Ok friends … here goes. While it’s hard to do this in exact “Geological” order what I’m going for is a trip around the whole line, with the help of the Slate Creek “Test Train” … and while I apologize for the poor quality of the photos… the higher quality ones are in my freight shed… just use the same photo title minus the “comp” if you want to see the higher quality one… I’m linking the lower quality ones so the dialup folks hold up on the rotten vegetables… http://www.lscdata.com/users/slatecreek/Slate%20Creek%20Tour/ We start at the pier, where the Slate Creek makes its connection to the outside world via ship. Since the railroad is otherwise inaccessable to the “outside world” this is an important spot. There are two pierside tracks, and one “escape track” that allows an engine at the end of the pier to pass its train entirely and head back to the yard. This is also a storage area for cars, but will eventually be an important part of operations.
From here, the line heads “Timetable North” into the yard. Here you see the pride of the enginehouse, SCRY #7, stopped on the main track through the yard, with the two completed long sidings behind. The large open space in the middle will be the enginehouse area, possibly including a turntable … when the exact track plan is finished, we’ll add the actual track; for now just the switch and lead exists.
Heading further north, we reach the yard limit, where trains enter and leave the main line. The track to the left is currently a drill track, so that cars can be switched in the yard without fouling the main line (curved, from lower left to top right) … however if the washer and dryer move upstairs (as is the plan) there may be an expansion area, and even railroad going out the far window, which is at ground level!
Heading out onto the main line, the track passes the site of what will likely be the power plant and mining company processing plant/concentrator/crusher (on the right, passes through a tunnel (under the stairs) and enters some wilder country with steep rock cliffs, and a small bridge over a fast flowing stream (right) … then curving back to the right (viewer’s left) as it heads toward the largest (but as yet unnamed) town on the line.
Moving back just a short distance, we see our test train, made up of US Army #7145, two AMS gons, and the new AMS caboose crossing what will one day be the site of the small stream crossing … this section of track is actually in the left hand side of the previous picture, viewed from the opposite side.
Some more of the curve the train is heading for in the above photo, but showing much of where we’ve been so far, with the yard in the far background, and giving an idea of the size of the layout in total. In this photo, the test train’s caboose has just passed over the “interlocking” leading into the yard.
Next the train passes through the town, which will be in the area shown in this photo… and starts to curve back to the right … headed for the most pronounced grade on the line, and the “high bridge” … if you look, the test train in this photo is in nearly the same location as it was in photo #5, above, at the small stream bridge… which again gives an idea of the size of the layout.
Leaving the town, around the curve to the right, and up the grade, we see our test train where the “high bridge” will be, just before the right hand curve into one of the mine areas (there will be at least two, and possibly three mines to stop at on this line…)
And, finally, back to the first photo, if instead of looking at the pier on the left, you look at the main line on the right, you see the stretch that extends from the curve, past the mine on the right, and then curves right back to the yard limits switch.
So … that’s the tour to date. Of course it’s really just a start … we have sidings, and a passing track or two to add, and industries…and scenery…and and and and (gasp.) Well, it’s nice to be able to run trains in any case … now to get the power on so I can run #7 and her track powered cousins… For fun… you may want to see http://www.lscdata.com/users/slatecreek/Slate%20Creek%20Construction%20Photos/ and see if you can match up where the railroad is now compared to the junk in the first few, and the benchwork in progress in the last few … we’ve come a long way since May of 2002! All commentary is welcomed! Matthew (OV)