Upper line track and ghost station expansion – January/September 2019

We summarize here the period from January to September 2019, a not very profitable year but with some news.

After the installation of the overhead line, we can proceed with the construction of the upper line running, partially visible, alongside the rear side of the layout. We extend the track starting from the overpass.

La parte visibile della linea percorrerà una ampia curva a partire The visible part of the line will travel a wide curve starting from the ramp above the right helix, then it will cross a bridge leaning against the relief and will enter the tunnel to rejoin a future extension of the layout. We draw the 3D model of the bridge and print it. (Read the article)

We paint the model and embed it in the rocks made with polystyrene and plaster.

The new line will reproduce a renewed railway section, then concrete sleepers and gray ballast. The railhead profile is airbrushed after masking. The track is inclined in curves as in real life.

And here is the overview of the visible section of the line.

We now start the creation of the reliefs with polystyrene coated with paper, vinyl glue and plaster.

We then apply some sterilized and finely sieved topsoil, fixing it with the same liquid glue used for the ballast.

It is time to make the portal to be installed after the bridge. We draw the model with CAD.

After 3D printing, we paint the model and weather it with pigments.

This is the location where the portal will be installed. From here on, the line will continue in the tunnel.

The realization of the line involves a slight widening of the layout dimension, about 15 cm; eventually there can be space for two more tracks in the ghost station.

We prepare the plywood track-bed and apply the sound-absorbing cork.

We prepare the control logics, a quadruple DCC controller for the switches and a Loconet feed-back interface (by DCCWorld)

We place the turnouts at the entrance of the ghost station. The work is not easy and requires accuracy. The point motors do not find space sub-board, so we 3D print some boxes with a new form factor to be installed aside the turnouts.