Two Trains at Once!

Well, back to the Knowledge Park Shortline.  The plan is to have two trains circling around Section 1 of the N scale layout -- around downtown Rock Hill -- as well as two trains running back and forth the whole length of Sections 2 and 3, combined.  Since Section 3 is not completed, for the time being there is only one train on Section 2.  It runs to one end, triggers a limit switch, waits about 45 seconds, and reverses path to another limit switch.  The "large loop" around downtown RH is operational, but limited to short train for the moment.  Both active trains can be seen with sharp eyes!  Currently, they are set on "Dr. Pepper" time:  10, 2, and 4!!!!

The second downtown loop has had a couple of wires severed so is not operational until SOMEone crawls underneath the layout to replace the wires. . . .

In addition to the KP Shortline, representing Rock Hill in 1953, additional area history is noted by a display of the Anderson automobile and buggy just across the hallway from the KP Shortline.  In about 1920, Rock Hill was the "Detroit of the South" making high end cars in 5 or 6 colors -- not just black.

The automobile factory was the successor of the Anderson Buggy works.

 

Attaching the Foam

Having demonstrated the layout/track "concept", it was time to do some permanent work.  So, an edge of Watson Bayou was cut out of the pink foam along with a circular aeration pond.  Then applied foamboard glue to the backside and placed on top of bench.  Needed to remove bolts holding one leg to corner of bench to allow luaun and pink foam to rest against 1X4" frame!  Used a few clamps to hold foamboard in place while glue dried.

Appears like either foam or frame is not square/straight . . . probably frame.  May just take a little sanding or a "hot knife" to even things just this side of Watson Bayou!

Laying Track?

Well, maybe not laying track, but just checking things out to see if they will fit.  Looks like there's enough track and the switches fit pretty well.

May need a small amount of work to avoid areas of tight turns, but looks "do-able".  Note the comparison to the drawing on front, right.  A little worry about scale of buildings versus "floor space" lingers, but a bit of compression seems to be acceptable when modeling an area.  Besides, as always, this will be representative and not exacting.

Next step:  glue pink foam to table top.  Oops, maybe cut our Watson Bayou -- middle, left side where track bends into layout.  Also, maybe the settling basin (circle at far end).

The Bay Line?

Put together a bit of a table for 2X8' extension of the Blacktop Crossing in hopes of developing a connecting railway that serviced Panama City, FL, paper mill -- The Bay Line.

Used legs from moving the Knowledge Park Shortline to its new display home for the table.  The legs plus a little lauan plywood and the pink foam (1") should make a reasonable foundation.  May have to add a couple of cross braces, but will wait to attach more permanently to the existing layout -- just to see if things stiffen up a bit.

The legs had adjustments for height, so lining up the connection should be pretty straightforward.  Did have to "hollow out" some of the connecting side to allow for the heads of a couple of carriage bolts!

Had thought there were two 8' 1X4's left over from another project.  One 8-footer ended up being more like 6 feet. . . .  Just pieced it together with other scraps. Added cross supports roughly at 2-foot distances.

Next, transfer the track plan to the pink foam and rough out some track to see if it will work. . . .

Handcar

What?!  Maybe something for the Blacktop Crossing and not KP Shortline?!  How's this for a model of a handcar that has seen some use?

Don't know where it will go on the layout, but a friend had two kits and gave me one.  What's a guy to do?  Put it together but found my plastic glue was aging.  Did the best with what I had. . . .

Let there Be Light

 Added about a foot of lead to the street light that wasn't working.  That did the trick -- long enough to put a couple of wire nuts on wires underneath.  Maybe a little bit of work is needed where the hole was enlarged to feed the wire through, but that's no big deal.  First light on the right of White Street. . . .

Even got the Cotton Factory owner to do a little scenicking.  Adding a few trees and flowers in a couple of spots.

Gives a bit of a finished or purposeful look to the far end!

Got a little daring and added a box car and caboose. . . .

Adjustments on the Plateau

 A couple of details to address while resting on the "plateau".  

The display case builders had left a piece of a wedge under the Knowledge Park Shortline Railroad layout which was a bit of an eyesore. A little flat black paint did the trick (before and after):

Remembered that some Haint Blue paint was left over from the Southern Dynasty dollhouse finally completed for a granddaughter -- Haint Blue is supposed to scare away anything that might haunt (haint) your house, so you paint the ceilings of the porches Haint Blue.  Anyway, that shade of blue came pretty close to the sky blue on Section I's modified Oakland Avenue corner.  Painted the top of the wall from tan to Haint Blue!

One of the street lights was not working (first one on cemetery side of White Street).  Could not work with the extremely small wire under that table, so pulled the street light out and brought it home to add leads.