prefer the BNSF paint scheme. The BNSF will be my choice as the mainline partner for the short line railroad.

Such a layout as this would have point to point running at the relaxed pace of a short line, industrial switching, and railfanning a busy mainline. There would be several options for enjoying the layout. Not feeling ambitious? Just start a couple mainline trains; then sit down and watch the action. You're alone but want to spend a couple hours running a train? Pull together a few cars from the short line yard and head out of town on one of the two branches. Not as much time, but you still want to run a train? Then do a bit of switching in the industrial district. Would you like to have a couple guys come over for an evening of operations? Just fire up the whole layout and have at it.

Posted by The Station Master at 10:35 AM CST

Updated: Saturday, 2 January 2010 12:45 PM CST

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In  my previous post I promised to make fewer trips to Las Vegas from Death Valley this season. So much for that promise. I have failed to go there only one week since arriving here in October. The purpose of my trip this weekend, however, was train related. The Southern Nevada N Scale club was hosting a NRMA meet. I was unable to attend Saturday due to my work schedule, but on Sunday I headed for the city. The club has a number of oNeTrak modules which were set up on the patio behind a member's house. It was a sunny day (what else in Vegas?) but a bit on the chilly side.

The layout was configured in an end-to-loop arrangement. Most of the modules were oNeTrak, but a few standard NTrak modules were included. The NTrak modules were easy to spot because they had low sky boards. Some members were operating trains using a switch list produced on a computer by one of the members. Or you could just run a train with no switching.

Posted by The Station Master at 1:40 PM CST

Updated: Tuesday, 17 November 2009 2:03 PM CST

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Several months have elapsed since the previous Journal entry. Those months have seen the closing of Augusta Station and my personal transition to a new life. It is still unknown if the Missouri Kansas and Pacific layout will make a similar transition. Augusta Station was both a model railroading project and a business venture. As a modeling project it was something of a success. Unfortunately, the business venture was not  successful and the owners of the business were left with no choice but to end the business venture. Some contacts have been made which might allow the MK&P layout to become a small part of another business venture in another location with other owners. It is an uncertain future, however, and the layout as so many others may become nothing more than another load for a trash dumpster. So it may be time to reflect a little on what was learned during this modeling endeavor.

One  thing demonstrated by the MK&P layout was not a new discovery, but a confirmation of my belief that N scale is not just for small spaces. In fact, N scale really comes into it's own in larger spaces. In a large space N scale can create sweeping scenic vistas which any other scale would be hard pressed to equal. Development of the layout did not progress to a stage where we could test the degree of detail which can be achieved in N scale. I have seen other layouts which do demonstrate that detailing is possible in N scale to a much higher degree than most persons might suppose. However that may be, the real strength of N scale will always reside in the ability to create big scenes be they magnificent mountain vistas or imposing industrial locations. If scenery is a strong interest for you, I can not think of any scale in which you would be happier.

Before starting this project I had read about building layouts using foam board insulation and also about bench work built with steel studs. I had no experience building with these products nor even seen them first hand. That may have been something of an advantage, however. There were few preconceived notions of how things were to be done. This left a lot of room for experimentation. I am now convinced I would never use any other method to build a layout. Two inch foam insulation mounted on top of an open grid of steel studs and topped off with Woodland Scenics foam risers is the easiest, least complicated, and quickest way of building I have seen. These materials have the further benefit of being uneffected by enviromental conditions of humidity and temperature.

A third thing learned, there is no better use of three inches of layout space than fluorescent lighting of your sky backdrop. This too was something I had seen written about but never witnessed first hand. No photograph can adequately show the profound effect up-lighting has when experienced in person. The flat blue wall behind the layout becomes a glowing, translucent sky. No need to worry about tricky painting techniques to achieve that graduated color from light blue at the horizon to the deep blue of the sky overhead. Just lay a string of T-8 fluorescent fixtures along the base of your sky backdrop. Then hide the fixtures behind scenery which now will be enhanced by a realistic sky. This single technique may do more than any other to lend believability to your scenery.

There were many small discoveries during the past six years. The condiment dispenser which I thought might be a good tool for gluing down ballast proved to be much better for spreading the dry ballast. Another style of condiment dispenser was successful as a glue applicator.  A few discoveries were less than happy. Instant Water proved unsatisfactory as did the black tarry Instant Roadbed. Although we returned for a time to traditional cork, Vinyl-bed (a recycled foam vinyl product) was our final choice for roadbed. And mounting turnout machines on 1/4 inch plywood wasn't a good idea either. But unsatisfactory results are merely a provocation to to look for a more satisfactory method. Using .060 styrene was a much better way to mount turnouts and turnout motors on a foam based layout. Small lessons such as these taught a larger lesson. Progress may come at the expense of prior failures. Discoveries are never made by persons doing what people have always done. When on the cutting edge there is always the danger of some blood being shed. But with proper attention wounds will heal.

I think willingness to innovate typified much of what went into building the MK&P. Perhaps most of the innovations related to the bench work construction. While foam insulation has been seen in layout building for some time using it as a structural material is relatively recent. The transfer of steel studs from the building trades to model railroading is even newer. Because such applications are new, there are few examples and exactly how to utilize these materials has not been fully explored. Hence, there are plenty of opportunities to be creative. Without previous experience in this type of construction, it took me awhile to understand how best to exploit these materials. Perhaps I am a little slow, but it took a bit of time to recognize some of the principles required by  construction of this sort . The open grid of steel studs topped with two inch extruded foam insulation defines the lowest level for any track or scenic features. Plan ahead, you do not want to intrude upon that bottom two inches of foam with gullies or streambeds. Woodland Scenics foam risers and inclines raise the track above that level. To gain elevation most foam construction which I have seen stacks foam sheets like layers of a cake. While this technique is satisfactory for small changes in elevation, it will quickly consume large quantities of foam for major changes in elevation. I discovered a more efficient use of material was to build boxes of foam which can be stacked on top of each other to any desired height. I lost count of how many sheets of foam insulation came into the building. (Certainly more than enough to build a good sized home.) Almost nothing went out. Scraps find their way into later construction so there is almost no waste of materials.One thing which has always bothered me about building bench work it plywood is the tremendous piles of scrap wood it seems to generate. 

 An even more efficient use of materials is to adapt the technique frequently used for plywood bench work construction. In areas where there are no structures which need flat surfaces for support it is possible to use foam pylons (called"risers" in plywood parlance) to support a base for the track. This gives a good deal of flexibility for creating very rugged scenery. Cutting the foam sheets may seem to lead to the same wasted trimming as seen when cutting plywood. However, the foam scraps are very useful for constructing scenery. As seen in this photo, foam scraps can be used as struts to support the wire form over which plaster hardshell is to be laid. Foam scraps can be assembled in all sorts of arrangements to provide scenery forms. Foam insulation board is very versatile. It easily can be cut or shaped with a saw, knife, hot wire, hot knife, or Shurform tool. It is quickly held in place with a hot glue gun. No drills or screws required.

We did make one major change in our construction method. We began with building individual tables supported with 2x2 legs. The tables were then joined together with sheet metal screws. While this worked it did have some problems. It was difficult to keep the joints between tables level. Flat and level bench work is essential for the best track laying. Even though derailments did not emerge as a problem I was not comfortable with this situation.  The last segment of bench work was supported on continuous beams. This eliminated any problem maintaining a smooth transitions between sections of the steel grid. The beams in this case were a modified box beam. However, for any future construction we would have switched to "I" beams similar to those used for floor joists in home building. While the  box beams worked well enough constructing them was too complicated. 

In this bench work photo you will notice the bench work stands away from the wall. The resulting two foot wide aisle, accessible via a duckunder, accomplished two things. First was to provide access from both sides of the five foot wide bench. The second was to give access to hidden staging tracks to be located under the tall mountain ridge. Also note the ledge attached to the wall. A triple track continuation of the mainline would later be mounted on this four inch wide ledge to function as a hidden return route for trains. If you examine the previous photo of the pink foam, you can see an open box exists beneath the upper level of track roadway. This is the box where a hidden staging yard of fifteen tracks will be laid out.

Perhaps the last lesson learned was about track cleaning. With a layout as large as the MK&P there is a lot of track to keep clean. Track in the presence of on going construction and many visitors add to the track maintenance issues. Bright Boys, track cleaning cars, alcohol, paste polishes, and any number of track cleaning solutions were employed. It wasn't until the last couple months of operation, however, that I came upon the suggestion of mineral spirits as a cleaning treatment. I made a trip the the paint department of the local Lowe's homebuilding store. With some denim scrap as a cleaning pad, I went to work with this new cleaning solution. I followed up with a quick pass of a Bright Boy to burnish the rails. The mineral spirits, just as other solvents and cleaners I had used. was effective at removing gunk from the rails. The real surprise was how long the cleaning lasted. I was able to run for weeks without repeating the task. I had discovered some time ago that running trains every day extended the time before cleaning needed to be done again. Likewise, I discovered that after not running trains for a couple days I almost always had to clean the rails again before I could run trains successfully. Not so after using the mineral spirits. With the curtailed schedule of operations which preceded the final closing of Augusta Station, there were extended periods during which trains were not run. It was a pleasant surprise to find that I did not need to clean track before resuming operations. I do not know but I suspect "mineral spirits" are a blend of mineral oil and alcohol or some similar solvent. Cleaning with mineral spirits leaves behind the slightest of oil film on the rails. I am supposing that this creates some sort of protection for the metal rails and perhaps improves electric conductivity. However it works  it does work well as a track cleaner.

It has been a great six years creating the Missouri Kansas and Pacific layout. My only regret is that it could not continue. But life moves on. Right now my model railroading is in a forced hiatus. I am living in one of those infamous 10x12 spaces, a dorm room which I share with a roommate. Although he is a pleasant fellow he is not a model railroader. I have no idea how I could accomodate a paint booth or even a mini table saw into this space. It has been very difficult to manage even a computer and a printer. So, for the time being at least, I have returned to an earlier condition of armchair modeling.

But if at some future date I have an opportunity to build another layout, even if it were only a 10x12 space, how would I build it? I would definitely build my bench work with steel studs and rigid extruded foam insulation resting on "I" beams. Woodland Scenics foam risers and inclines would provide the base for my track. The track would be laid on Vinyl-bed roadbed. The track would be Micro Engineering code 55 weathered rail. I would use Atlas rail joiners, turnouts, and switch machines. I would continue to assemble the turnouts on .060" styrene. Notice a pattern here? Yes, I would build my new layout pretty much with the same materials and techniques we developed over the six years building the MK&P. I would hope to avoid any of the design mistakes which were made along the way. And there were a few, but by in large I was happy with the layout we built.

 My move to Arizona has opened a part of railroading of which I previously had little or no awareness. The railroads which historically existed around the former copper mining town of Jerome would make fascinating model subjects. And the BNSF raceway across northern Arizona offers plenty of action with nearly non-stop container trains. Add in some manifest freights, Amtrak, and a couple tourist railroads and there is more  than enough to keep a railfan happy. In fact I see one of those tourist railroads every day. And while I am no longer on the leading edge of model railroading, I am on living on the edge of something pretty big. You see, I am now living in Grand Canyon National Park and working in the El Tovar Hotel made famous by Fred Harvey and the Santa Fe Railroad.

Posted by The Station Master at 12:09 PM CST

Updated: Thursday, 20 December 2007 4:27 PM CST

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Memorial Day I headed for Denver. I had left a lot of time to just kick back without a lot of special plans. Of course, I had to visit Caboose Hobbies. Doesn't every model railroader when in Denver? But my reason was because I used to work there part time and wanted to check in on old acquaintances. An additional place I wanted to visit was the new Art Museum building. This radical piece of architecture demands the attention of anyone heading into downtown on 13th Avenue. It looks more like a sculpture than a building. Maybe that's the point! This is a new building since I lived in Denver and I wanted to check it out. Inside the walls jut away from you at radical angles and the central stairwell can challenge those of us with vertigo. Finding a way to display works of art in such a space also presents challenges. You don't just hang a painting on a tilted wall. The combination of art shown was just as unusual as the building. Everything from the most modern to ancient Japanese art.

 So what does all of this have to do with model railroading or with trains? I hadn't expected that it would have anything to do with them. That is part of what a vacation is for, to get away from your everyday life. But strangely enough, the visit to the museum did bring me back to a debate sometimes heard about model railroading. Is it art?

Contemporary art certainly questions our traditional assumptions about what art is. Everyday materials and tools which are not commonly associated with art and artists have found their way into art museums. These changes, of course, have been hotly debated and there are plenty of doubters, especially among the public.

I have been over the years very reluctant to say model railroading is art. I am more inclined to call it a "craft". But as I walked through the museum that morning and across the plaza outside I began to think maybe I have be wrong. Other events have also raised the question for me. There are many artists in and around Augusta. So it is not usual they might come into the Station. But when one with a national reputation who has works in museums and private collections around the country brings into the Station another artist visiting from out of town just to show him the layout, I can't help but wonder if he has brought his friend because he thinks of it as art. And when still another artist asks to take photos of a scene on the layout to use as a reference to help him with a painting he is working on, does he consider model railroading to be capable of being art?

While standing on the plaza outside the buildings of the Denver Art Museum and the Denver Public Library and deciding architecture also can be art, I concluded that building a model railroad can be creating an object of art too.

Posted by The Station Master at 4:18 PM CDT

Updated: Friday, 13 July 2007 10:15 PM CDT

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