Added the largest train room that zoning would allow. Ceiling height is 10′ to nicely accommodate a Mushroom layout with 3′ deck elevation change. Passing sidings are designed to handle a maximum train length of 8′. The two Mushroom levels are connected by an 8′ 6″ long elevator.
Upper LevelLower LevelMushroom ElevationMushroom 3d View
The modeled area is the D&RGW Moffat Mainline from Denver to Grand Junction. Specific locations include North Yard and adjacent Prospect Industrial District, Arvada, Chemical and Rocky on the upper level, and Granby, Kremmling and Grand Junction on the lower level. Most modeled locations follow the prototype when possible. Denver Union Station is represented with 2 platform station tracks high above the aisle between Staging and North Yard. Signature scenes are Byers Canyon and Gore Canyon on the lower level.
Layout design using Cadrail with input from layout design guru Don Mitchell.
FRAMING
Layout structure uses standard wood framing techniques. Walls are anchored to the floor. Lots of construction help from Dick Roberts MMR.
Floor Framing DesignStart of floor framing Oct 2016Raised floor framingRaised floor framingFloor framing shear wallFloor framing shear wall accessNorth Yard floor framing Nov 2016North Yard floor joists ready to install.North Yard floorArvada / Chemical floor framing Dec 2016Stairs framingRocky framingLevels connected Jan 2017Rocky floorArvada / Checmical floorAisle 1 Mushroom Supports Mar 2017First Upper WallUpper Walls are in Apr 2017Full height wall along stairsStart of Aisle 2 Mushroom SupportsStart of Staging install. Staging was saved from last layout.Staging done May 2017Temporary DCC installStaging lives! May 2017Aisle 2 Mushroom SupportsArvada / Chemical Mushroom Support JoistsAdding Shear Panels to Aisle 1 Nov 2017Adding Shear Panels to Aisle 2More Aisle 2 Shear PanelsStarting to Dress Up the Future Dispatcher’s OfficeEntry Doors with Logo Jan 2018Rocky Plywood BaseZuni / Arvada Plywood BaseAccess Hatch in Prospect Industrial District May 2018
ROADBED, TRACK and DCC
Denver Union Station, North Yard and Prospect Industrial District are built on 3/4″ plywood covered with cork. The remainder of the layout is built on 1/4″ plywood topped with 2″ foam. DCC layout control using Digitrax and JMRI. Turnout, Signal and Detection control using the Tam Valley Depot QuadLN_S product family designed by Robin Becker, PhD and Duncan McRee, PhD.
Yampa Valley Mail at Denver Union Station Mar 2018Denver Union Station. Platforms Built by Dick Roberts MMRCSDPU at Fox Jct May 2018Staging Filling Up with Coal July 2018DUS Wiring Mar 2019Fox Jct Mar 2019Heading West Towards North YardNorth Yard CrossoverFox Jct OSFox Jct Closeup. QuadLN_S with Detector and Signal Boards May 2019. For more on the QuadLN click here:Electronics and SoftwareDenver Union Station West OSDenver Union Station East OSWestbound Zephyr leaving DenverEach power district has a Tam Valley Depot CFJ circuit breaker. There are DCC Ammeters on each district plus one for total command station output. For more info about the ammeter click here:Electronics and SoftwareF units pass the Utah Jct water tank. To go to the project page for the tank, click here: Utah Jct Water TankI designed and assembled these N scale searchlight signal circuit boards to use as fascia-mounted stand-ins for future trackside signals.Searchlight masts driven by QuadLN_S Signal Board to show the LED colors. To go to the Signals project page click here:N Scale Searchlight SignalsNorth Yard body tracks going in March 2020. The aluminum bar stock spacers helped keep things straight.North Yard body tracks complete April 2020North Yard service tracks complete May 2020Servos for North Yard east end installed and frog power wired. One QuadLN_S is running 13 servos and the other is running 16 servos: the first test of the new QuadLN_S 16 servo mode!North Yard TOFC track and Auto tracks installed Nov 2020.Bowman Biscuit in place adjacent to North Yard December 2020. To go to the Bowman project page click here:Bowman Biscuit (Keebler)Bowman Front Office, Dec ember 2020.Daniel Smith (ssfireman@gmail.com) in Australia 3-D printed these sand towers. They look perfect astride the North Yard engine service tracks. Mar 2021If I had been there back in those days it would have been fun to play a few tunes outside Bowman Biscuit and maybe get some great cookies as tips. May 2021After struggling to fit in a more prototype version of Utah Jct, I turned to my friend and layout design guru Don Mitchell for suggestions. He came up with this “Full Mitchell” trackplan that uses 2 double-slips and a second crossing to make it fit. Required a change to Peco C55 track for Utah Jct and 7 transitions between Atlas and Peco! Westbound CSDPU empties hold the crossing May 2021. Cargill Elevator – another Dick Roberts masterpiece! The size is approximately 60% of full scale. March 2022East end of Cargill. Look closely and you will see a safety chain. No surprise, Dick was a safey expert for Cal OSHA after all!Closeup of some of the many details added by Dick.North Yard bookends. Cargill in the foreground and Bowman Biscuit in the distance. Both created by Dick Roberts, MMR.North Yard west end servos. May 2022Utah Jct servos and detectors. May 2022Belt Job crossing Utah Jct, passing the D&SL water tower and heading towards staging. Yes those hoppers should be loaded, but doesn’t the internal bracing built by Dick Roberts look good? May 2022Started backdrop installation with this coved corner. Reusing 28″ tall valley roll flashing that was used for the backdrop on the last layout. Installed remaining backdrop from the last layout. There is no longer a view of the staging yard from the upper level! C&S Jct track complete, associated QuadLN_S installed, fascia signals working. Dec 22 2022With the Team Track in place, all trackwork for North Yard has been completed. Alpine Lumber tracks are in the foreground, the Cargill west lead is directly behind the Team, and the PIG and Mainline are in the distance. Dec 29, 2022North Yard wiring West Lead. May 2023Arvada Takes Shape May 2023Rocky East OS June 2023Rocky West OS June 2023Rocky Overall View June 2023Zephyrs meet at Rocky June 2023Westbound Zephyr leaving Rocky Oct 2023Westbound Zephyr at Elevator – upper level mainline complete! Oct 2023Eastbound Zephyr on new Rollins passing siding Jan 20243D printed catch basin for tank cars at Chemical June 2024Chemical with catch basin installed June 2024
Westbound Zephyr on the Main passing the Eastbound Zephyr at Rocky at dusk.
N3IX Engineering
