The "New" D&RGW

Updated - 19 September 2010

This page will be periodically updated so that I can show you the latest "Progress" (a relative term) on my new layout...!!

Picture #1: The master plan - designed with 3rd PlanIt.

Picture #10: Turnouts are controlled by Switchmaster switch motors mounted on RixRax mounting brackets with micro-switches for power routing. (23 March 2008)

Picture #11: The Gunnison turntable, coaling tower, and ashpit have now been installed. (28 July 2008)

Picture #12: The Gunnison engine terminal area, with the Stores building and ice house sat in place. (20 September 2008)

Picture #13: Overview of Gunnison and Sapinero, with trackage now ballasted. (11 October 2008)

Picture #14: The Gunnison coaling tower, sand tower, and ashpit area has now been ballasted. (11 October 2008)

Picture #15: The turntable has been ballasted, the roundhouse leads installed, and the locomotives brought "home"! (15 November 2008)

Picture #16: The subbase for Cimarron is now in place and grading crews are laying roadbed up from Sapinero. (27 November 2008)

Picture #17: D&RGW Extra 490 West traverses the lower staging trackage (Salida CO) en route to Gunnison before continuing west. (12 December 2008)

Picture #18: D&RGW Extra 490 West has left Sapinero and passes the Burnside Mill spur on its way to Cimarron. (12 December 2008)

Picture #19: D&RGW Extra 490 West has arrived at Cimarron and meets Work Extra D&RGW 456 East which is holding the station track. (12 December 2008)

Picture #20: We have sky! The backdrop has now been installed, starting around ther room behind Cimarron. I elected to make the backdrop 28" high, as that way i could get 3 - 48" x 28" panels out of each sheet of 1/8" hardboard. Prior to installing the panels on the walls, I primed and painted them. The joints were then filled, sanded, primed and painted. (18 September 2010)

Picture #21: Another view across Cimarron, taken from the opposite side. (18 September 2010)

Picture #22: There was insufficient space behind the Burnside Mill to curve the backdrop and still fit in the structure. (18 September 2010)

Picture #23: A similar situation prevailed at the west end of Sapinero (on the upper level) where there was a jog in the wall and I needed to fit in the depot and a water tank. (18 September 2010)

Picture #24: There are two wood columns that support a portion of the floor above that could not be removed. I tried initially painting them the same color as the backdrop from the benchwork up to the ceiling but it just didn't look right. So I decided to try a "theatre" approach by painting them black, except for the upper portion which is 76" above the floor and above eye level. And yes, your eyes aren't deceiving you: the nearest column has a significant bow in it! (18 September 2010)

Picture #25: This final view is the curve leading into Cimarron. (18 September 2010)