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Running SP on an old local West Australian Mainline ...Swan View layout

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  • Member since
    March 2015
  • 57 posts
Posted by rod.h on Monday, July 11, 2016 9:51 AM
I think it's more the loading gauge of US HO matches that of Australian Sn3 1/2. It's noticeable when one of Broadway's BHP liveried HO locos is parked next to any HO loco from Powerline/Auscision/Austrains as it towers over them. Though that could just be down to it being an AC6000 and I've yet to do a similar comparison with an SD-40 or SD-70, nor any other US diesel used on the iron ore trains.
  • Member since
    August 2011
  • From: Perth, Western Australia
  • 226 posts
Posted by MonkeyBucket on Monday, July 4, 2016 5:48 AM

Cool stuff...I do remember the Sn3 1/2 modelling starting out as wagon kits and small flat beds back in the 90s at the AMRA WA branch...all the engins and locomotives were scratch built or early brass kits...They had their own interest group and all. It has really come a long way in the time I have been abscent from the club scene.

I think "Denmark" was at the June show this year. I love the SN3 1/2 layouts as the modellers really work to put a lot of detail into their layouts. 

Thanks for the info...

Cheers...

Chris from down under...

We're all here because we're not all there...

  • Member since
    April 2005
  • From: West Australia
  • 2,217 posts
Posted by John Busby on Sunday, July 3, 2016 12:11 PM

Hi Monkey Bucket

The "local" trains have quite a following

The ones I know of Bindiup (fictional south west), Parkervile, Kurragullen, Kojenup(spelling), Denmark, Swan View there is one up towards Geraldton some where Can't remember it's name there was a small one I think it was called Kangaroo flats was a Millars timber line down the the south west I think.

Then there is Richard Stallards large home layout which Kojenup is now part of

Don't know if this one still exsists was at expo in 2007 or was it 2008 Sons of Gwalia mine wood line this ones an odd one being a 20" gauge wood line acording to the book Rails Through the Bush.

The Sn3 1/2 WAGR Leonora branch line on this one was static with the 20" line being the operational one.

There are a couple of others that I can't remember the names of.

There is usualy an Sn3 1/2 layout at the June expo.

 No doubt there are more Sn 3 1/2 layouts about than I know about.

Definatly a scale for the craftsman railway modeller

Have not seen a Boulder loop line or local 3'6" wood line one yet maybe one day.

regards John

 

  • Member since
    August 2011
  • From: Perth, Western Australia
  • 226 posts
Posted by MonkeyBucket on Saturday, July 2, 2016 9:01 PM

 RR_Mel... For a youngster I am really into the old diesel era Southern pacific (1940s to 1980s). Just love it. 

 Thanks John...You comment prompted me to do some more reserch...Raining again today so here is what I found...In light of new information I have changed the title of the film and thread. Geeked

I couldn't quite remember whether it was part of the old line that used to run through John forest but found some info on wikipedia...here is some info from the net.

Info care of Wikipedia...

Swan View railway station, Perth was a railway station of significance on the Eastern Railway in Western Australia. In all Working Timetables (WTT) during the operation of this line, the station was the point of control for the Swan View Tunnel.

The Bellevue to Chidlow railway line involved the encounter with the Darling Scarp requiring extra power for the up line, and considerable extra caution for the up and down lines.

The station masters house was adjacent to the station [1]

Due to the volume of traffic passing through, various accidents were regular either at the station or in the vicinity,[2][3][4] also being near the tunnel, some tunnel related accidents were reported with the station as context [5][6]

The station was closed in 1966 at the time of the Avon Valley rail route being opened, and the old Eastern Railway route became superfluous to WAGR needs.

For almost 50 years the major curve between this railway station and the Swan View Tunnel was the main location for photographs for tourism brochures and promotional picture of new rolling stock and locomotives, as well as the main named train of the WAGR - The Westland.

Since the closure and removal of the railway line, and the development of the Railway Reserves Heritage Trail the Swan View station site is one of the very few on the trail to have the railway platform retained (for instance - Mundaring and Darlington)

Below is the old station at present...

All in all it was nice to get my locos and rolling stock out and have a play for a change.

The layout was built by AMRA member Gary Pilmoor.

Here is the layout at Perth Model rail exhibition 2015 running WAGR. Big Smile

 

Cheers...

Chris from down under...

We're all here because we're not all there...

  • Member since
    April 2005
  • From: West Australia
  • 2,217 posts
Posted by John Busby on Saturday, July 2, 2016 7:30 PM

Hi RR_Mel

Its definatly Sn3 1/2 and quite acurate to the local West Australian trains.

I don"t know about the US trains But the South African 3'6" trains are physicaly larger than the WA ones so its a reasonable bet so are the US ones.

hence the the illusion of being smaller scale.

It is all scratch built or group made kits nothing for the WA trains is comercialy avalable from the normal scources for S scale

regards John

  • Member since
    April 2005
  • From: West Australia
  • 2,217 posts
Posted by John Busby on Saturday, July 2, 2016 7:19 PM

Hi Monkey Bucket

Thats no branch line that was the main east west line untill the standard gauge went up through the Avon Valley.

regards John

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Bakersfield, CA 93308
  • 6,526 posts
Posted by RR_Mel on Saturday, July 2, 2016 11:16 AM

It may be Sn3½ but it looks like an HO layout to me, love that SP stuff.
 
 
 
Mel
 
Modeling the early to mid 1950s SP in HO scale since 1951
 
My Model Railroad   
 
Bakersfield, California
 
I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
  • Member since
    August 2011
  • From: Perth, Western Australia
  • 226 posts
Running SP on an old local West Australian Mainline ...Swan View layout
Posted by MonkeyBucket on Saturday, July 2, 2016 10:28 AM

G'day critters,

I spent an afternoon down at the local club today...I thought the locos may need some run time seeing most of them have been sleeping in their boxes for almost 20 years. I put together a little film for yall...

The layout is called Swan View. It is a 1:64 S scale model of an old Western Australia hills branch run by WAGR (Western Australian Government Railroads) back in the old days. The layout is around 30 years old and now resides at the AMRA WA branch club rooms. WAGR was a narrow guage track so the use of HO guage rail is found on the layout.

This is what running my HO American stock on a Sn3 1/2 scale layout looks like...Enjoy

Cheers...

Chris from down under...

We're all here because we're not all there...

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