Page 33 - November December 2017

Electrics are straightforward, all turnouts are hand-operated, and control is with the Digitrax DCC sys- tem, using mostly wireless throttles. Excellent for following a train along. Probably the most complicated part was wiring up the wye, but I used a Tam Valley Dual Frog Juicer for that. Scenery is one of my more preferred parts of railway modelling.
Most structures are repainted and have additions or alterations made
to them, even simple things such as porches etc. It was also now that I started to use static grass for the first time, but learnt to moderate cover- age. However, my biggest failing is trying to rush things and make do with what I’ve got, even if it is second best (and sometimes it does show!). The part I most enjoy about the layout (and model railways as a whole) is operating it. Initially I used a system of car cards and waybills,
but after reading articles in the model press (especially Trevor Marshall), I changed over to using just a switch list and waybills, and each location had a box for the station agent to
file the bills for collection in, and the
GP9 #738 arriving at Lefferts
Conductor would drop off those as the freight cars were set out. As most of the time I am the sole operator, and the service is normally one train out and back, it can take over an hour to run through the session.
I have received plenty of encourage- ment through the NMRA (and the Seaboard Southern, Kent and East Sussex and South Shore Groups) and also membership of the Santa Fe Railway Historical and Mode-
ling Society. I also attended my first National Convention, in Portland, and enjoyed the friendship from that, with plans to go back in 2021 to Santa Clara. Visitors are always welcome too, if I’m not out and about!
More information and photos are available via my web blog at www. deadwoodcityrailroad.blogspot.co.uk
H16-44 #3017 switching Lefferts
Brian Woolven
December 2017 - ROUNDHOUSE 29