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Good evening all! 

An update from the Milwaukee Road’s electrical department. My scenery is well under way with phase 1 of 3 in this room. I plan to have phase 1 completed with overhead catenary by this fall.

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This first photo is from mid 2018. I had just started getting basic terrain finished.

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This photo is from this evening and how far I have come. The Milwaukee’s crossing of the Bitter Roots lives again.  I am close to finishing this painting.

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This photo is from earlier in the week showing my converted to P48 Box cabs descending the long grade from East Portal, MT. The signals were tested after heavily modified to match the US&S R2s used on the Rocky Mountain Division. 

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A pan shot showing the room that represents the “26 Miles” between Avery, ID and East Portal, MT. As you can see Phase 1 is under way. Phase 2 will be my bridge scene (Center) located at Dick creek approximately 5-6 miles north of Avery. East Portal in the far right corner will be Phase 3 in my scenery and Substation #13 will be located here. Much work to do but when finished will be the pride of the layout.

Note here how I was testing light bulbs. The day light LEDs are so much better than the soft glow and will be changing them out soon.

James

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Last edited by E21 James
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Magicland posted:

Looking great! Are you planning on adding functional catenery, or just scenic? Either way, I'm sure it'll look fantastic.

Thank you! 

Eventually the catenary will be functional. I will have a substation “operator” who will control the number of gen sets needed to run the overhead. Something fun and interactive to play with. 😁

James

Last edited by E21 James

Wow. Just.... just.... WOW.

I live within less than a half mile from the MILW main to the Pacific shoreline, now abandoned of course. Living in "Lines West" territory since 1998, I have quite a soft spot for the Milwaukee Road.

Just curious, where is this layout? If it's in the northwest I'd love to see it someday!

I have never been to see whatever is left of the Milwaukee Road but when I began to be a model railroader (again) twenty-two years ago, I bought several books on the CMStP&P and realized that it was a remarkable railroad and an engineering landmark built through some of the most remote territory and beautiful and challenging terrain in the United States. And its locomotives, especially the electrics, were also extraordinary. That is why I think that E21James's recreation of the most formidable section of the Milwaukee Road is a such worthy project.

MELGAR

mark s posted:

Nice balance between scenery and trains. And the long, unbroken run is very appealing. You are modeling what may be the most interesting railroading in the post-steam-locomotive era!

It was tough determining just what to model in an area the size of a two car garage. Milwaukee Road’s Adair loop and St. Paul pass is an incredible engineering feat. And that fact they decided to electrify was something that has fascinated me since I was a kid. 

Thank you!

James

bob2 posted:

I like it!  You might turn me into a Milwaukee nut.  I an teetering on the brink, looking for Bi-Polar truck parts and finishing my Erie-built.

Beautiful art work!

Well let me help you a little more! F671AB25-F26D-4DE5-8489-2D118F31D188

My, “In the making” Columbian. The Bipolar will be replaced with my scratch built EP-3 Quill. I love a mixture of heavy weight and stream lined cars and the Columbian answers that craving. 😁

Thank you!

James

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p51 posted:

Wow. Just.... just.... WOW.

I live within less than a half mile from the MILW main to the Pacific shoreline, now abandoned of course. Living in "Lines West" territory since 1998, I have quite a soft spot for the Milwaukee Road.

Just curious, where is this layout? If it's in the northwest I'd love to see it someday!

Thank you very much! I want to travel that way one of these days. I live in Superior, WI. So unfortunately not close at all. But anyone interested is always welcome to visit anytime you can visit the area. 

James

MR-150 posted:

Very nice what are your dimensions of your layout

The layout measures 25’x33’ the stairway cones right down the center of the house with a wall splitting the two rooms. One room (pictured above) is finished which will be the scenic portion of the layout. This includes tunnel #32, dick creek trestle (located at Kyle, ID just south of Stetson, ID) and East Portal featuring Substation #13.

The other room features the yard at Avery including the roundhouse, yard, Ice house track, and the “logging line” that went north out of the yard. This will be my staging. 

 

It’s a huge project but I’m excited to represent a large operation in a smaller basement. 

James

MELGAR posted:

I have never been to see whatever is left of the Milwaukee Road but when I began to be a model railroader (again) twenty-two years ago, I bought several books on the CMStP&P and realized that it was a remarkable railroad and an engineering landmark built through some of the most remote territory and beautiful and challenging terrain in the United States. And its locomotives, especially the electrics, were also extraordinary. That is why I think that E21James's recreation of the most formidable section of the Milwaukee Road is a such worthy project.

MELGAR

And an engineering feat it was. St. Paul Pass and Adair loop are an incredible piece of railroad history. And trust me, trying to “engineer” it into the space I have is quite a challenge. But I hope to give a good representation of the Milwaukee’s electrified mainline. Something I have wanted to do since I was a wee kiddo!

Thank you!

James

mark s posted:

James - Being in Superior, whenever you need inspiration, you can pop over to the Duluth Union Station RR museum, and see the CMStP&P box cab freight motors preserved there!

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Way ahead of ya! My son sitting behind the throttle of 10200A (E50A) It’s hard to believe looking at them they even ran on the Rocky Mountain Division. 

James

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