More Progress and the Buford Train Show

Track-work is finished on Marceline shops! This was a small milestone, as the final spike was driven over the weekend. The track has been wired and tested for shorts and other small issues. The only problem being one switch which was wired in reverse. A problem that was quickly corrected. The model is wired to operate with Bachmann Model's EZ-Command Control system, although an upgrade to the Digitrax Zephyr as things grow is not out of the question. 

All switches continue to be stubs, with the switch throws capable of being sprung. I pan to install staffs with switchflags/lanterns on them as we move forward. The next step is going to be to weather the rails, and then comes ballast and the planking around the roundhouse and turntable. The turntable walls got planked, and the wood dyed with the same "Age It" compound used on the ties. The turntable itself however proved to be a source of continuing problems. 

First, the plastic Atlas gearing stripped out, causing us to abandon the motorization completely. Tyler then tried to fit the turntable to a handle to be able to turn it manually. This seemed to work for a while, but then that gearing also stripped out. The long and short seemed to be the Atlas components not being up for the task of heavy duty operations. For now, we decided the turntable would have to be moved by hand. Something that is not too unfeasible considering it's close proximity to the operator. It's definitely within arm's reach.

However, another problem surfaced when we started testing it electrically. For reasons of designs, the little electrical rollers that pick up power from the two brass plates are having a hard time remaining in contact. When Tyler installed the pit, he drove two screws through the edge in an attempt to be able to adjust it should we require. We tried all manor of adjusting, but found that the only way to have the rollers reliably picking up power would have the turntable bridge set with a very noticeable swayback. 

One option to fix this problem would be to remove the plate, and put a speaker-jack at the turntable pivot. This would require the purchase of an auto-reverse unit, and at this point we would end up building our own turntable bridge. Thus neglecting the Atlas turntable fully, as we would have bit-by-bit removed it. The other option is to somehow install wipers in the Atlas bridge deck, which would mean keeping the plate, as well as finding some way to disguise it.  Finally, the last option....would be to buy a whole new Atlas turntable, and just replace the current one with it. Something I'm sorta loath to do as it would leave me with the full-decked turntable. 

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Crossing over mainstreet!

This month also marked North Georgia Moduler's annual Buford Train Show at Buford Presbyterian Church. Grizzly Flats and the W&A RR were on full exhibit during the show. Before the show began, I took a moment to pose the module outside again and took a few photos of equipment. You will have to excuse the hose in the background, as this was an impromptu moment, and I didn't set up a proper backdrop.

The passing of a train is an occasion in Grizzly Flats

Dispatch rounds the wide bend with a freight.

I had to bring the module to my workplace before the show. I left it sitting in the break-room, went to sign in, and came back to find a small crowd of my co-workers gathered around it admiring it. It's one thing to have fellow modelers see your work and appreciate it, but to see the faces of people you know and respect who have no interest on model railroading suddenly light up upon seeing something like this is very rewarding. 

The Dispatch meets Lapanto Valley RR's Veruim.

The layout at Buf-Preb was a very nice set up. Not the biggest, nor the smallest layout the club has done, but a nice in between. I ran for three days. One of the more interesting things is when I have members of the general public watching, how many recognize the W&A locos. Both General and Texas have been noted, and even Grizzly Flats itself has gotten some commentary on it's Disney roots. Likewise, it's amazing how folks see my passenger cars, and instantly call out "It's the Disneyland Train!" until they get up close and see what the letter-boards say. (I'll talk about my passenger fleet in another post.) 

Tyler's BLI 4000 class, custom weathered.

A number of my model friends were out at the show. Jamison Amis with his brass BC rail locos made a few appearances, as did Tyler Rogers with his Union Pacific 4000. Jamison was instrumental in installing the decoders in Texas and the Nicole Watterson, and Tyler's work on track-laying on Marcline Shops is incredible. Tyler's 4000 is a Broadway Limited Imports loco, and he's gone the extra length to firm it up, modify it to run smoother, and weather it. It's a gem among models. 

Marco's 2-6-0, Veruim

Marcos Huzizil, a fellow 19th Century modeler also made an appearance one day with his Lapanto Valley Railroad equipment. His custom built locomotives are insanely beautiful, and he's always working on some new trick up his sleeve to make them even better! 

Texas cools her wheels in the club's yard.

One of the members of our 19th Century Telegram chat, Mr. Ethan, even came out and ended up with a throttle in his hands. I let him run Angel with a freight, joking calling out that I "hired an engineer", while I played about in the yard. I do believe he has the DCC and sound bug. Once you run one of these little gems, it's hard to go back to analog control.

Brakeman on the roofs.

I brought out Dispatch, Texas, General, and Angel to run. All of which got ample run time on the layout. By the end of the week, all of the locomotive preformed well and I walked away with only one broken coupler on a flatcar. So, all in all, a good show! 

The next club show will be the annual Smoke Rise show at Smoke Rise Church in Georgia. I plan to be in attendance, along with my equipment. Grizzly Flats might also make it into the layout, depending on availability.