Northern Pacific

[healey36]

Just for a point of reference, here is a shot early on from about the same place as one of the "empty room" photos to give you an idea of how it was "filled".

He should leave that shot for the eventual buyer of the house...some folks have an interest in what came before.

Healey

[ScaleCraft]

My intention is to visit the new owners, give them copies of the photos and links to the youtube videos.
I can guarantee you they will have folks show up at the door.

[ScaleCraft]

Been working in the basement this week. 90+ outside and in the shop, so this is what I do.
South Throat of the new yard is in, tracks connected and more being laid. Outer two are new double-tracked mainline, and not yet fully placed.

[rogruth]

Dave,
Looks like a good start.
Waiting for more.

[Roy]

I like that DC-3! Has your train friend moved away, yet?

[ScaleCraft]

Oh yeah, long gone. House has been "Sale Pending" for 2-3 weeks. In this housing market, and Chinese realtor specializing in Chinese businessmen wanting to hide money in US real estate, not sure what that means.

DC-3 came from the last railroad we ripped apart. I will probably fish line it to the ceiling when I figure out where everything needs to be.

[ScaleCraft]

This evening:





The SE corner of the basement. South yard throat in, tracks laid out heading northward. New outer double-track main with crossover in, screwed down, through the tunnel, ready to curve around and connect with switches to existing double track near basement door.

[rogruth]

Dave,
How many signal bridges do you have and who made them?
In what manner do they work? One direction or two?
Will it stop a following train? Or just look cool?

[ScaleCraft]

I don't even know. I had mine, then I got all of Bill's.....mine I rip apart and paint the metal silver, just because this railroad does that.
You can move the light heads hanging underneath, on top, or inside the bridge. You can point either direction. You can wire them up to anything you want. They don't stop anything...but they do indicate approaching switch directions. You are running "heads-up" and you will see green, yellow (diverge) or red (park it).
I have what, 4-6 cantilevers, some dwarfs. Have two old Japanese brass semaphores. Bunch of Lionel semaphores.

[rogruth]

So you use them to indicate switch positions mostly?

[ScaleCraft]

Yes. And with this new expanded length main, there will be some that will be wired to the next switch down the line as an approach.
We used to "operate" this in the much smaller original space. With double tracks, branch lines, two turntables interchange yard and main yard, and three walkarounds, I think it will be a much better experience doing that.

[rogruth]

Sounds good.

[J. S. Bach]

...snip... who made them? ...snip...

They are MTH RailKing #450.

[ScaleCraft]

One is. Cast bases. Given to me. The rest (have to be a dozen) are Lionel. There are...four? cantilevers, all Lionel.

[ScaleCraft]

Wired up hot and commons to the new crossover section, and test-ran an All-Nation three-rail NW2 all the way to end-of-track and back.
Going to run some more busses later, put the drops in, and see what else I can access under power today.