J & R, work in progress

[jandr]

The J & R is an HO logging and mining layout set in the early 1900's in the pacific northwest. A short video introduction is up on youtube.

The layout is an L shape, 17 feet by 10 feet. Open benchwork, standard gauge. No scenery yet, as I'm still finishing the track (almost there though).

If there's interest, I'll post progress reports.

Cheers!

 

[steamhead]

Interest...?!?!...Of a standard gauge layout....Are you kidding me....??? Of course there's interest....Let's see all you've got...!!!

Great video....love that little Shay just chugging along at the end....:thumb:

 

[jandr]

ok, ok, here's another tidbit

OK, got it. Will post new stuff in this thread as it happens.

The photo below shows a trestle being test fit. In the logging area of the J&R there is a series of switchbacks leading up to a logging head. One of those switchbacks isn't long enough without a trestle to extend it. The lower tracks are the main line on the left and the mining spur on the right. The caboose is sitting on a sawmill track. The logging head is "above" the trestle.

 

[Ralph]

I'll second that motion about interest! Welcome aboard, by the way. Glad you could join us.

Ralph

 

[Ralph]

I'll second that motion about interest! Welcome aboard, by the way. Glad you could join us.

Ralph

 

[Trainiac77]

Looks great! Welcome to the gauge! Keep the pix coming!

 

[tetters]

That is looking pretty sweet.

 

[wpyr]

That looks awsome!

 

[jesso]

Wow! That layout already looks incredible. I like how you modeled the layout to describe it. Those switchbacks look really neat. I like how you have built your benchwork. I subscribed to your videos and I can't wait to see more! And lastly, welcome to the Gauge!

 

[cnw1961]

Welcome to the Gauge! WOW, this will be an awesome layout!

If there's interest, I'll post progress reports.

As Gus (steamhead) already said, of course there is interest to see more! If you knew us longer, you’d know that we love to see progress reports and are always craving for pics, pics and more pics :mrgreen: (but your fantastic video counts as well :thumb.

 

[jandr]

Thanks for all the encouraging words. Makes me want to go work on the layout (but sadly, I have a day job).

Cheers!

 

[steamhead]

That is a nice looking trestle....I have a track arrangement quite similar to yours with a track on the upper level crossing one underneath...and have often thought about putting a trestle to span the gap. Is that scratchbuilt..??

Day job...?? ....That's why we have nights...!!! :mrgreen:

 

[lester perry]

Fantastic!!!!!!!!!! Love the video oh yeah the pics also. I wanted a switchback on my short line logging rr but no room for it. Please keep us updated.
Les

 

[jandr]

Steamhead:

Yeah, the trestle is scratchbuilt. I made one bent, then used styrene to create a jig, and used the jig to build the rest (pretty standard technique, I gather from googling around).

The biggest problem I have is trying to make a realistic trestle over the 2 curved tracks. Not sure I got a reasonable solution to that, but hopefully it will do. So far I'm happy.

Still some finishing touches to do on that trestle (no diagonal cross braces between bents, still more bolt castings to glue in, a couple of ends of 12x12's that need to be stained). Can't really put it in for good until I get some scenery around it.

Lester Perry:

So far, I'm pretty happy with the switchbacks. They are fairly steep (which seems prototypical to me for this kind of logging), and allow me to get a lot of vertical in a fairly small space. I am aiming for short trains, small radius curves, lots of vertical separation where I can get it. We'll see how it looks with scenery

Cheers!

 

[beamish]

Great Job! I would love to see more pics as you progress and continue to build this. I am always interested in Logging in HO.

 

[Kanawha]

:thumb: This looks like an amazing layout, more pics please!!!:mrgreen:

 

[jandr]

More pics

Here is what I've been working on lately.

• Finished major work on the switchback trestle (still tacked in place to allow scenery building)
• Base of turntable installed and operational
• Gallows turntable started, shown in test fitting

Still to come on turntable are support cables, minor stain updates, bolt casting.

You can also see "below" the turntable from the shot from above the 4 staging tracks.

Those staging tracks are reached by a helix at each end. The side shot shows the switchback trestle with the logging area high above it and the helix immediately below it heading down to the staging tracks.

 

[jandr]

gallows turntable done

Finished my gallows turntable, pix below. This is kind of a weird kitbash based on a model from Diamond (a plaster cast pit that included a more modern turntable than I wanted).

I modeled the gallows turntable after one I found on the web.

While building this, I tried for the first time a product called "blacken-it" to, as you can imagine, blacken the support cables, which are brass wire. It seemed to work well. Weird that a happily blue little liquid can cause that change in the brass (and cause them to add warnings that it can blind or kill you, so be careful).

What do you think?

 

[Trainiac77]

Jandr,
Your layout looks great! The TT is coming out fantastic. I was wondering if you had some sort of track drawing? with all those rises and different levels I was wondering how all the track ties in together?
Thx

 

[steamhead]

That's a gorgeous T'table..!! That's a lot of work you've put into it, but well worth it..!! :thumb:

I see you like carpentry work as much as I do....:mrgreen: