Great Northwestern Railway

With a lot of benchwork, trackwork, wiring and debugging over the past year, and add to that setting up for ops, we turned our attention to some scenery.  There is something about getting even a little scenery done that adds a wonderful finishing look to the layout. Nancy is, of course, the scenery master extraordinaire.  Here are a few pix of recent progress. Enjoy! Rockwork in progress at Wren Canyon Foreground being planned.  It generally does not end up as expected, so some adjusting is necessary. Looking good! Also starting to fill in the deck transition area around Coyote.  Special thanks to Dave Cochrun for his tips on using rosin paper.  This works great to get a general form in place and to protect the layout below.  Much less mess than the plaster over forms approach! Basic form in place... and ready to get to rock castings.

It is with great pleasure that the management and staff of the Great Northwestern Railway announce completion of the upper deck track work.  This important completion connects Chloride Junction with El Vado and Warm Springs.  Until now, our equipment and rolling stock were islanded. A short work train has been working from the Chloride side.  As soon as the connection was made at El Vado, Powder River and Chugwater Alco C420 #1383 was able to be run over the new line.  The GNW has been accumulating lease charges on the locomotive as it had been stranded since the work on the new line started. The following photos were taken by an anonymous railfan-photographer who chased 1383 over the new line. The Alco working its way up previously existing track past the Sunset Motel.  The new track starts just to the right of this photo. Climbing up out of El Vado, the line goes over former Mesa City  roadway and light industry.  The GNW purchased the la...