Test track

Before launching this latest project I did some tests, laying down On2 track. The rail is Micro Engineering code 70 and the spikes are long O Scale spikes from the Proto:87 Stores. As you may have noticed in the real world photos in the previous post, this track does not make use of any tie plates. Wich makes life easier for the modeler. 😏

This is how the test turned out.

And with an O Scale man to give a sense of size.

Lime quarry and lime works rail line in On2 scale

I am starting a new project. Once again in American O scale (1:48) but this time based on a Swedish narrow gauge prototype, namely the old 600 mm gauge rail line at the Bläse lime quarry and lime works. Bläse is located on the Swedish island of Gotland, in the Baltic Sea. The lime stone operation is long since discontinued but the site still exists today, as a museum. The museum includes the restored rail line between the quarry and the lime works, and is run as a tourist line.

Here are some pictures:

My intention is not to model the whole setup or rail line. I am just doing a small part of it as a vignette or diorama. All the same, I would like to make the (future) rolling stock movable and self propelled.

As said, the track is 600 mm gauge, but since that is just 9 mm shy of 2 feet I will be doing the track in On2 scale (2 ft gauge track in 1:48 scale). Hopefully that will make it a little easier to find some ready to run or "kitbashable" rolling stock. And it makes track laying tools such as track gauges readily available.

So far I have cut a piece of foam and covered it with 2 mm cork. This will the be the combined dioarama base and subroad bed. I have also laid out a first version track plan using paper templates. The plan covers the area where the tourist train loads and unloads and where the engine house is located.

An O Scale Turnout

My modeling efforts have been scarce these days, and not consistent when it comes to scale. My last contribution to the hobby is a turnout in O scale!

Click to get a closer view.

How come? Well, it started when I happened to run into Mike Cougill's book Detailing Track. Since I have always been more or less a nerd when it comes to realistically modeled track, this book really got me hooked. I just had to try this for myself! So I decided to build an O scale turnout, using the techniques outlined in Mike's book, and with the hardware details he recommended.

This is my parts list:

To use pine for the ties was not a very good idea. The pine is to hard to allow the spikes to be just pushed down. Instead I had to pre-drill every spike hole. Not very funny! Basswood is not readily available here in Sweden., but in retrospect I now know it would have been worth the effort to order it from overseas.

 

Some more photos:

Thanks for looking.