Seligman and Beyond Layout - HO Scale

Track is down for main loop except for the approximately 36" section over the river. The Fast Tracks turnouts Keith R. sold me were just the ticket, working nicely in the section adjacent to the river.

Main power buss is run under the whole layout. 1/3 of the loop is powered and operational.

Need to cut gaps into three way turnout to isolate the frogs.

 

Wish I had a room like that.

 

Its a blessing.

 

It’s exactly what I’d like. A walkaround about about 20x30 looks like. Enough for some distance. When in the middle you can’t see the whole layout, gets a sense of distance. Surface just wide enough for track and related scenery.

 

Dropped 40-50 feeder wires thru the foam boards.

Added color to the river banks.
Ordered the bridge today, local hobby shop didn't have it in stock.

 

Looks great Craig. Keep it up. You are making nice progress.

 

After the kids and grandkids left, after having a good time figuring out the moves to achieve the switch assignments and playing with Railpro, I revised the Frisco side of the Seligman Yard north and south ends to make it more prototypically correct.

Like Drew several of us got Covid on vacation. Very mild cases.

Gave up on getting Microengineering for the majority of track (I like the more correct scale sized ties), some of the E-bay prices are out of hand, so I've been mixing and matching brands and in some cases, codes, with transition joiners. Its all good.

 

Thanks for the lift, Tom. It'll add to the stories during operations too.

 

What is “GJ”?

 

"GJ" = Grand Junction (Colorado)

 

Made a Seligman depot footprint template using the dimensions from Charlie's article way back when, along with assistance from a couple of great conversion links.

This allows me to see how much space I have for the "North Arkansas" side of the yard and how much selective compression I'll have to use.

Interesting tidbit, the locals continued to call it the "North Arkansas" after it became the Missouri and Arkansas, after it became the Arkansas and Ozarks, and after it went belly up.

Work has started on a Central Valley Model Works 1905/6 Pratt truss bridge for the crossing.

Back to the depot, does anyone know if there is, and uf so, what, the difference is between drop board siding vs clapboard siding?

 

It would be very cool if you can include enough of the North Arkansas so interchange can happen.

 

Working on that, plan not finalized.

 

Looking great!!! Not only is it prototypically ok to mix and match, it's fiscally nice to your pocketbook!!! It amazes me how expensive the hobby has become. That's why I scratch build so much stuff--it's just ridiculous what models cost anymore.

Your layout is really looking good.

Paul Moore

 

Thanks Paul.

Yes!

Admittedly it was ambitious for my first layout beyond my "figure 8 on a 4 x8 " as a kid. One step at a time makes for progress even if slow.

 

Started tackling the bridge. Central Valley's 150' Pratt Truss 1905/6.

Installing those steel strips caused the ends to bow up slightly. I have since placed weights on it in hopes of coaxing everything back into alignment.

 

Work continues on the bridge, snagged a couple more turnouts for the North Arkansas side of Seligman's "yard".

 

Looking good Craig.

Those CV bridges are pieces of art when they are done. They are not easy to build though. I built one together with Jeff Parker that owns CV and still struggled. But it will look great finished.

 

Its been a challenge. The spring steel inserts have a mind of their own. Weights and patience have been my friends. Still has a smidge of twist to it, but the weight of the girder portion will flatten it out.

I would counsel prospective builders to get them as flat and straight as possible before insertion, and they want to bend as you insert them, so make the openings in the cross braces and cross bearers free enough that you don’t have to use much force while maintaining overall rigidity.