Gorre & Daphetid Extension - The Devil's Gulch & Helengon

T

Tokkyu40

Active member
I'm hard at work extending my Gorre & Daphetid layout. This represents the second phase of the layout John Allen built before moving to the bigger house and starting the final basement layout.

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I've simplified the trackplan a little for easier solo operation, removing extra connections, but followed the main track as closely as the program would let me.

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The line, of course, starts near Helengon (Where did Helen go?) at the Andrews Logging Company. Alistair picks up a load of logs for the sawmill in Gorre.

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Then he rolls down the hill through Helengon.

I've finished the main texturing and I'm starting to build around Austin. I haven't started placing trees around the new sections, but I expect to finish and upload in a week or two.

:cool: Claude
 
Okay, I'm back from work. Time for a few more pics before I visit Surveyer again.:p

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The famous Devil's Gulch,with Mount Alexander in the background. Fortunately Mr. Allen didn't stop here when he built the prototype. It continues on to the main layout.

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Passing the turnout for Sowbelly and Mouse Belly. From here it enters a tunnel and drops down toward Grabert and Squaw Bottom.

Well, I'd better get to work if I want to finish this. Plenty left to do, you know.

:cool: Claude
 
Thanks. I'm having fun with these earlier stages in the famous layout.
I have the trees in (no new pictures yet) and it looks better now. Test runs go well, although I'm trying to clean up one or two rough spots in the track.

:cool: Claude
 
I don't blame you, '06 surveyor is hard to work with, hard to find stuff, hard to texture, if you have worked in '04 for any length of time.
Great pics :)
 
More pics!

Since this is the screenshot forum, we should have screenshots.:D So here's a few new ones.

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The local passenger train leaves Mouse Belly. (I did NOT make this name up) Mouse Belly is the northern terminus of the DG&H.

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From there, the train goes to Sow Belly. After this, it picks up passengers in Helengon, then drops the train in the yard to turn the engine and recouple to the other end for the trip down the hill.

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Halfway down, the tunnel is broken by a river canyon where the train crosses a short bridge before re-entering the tunnel.
Some helpful soul was kind enough to leave a gondola for us in the upper tunnel.

And more to come...

:cool: Claude
 
StorkNest said:
I forget, where was the G&D supposed to be located? And did it have an interchange to anyone?
Click to expand...

I think it was supposed to be somewhere in the Rocky Mountains. It was a connecting railroad that interchanged with the Southern Pacific at Daphetid and at Great Divide, with a passenger stop at Cross Junction I believe.
Mr. Allen did a rough sketch of how the hypothetical prototype would fit into the landscape in August, 1955. It would also make an interesting layout, if somewhat large. If you used a minimum curve radius of 200 yards, it would still come out to about 50 baseboards.

Now for some pics.:D

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Remember that gondola? Well, we'll just leave it at Squaw Bottom.
I'm not entirely happy with this town. I made it distinctive, but it's still missing something...

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Approaching Grabert Station. Grabert is an industrial town with freight connections on the river.

Wasn't there supposed to be a mine in Sow Belly? Ah, yes, here we are...
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The big mike is just now leaving Helengon Yard on the way to the mine.

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The mine used to have a separate track where an engine could top off it's coal, but it's been years since it's been used, and the points have been long pulled up and re-used.
 
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From the mine, the train backs across the trestle to the connection to the lower line...

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and down those tunnels again. (I boosted the contrast to make the tunnel darker. Looks pretty cool, doesn't it?)

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Here the coal drag crosses the river on the way into Grabert, passing under the mainline...

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and on to the Grabert Coal Company dock.

Next time we'll visit the standard gauge mainline.

Claude
 
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Check out the picture of the coal train at Helengon Yard. The coal tower and water tank are both active industries.:D I also have the built-in Steam Service Station in the standard gauge yard at Great Divide, but I'm thinking of going for one of the new coal trestles that have been coming out recently. I think that would look better.

Okay, speaking of standard gauge...

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Here we are at Great Divide. Many thanks to DMDrake for the great buildings that made this town possible.:D

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The branch line to Daphetid was straight out of Great Divide, over that bridge, but we're dropping down under the bridge to take the tunnel on the main line. The engine is the USRA Pacific. Look at those drivers! Gorgeous.

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Another view of the tunnel approach, with the DG&H narrow gauge line behind it. Since the G&D connects to the Southern Pacific, I used an SP train.

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The mainline tunnel is more than twice the length of any other, so I used a more open feeling tunnel. After all, you'll be in it for a while.

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Comming out at the bottom of Devil's Gulch, the line crosses the stream and passes Gorre.

And more pictures yet to come.

:cool: Claude
 
I've been busy learning how to make back-up disks, so not much progress the last few days. Here's a couple more shots of the main line.

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Passing through Austin. The station hasn't been used in years.There's a question of whether to tear it down or resume service.

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The lift bridge by Grabert.

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The Andrews cut-off. To the right is the Austin wye, heading back past Gorre. The left side goes back to the connection to the Great Divide yard.
The semaphore signals are really cool, but they also act as speed signs and set the speed limit to 100 mph. I'll probably swap them out for spotlight signals.

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And thw other end of the cut-off, by the bridge to Daphetid.

I should finish this weekend and have it uploaded by mid-week at the latest.

Claude
 
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It's Here!!

The Devil's Gulch & Helengon Railroad has finally been approved! It's on the DLS right now.
Many thanks to those who gave me their support and encouragement. I hope this layout meets with your approval.

:cool: Claude
 
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