WOW, I can't believe it has been over a year since our last reconstruction update. Let me try and catch you up on all the work that has been completed since November 2008. Track work is complete in Amzi Yard, Muleshoe, Beaver Creek, Cory Corners, Irondale, and Bardstown Yard. We have passing sidings at Conner and Turkey Trott (previously called Barely Forested Earth). Smoot's Holler (previously called the Texas Bovine District) has a stub-out piece of track. Cox's Gap has about 33% of its track work complete. Scenery is well underway at Muleshoe, Beaver Creek, Cory Corners, Turkey Trott, and Cox's Gap. Track plans are under development for Conner, Turkey Trott, Smoot's Holler, and the remainder of Cox's Gap. A track connection to tie Beaver Creek to Bardstown Yard is in place and work still remains to motorize the turnouts on this section.
Operations started back around October 2009, but they really took off when we knew visitors were coming in February and March of this year. Since February, our operating sessions have really matured, as we have worked out issues and gotten so many donations of rolling stock and locomotives. We are looking forward to making more enhancements, completing more scenes, and having even more fun this year on the MGB Railroad.
The MGB Version III is really taking shape. Thanks to some overwhelming help from the Central Alabama Model Railroad Club, we now have all track laid in the Amzi Yard and Wye Jericho. Pretty soon we anticipate operating on and "Out and Back" mode.
Starting from Amzi and working towards Bardstown. Muleshoe is completely laid out, and the roadbed is down. All we are waiting for here is track and scenery. Conner is in the process of being laid out. The general scheme has been hatched, to include several heavy industries, but the track plan has not been set. Beaver Creek is completely laid out and the roadbed is secured. Staunton Coal is now a fixture again and the Scott and Scott Stockyards are in the process of being fitted. Cory Corners has been laid out, and some roadbed laid. The mainline track behind this scene has been laid. Barely Forested Earth is in the process of being laid out. Right now, the massive wooden trestle is in the works and half-fitted to the scene. The Texas Bovine District is in the process of being laid out. Some roadbed has been placed. Cox's Gap is in the process of being laid out, with some roadbed placed. Bardstown is in the process of being laid out. Bardstown Yard has seen no work at this point other than the development of the track plan.
So far we have been averaging two days a week worth of work, but that will slow some due to the holiday season. Upcoming work will be to continue laying out scenes and placing roadbed. Track and Scenery will be added as funds allow.
Again, and we can't say this enough, MANY thanks are due to the Central Alabama Club for their enormous effort in laying all the track in Amzi Yard and the Wye Jericho.
The MGB Version 3 is well under way at this point. We have almost completed the bench work. The assembly of the peninsula benches and backdrop were completed, as was most of Amzi Yard benches. All that is left for bench work is to finish Amzi Yard, the Wye, and the CSX transfer lead. Additional work this evening included the continued removal of the previous Mt. Pilot wiring, and the hanging of about half the track lights.
Planning, planning, planning
So far, one scene has been laid out, and one other claimed. At this point, we will have a semi-modern auto assembly plant and a 1950ish lumber operation, complete with curved wooden trestle.
Upcoming work in the next couple of weeks will see the completion of the track lighting and other lighting modifications, the completion of the bench work, the beginnings of all the wiring that must be done, and some painting of the sky and backdrops. We have decided to do as much of this as possible before laying any track, etc. so that we don't destroy or damage the tracks and scenes.
Members that have not decided on a scene to model are Brett, Gary Moore, Darren, Gary Maitland, and Ray. Scenes still available are Red Scene 1, Red Scene 2, Red Scene 4, Blue Scene 1, Blue Scene 2, and Blue Scene 4. Some ideas for these scenes have been: towns, steel plant, spur with many small industries, coal mine / processing facilities, paper mill, etc.
For some time, our Club has been discussing the need to improve its ability to mimic real railroad operations - not just run trains "in a circle", but have actual train movements that include a significant amount of switching. To do this, we soon realized, we would need to re-think not only our entire track plan, but even our railroad's reason for being. Yes, we know that we probably should have given all of this more thought earlier on, but you know what they say about hindsight!
Two of our members, Brett Scott and Gary Moore, traveled to Arkansas for a DCC operations camp back in September 2006. While in Arkansas, they met another model railroader by the name of Dennis ("Denny") Whittaker. Denny lives in Ohio and is building an HO layout in the basement of his home. Since then, Brett and Denny have kept in close contact by e-mail and phone discussing various model railroad topics. Somewhere along the line, Denny invited Brett and other MGB members to come to Ohio. Denny said that he could arrange for the "Alabama gang" to view, and operate on, several HO layouts in the area. This trip finally came about in late May of this year. Brett, Gary and Darren Scott made the trip to the Cleveland area where they were treated like family by Denny and the other hosts. As a result of the operating experience the guys had while in Ohio, they decided to recommend that the MGB's layout be torn down. They felt like this was essential to re-shape the MGB into a true operating layout. Needless to say, the other members thought Brett, Darren and Gary were kidding at first. Once they heard the reasoning behind the recommendation, however, they realized that it wasn't a bad idea at all - in fact, everyone got very excited about the idea.
The new, improved MGB will function as a point-to-point railroad with an interchange with CSX on one end and another interchange with Norfolk Southern on the other end. The new layout will feature three parallel peninsulas (or fingers) that are interconnected on one end. The middle peninsula will feature the only remaining component of "version 2", Mount Pilot (see Photos here). The new layout will feature a large number of industries and numerous opportunities for switching. Both ends of the railroad will have a yard which is adjacent to the interchange track. Construction on "version 3", as it's already being called, has begun. Work on the bench work is proceeding nicely and wiring and overhead lighting should begin soon.
