More progress in module land today. I’m working in the yard throat area at this point, as most of the scenic challenges are in this area. I wanted to bring a road into the module to provide access to the small loco shop, and also truck access to the station platform.

This shot shows the overall area I’m talking about. The bright white areas are going to be roads and parking areas (part of the large parking area will also contain the yard/shop office).The roadway heading out of frame to the right services the station platform.

I’ve got a sorta odd way of dealing with the roadways planned. First, I found that two layers of cork roadbed, two layers of standard foamboard, or a combination of the two is real close to the same height as the rail head. That made the “grading” for the roads pretty easy. Tomorrow, I’ll make a trip to HD to get some sandpaper to surface the roads with (I’m hoping that they’ll have some that’s self-adhesive). I’m planning for these to be dirt/packed sand roadways. The appropriate grit of sand paper should be perfect. And, I can drag something over the surface to make “tire tracks.”

As you can see, I’ve also gone ahead and installed the grade crossings themselves. It’s probably backwards, but it works better for me this way, as I don’t have to worry about whether or not ballast has gotten on top of the ties. I can also do a good job of testing to make sure that locos run over the crossing okay more easily with less scenery goop in the way.

My technique for making grade crossings is ridiculously simple, and almost just like some prototypes — railroad ties! I use S-scale standard-gauge “profile” ties. Using Peco track, three will fit perfectly between the rails and allow just the right spacing for rolling stock wheels to pass with ease. Also, they can be glued atop the “spikes” on the outside of the rails, and require only a little “shaving” to be at rail-head height.

For the contours of the hill, and other areas, I’m using a version of Howard Zane’s glue-shell technique. Because I’m not making mountains, just small hills, I make topographic contour blocks out of foam, instead of a cardboard web, and hot-glue the rosin paper over the contours. I then “paint” the white glue over the paper. This time around, I decided to try adding my first layer over scenic texture while the glue was still wet. In general, this worked really well, and I’ll probably continue with this technique.

One thing I did learn, however, is that’s probably not a great idea to have already installed the ground throws, at least in my case. I’m using colored grout as the base texture for my scenery, because it does a great job of replicating the sandy soil on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. However, it also does a great job of boogering up the works in the Caboose Industries ground throws. I managed to kill one, and damage two others. I’ve got one repaired, and replaced the ruined one. I’ll remove the ground throws prior to any more work with the grout, and replace them once it’s set up.

That’s all for tonight. Time to kick back and relax for the evening — a little reading, a little time with Donna, and a new episode of Battlestar Galactica. What could be better?

After some e-mail conversation with another Mid-Atlantic Moduleer, it appears that I’m going to be adding a third module to the yard set, to include a 60′ turntable — specifically, this Sellers cast iron turntable, manufactured by Freshwater Models.

It should actually be a fun project, but one that I just hadn’t planned to take on in the time allotted. But, it should be doable, given the rate that I’ve been able to move on the existing modules.

I picked up a few more of the Caboose 218S ground throws at the local hobby shop today. Peach Creek Shops is the name of the place, and they’ve recently moved to a new space, which is a little more convenient for me, and the shop is much better organized than it was before. As I result, I can actually find things there.

The O scale inventory isn’t all the big, but they can order anything I want. They do stock most all of the Bachmann On30 offerings (and display it fairly prominently), and, they have Lenz DCC at discount prices that are as good as the mega-DCC dealer I usually web-order from. Very cool!

No pictures on this one. Sorry, this just isn’t the exciting part.

All the track is down, all the drops are in, and they’ve been soldered to the bus wires. Yes, I said soldered. I usually use 3M suitcase connectors to hook the drop wires to the buses, but, I ran out. Fortunately, this is modular construction, which makes it easy to tilt the things up and solder away.

The first “loco,” an Atlas HO U23B chassis, ran over the whole yard with only a couple little hiccups, which were easily dealt with. Tomorrow sometime, after we clear away the snow and ice, I’ll run over to the Home Depot an pick up a couple more t-nuts and some thumb screws to use to interconnect the two halves of the yard — I’m not yet real comfortable with this whole C-clamp thing, especially since alignment is so critical on the yard ladder.

Next tricks, install all the switch controls and the throttle jacks/bus wiring. For the switch controls, I’m going to use the sprung Caboose ground throws. And, I think I have enough throttle bus wiring components on hand to get that installed in short order.

Whaddaya know? Progress indeed!

Here’s a crappy shot of today’s progress on the modules. Almost all of the track is down. I’m a couple of sections of flex-track short of completing it — I only need enough to complete the little engine service area that will be where the Climax, purple sponge and little structure are sitting in the picture.

The little yard can receive a train of up to one engine, six cars and a caboose, and there is space to store a dozen cars in the yard. The station/departure track, to the right, can easily accommodate a Mogul and three full-length Bachmann passenger cars. The little track curving off to the lower left is supposed to be the switcher pocket.

In retrospect, I kinda wish that I had built it “flipped,” with the station track and engine facility towards the left in this picture, and the yard to the right. It would make operation a little easier once this is incorporated into the home layout. But, the difference is really minor.

Next, one of my least favorite parts of model railroading — wiring!