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The Saga of Brian Pate's KMR. Phase 4 (!) complete General discussion
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Regular poster 240 posts Mark Dance Regular poster 240 posts
Mark Dance

Yes, the unforeseen Phase IV!

A few weeks ago we received an email from the head the Dawson City Museum.  “There was no joy in Mudville” – to paraphrase the story of the other famous Casey.  The carpentry resources from Parks Canada pledged to complete enclosing the KMR for public display had been “reassigned”. While this might at first seem disappointing, on reflection it was a great opportunity as one participant fell away and a new participant – the Yukon Government – stepped forward with money but they needed labour to get the layout to be in front of the public ASAP.

So  Anthony Craig and myself agreed tp travel (again) to the Yukon to complete the Klondike Mines for public display which, in addition to building a clear plastic cover for the entire length of the layout would include :

  • Installing high power LED lights above the layout with a dimmer switch

  • Install the track cleaning cars on the short shuttling train and assure all is well with its continuous operation

  • Enclosing and painting the back of the layout peninsula

  • Draping the underside of the layout

  • Similarly finishing and enclosing the movable Homestake Gulch trestle display

  • Installing stand-in “massing models” for the 20 not-yet-completed Dawson City buildings

  • Training and “educating” the KVA demo staff  on the history and operation of the KMR

  • But hopefully not rebuilding the Klondike Bridge for a third time!

The saga has reached a very happy end.  The KMR is ready for public viewing which will begin July 18th!  

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Most objectives were achieved and the layout looks superb.  It has garnered many many compliments and the demonstration staff are thankful and excited.  They are ordering turn of the century conductor's caps to wear and have been looking into wooden train whistles for visitors to buy.  On of the young visitor's center staff said "it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen".  Yep - that made our day!
 
Not that the install wasn't without drama!  While test fitting the final hinged lid, it slipped and crashed down on the Bonanza creek Dredge model and a part of the flume!  The dredge - which we had carefully protected and worried about since the de-installation - was badly smashed on the back end and parts were everywhere. To quote Charlie Brown: " Aaarrrgggghhhh!"  After an hour spent playing with the parts one night, and then three hours the next morning rebuilding a main support timber and pulling and gluing everything tight, it looks nearly as good as new.  (check out the pictures for yourself and see if you can notice any damage.).  But, much to my surprise, the Klondike Bridge didn't require a fourth repair job!  
 

It has been a very long project.  By my count there have been between 800 and 900 hours of volunteer work gone into the project not including travel time.  I'd like to thank everyone for their time, energy and support.

And finally, a short video:
 

thx for reading along!

md

Mark Dance, Chief Everything Officer - Columbia & Western Railway

Videos: https://www.youtube.com/user/markdance63       Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/27907618@N02/sets/72157624106602402/
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