The Burbank Branch

[Tyson Rayles]

Good to hear you are back at it and congrats on the schooling as well.

[JohnyBotto]

Thank you Tyson, it's been a long journey. Good to be back.

[eje]

Nice layout John! I lived a couple blocks from that branch in Canoga Park '82-'86, and regret not taking photos. I worked at an aerospace plant the branch ran behind, but we were not permitted to have cameras in there. Some days a train headed toward Chatsworth would pull through around lunchtime typically pulled by a SW1500. There was a timber trestle bridge over the Los Angeles River adjacent to Canoga Avenue about half mile north of the 90 degree curve. One night people living under the bridge managed to set it on fire and the very next day the Espee cops cleaned out the whole bunch and they never came back. At Canoga Avenue and Sherman Way, Hull Bros. Hardware had a short spur (three or four car lengths IIRC) that was commonly used as a team track including Christmas trees each year.

Congratulations for getting your trackwork back in shape! It all looks great in the video. Good luck! Ric

[JohnyBotto]

Thanks Ric!
It's nice to hear from someone who knows the line. Yes the SP ran a lot of the SW1500s down that branch. The only other locomotive type I can recall seeing in person was a GP9. The photos we never took are the ones we miss the most. Thanks for the info about operations out in Canoga, I'm not as familiar with that part of the line, but would like to add industries from that area if the layout ever acquires more space.

[eje]

JB - At least during the '80's there was nothing I recall west of Sepulveda getting switched other than the Hull Bros. spur. Most of the action even then was east around North Hollywood and thereabouts. A few blocks east of the 90 degree curve the tracks ran right next to a plain beige building where "art" movies were made. I'm wondering if there's some way one could add police helicopters and roosters crowing to the layout ambience. What I wouldn't give for a Tommy's burger with extra chili!

[JohnyBotto]

Ah yes a Tommy's burger...Yum!
That must have inspired me.... There has been a lot done on the Burbank Branch in the last month, so here are some up dates:

1. I have got all the main tracks installed and all turnouts and motors aligned and operating.
2. I extended my wifi into the basement and now have wireless control using WiThrottle, Engine Driver and JMRI through smart phones.
My DCC is an NCE PowerCab with a NCE computer interface card. The wifi and smart phones have been working flawlessly so far and I'm very pleased. This set up allows visiting operators a control device without having to have extra cabs on hand and keeps the operating isle clear of cables.

Now on to some visual projects that are taking shape:
First up is the second building in the Zero Manufacturing complex. This is not rail-served but is part of the character of the complex and could not be left out.
It is still under construction but wanted to show progress shots and the general layout. Enjoy!

   

   

   

And a Google link to the real building:
https://maps.google.com/maps?q=burbank&l...g=270&z=21

[JohnyBotto]

The second visual project is kinda cool.
The slide switches that control my turnouts are located under the layout and stick down below the facia. You can not see them when standing so I need a way for operators to locate them and identify what turnouts they control.
In Adobe illustrator i made a drawing of a switch stand with a lantern on top. I had a friend upload the file to his cnc machine and cut them out of thin acrylic. They are about 4" tall. These will be glued to the facia above the slide switch locations and the targets will display the SP SPINS number for the siding they control. The lantern will house a bicolor LED that will indicate the turnout alignment.

Here is a shot of the switch stand painted and waiting a SPIN number.
Those are the updates for now, Happy Railroading!

   

[Tyson Rayles]

Good to see you are still at it.

[Ralph]

Very neat!!!!

[JohnyBotto]

I have spent some time building structures and details for Zero Manufacturing. The 2 warehouses were built using PikeStuff parts and evergreen styrene sheets. The walls were made using N Scale Architect HO Concrete Block sheet and Evergreen v grooved siding. The structures are mocked up in there locations with sandpaper for asphalt and the main road drawn in on the layout.

   


   


   

[Tyson Rayles]

Good looking progress!

[JohnyBotto]

Thank you Tyson!

Here is another little detail for the Zero Manufacturing scene. A Dead End Fence for one of the streets.
Plastic strip and home made paper signs.

   

[Ralph]

That's a cool scenic detail!

[JohnyBotto]

North Lomita St.
All parts mocked up and ready for paint.
   
   
   

[JohnyBotto]

That's a cool scenic detail!

Thank you Ralph. I try to model what I remember and what I see. I sat and leaned on a fence just like this for many hours watching the SP go by.
Glad you like it.