Hedley Junction

[sailormatlac]

Hi! It's been a long time since the last input. I've been plagued with migraine during the last month and had some tasks more important.

We completed the basic structure of St. Lawrence Cement plant. It is about 42 inches long and is an exact replica of the original plant that standed in Villeneuve, QC, from 1954 to 2007.













The real thing:



We also worked on getting some scenery done. Half the rip rap and embankment on the peninsula are now completed. Lots of details to add, but it's fun to see things getting more real each time. I ballasted the first 3 feet long track yesterday. It was the first time we ever ballasted a track since the club was founded in February 2007!

Matt

[cn nutbar]

Welcome back Matt

[Ralph]

That's a very interesting cement plant! I've seen how you take these kind of mock ups to great looking models. Eagerly anticipating your progress!

[sailormatlac]

That's a very interesting cement plant! I've seen how you take these kind of mock ups to great looking models. Eagerly anticipating your progress!

Yep, I remember, as a kid, trying to mockup this cement plant with wood block and trains in kindergarten! A we are now 25 years later... still doing the same with more sophisticated means. 3 tracks will be under the structure: 1 for cement loading, 1 for gypsum unloading and 1 for coal unloading.

Recently, the two other club members got involved in building structure and scenery too. They all believed they couldn't handle that which proved wrong. So from now, most large structures are actually a cooperative effort of 3 peoples.

Matt

[MountainMan]

I honestly don't know which is more impressive - the quality of work you have done or the great way you have provided a running account with pictures. Both are beautifully done, and thr added historical photos ties it all together like nothing else could.

Outstanding work.

[sailormatlac]

Hi folks, long time no see...

Here's are few update from Hedley. The Bunge grain elevator is taking shape and could be completed by this summer (!!!!!)...

We worked on the unloading bay yesterday. For the window, a club member had the brilliant idea to use self-adhesive fiberglass net used for gypsum board joints. It makes window panes about 10" x 10" in HO scale.















Matt

[Ralph]

[quote="sailormatlac". For the window, a club member had the brilliant idea to use self-adhesive fiberglass net used for gypsum board joints. It makes window panes about 10" x 10" in HO scale.[/quote]

I've seen that stuff and wondered how it might work. Looks good to me!!!

[sailormatlac]

We continued working on the cement plant trackage in Villeneuve (east to Hedley on QRL&PCo). At this point, it is a mock up to see if everything works fine while operating. If it succeeds at this task, a few turnouts will be upgraded eventually.

Taken from west to east:













Matt

[sailormatlac]

Updated layout plan:



I'm quite happy the real residential area entirely founds its way unscaled on the layout. Yes, they were that close from the plant! And yes, it ended in tribunals 50 years later! Coal, fume, dirt, name it, everything ended in these houses!

Matt

[Tyson Rayles]

Good to see someone making progress!

[fast car]

Excellent idea using the fiberglass drywall tape for window pane sections. Layout looks great.

Larry

[sailormatlac]

Club members gone wild... Again! They decided to make a working scale at the cement plant. You place the car over the scale push a button and few seconds later, the signal turn green. Everything is run with a timer. A great way to improve operation.

The scale was made by bashing together styrene sheets, a Walthers grain elevator scale and a Bachmann cheap signal.













Enjoy!

Matt

[jwb]

Heck, don't just stop with the signal! <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.bouldercreekengineering.com/weighstation.php">http://www.bouldercreekengineering.com/weighstation.php</a><!-- m -->

[teejay]

Good progress ...more than I can say about my layout . That cement plant is spectacular !

T

[sailormatlac]

Heck, don't just stop with the signal! <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.bouldercreekengineering.com/weighstation.php">http://www.bouldercreekengineering.com/weighstation.php</a><!-- m -->

Oh... hock: Don't give them ideas, I know they will try to do it by themselve with junk if I show them the real thing! I still remember when they made an operating swing bridge out of Life-Like bridges + fishing line or the automated turntable out of a VCR motor and door moldings glued together! And I know they plan to make a device to automatically feed hoppers to the grain elevator... You can't stop progress!

@Teejay, Thank you! This cement plant used to be one of the biggest in Eastern Canada. I've fond memories of it but like everything nowadays, it was replaced by ugly condos for bimbos. My grandfather built the concrete form for the 500ft smoke stack back in 1954 and he saw it pulled down again before he died (they told him it would last at least a century) pftt!!! Vanity!

We just need some picture of the nice GE-45 that operated the plant. I've got of few picture of it but it isn't identical to bachmann GE-45. In fact, it didn't had the rod and the cab design and stack were more like a GE-44. Does that means GE had to design for their 45-tonner? St. Lawrence Cement had one with rounded cab corners and integrated stack... Probably a bash project if I want it.

With the Cement plant at the Eastern End and the Grain elevator at the Western End, our layout now have 2 large industries to keep operators busy for large operation sessions. It means two industrial switchers, a yard switcher, a local switcher for other industries along the road and a road unit or more to connect all of them together with freight trains.

Matt