Albion Software Newsletter

April 2025

The latest version of Ship It! is still 10.0g.

Progress on The Cripple Creek District

If you read the November newsletter, you saw how I had reduced a large module's width by 6 inches. Sadly, that module and the Florence module, plus a small linking module are all going into the dumpster. When I brought the Florence module down into the train room, I could actually see how the 24" aisle leading into the layout would work. And I hated it. It was an obstacle that would have bothered me forever. 24" is surely wide enough for portions of the layout, and indeed I have some smaller aisle widths, but they are along the back side of the layout and behind the new Florence module. That was another issue - the aisle next to Florence was only going to be 17". I've increased that to 19" with a section at the end only 17". The next two photos show the main entry aisle and the Florence aisle.

Over a couple of days of angst, I finally realized that I would be far better off by trashing those modules (saving the turnouts of course), which would allow me to redesign that part of the layout to fit the train room. So, I came up with a design that increase the above-mentioned aisle to 30", and various other aisles to 26" instead of 24".

There was also the issue of grade compatibility. Trying to piece modules together that have been shortened wreaks havoc with track grades.

The new aisles are much wider

Modules being trashed. There was also a third, smaller one that the garbage truck hauled away in its entirety. I salvaged the turnouts, but the ties were in such bad shape that I replaced them with new QuickSticks laser ties from Fast Tracks. I also checked each one with the NMRA HON3 track gauge. Many of the turnouts were damaged on removal - some only the throw bar needed soldered, others the frog broke off and had to be replaced. There were a few that needed adjusted because they failed the NMRA go-nogo gauge. It was a big pain in the butt. It was worth it though in terms of reliability. It's much easier to adjust a hand laid turnout on the bench.

What follows is a series of pictures from the beginning to the current status.

Layout drawing in Autocad LT.

Transferring the Autocad drawing to full size.

Cutting Lumber

L Girder construction

First section of benchwork completed.

Second piece of benchwork added

Roadbed templates cut out from full scale plan.

Templates traced for cutting onto 1/2" x 2' x 4' sheet of birch plywood.

Adding Roadbed

Using biscuits to keep roadbed aligned.

The new Florence Yard is larger than the one on the old module. Removing the standard gauge helix (and unfortunately all standard gauge track) gave room for this.

Adding the upper peninsula. The new track plan has a reverse loop at the top - meant to resemble the real one that was at Vista Grande. On the lower level some of the track will be hidden by fascia boards below the reverse loop. The trains will enter a tunnel, then come out of a tunnel and onto a bridge (you can see the break in the roadbed where the bridge will be to the left). The trains will go back into a tunnel and then exit the tunnel where the reverse loop curves back in on the top level. Mountainous scenery will extend from the existing layout to that tunnel

Laying out the track plan for Florence Yard.

There will be a curving backdrop along the edges of those risers you see - from the lower level to the top level. This gave me more room for track and a few industries plus some town buildings on the lower level.

At the end of the Florence yard, a track emerges from newly added hidden staging. This was hard to add because the benchwork was all in place, but well worth it. There are 3 tracks that will be able to hold 9-12 car trains

The new 3 track staging yard, representing the D&RG

Now I have 3 staging yards - feeding each major town.

I added Frog Juicers from Tam Valley. Now I don't have to wire up all those Bullfrog switches! I had to add buss wire for the juicers, because the circuit breaker I'm using would trip if the breaker was before (circuit wise) the Frog Juicers. The frog polarity and the reverse loop polarity would change, but the circuit breaker would give out an annoying beep.

As of April 10, 2025. Trains can now run over the reverse loop and almost into Florence on the bottom level. I've got to build more turnouts, so that will slow me down. But the next newsletter will certainly show more progress.

Upper level trains are nicely visible from the room entry

If you live in the area or are visiting the area, we are a stone's throw away from the World Arena in Colorado Springs, 5 minutes from I 25. Email me if you'd like to visit and run some trains.

Bill