Working on my Narrow Gauge Division

[jwb]

Thanks for the reminder to get back on this thread! Here's a current track plan, that leaves out part of the narrow gauge line that isn't connected yet:     The narrow gauge extends from the terminal at Anthracite, on a shelf at the far right, along the bottom-most line of track at the bottom of the plan. It joins the standard gauge main line and becomes dual gauge at Poncha Jct, then runs to the left and separates from the standard gauge main at the far left. Its route from there is toward the center of the left peninsula, but it isn't included in the plan as drawn. The photos above taken at Jaques are in this area, all of it done within the last year or two. (The 2-8-0 is indeed a Blackstone). A photo of the end of the line, located roughly where the words BAY CITY are on the plan:     The main obstacle right now is reconnecting the switch machine (to the left of the track) to the 3-way switch. This was custom built by the late Russ Simpson. This whole section of the layout was part of a 4 x 7 narrow gauge layout I had built in an apartment several moves and 30 years ago. I had sort of a rube goldberg arrangement for powering and routing current to the 3-way stub switch then -- it involved pushbuttons, two twin-coil switch machines, and the motor-and-worm machine you see here. I have to try to reconstruct what the heck I did, and until then I don't want to fasten this section permanently to the risers. Maybe by posting in this thread I'll get motivated!

I should set up a photo tour of the whole narrow and dual gauge route as it currently exists next. The total length of the narrow gauge, including the part that's dual gauge, is roughly 50 feet.