More layout photos...

I'm awake on a Sunday afternoon after a long night building DP (distributed power) trains. Both 301 and 303 must have been close to 200 cars and at least 18,000 tons. Head end power for both trains was 2200 series ES44DC's leading, with a 2400 series Dash8-40 CM trailing. We placed the remote about two-thirds back, using single EMDI 8800 series SD70M-2 single locos.

Anyways, enough of that...Let's continue with my update of the layout.

We left off with viewing the shops at Kelowna. Here is another look. The CN is currently represented with an ex-NAR SD38-2 and a venerable GP9. One gets a good look at the elevated thru staging yard at Kalamalka. Soon there will be a SD40-2w patrolling the KW line, from Kamloops as well...

Kootenay Western has acquired 2 ex-ATSF F45's for service between Kelowna and Fort Steele on Jack Slimmon's Kootenay Southern. As you can see, these units are due for a trip to the paint shop. The new scheme will be very similar to the mechanical reefer behind the trailing unit and the caboose at Kalamalka.

Eventually, Kalamalka will be partially hidden by a view block, depicting Kelowna's skyline.


The two photos above show recent work at the Winfield turnback loop. The two industries on the switchback spur ("Pasture Prime Meats" and "Ashland Chemicals") will be interesting to work, given that cars spotted to the Hiram Walker distillery would have to be moved out of the way beforehand. One can see the backdrop has been started. I was using the scrap piece of foamcore board for my pallette, and I've kept it in order to match colors for the trees.

The white styro board is temporary, and will be replaced with the distillery and some of downtown Winfield.

Two more shots of Winfield loop, showing the progress on the scenery to date. This is aluminum 1" chicken wire. I thought I would try it and it seems to work great guns so far. Very good at holding its shape. Figured this would be a good place for a campground - right next to the tracks! There will be a small ranch or farm on the hill, named after Old Man Murphy - and individual I have had the misfortune of meeting from time to time!




A closer look at my backdrop painting. In the second photo, I'm not certain about the uniform slope to the left. I might alter that. Hoping the grove of evergreens on the scenery blends OK with those on the backdrop. I'm quite pleased with how the distant mountains came out on the upper right.

Well, that's it for this time. Keep posted for future updates!

Ken.

I'm back after a long time :-)

Boy...It's been a long time since I posted here! Something like a year and a half...Needless to say, I've been busy 'workin on the railroad'.

The layout is 90% operational. I just have to install the 'Nicole Street' spur, across the mainline from the shop track, wire up the shop track complex and some new spurs. I have begun painting the backdrop and installing the chicken wire for the scenery base. So far, so good. Some photos for your viewing pleasure...

This is the 'Kelsey Bay' lumbermill complex. The boxcar spot to the right will have a loading shed for loading plywood and lumber, plus unloading mill supplies. To the left is the chip loader. Past the boxcar spot is the lumber loading area for the bulkhead flats. The distant spur to the right will be for Monashee Manufacturing (steel fabricator). My oldest daughter's great uncle owned this facility in Kelowna. Unload coil steel and supplies, load steel products and scrap metal. To the far left is the car barge. More on this later...


This is the car barge, which will service Penticton. The barge might even serve the car barge apron at Trepanier Creek (near Peachland) for the Brenda Mines copper concentrator.



An overview of the Kelsey Bay area. This will be interesting to switch, especially when the Kelowna 'city' yard job makes a long pull out of the yard and blocks the Kelsey Bay 'Laker' tramp job. Oh...and did I mention the common 4-car runaround shared by the city job AND the Laker tramp job??
An overview of the Kelowna shop complex. Note the 'leased' CEFX AC4400CW in Track 1. This is a Kato, with DCC and sound. To the right is the caboose track. This will also serve as a stores delivery track, for OCS materials, like track and ties and so on. Next is the fuel and sand delivery spur. This may also see the 'RIP' (repair) track incorporated with it.Then we have Shop 1, and shop 2 for layover power and local power storage. Above the yard, one can see Kalamalka, which will be the thru staging yard, once the stub staging yard is built. Another sound equipped unit, this a Broadway SD40-2. Needs a trip to the paint shop, since being acquired from the Rock Island Line.

I just got called to work, so I'll have to cut this short. I'll do another post before the weekend is over...

Ken.