All Aboard

Wiring Underway

2012-01-19T12:55:00.000-08:00

With trackwork complete, I'm in the process of wiring. I built a new "control panel" using some good-looking wood from an old computer desk. Rather than cantilevering out like a miniature desk, as I've done before, I made this one to fit flush against the fascia, with the power pack sitting vertically. It takes less room and doesn't interfere with my reach to the back of the layout.

After wiring's complete (probably in the next couple of days) I'll clean the track and get my locomotives ready for test runs.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-23T13:02:00.000-08:00

We're having a great Christmas season so far, and we're so blessed that our daughters, sons-in-law and granddaughters live just minutes away.

The tracklaying is completed, except for the wharf, which will come later. All of the segments salvaged from my previous layout are connected. I'm now completing finishing touches on the turnouts...soldering in tie rods, connecting ground throws. Next is wiring, starting with installing jumper wires wherever there are rail joiners; I haven't had much problem with bad connections at rail joiners, but I want to build in some redundancy anyway. When that's completed, I'll install my control panel (also salvaged from my previous layout) and do the final wiring. The layout will be broken into 12 electrical sections. Three of those, actually, are roundhouse tracks.

Oh, and the turntable control wheel still has to be installed.

Once all of this is done, I'll lubricate my locomotives, clean wheels, etc., and test run them to check the trackwork. Then it will be time to unpack rolling stock and make sure every car is in good running order.

Beyond that, I'll begin adding scenery and structures, starting with the roundhouse.

Don't know if this blog has any readers or not, but if so, I'd love to hear from you!!

Merry Christmas and all the best in 2012!

Looking Ahead

2011-11-08T13:44:00.000-08:00

I try to "work ahead" on my layout construction. That is, while I am working on one phase, such as tracklaying, I take some time to begin planning upcoming phases, such as wiring. Looking further ahead, I am beginning to consider scenery and structures.

For example, I have been studying a 1917 vintage book on wharf construction, even though that is still pretty far down the road. I originally thought I'd build an all-wood wharf, but now I think it will have be of the paved variety, though with a wood framework; the book I've been studying has several examples.

Another project in months to come is the depot. One of my favorite movies is the Hitchcock thriller Shadow Of A Doubt, which was filmed on location in Santa Rosa, California. One of the early scenes...and one of the last...was shot at the Santa Rosa depot (Southern Pacific, I'm sure). That type of station is perfect for my layout, and it still exists, so there are online photos available. While I don't intend to model that particular depot, I like the look and feel of it and plan to build something similar incorporating some of the features.

The same goes for the residential streets shown in the movie; while my layout only has room for depicting the edge of a residential area, I at least know the 1940s-era look I'm after.

Modeling the look of 1947 is made easier by the wealth of movies and other available material from that year, such as photos on the websites of historical societies, etc.

Tracklaying Continues

2011-11-07T11:50:00.001-08:00

Tracklaying continues, with the end in sight as the sections salvaged from my previous layout are progressively connected, which has involved adding six new turnouts. Above are a couple of views of recent progress

Top Photo:

Looking east. The foreground track will lead to the wharf area. The turnout and the tracks crossing the wharf lead, which will lead to a couple of industry spurs, are laid directly on the roadbed, as this area will be in the middle of a street and no ties would be visible.

Bottom Photo:

The view west. A short runaround track is in the foreground. To the left are industry spurs. The "main", which has a couple of cars on it, leads to the stub-end depot tracks.

General:

Turnout laying is going well, though it has required some careful (and tedious!) alignment where switches closely branch off one another. My procedure is to thoroughly test turnouts during all construction stages by running a couple of my "fussiest" cars...a gondola and a hopper...through them at higher than normal speeds. Same goes for the double crossing...laying that was really tedious and very time consuming; it's done, except for easer rails.

I've also begun installing 6-inch hardboard fascia, which gives the layout a more finished look.

I've still got about a half-dozen switch points to make, and then I'll be able to add tie rods and ground throws.

It seems like it's taking a while to get the track done, but I've learned through experience that it's far better to take time at this stage and get things right.

So, I hope, tracklaying is on the home stretch...then comes wiring.

Turnout Frog Construction

2011-09-01T07:11:00.000-07:00

I've made some slight modifications to my original plan, specifically eliminating three turnouts that are unnecessary. They branched into short...too short...storage sidings near the roundhouse. One turnout will do. So that leaves five additional turnouts I must build. I've started on the components, beginning with the frogs.

My turnouts use "hot" frogs; that is, they are continuously powered and their polarity is subject to the position of the turnout's point rails (more about that in a future post). I use a block of white pine, soft wood that will readily accept spikes, and lay out the frog angle. I only use #6 frogs, so the spread is one-sixth of any given distance from the point of the "vee" in the frog. In practice, I measure six fourths from the vee point and then a width of one fourth. I then spike down one rail along one axis and cut it at the same angle as the other axis, thus producing a perfect No. 6 angle in the vee point. Next, I file a second rail to fit along the second axis. Finally, I add the wing rails.

Now I'm ready to solder. I fill the frog assembly with solder and then file it out to flange depth. I find this makes for a very accurate frog and, though I of course use guard rails, cars seem to go through my frogs correctly even without them.

The photos will, I hope, make all this more clear. From top to bottom...

Photo #1, 2

A finished and installed frog. After soldering and filing, I trim the rails so that the frog assembly is a scale 15 feet long, about 3 inches in S Scale.

Photo #3

The frog assembly before soldering.

Photo #4,5

A frog assembly during the flangeway filing process.

Progess Photos

2011-09-01T06:57:00.000-07:00

Tracklaying Has Begun

2011-08-19T12:36:00.001-07:00

Here's a summary of progress to date:

Benchwork
Benchwork's complete. The layout is divided into five sections, bolted together. Section sizes range in length from 18" to 4', with widths between 18" and 3'. The 18" segment will, with the addition of the "water" attachment, actually wind up being 2' wide. Building benchwork in sections allowed me to do all of the messy, sawdust-producing work in the garage and then perform final assembly in our hobby room (spare bedroom). The only section that would ever have to be removed is the one on the far left (see plan in previous post) of the layout that is in front of the room's single small window, should that window need replacement.

I also plan to add a 6" wide fascia to the front of the layout.

Backdrop
The backdrop is complete. It is blue sky, with a few clouds and light haze, painted on 16" wide hardboard. It curves around the upper right hand corner (again, see plan) of the layout. Space restrictions on the left end, however, require that the 2' long backdrop across that end had to be placed at a 90 degree angle to the main backdrop.

Trackwork
As explained previously, I am able to reuse the track I laid before our recent move. I've been using a handheld jigsaw to cut out sections, place them on the new layout in the required new configuations and fix them in place with carpenter's glue. I will have to lay very little new track, with the exception of the wharf area. Otherwise, the only new track required will be for short connections between the salvaged sections. However, I will need to construct eight new turnouts and two crossings, owing to the more complex track plan.

Progress photos will be posted soon!

Brief Progress Report

2011-07-06T12:50:00.000-07:00

The framework for the five "pre-fab" layout sections is done. The sections will reside in the garage a little while longer, awaiting recarpeting of our house, which will happen within the next two weeks. (We're having 25-year carpeting installed, so I doubt we'll have to repeat the process...in 25 years, I'll be nearly 90!) In the meantime, I hope to have all the remaining lumber for the layout...legs, backdrop supports, baseboard...and the backdrop itself...cut out and ready. I'll do a trial partial assembly of the whole works in the garage, then move the sections to the train room for final, permanent assembly.

Because the Texas coastal area I'm depicting is very flat, I will use a solid baseboard, with any needed slight elevations built up with scrap wood and cardboard. The "downtown" area at the rear of the layout, for example, will be only an inch or two higher than the area at "water's edge." In S Scale, an inch represents about 5 feet. Because this layout is semi-modular, I prefer a solid baseboard. The actual water area will be on a special section to be bolted to the main layout frame. I envision the water's surface as being about 10 feet (2 inches) below the land. Tidal changes down here are slight compared to those in the north. If I were modeling my home town of Seattle, for example, I'd need much higher piers...not to mention much greater land elevation changes to represent the steep terrain.

The lighting is done, thanks to a purchase of four wall lamps, and I have to say I'm very pleased with the results.

Track Plan

2011-06-19T09:13:00.001-07:00

At last, here's the track plan. The area is approximately 8' x 12'. Minimum radius is 36". As you can see, this is purely a switching layout, representing a coastal Texas town at the end of a branch line. Railroad operations in the town are handled by the Gulf Harbor Terminal Railway. The "mainline" road has yet to be named...probably something like Texas Coast Railroad, etc.

The benchwork is already partially done. It will be "modular" with sections ranging from 3' to 4' in length. The sections are being built in our garage and will be bolted together in the "train room." The layout will be 45" high. The backdrop will be 1/4" hardboard, painted to represent sky but with no other detail. In practice, the only section that must be removable is the one at the far left, about 3' long, because it will be in front of a window, which must be accessible in the event it needs replacement or repair.

All of the track laid on my previous layout will be used, to be cut out of the original baseboard by a handheld jigsaw. As in many if not most layouts...and certainly all I've built...there will no doubt be some modifications to the original plan as construction progresses.

All track is within a 24" reach. A stepstool will be needed for completion of the scenery at the very back (a 36" maximum reach) but, once in place, access to that will seldom be needed.

Prior to assembling the sections in the train room, additional lighting will be installed, using plug-in flexible wall lamps.

Construction Begins

2011-06-13T13:42:00.000-07:00

I realize I haven't posted my new track plan yet...coming soon, as soon as I take a digital photo of it. In the meantime, I moved the layout sections from our daughter and son-in-law's garage, where they had been kindly storing them, to our new residence and now I'm getting to work. I'm able to use the 1" x 4" lumber from the previous layout in a new configuration, and today I started the first section.

Cleaning Out Files

2011-06-07T14:24:00.000-07:00

Over the years I've accumulated quite a bit of railroad research material, which I've organized in files. It includes a lot of photocopied stuff from Model Railroader issues that I didn't own; when we lived in Oregon for 25 years I worked in downtown Portland and spent many lunch hours at the main library going through their extensive collection of MR, which went back into the 1930s. Any article that looked useful I photocopied and filed.

A lot of it was useful at the time. For example, articles on Northwest railroads, equipment, structures and scenery were helpful when we were in that part of the country, because I've always preferred to model the region where I live. Now, in Texas, planning a Gulf coast port switching pike which will very probably be my final layout (which I hope to operate into my 80s, health permitting), I no longer have any need for such material. So I spent this afternoon thinning out my files, purging them of items I know I'll never use, such as very large track plans, plans for large locomotives, etc. There were scenery articles with methods that are long outdated. Articles on handlaying track with techniques I've long ago learned. Plans for electric locomotives, of all things! Ideas for making signs, now obsolete because of the computer and the Internet. You get the idea.

I also have a lot of magazines...mostly Model Railroader, but also quite a few issues of Railroad Model Craftsman, S Gaugian, S Gauge Herald and some copies of Trains. Fortunately, we have an extra-large garage where I've placed four old bookshelves, and the magazines are arranged by type and date for easy reference, especially when using the on-line Model Train Magazine Index. There's still plenty of room on the shelves, but I can see the time coming when I'm going to have to prune my collection. If for no other reason, my wife and I don't want our children to have the burden of getting rid of a bunch of "stuff" on our behalf years from now. And, seriously, will I ever read or refer to it again? So I will try to take a little time each month to go through the magazines and clip out and file what I need...or realistically might possbily need, such as plans for cars or structures...and dump the rest.

It's hard for me to part with books and magazines, but I also dislike clutter and I enjoy being organized.

However, I do wonder why I didn't start this process before we moved!

Track Plan and Related Thoughts

2011-06-05T14:39:00.001-07:00

I pulled out a copy of 101 Track Plans (Kalmbach 1956, 1976 reprinting) from my bookshelf this morning before church and flipped through it as sort of a double-check of my track planning ideas. And I realized something about myself. I started reading Model Railroader in the 1950s when I was in grade school and I think that's why I'm more comfortable with the track plans from that era than with more modern planning concepts. Take the example of hidden staging, which virtually didn't exist in 1950s plans.

In a comment regarding one of my posts in September 2009, a gentleman named Darrell quite correctly pointed out that my plan lacked any kind of "off layout" staging. My response was...and still is...essentially that it's not important to me, and I prefer the use of card-order switching and "inbound" and "outbound" yard tracks, which I happily employed in my Idaho switching layout, a very 1950s viewpoint. Darrell's intent was to be helpful and I appreciate that, but I just don't feel the need for hidden staging or any similar device. I think the staging schemes and concepts are great...just not for me.

Now, I might feel differently if I had a layout that featured a lot of mainline running, but I really liked my small switching layout in Idaho and I plan to do something similar now.

Moved!

2011-06-03T07:18:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago today we moved to our home in an over-55 development, about 15 miles from where we'd been living. And now, 90 percent of the moving boxes have been unpacked and it's time to do some serious, final layout planning. The dimensions for the layout will be 7' 9" x 11' 9", so the plan I sketched out for an 8' x '12' area will work just fine. When my pencil scrawls have been redrawn into something legible, I'll post the new plan here.

In a nutshell, there will be fairly high track density, all within a 24" reach, with another 12" behind for scenery and background structures. Scenery, since this will represent a small to medium sized Texas Gulf coast port, will be all urban, though a small corner of a residential area will be represented, allowing at least a few trees.

I expect to be able to use all of the track I laid before, though much of it will be configured differently. More will be needed, of course. Also, there will be space for my small turntable and roundhouse.

Plans

2011-05-12T06:59:00.000-07:00

After considerable thought, I have decided to build a completely new layout in our new home. I originally thought I'd simply reassemble the sections of my dismantled layout (now stored in our daughter's garage) but I think I've come up with a better plan. Fortunately, I will be able to use the track I've already laid by cutting out the roadbed. Curvature standards, etc., will be the same on the new layout, so none of what I've already done will be wasted.

What I enjoy most about model railroading is creating scenes that depict a particular era and locale. I also enjoy switching, rather than mainline running. So I will build a switching layout that has ample room for structures, streets, etc. As with my recently dismantled layout, this will be the Gulf Harbor Terminal Railroad, set in a small, fictional Texas port in April 1947. I'm still refining the track plan, though I can say the layout will be an L-shaped shelf 8' x 12' and will be 3' deep to allow for ample background scenery; however, all track will be within a 2' reach. The layout will include a small roundhouse and yard, a small passenger depot, a pier and a "background" section of business and residential structures. The focal point will be the pier area, which I envision as a crowded industrial district with spurs that cross one another.

The town of Gulf Harbor will be at the end of a branch of a medium-sized fictional railroad serving the Texas coast, name to be determined.

We're moving a week from now. My intention is to start construction within the next month or so.

New Layout Space

2011-04-15T05:03:00.000-07:00

Our offer has been accepted and, if all goes as planned, we will be moving in the second half of May. The new "train room" is 11' x 12', close to the old space, which was 11' x 13'. The completed portion of the layout, which is now dismantled into sections, is 8' x 8-1/2'. The original plan was to extend the 8-1/2' segment to 13', with a 9' section off of that, which would contain the waterfront area. The whole layout would have been a U-shaped shelf. That will change. My wife and I enjoy doing things together and she's going to have space in the train room for her sewing machine. So now the layout will be an L-shape, 8' x 12'. This will allow reassembly of the existing sections without modification. However, the width of the 12' segment will increase from 28" to 36" to allow for more structures and scenery. I will post a revised plan here very soon.

Looks Like We're Moving...Finally!

2011-04-09T08:12:00.000-07:00

Looks as if we've sold our house (at last!) and will be moving in late May. Our new house, if our offer is accepted, has a spare bedroom that will make an excellent "train room." The dimensions are such that the sectional layout portions I've already built will work without modification. They represent about 60 percent of the original layout plan, but the remaining sections to be built will look considerably different from the original plan.

Merry Christmas! And It Is!

2010-12-17T13:47:00.000-08:00

As the song "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" says, "from now on we all will be together." I'm most grateful our family is all together, that we all live close by and are all healthy and happy. Just a few years ago, we would have been astounded to learn we'd all be living in Texas (especially since we're all from the Rocky Mountain/Pacific Northwest part of the country), but here we are, and glad of it, and not just because the winter here is so much milder! Susie and I are privileged to live near and see our daughters, sons-in-law and granddaughters frequently...some parents and grandparents are not so blessed. We are, and we appreciate it every day. God has been good to us indeed.

My model railroading thoughts, etc., will continue in the next post, but for now...Merry Christmas!

Could Be A While!

2010-11-22T07:34:00.000-08:00

Well, our house has been on the market since July and we haven't had much action. It's not just us. Local realtors say things have pretty much come to a halt. The only comfort is that Texas is doing better than most of the country. However, we are blessed to have no timetable, no pressing need to move, unlike those with job transfers, etc.

So in the meantime, I will continue to work away at my Orient Express coach. It's not like working on or operating a layout, to be sure, but under the current circumstances it's about all the model railroading I'll be able to do for a while. Besides, it's fun!

Yesterday I finished cutting out the windows for the inner layer of one car side...the "corridor side" of the car. I than begin adding small styrene strips (really small, around 1/16 inch wide) around the inside of the window openings on the outside layer. These will give the openings a finished look, ever so slightly rounded at the corners.

Thinking ahead, I've been considering roof material. The coach roof is quite round and if styren won't curve that much, I may have to use balsa which, when soaked in a vinegar/water mix, is easily curved. That's a trick my son-in-law Craig, who has scratchbuilt model aircraft, taught me.

Orient Express Coach Progress

2010-11-11T08:23:00.001-08:00

At last, as promised, here are photos of work to date on my Orient Express coach. It's a 1930s-era coach and is very similar to the one used in the Murder On The Orient Express (1974) movie starring Albert Finney and a superb cast. I'm building it in S Scale, of course, using passenger trucks I had available that are actually close in appearance to the prototype. While this model will never run on my (future reassembled) layout because the coach is European, I hope it will be a nice bookshelf display piece.

I was, as mentioned previously, very fortunate to find detailed plans of the interior and exterior, as well as color photos. This model coach is on display, I understand, at a railroad museum in Mulhouse, France.

Now, for the photos. In order from the top...

Photo 1: This is a little hard to see in the photo, but I drew out the sides in pencil on a sheet of styrene. Each side was drawn twice to provide an outer and inner layer; acetate "glass" will be sandwiched between.

Photo 2, 3: The interior partitions. Materials include basswood, balsa, and cardstock.

Photo 4: The work so far. One side's windows have been cut out and the second layer of that side is in progress.

I've Been Gone

2010-10-05T05:42:00.000-07:00

Just realized I haven't posted here in over a month! Seriously, I had no idea how time had passed. We just returned from a trip to Branson, Missouri, where we enjoyed shows and sightseeing and visiting with Susie's sister and her husband, who had driven down from Des Moines.

It's good to be back in our (so far unsold) home after a 1,500-mile roundtrip drive. Now it's time to resume work on my Orient Express coach. Photos soon...I promise!

Orient Express

2010-08-27T14:01:00.000-07:00

I've been working on my 1930's Orient Express coach and have the basic frame and interior partitions about finished. Next job will be interior door detail, painting the interior and then adding detail such as seating, tables, etc. Then it will be back to exterior work...sides, ends, etc. I've been thinking about how to model the European-style draft gear and I think I'll make the buffers out of either styrene or brass and the screw couplings using stiff wire. Photos soon!

Obviously, we're still waiting for our house to sell. We've had some showings, but no offers yet. It's more than an understatement to say the market is slow, though better here in Texas than most places.

I Found It

2010-08-13T08:25:00.000-07:00

After searching several packed and well-sealed boxes in our garage, I found my Orient Express car model, paint, and plans, as well as my modeling tools and model wood supply. To prepare our home for sale, the "train room" had been packed up, of course, for real estate "staging" purposes.

Anyway, I resumed work on the model a couple of days ago...it's nice to be back into model building!

While I Am Waiting...

2010-08-08T08:08:00.000-07:00

Our house has been on the market a month now and we've had a couple of showings. The real estate market here in Texas, while better than most of the country, is still slow. So it may be a while before we sell. In the meantime, I've been enjoying time with my wife Susie and other family members and am keeping busy with yard work, catching up on my reading, and miscellaneous projects. My model railroad is packed away, along with rolling stock and modeling tools.

However, I am thinking of opening up a box so I can resume work on a scratchbuilding project I started when we lived in Idaho. It's one of those long-term...very long-term...projects that I work on when I'm in the mood. I had one of those, a scratchbuilt wooden passenger coach, that took me years to complete. I enjoyed working on it, especially since I felt no urgency to finish. The work was relaxing and thoroughly enjoyable and while I was happy with the completed model, I did kind of miss having it to work on!

The project I'm thinking of reviving is a model of an Orient Express coach. Now, I have no interest in constructing anything other than an American layout. Except...the Orient Express, particularly as it was in the 1930's, has always intrigued me. And yes, I have read Murder On The Orient Express twice and have seen the 1974 movie several times. I have long thought it would be fun to construct a model of a 1930's Wagon-Lits coach to display on a bookshelf.

So a while back, while still living in Eagle, Idaho, I started doing some research. I was fortunate enough to find a plan that details the interior compartment arrangements, as well as the exterior. And it was easily convertible to S Scale! I also found useful color photos.

So far, I only have a skeleton of the car constructed from balsa and basswood. I've been concentrating on the interior partitions, but now it's time to work on the ends and sides, which I plan to make from sheet styrene. The trucks are extremely close in appearance to four wheel S Scale passenger trucks I'd purchased from American Models, so that's a real piece of luck.

This project will require great care and can't be rushed. And that's exactly what I'm looking for right now!

Still Waiting, Still Planning

2010-07-18T06:21:00.000-07:00

While we're waiting for someone to buy our house, I'm continuing to think about adapting my now-disassembled layout to a "new" room. Since it is unlikely the new space will be exactly the same as the old, I have been passing the time by considering possible "re-assembly" scenarios.

Inconvenient closet location: This may cause some problems. The old room, 11' x 13', had the entry door and closet on the same side, with a window opposite. Some homes we've looked at have a similar room arrangement, though with slightly different dimensions, but which would still accommodate the layout sections built so far without a hitch, and which would require only slight modification of the original plan for the unbuilt layout sections.

Others, however, have the entry and closet on different walls. The most difficult case I've seen so far has the entry on one wall, a closet and a door to the outside on yet a different wall, exactly opposite from the inside entry door. From a fire safety standpoint there's no way I would block the exit to the outside, even with a swinging bridge device, etc. The closet was a single-door, spaced about 18" from the wall. A 24" long swinging bridge would probably work; approaching benchwork would have to allow for the closet door to open, and I would definitely want access for storage of modeling supplies and my large magazine collection. An additional possibility to increase layout space would be small "peninsulas" jutting out into the room from the layout ends.

Room used for other purposes: While most houses we've considered have two guest bedrooms, which means one would be exclusively for model railroading, we've seen a couple with only one guest room, which was pretty spacious. The guest room, in our case, would only be in use a few times per year. So I considered a total layout plan revision, a layout on a bookshelf, say 9'6" x 2'...totally arbitrary dimensions, but I had to start somewhere. I could fairly easily use existing track by simply sawing out the white pine roadbed and the strip of particle board baseboard under it, so my previous work wouldn't be wasted. However, in such limited space I would model an industrial area with relatively dense trackage and use building flats against the backdrop for industry sidings. There would also be room for a small pier, so the harbor terminal theme could be salvaged.

I'd also consider raising the layout height from my present 42" to maybe 48".

I don't think this will be the scenario, but it has been fun to see what kind of track plan would fit in such a compact area. The trains.com website (Model Railroader) has some compact track plans. Though they are in HO, they do provide some usable ideas.

Planning While Waiting

2010-07-12T14:17:00.000-07:00

Other than reading the latest issue of Model Railroader, my hobby activities have gone dormant, since my layout and equipment are packed up. We have put our home on the market but, these days, a sale could take quite some time. In the meantime we have been looking at homes for sale in the 55-plus neighborhood where we hope to move, and I've paid special attention to potential layout space, which will be in a spare bedroom. One place had a three-car garage, which in a more moderate climate might, if properly prepared, offer space for a layout, but the summers in southeast Texas are way too hot to make that a viable option.

A spare bedroom will be fine, especially if the entry door and closet are on the same side of the room. Otherwise, some form of "swinging bridge" layout section will be needed to get past a closet door.

The layout sections I've built to date will probably fit into a new space without much trouble, but the unbuilt sections of my original plan will almost certainly have to be modified.

Packing Up, Part 2

2010-06-10T09:25:00.001-07:00

After disassembly, the layout sections were wrapped in plastic...actually, in extra large lawn and leaf bags. They, along with the leg assemblies, now reside in our garage, ready to move.

Packing Up, Part 1

2010-06-10T09:07:00.000-07:00

This is the layout disassembly in progress, as explained below. Photos, from the top:

Photo 1: The rail was cut at section joints, wiring was disconnected from the control panel, rolled up and secured under each section. The sections were then unbolted from one another.

Photo 2: The turntable bridge, control disk and hardware were removed.

Photo 3: The control panel was unbolted for storage.

Photo 4: All track ends at section joints were encased in protective cardboard, as were the turnout Caboose Industries ground throws.

Photo 5: The layout sections just before the leg assemblies were unbolted prior to storage.

Plans Have Solidified

2010-05-23T10:00:00.001-07:00

We have definitely made up our minds to put our house on the market mid-summer and move to a smaller, one-story home, preferably a "patio home" in an over-55 community. There are several possible neighborhoods in The Woodlands, a nearby town.

So, I will begin disassembling my layout in the next few days, and packing up my rolling stock. I will keep up my posts, detailing how the disassembly is going. As I've mentioned before, the layout is built in sections 28" wide and either 28" or 48" long. It's simply a matter of disconnecting wiring from my control panel, disconnecting a few rail joiners or, in some cases, using a razor saw to cut rail, and then unbolting the benchwork sections from one another. The legs will simply be unbolted. None of the benchwork or trackwork will be lost in the process, and reassembly after we move should be equally easy. The only thing in question is the unbuilt portion of my track plan, which likely will have to be modified to adapt to a new room.

This would be a bit messier if I'd already put in scenery and structures, but as I haven't yet, the process will be clean, and should be fairly quick.

Layout Setting and "History"

2010-05-13T08:11:00.000-07:00

I spent of couple of hours recently painting the rails, using an old, very small brush to apply a mixture of rust and dark brown. Since my layout represents a coastal area, I mixed the paint to favor the rust over the brown; on my previous Idaho-themed layout, I'd let the brown predominate, as it would in that more arid setting. From my observations, there is a definite rail color variation between locales, the shade being affected by humidity and, near a coastline, by salt air. Most of the rail, much of which has been used and reused on four previous layouts (same for the spikes!) and is now laid on a fifth layout, already had been painted, but as I said, I need a little more rust.

I think I'm about to settle on a name for the fictional mainline railroad that will run into my freelanced 1947-era town of Gulf Harbor, Texas. The town and its port are served by the Gulf Harbor Terminal Railway. The mainline road will be called either the Texas Coast Railroad or the Texas Gulf Coast Railroad. Neither existed in reality, though there was a Texas & Gulf. I also thought about Houston & Gulf, which I haven't entirely ruled out. I'll figure it out soon, because I want to start lettering cars; I plan to used Woodland Scenics dry transfer lettering, which has worked well for me in the past, right down to the small "CAPY", etc. letters and numbers.

Whatever the mainline railroad is called, I picture it running from Port Arthur on the Louisiana border to Brownsville at the south end of the Texas coast, with a branch to San Antonio. Other cities served would include Houston, Corpus Christi and, of course, the fictional Gulf Harbor. Since there will actually be only a very short length of track representing the "offstage" mainline connection, I won't be modeling any of the mainline locomotives, but I will have a few freight cars, cabooses, and eventually, two or three passenger cars lettered for that road.

The Gulf Harbor Terminal Railway won't have much rolling stock of its own, aside from a tank car for loco fuel and a couple of MOW cars. For the latter I have a scratchbuilt model of an 1890's wood gondola (from a Model Railroader plan), and I plan to have a steam loco tender converted to a water/fuel MOW car, another item to be derived from my American Flyer carbody collection.

GHT motive power, as described in previous posts, consists of an 0-6-0 steam loco and an NW-2 diesel. The "history" is that the 0-6-0 is the sole survivor of a trio of aging steam engines, two of which were replaced by the single (and secondhand) NW-2 in 1946 when the crush of wartime traffic had subsided. The GHT operates on a tight budget and diesels are expensive, so the old 0-6-0 will remain in service for another half-dozen years or so. Right now, in 1947, it's kept plenty busy.

The GHT has its own three-stall roundhouse, an old brick structure, and a 60-foot turntable. The roundhouse and turntable come from my old Idaho layout. I rebuilt the deck of the table, which is of the old "armstrong" variety with a push pole that, given its very limited use, is good enough for the tightfisted GHT. I'm in the process of almost completely rebuilding the roundhouse, since the model suffered some damge being removed from my old layout.

As mentioned in earlier posts, I'm concentrating on completing the "left" side of the layout (please see previously posted plan), which features the yard and depot areas, as well as the town's business district. The complete layout will measure 11 x 13 feet; the left portion is about 8 x 10. The remainder will be a port and industrial area, with the edge (only a suggestion, really) of a residential area in the "upper right hand" corner. I visualize the port as having two "general cargo" piers and a few small industries, such as a fuel (oil and coal) dealer, lumber company, a maritime supply firm, wholesale grocery company, etc.

My plan is to completely finish the yard/depot section before moving on to the rest. We're still contemplating a possible move to a patio home (maybe a 55-and-over neighborhood) within the next year and I don't want construction to go too far in case I need to disassemble the layout and revise the port area portion of the plan to fit a different space. It's deliberately built in bolted-together sections, so moving it should be fairly easy, and the present sections should fit into any home's spare bedroom without problems. Section sizes range from 28 x 28 inches to 28 x 48 inches, easily transportable.

I will (I hope) soon install the much-delayed backdrop, and that will also be sectionalized to match the benchwork. I will use Masonite for the backdrop, with 1 x 1 inch supports, which will be screwed to the benchwork, again for quick disassembly/reassembly. The backdrop will be painted to simulate hazy blue sky.

When I started building my layout, I pictured it being further along at this point. However, I'm quite happy with what I've got so far. The completed track is solid, has been thoroughly tested and provides smooth running, so I guess slow and steady progress has its merits! I'm really enjoying working on it, and that's what counts. I'm very blessed to be retired and thus not have a schedule.

This is, after all, a hobby!

Rolling Stock Repairs

2010-05-07T06:14:00.001-07:00

Now that tracklaying is complete (on the "left" portion of my planned layout; see plan in earlier post), I've turned my attention to rolling stock. Most of it survived packing and moving from Idaho with little damage, having been carefully wrapped in layers of the Idaho Statesman newspaper. What damage there was amounted to dislodged features like air hoses and steps, etc. These damages are easily repaired.

I have also been checking out each car's trucks, coupler heights and weight to ensure uniformity. I'd previously put off properly weighting a couple of cars because they had performed well enough, but now I'm making sure they're right. I want to be able to back a long string of cars without problems. Of course, a "long string" on a switching layout like mine might be only five or six!

I also unearthed some additional American Flyer carbodies I'd acquired over 30 years ago when we lived in Seattle. Flyer bodies are well-scaled, and with the addition of scale trucks, couplers and other detail, should look great. I've got enough carbodies to double my rolling stock roster. That will have to wait, however. Right now, I need to do some repainting and relettering of my existing cars. More about that in a future post.

Layout Progress; 0-6-0 Coal to Oil Conversion

2010-04-10T12:48:00.000-07:00

The photos, in descending order:

1. The yard area and, in the back corner, the depot site, with the freight house siding at the rear. All track has been laid and tested in the "left" half of the layout (please refer to track plan in much earlier post), which is all I'm planning to construct for now.

2. I've begun weathering the track with a mix of rust and brown paint, applied to the sides of the rails with a small brush, and to switch guard rails, wing rails and flangeways.

3. I essentially dismantled my old roundhouse, which had suffered some damage moving from Idaho, and am completely rebuilding the sides. The roundhouse floor will get a coat of patching plaster, which will then be sanded and colored to represent weathered and stained concrete.

4., 5., 6. I decided to have some fun with the freight house track and depict one of those battered, neglected sidings we've all seen. My favorite example is the track on Snake River Avenue in Lewiston, Idaho, which I saw when it was part of the Camas Prairie Railroad. It appeared as if every length of rail was at a different height, giving the track a roller-coaster appearance. It was about as crooked, uneven, mud-and-weed covered as track could be and still function which, strangely enough, it did! It served the Lewiston Grain Growers elevators and a couple of other minor industries. I actually saw a switcher with a boxcar running on that track one day, and running very slowly, bouncing along as if it would derail any moment.

Anyway, on my siding I deliberately used some short pieces of rail and spiked them in such a way as to add a little crookedness. Not so much, of course, as to compromise gauge. I tested both my engines on it without any problems. With the addition of dirt (ballast on this type of siding is a technicality), weeds and debris, it should look about right.

7., 8. My 0-6-0 now represents an oil-burner. The oil bunker was made out of styrene; the fittings were miscellaneous items from my scrap box. The bunker design was based on that on a UP 0-6-0 in the December 1958 Model Railroader and a Texas & Pacific 0-6-0 in the magazine's March 1986 issue.

I'm Back

2010-03-31T07:27:00.000-07:00

Due to a number of things, primarily an unexpected medical problem, I haven't posted here in some time. I also haven't been able to work on my layout. However, things are settled down now and I will soon be posting again and catching up.

Layout Progress Reflections Part 1

2010-01-28T11:03:00.000-08:00

I still plan to post photos of my 0-6-0 converstion to an oil-burner. But for now, a few quick thoughts about what I've accomplished so far and where I plan to go.

Work has been slowed by the time demands (and fun) of getting our new puppy settled in, but I have laid some more track. My plan, as I mentioned previously, is to finish this section of the layout, including scenery, before moving on to the rest, which includes the port and industry areas, etc. Briefly, my reasons are:

1. I like scenery work (including structures) and would like to get to it.

2. It would be nice to get all of my rolling stock on the rails and operate it, even for some (at this point) limited switching.

3. I'd like to put up my backdrop.

4. There is a possibility that we will move to an "age 55 plus" or similar patio home community in the next year to year and a half. The move would be short, within 10 miles or so. We are in a nice neighborhood but really think we'd enjoy more being among people our own age. We will want to do something like this eventually, anyway. A move would doubtless entail adapting my layout plans to a different room configuration. My layout is in "modular" 28 inch and 48 inch sections, and at its current size would be an easy fit in just about any spare bedroom, so I think it's best for now to completely finish the segments I've built so far; by the time that's accomplished, it may be time to move.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-04T10:18:00.000-08:00

Now that Christmas is over, I'm getting back into model railroading again. The coal-to-oil conversion on my 0-6-0 is complete and I will include a photo in an upcoming post, along with a listing of the reference materials I used.

I've also completed testing the track laid so far. The 0-6-0 is my "severest critic" in smoking out any problems with gauge or alignment, and thus far there have been few corrections required, and those have been made. In this phase of the layout I still have a couple of sidings to lay; the ties are down, just need rail. I hope to complete this in the next few days. Once that's done it's time to start putting freight cars on the track, after any damage from packing and moving is corrected, along with any extra detailing I feel moved to add.

At that point the track on the "left" and two-thirds of the "top" of the layout will be done (see track plan in a previous post). I'm going to stop there and begin scenery and structure work on that portion before I go further in the track plan. More about that, and the rationale behind it, in a future post.

A non-railroad aside: Two weeks ago we acquired another dog, a cocker spaniel/poodle puppy. She's now two months old and is already partly housebroken and is learning to play fetch. Her name is Molly and we're delighted to have her.

Tender Oil Tank II

2009-12-06T15:56:00.000-08:00

I will stop by Mike's Hobby Shop here in Kingwood this week to order some Grimy Black water-based paint for finishing the tender oil tank; the shop only carries the oil-based variety, but they're great about ordering items. Grimy Black is useful not only for touchup on my 0-6-0 (especially when I remove the old lettering) and, of course, the oil tank, but is effective, when mixed when Concrete color, in coloring "asphalt" roads.

Tender Oil Tank

2009-12-05T07:48:00.000-08:00

I've started work on the oil tank for the 0-6-0 tender, using styrene. The tank is essentially a box that will cover the tender's coal bunker. I made the box out of styrene and have filed the corners to round them. All that's left to add is the filling spout and vent pipe, and paint.

Also, while I'm doing this, I'll probably take the opportunity to reletter the tender for "Gulf Harbor Terminal" rather than the current "Idaho & Palouse", which definitely won't fit on a Texas railroad! As before, I will use dry transfer white lettering, which has proved very durable; the current lettering has been on since 1991 with no problems.

Subtropical Weather

2009-12-04T11:47:00.001-08:00

Our back yard in Kingwood, Texas. We thought we'd left this kind of weather back in Idaho.

Backdrop Postponed

2009-12-03T14:50:00.000-08:00

I've decided I'm not ready to put up the backdrop yet, so my Lowe's purchase will wait. I still have some more track to lay, so I'll hold off until that's completed. One project at a time, except...

...I will "convert" my 0-6-0 to an oil burner. It looks like a fairly simple job. I plan to use styrene to modify the coal bunker...cover it, essentially...per some old Model Railroader prototype drawings I found in my files, in particular an 0-6-0 from the Portland, Oregon terminal railway.

Fine Tuning Trackwork, Etc.

2009-12-02T15:11:00.000-08:00

Track
I've spent quite a bit of time the last couple of days testing the track I've laid so far. And so far, so good. I've had to make some adjustments, especially at a particular pair of closely-placed turnouts, but these weren't too difficult. My NW-2 diesel seems to run through just about anything without balking, but my 0-6-0 steam engine is pickier, so I use it for my initial testing. It is very adept at finding any spots where the gauge is a hair too wide or a spike hasn't been driven deeply enough and it protruding. Thus, when the steam loco rolls smoothly through a section of trackwork or a turnout, I'm satisfied it's safe to "sign off" on the work.

Backdrop
I plan to get over to Lowe's tomorrow and, among other things, buy backdrop material. I'm going to use Masonite, 1/8" if available. Since my layout is "semi-modular" I plan to cut the backdrop material the same length as each section. It will be 16" high (my layout is 42" high). My corners are too tight to allow bending Masonite, even with soaking it (as Darrell suggested), so I'm going to use the back of linoleum for the corners, just as I did on my Idaho layout. On that layout I blended the segments, including the linoleum, with patching plaster, which proved to be effective and durable (see my photos in last June's postings).

Weird Weather
This is strictly an aside, nothing to do with model railroading. My main reason to head to Lowe's is to buy some material for insulating a pipe leading to one of our outside faucets. A cold wave is heading toward the Houston area and there may even be a little snow on Friday. Last year it did snow, on December 10th, tying a record for the earliest snow here, a record that would be broken if it indeed snows this Friday. This area is subtropical, and on average receives snow every four years, and miniscule amounts at that. So two years in a row? We must have brought along some sort of snow curse when we moved here from Idaho, thinking we'd left that kind of weather behind!!

Turntable Plans and Photos

2009-11-26T07:22:00.000-08:00

As promised, these are the plans and photos showing how I constructed and installed my hand-operated turntable. I want to stress that none of this comes from any idea of mine; as mentioned in a previous post, this setup is based on a 1951 Model Railroader article. Likewise, the wiring scheme comes from an installment of the"From Pillar To Post" series that ran in the same magazine in 1949.

Photos 1, 2

These plans are pretty self-explanatory. The only thing I'd point out is that my particular turntable design is based on prototypes where the pit rail wheels at each end of the turntable are all but concealed under the turntable bridge structure. I at first considered adding the wheels, but since they wouldn't really be visible, I left them off for simplicity's sake.

Photo 3

Underside of the control disk, which was cut from a piece of particleboard.

Photos 4, 5

Overall views of the turntable, approach track, and the three roundhouse tracks, each of which are independently powered.

Photo 6

Underside of the turntable pit.

Photo 7

The turntable bridge.

Photo 8

Closeup of the wiper, constructed from 1/4 inch-wide brass, and bent to provide a "spring" effect to ensure good contact with the pit rail.

Photo 9

Pit rail, including one of the gaps; the gaps will later be filled by small pieces of rail glued into place. The coating of glue will act as insulation.*

Photo 10

This is an "armstrong" turntable, plausibly still in use in 1947 since it serves only a small, three-stall roundhouse.

*Nov. 29 note: I wound up using small pieces of rail-sized stripwood to ensure the gaps remained insulated...safer than using rail, even with the glue.

Our Dog

2009-11-26T07:05:00.000-08:00

The last couple of weeks have been pretty difficult for Susie and me. Our 13-1/2 year old dog, Daisy, suddenly developed severe, very painful spinal problems and, though our veterinarian did all she possibly could, our only reasonable and humane course was to end her terrible suffering and have Daisy put to sleep.

Daisy was a 9 lb. mix of poodle, Lhasa Apso, Yorkshire, and Pomeranian. She was the kind of dog everybody immediately liked...very friendly, extremely intelligent, well-behaved and loyal. She got along well with other dogs and, especially, with cats.

I have had a lot of pets...cats and dogs...in my 62 years, but she was the very best. Daisy, like many dogs, loved to ride in the car. She went everywhere with us and had been in least two dozen states. We got Daisy when we lived in Portland, Oregon, when she was 6 weeks old. She was an important, much-loved member of our family.

Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T06:49:00.000-08:00

My family and I have much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. We are all in good health and are doing well in every aspect of our lives. We have been blessed repeatedly and abundantly and we are all grateful to God.

I'm especially thankful that we all live close by one another, which is pretty remarkable considering none of us are originally from Texas. Our two daughters' husbands each were offered jobs here in early 2008; at their urging we moved here, too, and we're glad we did. I don't think our gathering here is a coincidence, and I'm grateful to God for that, too.

Turntable Progress

2009-11-03T13:00:00.000-08:00

I've begun installing the turntable, which consists of essentially putting it back together after months in storage. The pit rail is in and I'm doing a little refurbishing on the bridge, including new decking and some paint touchup. I'll have step-by-step progress photos in my next post.

I just returned from a visit to the local hobby shop. I'm laying in some supplies for projects that will be coming up soon, such as plastic brick sheeting, which will be used for my new depot and for a partial rebuilding of my roundhouse. I was satisfied with the roundhouse when I built it, but I think it can be improved.

I'm also stocking up on paint. In recent years I've switched entirely from oil-based to water-based "railroad" paints. I like the lack of odor and easy cleanup with water-based paint and the ability to mix the railroad paints with other acrylics. My local hobby shop has only some oil-based paint on hand, but was happy to order the water-based I want.

I had an interesting conversation with the hobby shop man, who said he seldom gets a request for paint or other scratchbuilding supplies these days. He thinks the craft of building models from kits is disappearing, along with scratchbuilding. He said many younger hobbyists seem baffled at the very idea. My son-in-law Craig, who is in his 30s and who does scratch and kit building of aircraft and ships, has noticed the same trend in that type of modeling.

It's a hobby, so to each his own, but I get a lot of enjoyment out of building. I find it relaxing. I get completely absorbed, and I don't care how long it takes. I've had projects take days, weeks...a wooden passenger coach actually took years! I kept it in a shoebox and worked on it when I felt like it, and had a great time in the process.

Darrell's Comment, Part 2

2009-10-18T15:59:00.000-07:00

This is in response to Darrell's comment on my response to his August 17 comment (I hope that makes sense!).

First of all, Darrell, I appreciate your observation about eyesight! I wear trifocals, which help with close work, but I still occasionally take off my glasses for really close work; it's one time when being very nearsighted helps!

As far as the use of a ruler in turnout construction, I guess it's more of a double check than anything else, mostly to make sure the gauge throughout the turnout is within tolerance. And, of course, to make sure there's a slight widening of the gauge at the toe of the points, etc. I think I probably take much more time than I need in constructing turnouts, but I will say the result is smooth running, so I guess it's all working out. I've found what really is important is making sure the gauge is proper in the straight sections of the diverging path; that is, at the points and through the frog. I find if I get that right, the curved portion of the diverging stock rail tends to line up accurately.

I so far have built only standard turnouts, with the exception of a curved turnout experiment a couple of layouts ago that was a so-so success. I am considering trying that again...just considering, at this point. If I were really brave, I guess I'd think about a three-way turnout, which I've found intriguing ever since I saw a prototype example in a Portland, Oregon industrial area.

Turntable Reference Articles

2009-10-16T06:58:00.000-07:00

The turntable mechanism was designed based on an article in the July 1951 Model Railroader, and the turntable bridge design itself was somewhat of a composite based on a number of plans I've seen, but leaned heavily on an article in the October 1940 Model Railroader. I picked up the 1951 issue at a hobby show, and photocopied the 1940 article from a magazine in the Portland, Oregon main library's archives.

I favored the 1940 turntable bridge design because it's an "armstrong" man-powered turntable, with a push pole, being relatively small.

Fun Vs. Fanaticism

2009-10-14T09:09:00.000-07:00

A word about my hobby philosophy. First of all, it is a hobby, a pastime. Just that, and no more. It is only one of many things I enjoy. I'm blessed with a wonderful wife; after 36 years of marriage, we're having more fun than ever, and we thoroughly enjoy doing things together. We spend a lot of time with our daughters, sons-in-law, and granddaughters, and we take a number of senior citizens' continuing education classes at the local college. At train shows I have encountered those for whom this hobby is their whole life, and I've seen this in people with other hobbies or interests. That's fine for them, I'm sure, but not for me.

Guess that's why my layout progress is a little unevern, but what the heck...there's no schedule! However, that being said, track construction is going well and should, for this phase of the layout, be finished soon. By "this phase" I mean the "left" and central part of the layout. My plan is to completely finish this portion, including scenery, before moving on to the "right" section which will include the port area. I like running trains, but I also really like working on scenery and structures, and this approach will allow that to happen sooner.

As track is laid I test it with both of my locomotives and make any necessary adjustments which, so far, have been fairly minor. The 0-6-0 is the more demanding of the two engines.

I've also unpacked my turntable, which served well on my Idaho layout. It is manually operated by means of an under-the-table control wheel, based on an article in an early-1950's Model Railroader. I'll provide the exact edition in a future post, since I'm writing this while away from the train room. The turntable style itself is based on an even earlier Model Railroader article. Anyway, I will soon be working on installing it.

It's also time to think about installing a backdrop, but I'm holding off until the December Model Railroader, which will have an article on that subject. I pretty well know what I want, but I think I'll hold off and see if there are any new ideas in that article.

Comment On August 17 Post

2009-10-04T14:58:00.000-07:00

My apologies to Darrell for not replying to his August 17 comment. For some reason (aging process?) I didn't see the comment until today, when I was flipping through past posts.

Darrell, your question was regarding using a ruler in building turnouts. I use a ruler when laying the straight stock rail to ensure alignment. But I also use it to measure gauge at every tie. I should amend my statement to say I also check the gauge by using the three-point track gauge, but it's not my primary tool, and I find it a bit difficult to use with my frog assemblies. I guess it comes down to the fact that I am probably over-meticulous in laying out turnouts, and indeed it does take me a while to build one!

I hope this answers your question.

Loco No. 2

2009-09-29T08:04:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I took apart my Rex 0-6-0 and cleaned and lubed it. The commutator and brushes had quite a bit of gunk on them and the tender wheels in particular needed cleaning. Then came the test run, and things went well. The locomotive is nearly 20 years old and has served me well!

Trial Run

2009-09-26T05:56:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I completed wiring the track laid so far, and fired up the NW-2 for the first time. It runs smoothly, very smoothly, even at very slow speeds. I'm very pleased with it. It was a good test of the trackwork, because no matter how many times you push a string of cars or a truck through switch frogs, etc., there's no test like actual running.

Other than a few minutes' worth of minor tinkering at a couple of turnouts, no adjustments were required. It sure was fun, after an 18-month hiatus, to run trains again!

My next task is to get my Rex 0-6-0 ready to run by doing some routine lubrication, since it has been packed away for a year and a half.

Atmosphere: Back To The Forties

2009-09-22T12:15:00.000-07:00

Without hitting visitors over the head...well, not hitting them too hard...I want to convey the time and place of my railroad. Of course, structures, signs, vehicles and above all, rolling stock should take care of this. However, a few other hints can't hurt when recreating April 1947.

The top photo is a "company calendar" I cooked up for my Gulf Harbor Terminal Railway, which is in the entry to the model railroad room.

The next three photos are ads I've cut out and mounted. They are from the April 1947 National Geographic and include the magazine cover. I was fortunate to find a copy in an antique store during a visit this past summer to Clear Lake, Iowa. Six of the pages advertise railroads' passenger services, with a Coca Cola and Texaco ad thrown in for additional atmosphere.

The Wiring Begins

2009-09-21T12:59:00.000-07:00

I've started wiring the layout. The first task was to build a control "desk" to hold my Tech II power pack and Atlas block switches. This will be the third layout this equipment has served.

There's still some track to be laid in this section of the layout, but I've got enough in place to do some running. When I've tested the track I have so far, I'll continue laying more and install the turntable and roundhouse tracks. The turntable is scratchbuilt and served on my Idaho layout.

Darrell's Comments and My Concept

2009-09-04T20:01:00.000-07:00

Darrell had some comments on my layout plan and I thought it might be useful to respond, as well as discuss my overall concept. He cited personal experience with a similar layout in identifying some limitations.

Among his concerns were lack of mainline running, no provision for moving cars "off layout" and lack of room for scenery, other than piers and building flats. All valid concerns, depending on what you're aiming for. He feels I simply don't have the space to do all I want, and that operating the layout could grow stale.

While I appreciate his comments and a good discussion, I must respectfully disagree, and my disagreement is based on my personal preferences and experience. Allow me to clarify.

First of all, my layout is intended to be a relatively simple switching layout, with no mainline running; the short stretch of track representing the mainline is simply to suggest a connection off-layout, in effect a "dummy" track (that can also serve as a switching lead). One of the yard tracks will represent both an arrival and departure track; cars will be assembled for departure and then will "arrive" via a card-order system, to be delivered to the various industrial sidings.

As for scenery, my idea is to represent a limited portion of a small city, through use of building flats and a few semi-flats and full structures. There won't be any attempt to reproduce "open country." I like the creativity involved in detailing scenery in a limited space to give the feel of a particular time and place. In a way, it's not unlike a movie set. A small layout is in some ways an "operating diorama."

Now, as far as experience goes, my previous layout, when we lived in Idaho, was based on exactly the same type of scheme. In fact, the track plan was in many ways quite similar to that of my new layout. Take a look at the photos of my old layout in my June 29th posting. Notice how I included just portions of "main street" and the edge of a residential area to suggest more beyond. My old layout was 8' x 10', while now I have 11' x 13' to work in, which I've used to expand my curve radii a bit. I saved my structures and building flats and they should all find a place on my new layout, though some may be modified or cannibalized (such as grain elevators).

I've had larger layouts in the past that included mainline running and plenty of scenery, but I had the best time with my last layout, that small switching pike. I operated it for six years and never grew tired of it. The arrival/departure track and card-order arrangement worked well, as far as I was concerned. I would occasionally tinker with the scenery here and there and add rolling stock, but I was pleased with the overall situation.

In short, I am in many ways duplicating what for me was a layout that I thoroughly enjoyed, using ideas I have tested. I actually considered recreating the same Idaho-themed layout here, track plan and all. However, as a Seattle native, I have always thought it would be interesting to depict a waterfront railroad. And it seems only fitting, since we now live in Texas and are near the Gulf Coast, to model this region. Thus, the Gulf Harbor Terminal Railway!

Again, I do appreciate Darrell's comments and I hope my response has clarified my objectives a bit. I think we all have our individual preferences in model railroading and that's great. The variety of approaches is what I like most about this hobby. I always learn a lot by seeing others' layouts and hearing their ideas.

Progress Photos

2009-09-03T09:26:00.001-07:00

The Plan

2009-09-03T08:30:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry about the quality of this photo, which I'm afraid is due to the quality of my track plan drawing. It was done in pencil and suffered by the usual erasures and revisions, as well as scribbled notes, etc. But, despite these imperfections, it's probably good enough for a quick tour of the layout I have in progress.

On the lower left is the yard, including roundhouse and turntable. Just above that is the passenger depot, and just above the depot is a spur for a freight house and team track. Heading to the right, the upper track, which represents the main line, disappears "off stage" behind a screen of trees. In front of that track is a spur for a coal and oil dealership, and another for a lumber company. The lower right portion of the layout is dominated by two large public freight piers, each of which will have a warehouse. Along the right edge of this area are a couple of industry sidings.

The upper right corner will be a residential area, and the center portion will have businesses on either side of the tracks.

I like the way Model Railroader has a box with its layout plans entitled "The layout at a glance." As a review of where I hope to go with this layout, I'll do the same...

Name: Gulf Harbor Terminal Railway

Scale: S (1:64)

Size: 11' x 13'

Prototype: freelanced terminal switching line

Locale: medium-sized eastern Texas seaport

Period: April 1947

Style: U-shaped shelf

Minimum radius: 36"

Minimum turnout: no. 6

Maximum grade: none

Benchwork: sectional

Roadbed: white pine

Track: handlaid code 100 on balsa ties

Control: block

Running Soon (Fairly Soon)

2009-08-27T10:25:00.000-07:00

I've now got enough track laid to permit some running. I'm going to complete just a little more and then begin wiring. There is still about 40 percent of the benchwork to complete, but I've decided to get the completed section operating and maybe even start some scenery before moving on to the rest which, since it will be the port area with two piers, will be pretty time-consuming construction.

Smooth Transitions

2009-08-24T08:37:00.000-07:00

I think my handlaid track has improved over the years. I've learned to take more time, measure with more care, and pay attention to transitions. Look at prototype track: there are no abrupt changes of direction. Easements are the rule, with long gradual shifts of direction on curves and, especially, at turnouts. Locomotives and cars should roll smoothly through the trackwork. The more I've paid attention to this, the better my trains have operated and the fewer corrections I've had to make.

The key is patience. I've learned not to hurry tracklaying in order to get something running. Also, in the track planning process I've learned to be a lot more conservative in deciding what will fit. Designing a layout with more-than-ample space allowances for approaches to turnouts and curves really pays off. It just isn't worth it to try and cram that one additional siding, no matter how desirable it seems.

One of the finest...maybe the finest...and most inspirational examples of quality handlaid model railroad track was in the January 1961 Model Railroader, a copy of which I was fortunate to find at a train show. Some libraries may have it, too. The article is "Britain's Best" and features the O gauge fine-scale layout of the late English modeler W. S. Norris. The trackwork, with its broad, flowing curves and flawless turnouts is a work of art. The photos could easily be mistaken for the real thing. Needless to say, rolling stock and structures on this layout were of equally high standards.

I try to keep Mr. Norris' work in mind when I lay track. I am a long, long way from his level of workmanship, but seeing a layout like his is great inspiration to try harder...and not rush things.

A Good Suggestion

2009-08-18T07:50:00.000-07:00

Darrell's comment yesterday regarding curving Masonite for backdrop corners is a worthwhile suggestion. I have curved Masonite around corners in the past, though not with a tight curve; wetting it as he suggested may be just what I need, because my new layout will need pretty tight backdrop curves.

Looking Ahead

2009-08-14T12:59:00.001-07:00

As track laying progresses, some things I'm pondering...

Backdrop:
It seems that the preferred procedure is to install a backdrop first, before any track laying, etc., is begun. And that's what I'd normally do, except that I'm still debating what sort of backdrop material to use. On past layouts I've used Masonite, with the smooth side painted sky blue and then with white to create light haze and clouds. Masonite doesn't bend that readily in corners, so I experimented with using the smooth side of a linoleum runner for the corners. Both materials were okay, as long as they were properly braced.

My current layout is "semi-modular" in that it is designed to be easily broken down into sections in the event we ever move; each section is 28" wide and section lengths range between 28" and 48", connected with carriage bolts. After the pain of completely dismantling my last two layouts, I have learned my lesson and have vowed "never again." Even if, years from now, we move to some type of senior housing small apartment, I hope to be able to use some of these sections.

Anyway, with this approach it seems most practicable to have the backdrop in sections as well. I may wind up using Masonite again, but I'm looking at other materials, such as the smooth foam boards sold (in this area) at Hobby Lobby. That would be a light and cheap option if the material takes acrylic paint without warping. Also, there is the matter of curving material for corners, which the foam board simply won't allow.

Structures:
I think I've settled on a plan for my depot. The plan was published in Kalmbach's Easy To Build Model Railroad Structures and is a combination freight and passenger station. In S scale it will occupy a space roughly 5" x 20".

I'm going to rebuild my roundhouse, which suffered some damage in our move last year from Idaho to Texas, despite my best packing efforts. The basic framework and roof are fine, but the sides and windows didn't fare too well and besides, I think I could improve on my work. I've already purchased some Plastruct brick sheets for this purpose. The roundhouse will probably be the first structure installed on my new layout, with the depot closely following.

Other structures survived the move with little or no damage: houses, businesses (lumber company, retail stores, coal dealer, grain elevator, feed dealer, Texaco station, etc.), a freight house, tool house, and a church. These can be quickly installed on my layout. However, this being 1947, the coal dealer will become a fuel dealer with both coal and heating oil. Also, a Texas seaport has no place for an inland Northwest grain elevator or feed dealer, so I'll probably wind up partially dismantling these structures and incorporating the materials into something more fitting.

Before we knew we were moving, my next project would have been a 25-ton coaling station. Fortunately, I never got past the thinking stage. Texas steam locos were generally oil-fired, at least in this part of the state.

Rolling Stock:
My Rex 0-6-0 is coal-fired, but will be modified to represent an oil-burner, again, much more accurate for Texas. I have a great billboard reefer, but these disappeared in the late 1930s and so this car will have to be repainted and relettered. Finally, my scratchbuilt cinder car, which had spent much of its time on my prior layout's depressed ashpit service track, will become a piece of maintenance-of-way equipment. Other than some relettering required on various pieces of equipment, all else should be fine for the new locale and era.

Historical Research

2009-08-09T11:30:00.000-07:00

My previous layout was set in a small fictional northern Idaho agricultural town in September 1939, and I did a lot of research, including frequent visits to towns in that locale, to get the right feel of the time and place. Much like watching an old movie, buildings, houses, vehicles and signs can all give visitors the idea of the era being depicted.

Now I'm starting a layout set in a fictional small-to-medium Texas seaport in April 1947, and I'm finding the research to be almost as much fun as actual layout construction. The Internet, of course, is an incredible resource, with its vintage photos, Port of Houston Magazine archives, etc. I also recently came across a new book, Rails Around Houston, with very useful information and photos.

For Father's Day I received an Amazon.com gift certificate and used it to buy two books: the Model Railroader Cyclopedia, 1947 edition, which is loaded with plans for locomotives, freight and passenger cars, and structures, and Model Railroads (1940) by Edwin Alexander, which also has a wealth of plans. Both books are in mint condition.

On our recent Iowa trip I found an April 1947 National Geographic in an antique store that contains a half-dozen full-page railroad ads; these will be framed and displayed just inside the train room entrance. Again, this will help create an impression of the era being modeled.

Certainly, it's not going to be too hard to move forward in time the eight years between 1939 and 1947. Signs and vehicles won't be much different, although I will have to "update" my theater marquee: the 1939 version features John Wayne in Stagecoach, and for 1947 it will advertise My Favorite Brunette, starring Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour, which was in fact released in April of that year!

Is all this worth it? Does it work? I think so. The reward came when an older gentleman, upon seeing photos of my Idaho layout, told me he felt as if he'd stepped back into his growing-up years of the late-1930's.

Testing Trackwork

2009-08-09T11:23:00.000-07:00

As mentioned, I use track gauges and rulers and spike every tie in my handlaid trackwork. I also keep a freight truck (wheelset) handy to test what I've just laid. But then I have a couple of additional tests, which I'm sure many other modelers also use. I run my most "tempermental" car over the trackage, particularly the switchwork, to smoke out any problems. In my case the car is a passenger coach which actually could stand a little additional weight. I'll hold off correcting the weight, however, until I've tested my track. This car is adept at finding the smallest flaw; for example, if the gauge needs a slight widening at the switchpoints where the diverging stock rail has its "kink."

Finally, I like to couple two or three freight cars together and push them back and forth through the switchwork. They aren't as finicky as the coach, but it's a good test nevertheless.

Handlaying track (for me, at least) is very time-consuming, but the time is well spent if it means not having derailments.

Miscellaneous Trackwork Notes

2009-08-08T14:58:00.000-07:00

Rail Color: Once everything is wired, tested, up and running and any bugs have been corrected, I will paint the rail sides with a mixture of "rust" and brown. Since this layout is set in a port, the rust color will be more emphasized than it was on my Idaho-themed layout. Ballast will be added using a 50/50 mix of Elmer's glue and water.

Turnouts: I use three-point track gauges for all tracklaying except for turnouts; for those I use a ruler to measure gauge at every tie.

More Construction Photos

2009-08-08T12:51:00.000-07:00

From the top...

Photo 1: A shot of the future turntable and roundhouse. The inspection pits have been cut out.

Photos 2 & 3: Two more views of the midsection of the layout. Streets with commercial buildings will be on both sides of this section of track.

Photo 4: Now that some track is laid (though still unpowered), I can at least display my motive power. On the left is my Rex 0-6-0, built from a kit I assembled in 1991. It's still lettered for my former Idaho & Palouse RR but will be soon relettered for the Gulf Harbor Terminal Railway, as will the brand-new S Helper Service NW2 next to it.

Construction Resumed!

2009-08-08T12:29:00.000-07:00

After an absence to visit relatives in Iowa and other interruptions, I'm back into construction and seem to making progress!

The top photo shows the beginnings of the yard and passenger depot tracks. The depot will be about where the loose pile of rail is in the upper left hand corner. The second photo is from the other end of the yard/depot area.

The third photo is midway across the "top" of my horseshoe-shaped layout. The roadbed is white pine, glued to the particleboard table top. Balsa ties, stained with water-thinned burnt umber acrylic paint, have been glued to the roadbed, then Code 100 rail was laid on that.

I like solid trackwork, so I spike every tie. It's not necessary, but it is indeed solid! I make my own turnout components, including frogs and switchpoints. The frog flangeways are solder-filled and filed to the corrrect depth. All turnouts are #6, and all are manually thrown. I use "hot frogs" and power is routed by the points, which are connected with two brass "tie rods." There are also brass tabs soldered under the stock rails adjacent to the points to enhance electrical contact.

A Few Photos of My Previous Layout

2009-06-29T09:50:00.000-07:00

Trackwork is proceeding and (I know I've been delinquent about blog entries lately) and I should be able to have something running...now that I will have track on which to run it...soon. In the meantime, here are some photos of my previous layout when we lived in Eagle, Idaho. These were taken just prior to dismantling the layout.

Turnouts

2009-05-25T08:41:00.000-07:00

I haven't written in here for a few days. I've been busy building turnouts. I've constructed quite a few over the years, but before starting a new track laying project, I always find it useful to review the articles and books I've acquired. I'm sure most of you have a library of magazines and materials, as I do.

There is Model Railroader, of course, which I've been reading since grade school. Between years of subscribing and swap meet acquisitions, I've got quite a few issues. Also, we lived in Portland, Oregon from 1975 to 2001 and the main public library there has an extensive archive of that magazine, including the original 1934 issue. I photocopied it and a ton of articles, drawings, etc. I have organized this material into files. Also on my train room bookshelf are many copies of Railroad Model Craftsman, the old S Gauge Herald and S Gaugian, plus some copies of Trains from the mid-1940's. When I need to add a structure or car, these publications are a great resource.

Anyway, back to turnouts. I use No. 6 turnouts; I'd like to use No. 8s, but they just take up too much space. As it is, for a small layout I'm using pretty large radius curves, ranging between 36" and 45", and No. 8s just wouldn't fit in my scheme. Because of the 28" shelf width, I can use Caboose Industries manual ground throws. I also use "hot frogs" so there's smooth running through the frog. I tried insulated frogs on a couple of previous layouts, but didn't like them as well.

My first handlaid turnouts were constructed following an S Gauge Herald article by Richard Karnes. I bought the article in reprint form from the Herald (obviously, this was a long time ago!). In the mid-1970's, I had the privilege of being part of an S scale group that visited Mr. Karnes' Seattle-area home and I saw some of his turnouts, which were in a section of track from a previous layout he'd had. He was about to start a new layout, I recall. His handlaid track was the finest, most realistically detailed I've ever seen. And his article is a resource I value to this day.

That article, as I said earlier, is one of many I refer to before getting to work on track laying. There is so much to learn from other modelers!

Materials

2009-05-11T16:21:00.000-07:00

DEV had some further, very thoughtful (and much appreciated) comments regarding my choice of materials, as well as some suggestions.

He expressed reservations about using particleboard, citing a tendency to sag. I've heard this before, but having used particleboard in all but one of my previous layouts, I must say I've never encountered the problem. I think, as he mentioned, that proper bracing is important. I would also add that the thickness is significant; I have used 1/2" particleboard and have had no problems in the past. In my previous post, I said I'm currently using 5/8" particleboard, but I need to correct that statement. The particleboard I'm using was left by the previous homeowner, extra material from an attic flooring project...I just measured it and it is actually 3/4"!

With particleboard, humidity is indeed a concern with such materials and, admittedly, when we lived in Boise, Idaho, humidity was extremely low; Boise is in high desert and I've seen the humidity there down to 10%. Where we live now, in southeast Texas, it's at the extreme opposite end of the scale. However, before Boise we resided in Portland, Oregon, which is notorious for its damp climate, and I had no problems there with a layout in a semi-heated garage room. Again, I agree good bracing is a must.

DEV also mentioned celotex ceiling tile as a useful scenic material for landforms, etc. I can second that...I used it on a layout I built some years back and liked it.

Again, the comments are constructive and welcome! I've enjoyed hearing from you, DEV, and hope others will join in!

Track and Layout Construction

2009-05-07T11:04:00.000-07:00

I've got to get my track plan and progress photos on here. Soon! Until then, I'll try to describe what I'm up to. Also, I want to respond to DEV's comment and his questions about roadbed and scenery.

Over time, I've found what I enjoy is switching and scenery construction, including structures. So my layout is strictly a switching layout, running along three walls of an 11' x 13' spare bedroom. The entry door and closet are on the same wall, which is really fortunate. There's one window, exactly midway on the 13' wall. I'm building the benchwork in sections in the garage; the sections are 28" wide, in 2-1/2' and 4' lengths, depending on where they'll be placed. Once a section is completed, I haul it upstairs and join it to the others. I hope we never move again, but just in case, the layout can be easily dismantled; the same advantage applies if the bedroom window needs replacement.

Each section has fairly simple construction, using 1" x 4" white pine for the frame, legs and bracing. The surface is 5/8" particle board. Most sections are 42" high; three that will have "water" are 40" with two levels of particleboard. This type of construction doesn't allow for much height variation, but I'm modeling a very flat area. Wood screws are used throughout, and sections are joined together with carriage bolts.

Now for the plan. The layout, set in April 1947, represents a small seaport and its terminal railroad at the end of a branch line of a fictitious Texas coastal railroad (name to be determined) that runs from Houston westward. There is a short segment of main line that disappears behind trees at one end and, at the other, ends at a passenger depot/freight yard. A turntable and three-stall roundhouse are adjacent, along with a freight house. At the other end of the layout is the port area, with two railroad wharves and five industrial sidings. Though I won't be running any passenger trains, I plan to build several passenger cars (I have one already completed) and the depot will provide a place to display them...plus it will add to switching opportunities.

The layout will also have space for non-railroad businesses and a small residential area. I think these are essential in setting the era and locale, because of advertising signs, types of retail stores, automobiles, etc.

I'm laying track on 1/4" x 1-3/4" white pine roadbed, ripped from 1" x 4" x 8' planks courtesy of my son-in-law Craig. On curves I cut the roadbed into 4" segments. Turnouts are on 12" x 3" pieces. The roadbed is bonded to the particleboard baseboard with white glue. I then cut ties from 1/8" x 1/8" balsa, which I stain with acrylic burnt umber. The ties are then put down with white glue. I lay the track in place, except for the turnouts. I find it's easier to build those separately on their bases and then insert them into the intended locations.

DEV's comment asked whether the white pine roadbed is noisy. Although I am still building and haven't run any trains yet, I have used a few cars coupled together to test the trackwork, and the noise doesn't seem excessive. More so than using Homasote, but not bad, I think. I do like the way white pine takes spikes. I considered white pine in the first place after reading Paul Mallery's Trackwork Handbook for Model Railroads. His advocacy of white pine and the fact Homasote is expensive provided the impetus to give it a try, and I'm glad I did.

DEV also asked about scenery. In the past I've used cardboard and foam for terrain shapes, and real dirt and ground foam fixed with 50/50 white glue and water mix. Roads and streets were patching plaster sanded flat and colored with acrylics. I think I'll probably take a similar approach on this layout. More about scenery in a later post. I'll try to also post some photos of my previous Idaho layout to show scenery examples.

One more thing...the railroad's name. I'm still working on the fictional mainline railroad's name, but for the port railroad I have settled on Gulf Harbor Terminal Railway. Guess that makes my port Gulf Harbor, Texas, somewhere west of Houston (and there's a lot of Texas west of Houston!).

The NW-2 Arrived

2009-05-02T10:46:00.000-07:00

The NW-2 switcher arrived promptly and is all I hoped it would be. I paid a little extra to have S Helper Service install scale wheelsets and wire it for DC running. What a nice locomotive! It has excellent detail.

We've had family visiting the last couple of weeks so work on my layout is just now resuming. I have several feet of track laid, including the first turnout. My Code 100 rail has been used on four previous layouts, as have my spikes...not bad recycling, I think! I'm using white pine for roadbed this time, and so far I like it better than homasote, especially the way it holds spikes.

I'm also researching websites for vintage photos and advertising signs I can use on my layout, though scenery construction is some months away. Laying track, wiring and testing the whole works thoroughly of course must come first. However, I do enjoy the historical research aspect of the hobby and I want to do my best to recreate the look of April 1947. From what I've found so far, it won't be a large shift from my previous layout's portrayal of 1939. Not much changed in the appearance of towns; World War II put a lot of things on hold.

Choosing a Year

2009-04-16T13:54:00.000-07:00

Now that I'm starting a new layout, it's time to consider whether to stick with modeling 1939, or to try another era. It's not an easy choice for me, because I really like the look and feel of 1939, and my structures, vehicles and, of course, rolling stock are faithful to that year. Modeling Texas instead of Idaho will mean some changes, anyway: altering my 0-6-0 switcher (my only loco...so far) to represent an oil-burner rather than a coal-fired loco, new industries, different scenery, etc. Nothing drastic, really, if I stick with the same year.

But there's another consideration that has only recently come to mind. I'd like to have a second locomotive, another switcher, since I plan to model a terminal railroad in a small Texas port. Right now, there doesn't seem to be an S scale steam switcher that is both available and (for me) affordable. My 0-6-0 is a Rex kit purchased about 18 years ago from Sandusky. I've been very happy with it, but I'm mindful that it's no longer brand new and (I hope) I have at least another 20 years of active model railroading ahead.

While mulling this over, I ran across S Helper Service's NW-2 diesel on their excellent website. It's affordable, looks good, and, as it happens, is a loco first built in 1939! I first read about the NW-2 in the book "Vintage Diesels" and liked its appearance. It was a very successful locomotive, sold in droves to mainline railroads. So while it is unlikely a small terminal line on a tight budget would be able to buy an NW-2 in 1939, it is reasonable to assume it would acquire one within a few years, by the second half of the 1940's.

So I'm moving ahead in time a little, from September 1939 to April 1947, which happens to be the month and year I was born. Since 1947 didn't look much different than 1939, I can use my rolling stock, structures and vehicles with little modification...maybe a few signs will have to be changed, along with the feature film advertised on my movie theater marquee. In 1947 steam locos still outnumbered diesels six-to-one, and the 0-6-0 would have another half-dozen years or so of life remaining, so it can run alongside the NW-2.

I'm happy with my decision, and I just ordered the NW-2 today.

Welcome!

2009-04-11T05:58:00.000-07:00

As a lifelong model railroader, I'm glad to have this opportunity to write about this hobby that I have enjoyed so much. My start in this blog is a gift from my daughter Ann-Marie and her husband Brett, at the suggestion of my other daughter Jenny and her husband Craig, and I think it's a great idea! I hope that those who read this and view photos of my work will find it interesting and helpful. I know I've learned a lot and been inspired by others' work and the advice and information they've been kind enough to provide...and I'm still learning.

I'm a firm believer in Model Railroader magazine's longtime adage, "Model Railroading Is Fun." And, as one writer put it, "this is a hobby and not a religion." My personal approach is to strive for an accurate, scale representation of prototype railroading, faithful to locale and era. However, that's only one way to go about this hobby; for example, many years ago I visited a Seattle man's layout that "broke all the rules," that was quite a mixture of equipment, eras and even scales! And I've never seen anybody enjoy a layout more than that man did his! That's an important lesson.

Now, briefly, about me. I've been married to Susie for nearly 36 years, a VERY patient woman who has always encouraged me in my hobby. We're both Pacific Northwest natives and, until about a year ago, had always lived in that region, most recently in Boise, Idaho. Our daughters and their husbands relocated to the Houston area in 2008 and kindly suggested we do likewise. We did, and we sure like being close to them and our two granddaughters, Hayley and Emily.

I got started in this hobby at age 6 months when my Dad brought home an American Flyer S gauge train set, and I've stuck with it ever since, though now I model in S scale rather than "tinplate." Over the years I've tried to improve my modeling skills, and now I handlay my track and do quite a bit of scratchbuilding as well.

When we moved I of course dismantled my layout, which represented a small northern Idaho town in 1939 on a "freelance" short line typical of the area. Now I've just begun construction on a layout that will be set in a small Texas Gulf Coast port; I'm still nailing down the era, but I think I'm going to settle on 1947. I'll talk more about that decision in a later post.