I've been building the Newberry-Columbia Line for about 5 years. It is a 12X14 foot around the wall railroad that runs from Newberry, SC to Columbia, SC. It has been fun except for one curved area.
And this is it. I have re-built this curve about six times, even buying several sections of 3 foot Atlas flex track about three times to build it. Some how it just didn't want to work, especially when it come to getting the rail joints to line up.
Also when the big engines went through, either steam or 6 wheel truck E units, they would head off the track into the ditch.
I'd get everything back place thinking all was well and as the units would pass through derail again.
This last time I took my time and made sure the joints were tight and really held in place, no separation between rails and soldered. So, today as I was running trains I realized this little town looked pretty good and decided to take some pictures now that the trains are running good through the curve.
By the way those are original Atlas farm buildings that I built in 1961 and I still use them today.
So here it is, waiting for the next frieght to make its stop at the wooden station built by hand and painted. The town is a stop between Newberry and Columbia, SC.
The E unit is a re-worked Proto 2000 Southern unit with a recent Tsunami-2 sound decoder that runs on my DC layout, not DCC. It is a smooth runner and the sound is outstanding. It pulls both frieght and passenger without any problems and now goes through the curve without a hitch.
After making its stop this train will head on to Newberry to finish up its run.
I like detail and I like this scene, especially now that the curve is functioning well. The track has an elevated curve on the outside which also makes a difference.
Thanks,
Robert Sylvester
Newberry-Columbia Line, SC