I've referenced in previous blog posts that I was considering changing my modelling focus from the CN Pine Street Spur in HO (and before that the CN Waterloo Spur after which this blog takes its name) to modelling in O scale, or Proto48/P48 to be specific. I've been quiet on this blog for many months primarily because I've been planning a P48 layout, and I'm happy to report also because I've been busy building a P48 layout!
My basement furnace/workshop area and a portion of the main living space is now the home to a depiction of the north spur of Ontario Southland and Goderich & Exeter Railways' joint spur servicing several industries on the north side of Guelph, Ontario. The model is a sectional, 18" - 22" wide, 52" high shelf layout of currently 35' total length, with a planned extension of 20' down the long wall of the basement for a passing siding. All of that and only 8 turnouts! That's the beauty of O scale for you. One might think that's an awful lot of layout length wasted or not used to its full potential, but I see it as a simplification that lets me model to the level of detail I desire in the time I have available for my hobby.
As mentioned, the track plan tries to closely follow the general layout of the ex-CN & CP shared lines on the north side of Guelph currently operated in a joint fashion by OSR and GEXR. The latter are the two railways that I will be depicting in the 2000+ timeframe. Here's a screenshot from Google Earth highlighting the length of track I am going to be deplicating.
The initial motive power consists of two Red Caboose GP9 models that I will be detailing to represent OSR (the ex-Chessie unit) and ex-CP GP9u 8325. The GEXR engines to be started once I get the OSR units up and running will definitely include ex-RailLink GP35 4095 and a yet-to-be-determined GP40 or GP38 model. More info on detailing and conversions to P48 and battery power to follow once I get a little further along on those.
This will be the last post on the WaterlooSpur for a while as I concentrate on the P48 layout for the foreseeable future. However, the HO track remains on the Pine Street Spur benchwork in my office. It may one day be completed, or it may be scraped up and replaced with an extension of the Guelph Spur. Be sure to check back here and on p48guelphspur.wordpress.com for updates!
My basement furnace/workshop area and a portion of the main living space is now the home to a depiction of the north spur of Ontario Southland and Goderich & Exeter Railways' joint spur servicing several industries on the north side of Guelph, Ontario. The model is a sectional, 18" - 22" wide, 52" high shelf layout of currently 35' total length, with a planned extension of 20' down the long wall of the basement for a passing siding. All of that and only 8 turnouts! That's the beauty of O scale for you. One might think that's an awful lot of layout length wasted or not used to its full potential, but I see it as a simplification that lets me model to the level of detail I desire in the time I have available for my hobby.
As mentioned, the track plan tries to closely follow the general layout of the ex-CN & CP shared lines on the north side of Guelph currently operated in a joint fashion by OSR and GEXR. The latter are the two railways that I will be depicting in the 2000+ timeframe. Here's a screenshot from Google Earth highlighting the length of track I am going to be deplicating.
The initial motive power consists of two Red Caboose GP9 models that I will be detailing to represent OSR (the ex-Chessie unit) and ex-CP GP9u 8325. The GEXR engines to be started once I get the OSR units up and running will definitely include ex-RailLink GP35 4095 and a yet-to-be-determined GP40 or GP38 model. More info on detailing and conversions to P48 and battery power to follow once I get a little further along on those.
This will be the last post on the WaterlooSpur for a while as I concentrate on the P48 layout for the foreseeable future. However, the HO track remains on the Pine Street Spur benchwork in my office. It may one day be completed, or it may be scraped up and replaced with an extension of the Guelph Spur. Be sure to check back here and on p48guelphspur.wordpress.com for updates!
