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I have finally settled on a setting for my new layout. I am going to loosely model the Rapid City, Black Hills and Western (RCBH&W) Railroad from Rapid City, SD to Mystic, SD. The RCBH&W followed the rapid creek from Rapid City up into the Black Hills where it connected to the CB&Q at Mystic. It had a total of 32 miles of track and crossed the Rapid creek over 100 times in 26 miles.
I plan to start small and expand as time and money allow. Here is the track plan for the Silver City portion of the layout. I made it a simple loop so I could run trains as I work on the layout. The switches on each side of the layout are there to connect to the larger layout as I expand. Silver City had only 1 siding but I've added a second to include a sawmill that was slightly away from the town (the town will be on the left side and the back track will be hidden from view by a hill. Rapid creek will extend from the lower left, be crossed by the track then follow the track on the inside and exit at the lower right. The upper siding will also cross the creek. The layout will be set in the 1910s. It's 35" x 8'. The table is complete and I am beginning to layout the track plan.
Looking forward to watching the progress for sure
Good concept to have a loop to run on while you expand.
I like this project and era, I spent the last half hour looking at the history and pictures of this railroad. Great subject and time frame!
Very nice Jim! Neat layout....
Thanks for the kind comments. So far I’ve managed to get the bench work built, the track plan transferred to the bench work, and have just finished putting camper tape down for under the cork roadbed.
Since it’s the black hills, ponderosa pine trees are the dominant tree. As I wait for the cork I’ve started building my trees.
Here are some photos of a couple of finished trees and others in various stages of work
I've decided to drop one of the front center sidings to bring it more in line with the actual prototype. Here's the new slightly modified plan.
Following with interest. I'm currently planning a similar shaped layout but in the 13'x4' U-shaped arrangement with turnarounds at both ends.
First layout in 30 years, so I'm soaking up all the ideas I can get!
Dion
Just received all the track for the layout today and I've started to build the three small wooden bridges. Will post pictures as I make progress this weekend.
Thanks for checking out the thread.
Following with interest. I'm currently planning a similar shaped layout but in the 13'x4' U-shaped arrangement with turnarounds at both ends.
First layout in 30 years, so I'm soaking up all the ideas I can get!
Dion
I look forward to seeing your progress as well.
Well I goofed up when I purchased my track for the layout. I didn't make sure I ordered the same turnouts that I used in the XtrackCad program. Because of this I have altered the track plan one one time to fit the layout and the turnouts. This latest rendition does give me a small runaround so that I can switch cars coming from both directions and I pulled the switches on both ends of the layout as I will be taking out the loop once I expand the layout anyway. The front portion of the runaround will also double as a second siding (needed a place to unload the picnic train of its guests.
Track work has begun on the layout.
Sure looks like fun to me!!
Northern Pacific history enthusiast
Cool looking bridge, nice job on the trees as well!
Dave
Well I suffered a major setback. The curves were too sharp 12.5" and no matter how well I soldered the joiners the locomotive (2-6-0) would not make it around the curves without derailing. SO I dismantled that section of the layout, for now, and will start with the terminus point on the layout that will be Rapid City. I still plan on going with the Silver City section once I start expanding.
My thoughts are to have a section of the layout done that I can run and enjoy until I have a chance to expand.
I found a small switching layout that is 18" x 8' and set that in the middle of my 35" x 8' table. I'll use the front and back of the table to add extra scenery.
A setback yes but not the end of the world.
I've gotten busy on my new layout. This portion of the layout will represent the western portion of Rapid City on the Rapid City, Black Hills, and Western (RCBH&W) railroad. This is were the RCBH&W met the Chicago and North Western (C&NW) Railroad. The was a large lumber mill (the Warren-Lamb Lumber company). The left back of the layout will represent a portion of the Warren-Lamb Lumber company with a log pond. While the right back of the layout will represent a portion of Rapid City. The front most track is the RCBH&W interchange track with the C&NW.
I'm still waiting to order the last of the turnouts and a 30 degree crossing to complete the trackwork. In the meantime I have been painting the track I have and have plastered in the log pond for the lumber company.
Here are some pictures of the progress so far.
I don't know how I missed this...Good work so far!
Hit a major milestone today. I got the last shipment of track on Friday and today I completed all the track work for this section of the layout. The Rapid City portion of the layout is wired up temporarily so I can run some trains. Next up I need to finish building four freight car kits for the layout and finish weathering the track.
Here are a couple of pictures of the progress.
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