9 Construction Begins

Saw this in chicago

OK. so between last night and today I built the first turnout for the layout. I used a Fast Tracks filing jig for the frog and points and built the turnout over a paper template and PC board ties. I found the filing went very quickly with the jig held in a vice mounted to my workbench (desk). The frog turned out very well, smooth sailing through that. The points are another matter. While the filing of the points is a no-brainer with the jig, filing the stock rails to accommodate the point rails didn't go so well.

My team is competing here today and tomorrow (4/6-7) times are:

10:01

10:43

1:17

1:52

all are Central Standard Time/Chicago Time

We are team 4979

This is the beginning of the first staging yard ! Yeah !

As you can see, there is a standard ladder on the right hand side of the module. The left hand side has a compound ladder. I really find that the compound ladder does not look like it should, but the real estate cost is A LOT lower. So, I going with it for now.

AHM diesels made in Yugoslavia are entry level models.   As used items from the 1970's they're in the $20 price range.  It's feasible to add a knuckle coupler by attaching a Kadee 242 coupler box.  This is done by using a #50 bit to drill a hole in the truck mounted coupler bracket.    Illustrations here from an iPhone 5s:

I appreciate your on line magazine.  As I am totally new to this hobby, your articles, and the information I can obtain from your advertisers is incredible.  Thank you.

Backdrop construction and sky color musings...

See how a forty-year-old magazine article inspired my latest layout. I've written a "Layout Tour" blog about "The Mines of Xenon" sci-fi model railroad at https://smallurbanrails.wordpress.com/ complete with spaceships, robots, and dinosaurs.

Layout's not quite done, but wanted to get something posted.

Come on over. Children welcome. Purists beware. :)