Mid March Update

This update is long over due... some significant progress has been made on the Dragonfly Sub in recent months.  I have focused on many things including building structures, scenery, operational changes, and adding/modifying industrial tracks.  Some on-going projects worth noting:

•  Eliminated towns, in favor of modeling two towns (Walnut, Illinois and Prophetstown, Illinois).  This major change will require modification to the Operating Plan.  It appears now that two local turns will leave Mendota (staging) with one traveling to Prophetstown and the other traveling to Walnut.  The turns will switch the respective towns and return to Mendota.  This scheme would work if multiple operators are available... if not...  then a single turn could be run to handle all of the work.
• Removed the Green River in favor of more Midwest style flatland.  My initial thought in including the Green River was to provide a visual barrier between towns (switching areas).  In the end, this was not effective and was more of a stumbling block, trying to tie two industrial areas into a "country scene".   It has been removed and replaced with flatland.
• Started to build structures and place them on the railroad.  This is a trial and error process.  A building can look very different if placed at various locations on the railroad.  With that in mind, some time has been spent moving structures around and determining if 1) Does the building look believable in that location, does if fit (both physically and conceptually) and 2) Can rail be used to serve it?  This has been a fun process and the moving about of the buildings seems to be about done.
• Added a coal unloading dock in Walnut.  This will add some coal hopper traffic from both the Q at Mendota and the CNW at Walnut.
• Added two additional industrial sidings in Prophetstown to generate more traffic.  The tracks will serve a grain company, warehouse, bulk oil dealer, and lumber yard.

As time allows, pictures of the various projects will be posted.
Happy Railroading!
Scott

Fall-Winter Update

The weather has turned cold and the model railroading bug has bitten me!  I have been working on some major changes to the Dragonfly Sub. 

• The preliminary scenery at the Green River has been removed in favor of a different method.
• A Masonite backdrop has been installed along the perimeter of the railroad.   In the corners, the Masonite is curved providing a smooth transition between the walls.  (I have always thought that was cool, but in the all years of building have never done it)
• A "sky" backdrop is being installed on the Masonite.  (More on  that in a later post)
• The siding at Ohio has been removed by Maintenance of Way crews to make room for the curved backdrop.  The Engineering Department is now on site conducting topographic surveys in order to design a new siding for the Ohio Elevator Co.  The notion of cost sharing for the improvement with the elevator company has been suggested by Q management... but no final agreement has been reached.
• New industry is planned for Prophetstown- an oil/bulk fuel dealer and a lumber yard.  Typical mainstays for Midwest towns.  The fuel dealer will receive tank cars and the lumber yard will receive boxcars and flatcars.  
• A possible tunnel will be added to help mask/hide some trackage and give more scenic relief.  The area under consideration is the former location of La Moille.  The plan is to place the new industries mentioned above close to the front edge of the benchwork with the mountain/tunnel providing a backdrop.

The list above is a quick run-down.  I plan to post pictures of the various projects, starting with the Masonite backdrop.

Thanks for visiting!

Scott