Entire Layout Tour and Progress Report

Another winter break over and work on the layout comes to a halt for a few months. After five years, I wanted to provide a combined layout tour and progress report highlighting how the railroad has taken shape thus far. Enjoy!

Lower Level: 

Entrance: The railroad is tucked away behind the basement workshop and is entered in the corner of the room. The entryway is crossed by the mainline exiting Eugene Staging (lowest level; liftout), the mainline between Wicopee and Fields (mid-level duck-under), and the mainline at Summit before Klamath Falls Staging (upper level). Most recently the benchwork in this area has been completed. Fascia work in the future should help clean-up this area visually and make for an attractive entrance.

Westfir: This is the first location on the railroad as the mainline exists Eugene Staging. In the fall, significant progress in terrain and rockwork was made here with the installation of Tunnel 22. All that is left to complete the terrain is the immediate foreground as well as more rockwork in the tunnel area and on the slope in the right hand side of the scene.  

Tunnel 22: This short tunnel was installed in 2019 and helps to visually separate Westfir and Oakridge. Seen here is the east end of the siding in Oakridge. The relationship of the turnout and tunnel is close to matching the prototype. Also notable in this image is a demonstration of the various construction techniques employed. Namely the benchwork, wiring, scenery terrain, and backdrops. Hopefully can do something about the bright white plaster soon!

Oakridge Residential: Just beyond Tunnel 22, the mainline and siding take curve into the town of Oakridge itself. Here, where the foam terrain base has been installed, will be a small residential area with a few homes, streets, etc. I am quite excited about the modeling potential in this area and am seeking to capture the sleepy, lived-in feel of this last bit of civilization before the tree and rock dominated wilderness on the rest of the railroad.

Oakridge Yard: The yard was installed and completed a year ago (winter 2018-2019), with terrain forming started fall of 2019. Beyond continuing scenery development, work here in the future will mainly consist of a thorough fine-tuning of trackwork necessary for the high volume of operations that will occur in this location throughout a session. 

Oakridge West End: The west end of Oakridge is the gate to the pass, the final flat section of track until Klamath Falls staging. Still to come is completion of the spur to the mill and terrain which will help visually separate this level from staging below.

Salmon Creek: Admittedly a busy scene, special attention will need to be given in scenery development to ensure each element in this location is properly accounted for. Notable are the mainline (closest to the aisle) and Pope & Talbot Mill (bare spline). The mill will be modeled after modern lumber operations against the far backdrop serviced by a daily local from Oakridge. Completion of trackwork and initial terrain forms will go a long way to completing this operationally and visually important location.

Salmon Creek: The mainline cross Salmon Creek itself here over a future ballasted deck bridge. This scene will be significantly compressed, but remains one of the signature scenes on the railroad. After crossing the creek, the mainline enters the helix. Fascia work has begun on the helix to allow for a large hillside that will span from the creekbed up to the exit from the helix above (roughly near the reference photo for the tunnel).

Upper Level

Wicopee: This is, admittedly, one of the locations I wish I could build over if it didn't require rebuilding the helix. There is very limited headspace here and as a result, most of this track will be hidden through a series of tunnels. In progress is the installation of the fascia which will continue when time allows. Performance wise, the helix has proved to be structurally and operationally robust, having been constructed almost 3 years ago.

Wicopee to Fields: After the helix, the mainline sweeps out of Wicopee before the siding at Fields. This winter saw a concentrated effort to complete the subroadbed and track work from the point to the top of the climb at Summit. Here, efforts included installation of spline roadbed, track, and wiring. To come for this area and the rest of the upper deck will be fascia, supports for tunnels and bridges, and terrain. 

Fields: This is the second of the two sidings on the railroad and arguably the operational highlight of the upper deck besides the grade itself. This area has been under construction for some time and has served as the initial testing ground for spline roadbed and backdrop painting. This winter I finalized the subroadbed installation and completed all the track and wiring. As with the entire upper deck and many other locations on the railroad, fascia and basic terrain forming are up next. 

Fields: The other end of the siding at Fields. Trackwork and wiring all in place here as well. Two aspects of note in this photo. 1) Backdrops are in need of some basic painting to set the scene, which will change the appearance dramatically. 2) This photo illustrates the absolute necessity of lighting between the decks. This I hope to accomplish with LEDs. I have a few strands on hand and plan to give them a go when time allows. 

"The Climb": Technically speaking the climb has been nearly constant since Oakridge, however here the mainline transitions to the top deck (upper staging does not extend this far around the room) for what promises to be defining and dramatic scenes. All the trackwork here is recently completed as well.

Climb: As demonstrated by this photo, the singletrack mainline will allow for a great scenery to track ratio. This is often an important but neglected aspect in model railroad design. Fortunate to be able to accomplish it here.

Cascade Summit: With a final push, the grade levels out and trains roll through Cascade Summit. Here helpers will uncouple and roll back downgrade. This track is recently installed and is a mere ~75-78 inches off the floor (Big fall!!). This area is viewed on a raised platform (not pictured) that brings the scene to eye level. Fascia and terrain are next and practically necessary for me to feel comfortable running trains this high off the floor on just spline.

Klamath Falls: This remains one of the least finished locations on the railroad. Materials are on hand, all that required is time and the patience necessary to install the necessary components for this staging yard to function. This yard and the associated reverse loop will go a long way to enhance the operation of the railroad, representing points west (geographically south). This yard is an almost exact mirror of Eugene staging which will serve as a construction guide.