The Big Train Project

#112 August Status Report

August 2, 2016

This month we’ll look again at new additions to the EnterTRAINment Junction (EJ) layout.  As usual, the order in which the items are presented is in the order visitors would see them as they progress along the layout’s aisle.

At the far end of the town of Riverbend, just across the aisle from the children’s play area, is a new blacksmith shop, complete with blacksmith, glowing furnace, smithy tools, and a customer coming for new shoes (Figure1).

Figure 1 the blacksmith shop

In the Middle Period City, across the aisle from the coal mine, stands a new business in its own new building: the Figmer Electrical Supply Company (Figure 2).  Along with the expected supply of electrical equipment, like spools of cable, the building also houses the company offices with their rippled “glass” partitioned walls.  The building even has a lunch room where employees can take a break.

Figure 2 Figmer Electric Supply Company

 

On the other side of the Middle Period city, near the drive-in theater, is a railroad equipment workshop (Figure 3).  It sports a variety of tools and equipment needed for the jobs.

Figure 3 Railraod Equipment Workshop

Inside the shop is an intriguing large item partially in view just to the right of the worker’s leg in Figure 4.  Can you identify it?  (The answer is at the end of the article.)

Figure 4 Repair Shop Detail

In the Modern City, across the aisle from the restrooms, a new building has replaced the beautiful open-air farmer’s market, which, unfortunately has been taken off the layout and returned to its maker/owner.  The new building is a multi-tenant structure including a bingo parlor, an art studio, a quick shop, and an interior furnishings store, all with meticulously detailed and well-lit interiors (Figure 5).

Figure 5 Multi-Tenant building

Finally, also in the Modern City across the aisle from the restrooms, the grade crossing now has crossing gates and warning flashers for the two mainline tracks (seen in operation in Figure 6) and warning lights (visible just to the right of blue pickup truck in Figure 6) for the separate local business track beyond.  As with the gates near the main subway station’s parking lot, significant complexity is needed in the controlling software for the lights and the gates to properly deal with the random overlaps of multiple train arrivals and departures on those three tracks.   The safety of all the model drivers and pedestrians using the crossings is at stake, so it has to be correct.

 
Figure 6 Modern City Grade Crossing

Answer to the Figure 4 question: it’s the side-frame and bearing support from an archbar truck (archbar trucks were banned from service at the end of 1939).  This one may be destined to be cut up for scrap.

The continuous improvement of the EJ layout is still proceeding: more realism, outstanding modeling, exceptional technical achievements – all courtesy of the creativity, dedication, and expertise of EJ’s volunteers.  Come see what’s new.

© 2016 Tom Bartsch

MVGRS Big Train Project Coordinator