SILVER CREEK project

Thank you, Mike.
It's my intention with this to show you how to build your own turnout. It's not difficult nor expensive. And you should not think that the first turnout will be perfect. But with soldering rails you can change everything. There's no scrap!

You can do it.
Just follow the steps.

Wolfgang

 

revised plan

I’ve revised the plan, added clearance lines (yellow) and lines for the end of the ties. This way I can see better the position of the crossings. I want to avoid crossings over two segments!!
And I revised the place for the station house. Therefore the clearance lines I’ve calculated.



Also I’ve added a fourth segment to get more scenery and the transition to the standard FREMO narrow gauge profile.
Dual gauge track will be code 83, narrow gauge track code 55.
Turnout numbers 5, 6 and 7 will be stub turnouts.

Wolfgang

 

Work goes on.

From a pile of plywood



I've build the first segment.



You can see the bed of Trout Creek.
More segments will follow. :angel:

Wolfgang

 

Work goes on, the next segment:



And I made another module, a "joker" module. Silver Creek has a hill profile at the narrow gauge end. I made therefore a small module with two different ends, hlll and desert profile.



Wolfgang

 

And the third segment, the last one:



I laid track at my short module. Because Silver Creek ends with a hill profile I need a transition module with Whill" at one end and "desert" at the other end.
Track is code 55.



And in the meantime I built a H0n3 flat car kit. :angel:




Wolfgang

 

More work with this H0n3 D&RGW idler flat car from Micro Engineering. This is a nice kit - but the instructions could be a lot better.
There's a grab iron bending jig - but no word how to use it, only "... insert the wire into the correct hole..." And you have to identify the parts. What's the "ratchet pawl"? And how it's mounted? I missed a picture where I could see the mounted ratchet pawl.
And so I made my way:



To assemble Kadee truck without the tool is another case of fun. But you will learn a lot.



And here's the - still unpainted - car at code 55 track on my transition module.

 

Back to Silver Creek.

I can't put together all three segments, but that's not a problem. Here're the first two segments, those with the dual gauge "main line" and the station.



And this is the third segment where the wye will be. This segment has a "hill profile". My transition module with flat "desert" profile AND "hill" profile is attached.



Wolfgang

 

More work, I've added cork road bed. Now it's time for the track.



And I've built another car kit. This time a kit from Main Line Models "Ye Olde Huff-N-Puff". You can learn a lot with these kits.



Wolfgang

 

Those car kits have made up very nicely! I'm enjoying this and looking forward to seeing the water and other scenery.

Mike

 

Hey now, Wolfgang, that is a spiffy module!:tb-ooh::thumbs_up::thumbs_up:

 

SILVER CREEK truss-rod-bridge

I’ve got the idea from Harry W. Brunk’s Up Clear Creek on the narrow gauge. In part 32 describes Harry Brunk the building of his Truss Rod Bridge. At first I cut the Northeastern stripes, then I stained the pieces.
This is the wood for the first part.



And the first girder. The main timber at the bottom is made of one piece instead of three timbers 9’’ x 18’’. I cut one big piece from a 5mm strip and marked the lines with a knife. The angle blocks are also cut from a triangle strip. The head beam is made of three 8’’ x 10’’, the diagonal braces from 8’’ x 6’’, the ends are from 8’’ x 8’’.



With the glued girders I inserted the rods, from 0.5 mm piano wire.



I brush painted the rods and inserted a lot of nut-bolt-washers.



And more details have to been added.

Wolfgang

 

Very very nice work so far. thanks for the awesome step by steps that you do

 

As long as I live I'll never work out how people can produce structures as good as that.

Mike

 

Mike,
that's simple. Just like Raymond wrote, step by steps. :angel:

This bridge is a weekend project. You see in the name of the picture the date. The first pictures is from July 11.

And here're the next pictures.

I've added more wood. The cross web at the floor, all those cross timbers. the three angle brackets at each truss, the two times three 12'' x 12'' tie support timbers.
And the needle beams. I've use nails, sanded them and filed a small notch for the wire. I used wire from an old relais.



This is the bottom view with wires and turnbuckles. I've glued the wires at the end timbers with CA.



And the top view of the bridge. I've used pieces from aluminium foil, painted rusty as steel plate at the top and bottom from the rod.
And I inserted nut-bolt washers, over 200!



Now I have to paint the tension wires and add bridge ties and guard rails. I run out of 8'' x 8'' strip wood, this is what I want to use for bridge ties.

Wolfgang

 

It's a Tamiya paint, brown with a few drops black.

Wolfgang

 

Scenery

I'm working with a few projects.
The truss-rod bridge needs bridge ties, I've ordered 8'' x 8'' strip wood.
I'm planing the trestle.

My son Benjamin suggested to change the two bridges, I did so. You see the truss-rod bridge at the new place. The trestle will be to the right. I'm cutting wood. And - I need the bridge ties there too!

In the meantime I'm busy with rock. You see the start.



Wolfgang

 

That switch looks great, but its gonna be a bit of a bump there at the point.

 

bridge is absolutely beautiful.