Counting Down...

Well, I reached a milestone. The first train ran over the layout last night. Below is the link video.

A few things to note. The train running is a combination of a four car HST set, with the two powered units from a Hanku9000 set. Don't worry about the anachronism. I previously started with the HST set, but found that the motorized units ran very poorly. When I examined them under magnification, it became apparent that they had been cleaned with something that had wrapped fibers around their axles. Despite my attempts, I have not yet been able to detangle the axles. So, out came the Hanku power. Everything ran fine, although the radii of the curves on the layout, 132.5mm, at the minimum really is pushing it with the long passenger cars in the HST set. They make it, but do not look very good while doing it. And, as a consequence, they periodically behave like long cars do, and either uncouple or derail.

Most T exhibition layouts use a much more generous minimum radius, often 7"+, and on these radii they work fine, but I have concluded that 132.5mm is just too tight for reliable operation. Just like you can make an 85' N scale passenger car go around a 9.75" radius set track curve, but it doesn't look that good or work that well. So, after some further experimentation, I have decided to primarily use the Hanku9000 four car set, and probably some of my J103s for the weekend. Eventually, I will replace the locomotives with British Sprinter type sets, but there just is not time before the weekend show. These are typically one, two or three car trains (although I have seen pictures with multiple sets lashed together), and will look better on this layout anyways.

Okay, with the first test run done, let us look at the layout progress. First up was the tunnel portals. They still need a bit of paintwork, but I wanted to try them out in position first. So, after placing them on the layout, doing a little fitting and adjustment work, here they are.

Here is the bridge side. I will need a little rock work on the right side to fill a small gap.

And the Station side, which is very difficult to see or photograph. It too will need a little scenery on the right side.

Also fitted into the layout is the bridge over the roadway. It too needs some paint work to finish it up, before it can be installed. And, I probably need to put the road in place. I found that this bridge is very fragile, so I will need to be careful not to damage it (and I have a minor repair to make to it as well). However, both abutments went in, and there is just a little scenery to patch on the left abutment where a little bit of pink foam got exposed.

You can see, that the fascia supporting the backdrop is also in place - or at least close to it. I cut and fit 5 of the six sides last night, as well as cutting the frame members to stiffen the backdrop. The front three fascia pieces are intended to be individually removable - at least for the moment - I will affix them after the water is poured, but the rear three pieces are intended to be removed as a unit with the backdrop. Hence, the concern for the attachment to a frame. I painted the frame pieces black last night, so that they match the fascia and will help form a proscenium arch like in a theater for the final layout.

Finally, the stone bridge is being painted. The Ribblehead Viaduct that inspired this bridge is fairly tan, so I went with a similar paint color for the base.

What is perhaps most exciting, is now with a bit of paint, the stone work is popping! There will need to be more than just a base coat of paint applied to finish the bridge, but hopefully tonight it will be fit to the layout as well.

The show starts on Friday...tick tock - tick tock.