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I've not been posting lately, mostly because work on the Wildhorse RR has come to a halt. It's now a bittersweet notice that I'm tearing it down (more on the sweet later). I achieved a lot of my original goals particularly those of a marshland environment and using all of the n-scale buildings that I've constructed over the years on a layout. I'd gotten to where I felt that the macro scenery was done and it was a decision point as to whether to start on the details. I elected not to continue for the following reasons; I know I'll be moving in the next few years (probably around 5 or less) and that my goal is to move to a larger scale not to continue this build, and I got enjoyment from seeing most of my vision in creating scenery that I'd been dreaming of for years. But the thing that probably influenced my decision most was the frustrations I was having with Kato track, particularly the switches. They never were a strong point and I'd bought many more than I should've as some worked fantastic and others were more derailers than switches. Since I really enjoy slow speed operations and switching industries instead of rail fanning, I continued to get more and more frustrated. I actually had more success on my layout when I built Code 40 switches using FastTrack jigs than with the Kato products.
Another problem was self induced. When I laid the Kato track, I used double-sided tape to keep it down. I found that the engines would cause compression of the tape and cause the track to lean under the engine weight (even with n-scale 4-wheel truck GEEPs) which would occasionally cause electrical contact issues. All said, there were times where things were running perfectly and I had an Atlas engine with an ESU sound decoder creeping along with sound one day, to having to continually touch the engine multiple times to keep it going the next. But it was really the switches that did it for me.
It was a hard decision to make as I really enjoy just looking a the layout without even running the trains; it takes me to an area of the country that I appreciate. Also, as noted in a previous post, I was anxious about the buildings. I'd put so much time into them creating pretty good replicas of original structures and didn't want to throw them out or put them in boxes knowing they wouldn't be used again and just carrying the boxes around from place to place.
Now the sweet part. There's a small museum on the Eastern Shore in Parksley, VA called the Eastern Shore Railroad Museum. After contacting them, explaining my situation, and sending them some pictures, they're now willing to accept my buildings into their collection. Even if they never display them, knowing that I'm sending my work to somewhere other than a black hole is comforting with hopes that they'll be appreciated by others.
So this weekend I started taking things down. I'll send some pics prior to shipping out to the museum and then will close out this thread, but not my model railroading. I am thinking about using some HO equipment I have stored in a box to make a very small switching layout to keep my occupied until my next major build.
That where things stand now and I appreciate everyone who's expressed interest in my work.
Dave
Another problem was self induced. When I laid the Kato track, I used double-sided tape to keep it down. I found that the engines would cause compression of the tape and cause the track to lean under the engine weight (even with n-scale 4-wheel truck GEEPs) which would occasionally cause electrical contact issues. All said, there were times where things were running perfectly and I had an Atlas engine with an ESU sound decoder creeping along with sound one day, to having to continually touch the engine multiple times to keep it going the next. But it was really the switches that did it for me.
It was a hard decision to make as I really enjoy just looking a the layout without even running the trains; it takes me to an area of the country that I appreciate. Also, as noted in a previous post, I was anxious about the buildings. I'd put so much time into them creating pretty good replicas of original structures and didn't want to throw them out or put them in boxes knowing they wouldn't be used again and just carrying the boxes around from place to place.
Now the sweet part. There's a small museum on the Eastern Shore in Parksley, VA called the Eastern Shore Railroad Museum. After contacting them, explaining my situation, and sending them some pictures, they're now willing to accept my buildings into their collection. Even if they never display them, knowing that I'm sending my work to somewhere other than a black hole is comforting with hopes that they'll be appreciated by others.
So this weekend I started taking things down. I'll send some pics prior to shipping out to the museum and then will close out this thread, but not my model railroading. I am thinking about using some HO equipment I have stored in a box to make a very small switching layout to keep my occupied until my next major build.
That where things stand now and I appreciate everyone who's expressed interest in my work.
Dave
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