The Hjemstad Line

[Svein]

As I begin to understand that it may take a while before the train rooms are finished and construction of the new layout can start, I need to have something to unwind and relax with. So yesterday afternoon I put together a simple and temporary stand for my old layout sections, making them easier to work on.



Rail height is about 120cm (48"), which makes a nice working and operating height, and I still have room to flip the layout on its side when working on the wiring underneath.



I will also make a small staging shelf by the left wall, but first I have some tracklaying and wiring to finish.

Meanwhile my girlfriend Vigdis is occupying the living room floor. She has just printed out a preliminary track plan, and is working with cardboard mockups of the buildings and structures she wants to have on the layout.



I have ripped a 12mm (1/2") plywood sheet into benchwork parts that she can put together when she's satisified with the plan and wants to move on.

Svein

[Svein]

Vigdis and I went to our LHS today to pick up some landscaping material, and maybe we went a little overboard...:



Well, guess it's time for some scenery work pretty soon.

Vigdis has also ordered an awesome turntable from Sequoia Models, plus an ash pit an a double water tower. Both very cool kits that we couldn't find here in Norway. I have no idea if they're appropriate for her era and location, but that's not important to her right now.

http://tmwshop.com/shop/index.php?main_p...cts_id=194
http://tmwshop.com/shop/index.php?main_p...cts_id=206
http://tmwshop.com/shop/index.php?main_p...ts_id=1010

Svein

[Russ Bellinis]

I don't know her era, but that turntable would not be out of place at the end of a branch line at any time in the steam era that saw light steam engines only.

[Svein]

She has the Blackstone C-19 #345 engine and some cars from D&RGW and Rio Grande Southern. According to the booklet that came with it, the engine was re-lettered #345 in 1924. It also says that the D&RGW operated in Utah, so we're probably looking at somewhere in Utah around 1930, but please correct me if I'm wrong.

Svein

[Russ Bellinis]

She has the Blackstone C-19 #345 engine and some cars from D&RGW and Rio Grande Southern. According to the booklet that came with it, the engine was re-lettered #345 in 1924. It also says that the D&RGW operated in Utah, so we're probably looking at somewhere in Utah around 1930, but please correct me if I'm wrong.

Svein

That turntable would be perfect for a C-19.

[Svein]

That's good to hear. Thanks. Russ!

Svein

[Justinmiller171]

Svein, I visited the prototype for that turntable last summer, It's amazing that it still stands today:

[Svein]

Wow, that's just so cool! Thanks for the pic, Justin!

Svein

[Svein]

This last month we've been busy renovating the house and waiting for contractors who never show up, so there's not been much progress on the layout. However, Vigdis has started building a small 50 x 60cm (20" x 24") diorama for her D&RGW theme:



In the corner there will be a lake, with the track crossing a small stream on a timber trestle. There's also going to be some rock outcroppings, and a cut for the track.





We've just ordered an NMRA H0n3 gauge from Walthers, but it won't arrive in a couple of weeks. So we're wondering what the minimum clearence should be on each side of the track?

Svein

[Steamtrains]

Svein wrote:
"We've just ordered an NMRA H0n3 gauge from Walthers, but it won't arrive in a couple of weeks. So we're wondering what the minimum clearence should be on each side of the track?"

Just enough to be able to reach in and re-rail an errant car/engine....

Love your engine, track & rock-work....

[paulus_jas]

hi Svein,
just a story i read a longtime ago. W. Allen McClelland, the proud owner and builder of the V&O, had a leakage problem with his roof.
Not much damage was done to his layout underneath. If I remember well, he had so cleverly designed drainage ditches and streams on his layout, all the water pouring down through the roofs was safely flowing onto the floor; hardly damaging his precious layout.
You could give it a try, empty a bucket of water over your mountains and look if or where drainage ditches would be needed (lol). The lake nearby is where it should flow to.
Smile
Paul

[Svein]

Thanks Gus, but there's still a long way to go. She has never done this before, and neither have I, so it's an interesting learning process for both of us. The track is ME code 55, factory weathered. I really like the low profile of the rails, and am beginning to wonder if I should rip up all the code 75 track on my own layout, and put down code 55 track and handlaid turnouts. Well, maybe some day...

Paul, that's a funny story , but it can't be true, can it..? Anyway, she's going to have some ditches along the track in the cut, leading the rain water down towards the stream area.

Svein

[Russ Bellinis]

Paul, that's a funny story , but it can't be true, can it..? Anyway, she's going to have some ditches along the track in the cut, leading the rain water down towards the stream area.

Svein

I think it is a true story. It was written up in one or more of the articles done by many of the model railroading mags concerning the last run of the V&O before he tore it down to sell the house and move to a smaller apartment.

[Svein]

Still some highlighting left to do, but for the most part done with the first cut.





Zak's shack is finished, this is her first structure build ever.



I think it looks great, allmost can't believe she's never done this before. Also, I'm seriously thinking of making a separate thread for her work, as I'm beginning to feel a bit intimidated when comparing it to my own... :oops:

Svein

[paulus_jas]

she is very talented, a good team the two of you
Paul