Grand River Western

[Catt]

The Grand River Western is a small modern day railroad located in in West Michigan.It will have a double track mainline and for the most part be is built on old recycled NTRAK modules.The layout will be dual mode being both DC and DCC compatible with the flip of a switch.

This layout is HO layout number two for the Grand River Valley Model Railroad club.Some oif the pictures posted here will look familiar as in it's last incarnation it was the Reading & Union City Eastern a On30 railroad.The hinged lift beidge is now a thing of the past and one less PITA to put up with, Here are couple pictures of the layout's current status.

[Catt]

Progress report for today's visit to club.The bridge fits like it was meant to. I got the roadbed glued down on the bridge (it will have a ballasted deck) and realigned the roadbed on the other end of the bridge.With a little bit of luck there will be a rough draft of the layout and basic track plan.The next major project will be getting the new track down and wired so we can run a train or two.

[Brakie]

Is the Grand River Western a sister road of the Grand Valley?

[Catt]

Actually it was a plan to get my club to name our big HO layout.That railroad is now the Grand River Valley Railroad (hmmm sounds just like the name of the club ).

Now that you mention it since I am the driving force behind the Grand River Western I think it will just become another Midwestern Trainportation System property like the Grande Valley Railway. :mrgreen:

[Catt]

First pic is a rather poor shot showing how the bridge will be powered. Soldered brass angle to the bottoms of the rails to provide power transfer and the brass angle will help align the tracks on both ends of the bridge.

Second pic shows the newly installed (as of last night) fashia on the corner. I was surprised at how much better the corner looked after I was done. Must be because it hides some ugliness. smile emoticon

[Tyson Rayles]

I don't know how you can work on so many different projects and not go crazy!

[Catt]

Actually I do it to keep from going crazy Besides I only get a few hours a week to work on this layout.

[Catt]

Got a little more done on the small club layout tonight.Not as much as I wanted but I dig figure out my power pickups for the bridge need more work.

Gotsome paint on the corner fashia.



Got one strip of track on the bridge



Discovered the power strips are to long to be stable.

[Catt]

Ok, after going to two different styles of bridges to allow access to the inner area and having nothing but trouble from both I made the decision to change to a folded dogbone style layout.Dealing with lots of other things including loss of mobility progress has been very slow but still being made.

These two pictures show the progress to date and was actually accomplished in the last 8 days though in the planning stage for a little over a month.This layout is intended to be a locomotive testing layout and will receive minimal scenery but will not be a "Plywood Pacific",or a "Styrofoam Pacific " for that matter. :mrgreen:

Anyway the layout will be both DC and DCC to allow for testing as to wether or not a loco is really worth getting DCC ( to be determined by the loco;s owner).Minimum curve radius is 22".

[Tyson Rayles]

Nice space to work in, got a track plan Catt?

[Catt]

Nothing on paper yet,but the plan is a basic folded dogbone.I should have actually extended this end at least another 12" to allow room to maintain a 22" radius.When I rework the other end I will do just that.(to late for this end so we will live with it )

The inside curve (on this end) will be a combination of 18 & 22 inch to keep the curve as fluid as possible.I should be able to keep the curves a full 22" radius on the other end (lesson learned ).

[Catt]

Got theroadbed glued down on this end of the layout tonight.Now I just have to wait for the club to find me a large radius curved lefthand turnout so I can finish the roadbed and get the track laid.

[Catt]

Hard to see in these pics but there is a turnout right about where that jog in the wall is that will allow trackage inside the loopfor some industry(s).For the time being this end is done.

[Catt]

Getting a start on the other end,I finally got the framework done and installed.This end will still have a constant 22" radius but there will be short sections of straight (at least that is the plan).

Ever have one of those times when nothing would go the way you wanted? This one was mine,I wanted the corners to match the other end but no matter what I did it would not work even though I copied the other extension. Sooo this side has square corners instead of beveled at 45 degrees.

So anyway plan is blue board next week and draw out the track plan.week after that glue down the cork,week after that put down the track and test run.(may compress this into two weeks if I have the time.

[Tyson Rayles]

"Ever have one of those times when nothing would go the way you wanted?"

Everyday Catt!