Here's Thunder Mesa's revised track plan showing all the changes that have been made. The town of Calico now plays an important role as one end of the railroad in operations. The addition of a reverse loop and short passing siding there now make it possible to operate the layout in a point-to-point fashion. The former village of San Lorenzo has now been incorporated into Thunder Mesa as the "Old Spanish" section of town. This change freed up the far right corner for a turntable and more accessible engine service area.
The improved track arrangement at Calico forced my plans for an On18 mini-layout to be shelved (again), but the On18 line does make an appearance as a point-to-point mining tram feeder between Big Thunder Mine and the ore bins at Calico. Lastly, the Lone Rock diorama now finds a permanent home on the layout. It's a non-operating scenic feature, but its position against the backdrop offers great sight-lines when looking across the aisle (now called "Coyote Canyon") from the McKennon Arch area.
April 2016 Video Log
Howdy Folks! So much has been happening out here in Thunder Mesa Country that it's hard to know where to begin. The right of way has been changed, towns have been moved, combined or added, and entire areas have been reimagined. On top of all that, a lot of real progress has been made bringing these changes to life with new scenery work and modeling at Horse Thief Canyon and the town of Thunder Mesa well underway. The best way to get caught up on things is with a new video log. After that, I'll delve more deeply into the details below.
Engine #9, the Admiral Fowler
Featured in the new video log is the TMMC's latest locomotive: #9, the Admiral Fowler. Like several of the other Thunder Mesa locomotives, it's an 0-4-2 Porter from Bachmann. I've dressed it up with a fancy cap stack and some custom decals from Stan Cedarleaf.
The "Niner" rounds the bend at Dinosaur Gap. The gold capped stack was made from some HO parts in my scrap box.
Continuing the Thunder Mesa tradition of naming locomotives after Disney Imagineers, animators and others who played a big role in Disneyland's development, the new Porter is named in honor of Admiral Joe Fowler. This was the man Walt Disney put in charge of Disneyland's construction, and who stayed on as general manager of the park for its first decade.
The Admiral Fowler has an unusual crew. The engineer is none other than local legend Chuckwalla Slim, and the fireman is his trusty dog, Sparky. Both figures were painted by my friend, the late Verne Niner, and the locomotive bears the number 9 in his honor. The TMMC has yet to acquire a #8.
Cattle Cars
The new track plan calls for some larger stock pens at Thunder Mesa and that means I'll need some livestock cars. The TMMC doesn't own any itself, but it does interchange with the parent Santa Fe, Denver & Carolwood and that line does run some cattle cars. To represent some of that interchange traffic, I've repainted and weathered a couple of old Bachmann cars for now.
Livestock car #59 belongs to the Mescal Lines Ry. Disney Imagineer and well known model railroad author John Olson built his HOn3 Mescal Lines in the early 1980s, and my TMMC owes a very large creative debt to that landmark model railroad.
Car 201 is lettered for the TMMC's parent road, the Santa Fe, Denver & Carolwood. The SFD&C is roughly based upon the Santa Fe & Disneyland Railroad so it seemed appropriate that their cattle cars should bear the same numbering as the original Retlaw 2 cars at Disneyland.
Out with the On18 "mini-layout" and in With a Reverse Loop at Calico
The plans for Calico have probably changed more than anything else on the layout. Earlier this year I decided to nix the idea for a mini On18 Calico layout in favor of a reverse loop and a mainline stop at the town of Calico itself. I concluded that the space could be much better used for a second town to act as the far end of the line from Thunder Mesa. This decision also meant that the steep grade up to Big Thunder Mine would have to go, and that the village of San Lorenzo could be incorporated into Thunder Mesa town as Verne Niner had once suggested. But don't despair On18 fans! If you take a close look at the plan above, you'll see that the old Big Thunder high-line will now be an On18 mining tram bringing ore to the bins at Calico.
Quick thumbnail sketch for the grade changes at Calico.
Out with the old...
...And in with the new.
The reverse loop is controlled by an MRC DCC auto reverse module hidden below decks.
San Lorenzo Merges With Thunder Mesa Town
Before his untimely passing late last year, Verne Niner and I discussed several different options for integrating his award winning San Lorenzo diorama into the layout. One thing he had suggested was making San Lorenzo the "Old Spanish" section of town. I immediately liked that idea since it implied a long and rich history for the town. It's something you see a lot in the older towns of the Desert Southwest, where Native American, Spanish, and Anglo cultures all come together and overlap. Still, I was hesitant to alter Verne's beautiful diorama until I came up with the new operating scheme placing Calico at one end of the line and Thunder Mesa at the other. Now there was no reason (or room) for a third town on the layout and I found myself thinking back to our early conversations. The decision made, I carefully disassembled the diorama, cataloging everything in pictures, and managed to save every last detail except for the bead-board foam base. In their new placement, the adobe structures have a somewhat different orientation, but their positions from left to right are the same. Several of the structures also have new foundations at differing heights to better compliment Thunder Mesa's boomtown aesthetic. Adding lighting to the structures was always on my to-do list and this move seemed a logical time to also move forward with that project.
The San Lorenzo structures in their new locations as the Old Spanish section of Thunder Mesa. Disneyphiles may also notice that this arrangement mimics the orientation of Rainbow Ridge to the early California flavored area of Zocalo Park at Disneyland (former location of Mineral Hall and Casa de Fritos). This is no accident and the fountain area here is now called "Zocalo Plaza."
LED lighting has been added to the jail.
The Mercantile has also received LED lighting, along with some new signage and a wooden front porch.
One more thing that remains intact from the original diorama is the Pricom Dreamplayer sound system. The mission bells ring, chickens cluck, horses whinny, and the angry banditos still threaten the pig bathing in the fountain. It's a wonderful scene, and I think fondly of Verne every time I look at it.
New Rockwork, boardwalks and Retaining Walls
With the San Lorenzo structures becoming part of Thunder Mesa, it seemed like a good time to tackle some of the scenery work around town too. The new rockwork that forms a backdrop for the town was built and finished with the same techniques I've been describing in the step-by-step build of Horse Thief Canyon. With the rock and paint work done, I've since moved on to building all of the retaining walls, board sidewalks, and steps through town.
The rockwork behind town was built up with carved layers of extruded polystyrene foam. The layers were then blended together with spackling compound and Sculptamold.
Once the sculpt is complete, the rocks are painted with latex and acrylic paints. Here I'm applying a wash of diluted black to darken the cracks and crevices.
After final paint and with a backdrop in place the scene starts to come together. This new promontory above town is called Castle Rock. Just below that is Injun Joe's Cave, where, as legend has it, lost Spanish gold is still waiting to be discovered.
Here's an overhead view of the new board sidewalks and retaining walls built in town.
And a view from the depot platform. The timber retaining walls help to separate the depot scene from the town beyond. One by one, each of the paper and cardstock mock-ups in town are being replaced by fully detailed models. It would be much more difficult to plan a scene like this without them. The Marshal's Office will likely be my next structure project.
A quiet night in Thunder Mesa Town. Soon, ground cover, weeds, and other details will be added to further enhance this scene.
Engine Service Area
With the San Lorenzo structures moved to the other side of the tracks, that freed up their former location for an expanded engine service area with much improved access. The centerpiece of this scene will be one of the excellent turntables from Kitwood Hill Models. I'll be building the 9" gallows turntable here, and when completed it will allow the layout to operated in a point-to-point scheme between Thunder Mesa and the reverse loop at Calico.
The new engine service area and an inset of the Kitwood Hills Model turntable. Can't wait to get started on this terrific kit!
Horse Thief Canyon
Meanwhile, progress also continues a-pace at Horse Thief Canyon. I'll continue to update the build of this scenic slot canyon in its own step-by-step series.
Horse Thief Canyon - nearly 75' deep below track level. The mainline will cross here on a classic deck-truss bridge.
Effects Control Panel
Each section of the layout will eventually have its own small panel for controlling lights, sound effects, music, and animation. The first such panel is now complete for the Thunder Mesa section.
This small panel was built into the layout fascia on the Thunder Mesa section. The panel face was created in Photoshop, printed on cardstock and laminated with a matte finish clear acrylic. This was then affixed to 1/8" thick masonite. The functions are controlled by simple SPST on/off switches, and a green LED indicates power. All of the effects on Thunder Mesa run on a 9 volt DC system.
Frontierland Music Loop
Every land at a Disney park has its very own soundtrack, usually a one hour music loop that helps to reinforce the land's theme and further immerse guests in the experience. I've always enjoyed the music played in Frontierland and thought it would be a kick to add it to the railroad. I put together my own extended loop that also includes music from the Big Thunder queue and Big Thunder Ranch (now gone!). The music is provided by an inexpensive MP3 player and piped in through speakers hidden under the layout.
What's Next
The first 3 months of 2016 have been a very busy time on the railroad but with each project completed I see three more that still need doing. Coming soon will be new structures for Thunder Mesa Town, ore bins for the On18 line in Calico, a build of my Kitwood Hill Models 9" gallows turntable (can't wait to get started on that one!), some new scenery and effects for Rainbow Caverns, a backdrop to install, and Horse Thief Canyon to finish. All that and more should keep me busy through the end of the year.
A look ahead at the future through the magic of Photoshop. This is the view standing in Coyote Canyon and looking toward Big Thunder Mine and Rainbow Caverns. Horse Thief Canyon is at left and Dinosaur Gap is on the right. The Indian Pueblos will be right about where the thunder storm is on the backdrop. I've also imagined some black drop curtains down below the fascia to give things a more finished look.
Though work on the layout has been steady, I haven't had the time to update this blog as often as in the past. Going forward, look for more long posts like this one to come out every few weeks or so, and for more frequent posts (sometimes several a day!), head on over to Facebook and follow the Thunder Mesa page there. As always, questions and comments are welcome below. Thanks for checking in, amigos. Adios for now!
As 2015 draws to a close, it's only natural to look back at what was accomplished in the past year and to think about all that still needs to be done. The TMMC has come a long way this year, with the entire mainline now complete through the expansion areas, a more logical layout for the town, and scenic work well underway in Rainbow Caverns and Hanging Rock. Still, there's much yet to be done. So many projects in fact that at times it can be a little overwhelming and I start to wonder if maybe I haven't bitten off more than I can chew. Thunder Mesa isn't really a very big model railroad, but the high level of detail, scratchbuilt structures, animation and lighting effects means that progress can be rather slow at times. Still, my enthusiasm for the project remains high, and there are a number of projects that I'm looking forward to tackling in the new year.
So, without further ado, here's a look ahead at some of the TMMC's "unfinished business" that I'd like to get done in 2016.
Geyser Gulch
This lone, temporary trestle bent has been standing in for a real bridge over Geyser Gulch for longer than I care to admit. I've drawn up plans for the bridge, purchased materials, and even figured out a way to make "Old Unfaithful" geyser erupt in the background. I just need to make time to finally finish this signature scene.
Thunder Mesa Mill
Just to the right of Big Thunder Creek stands this paper mock-up of Thunder Mesa Mill, based loosely on the boarding area structure for Big Thunder Mountain at Disneyland. This is where all of the ore from the mines at Calico and Big Thunder Camp gets processed before being shipped out to the wider world. As such, it's pretty important to the economic lifeblood of the railroad. It's also a signature scene that really helps to establish the story of the railroad. Replacing this mock-up with a fully detailed, scratchbuilt structure is high on my list of priorities for the new year.
The Backdrop
Don't be fooled by the pretty photos I post, most of the walls around the TMMC layout are still embarrassingly bare. I've been using temporary backdrops for most photos and Photoshop composites for the really arty ones. But help is on the way. The above image is a low-res version of a digital painting I created that will be printed upon 3oz vinyl scrim and then affixed to the layout room walls. This will give me a seamless sky backdrop that wraps around three sides of the layout. Landscape features like distant buttes and mesas will then be painted on 1/8" hardboard and mounted between the 3-D layout scenery and the sky backdrop. This should make for some dramatic scenes that look like they go on forever.
Thunder Mesa Town
Hoo-boy, there's loads to do here. Other than the depot and Big Thunder Saloon, nearly everything in town is still in the paper model mock-up stage. As usual, I'll have to take it one structure at a time and finish what I can. It's highly doubtful that I'll get all those little building done in the coming year, but I would like to make a good start on the scenery and ground cover and then tackle as many of them as I can. We'll see what happens.
Turntable and Engine House
Well, at least the water tank is finished (but that might be moving to Hanging Rock). The current turntable here is unpowered and a hold-over from an earlier version of the railroad. I'd like to replace it this year with one of the fine A-frame TT's from Kitwood Hill Models. The engine house is planned as a white-plastered stone structure to harmonize with the adobe structures of nearby San Lorenzo. Time will tell if that plan pans out or I decide to go with something else. Obviously, the turntable approach track and engine house tracks are waiting for more permanent structures to be built. All of the track in this area needs paint, ballast and final detailing.
Rainbow Caverns and Big Thunder Camp
These two go together because one sits right on top of the other. I've made some good progress on the interior of Rainbow Caverns this year, but as you can see the exterior scenery is still far from finished. I'd like to finish the rest of the interior scenes this coming year and complete the rockwork cave openings on the exterior. As for Big Thunder Camp, it's planned as a major mining scene with several scratchbuilt structures. Sounds like a good candidate for my 2017 list. In 2016, I'll be happy to get the final track laid up there and all the wiring done for the lighting and animation to come.
Natural Arch Bridge
This is the connecting bit of scenery between Hanging Rock on the left and Rainbow Caverns on the right. It shouldn't take very long to finish up this scene once the branchline track to Big Thunder Camp is laid across the top of the bridge.
Hanging Rock
This scene is still a little less than half finished, mostly because the plans are not yet 100% firm in my mind. Olson & Furlow's place still needs LED lighting installed and a few more outlaw figures. A small depot made from an old combine car is planned for the near side of the tracks, while an ore tipple, shack and water tank will probably be against the cliffs on the other side. There's much more rockwork to be finished and a couple of tunnel portals to detail too. The tunnel interiors will be a project all their own.
Calico
Last but not least is the portable On18 Calico mini-layout that so far exists only in the planning stages. This almost qualifies as a substantial model railroad project all on its own and I could probably spend most of 2016 working on it and nothing else. The latest plan, shown above, is slightly simplified from the earlier figure eight scheme proposed. It hews a little closer to the Knott's Berry Farm inspiration now while promising to be easier to operate. My tests with N scale/On18 mechanisms told me that they didn't much like the 6% grade I had in mind before. This flat, simple loop now gives me room for an underground "Glory Hole" mining scene and some animated blasting on the other end. I have no illusions about finishing Calico in the coming year, but I would very much like to make a good start on it and at least get some On18 equipment running. Once again, time will tell.
To 2016 and Beyond
Once again I would like to give my sincere thanks to everyone who has been following along with my modeling efforts on the TMMC. You guys are the best and I'm just getting started. I wish each of you all the blessings of the season, a very merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year. Feliz Navidad, amigos! Adios for now.
Hooray! The benchwork, wiring and track is now complete over the entire mainline from San Lorenzo to Thunder Mesa and trains are running! Here's an overhead view from the mocked-up engine service area to the Hanging Rock and Coyote Canyon sections.
Greetings from Thunder Mesa!
I'm back from my summer break and just spent the last week finishing up track laying and wiring on the new sections of the layout. About 30' of Peco On30 flextrack was installed across the Hanging Rock and Coyote Canyon sections, and over 40 soldered connections now bring DCC power to the rails. This is a major milestone toward completing the layout expansion and I'm very happy to have it done. Check out this month's video log for more details and a first-ever excursion over the entire mainline!
Shiny new rail above Coyote Canyon. The plywood bridges are temporary and can be easily removed. They'll be replaced with detailed models after I decide just what kind of bridges I want here. The 16" radius turn-back curve will be hidden in a tunnel below the portable On18 Calico layout. The breaker box will be hidden behind Calico Mountain itself. Installing an around-the-walls backdrop here is also high on the old to-do list.
Here's the Hanging Rock section. Devil's Garden balancing rocks will be at lower left and the whistle stop depot at Hanging Rock will be at right, just before the tunnel portal. In between will be three bridges deep and narrow Horse Thief Canyon. The stub-ended uppermost track is the start of the branchline up to Big Thunder Camp.
The new Coyote Canyon and Hanging Rock sections are at upper left on the above plan. Sharp eyed viewers might notice that I've already deviated from the plan by swapping the turnout and spur directions at Hanging Rock and San Lorenzo. Things always change during construction and this just made more sense for fluid operations.
One thing I'm most excited about is the new sight-lines and deep views that are being created with this expansion. When completed, the canyon scenery in this view will create an unbroken vista nearly 12' deep. Try that on a shelf layout.
With the mainline track laid and operating well, I'll probably turn my attention to the branchline up to Big Thunder Camp next. I'm also itching to build some scenery and structures and might just dive right in to the scene at Hanging Rock. Time will tell. Thanks for stopping in for a visit, amigos. There's much more to come. Adios for now!
It's been nearly 5 months since the last aerial view update so it must be high time for another one! As of today, all of the basic benchwork for new sections of the layout have been completed and I'm ready to start laying down some 1/2" plywood sub-roadbed. Here's the before and after aerial views:
Almost 5 months ago, November 8, 2014: A new plan had just been decided on and the layout moved out from the wall. The change of plan necessitated dismantling of the previously built Calico benchwork.
Today, March 28, 2015: The layout has now grown too large to capture in one overhead photo. 1"x4" pine box-girder benchwork is now in place for three new sections of the layout. Note how the layout base drops down in stair-step fashion to accommodate deep canyons in the Hanging Rock and Coyote Canyon sections. The floor of Coyote Canyon will be 24" or 96 scale feet below track level.
The individual layout sections are joined together with 1/4" bolts and thumb-screws, allowing them to be separated should a move ever prove necessary. The lowered sections of Hanging Rock and Coyote Canyon are supported by sturdy metal shop shelves that also provide handy storage below the layout. The San Lorenzo section creates a literal bridge between the Thunder Mesa "island" and the new parts of the layout, allowing for maintenance access via a duck-under. Next steps include sheathing the walls with 1/8" Masonite for the backdrop, building risers and sub-roadbed, and creating the sturdy shelf structure to support the portable Calico On18 layout on the Coyote Canyon section.
The current plan for Thunder Mesa shows the new shape of the layout and illustrates the labeled areas in the photos above.
It's great to be moving ahead with the expansion and I'm really looking forward to seeing these new sections of the layout take shape. Right now trains can only shunt back and forth between Thunder Mesa and Rainbow Caverns so I'm determined to get some more track laid soon. The San Lorenzo section will probably be tackled first, along with the turntable and engine service area. Lots to do! Thanks for checking in. Adios for now, amigos!
Thunder Mesa Mining Co. v.7 (at least). Everything fits! To see the plan full size: right click> Open in new tab.
It may seem strange to still be working on the final track plan nearly 3 1/2 years into construction but Thunder Mesa is a tale that has grown in the telling. What started out as a simple 3' x 6' display has now grown to occupy more than half of my art studio. It's about 15' x 9' now, or will be when complete, and this latest plan manages to fit in just about everything I want. At least for now. All I can say is that it's a good thing I enjoy drawing track plans since I have drawn and redrawn the working plan for Thunder Mesa more times than I care to remember. This time, my decision to build a portable On18 Calico layout that "plugs-in" to the larger layout when not on the road has lead to some major revisions and improvements.
Previous changes to the layout plan came when adding Verne Niner's San Lorenzo diorama back in October of last year. The plan I created then had a lot going for it, but I was never quite satisfied with its presentation of Calico or the existence of the high-line branch that didn't really connect to anything. Also, the 30" aisle width was a little tighter than I'd like and there was more hidden track than I'm comfortable with.
The new plan addresses these issues while also adding a couple of new scenes to the mix and fixing some sightline problems. The central aisle broadens out to a more comfortable 36" and the previously hidden track along the back is brought mostly out into the open. The rear track now rises and falls on a 3% grade to add visual interest and to ease the junction with the branchline up to Big Thunder Camp. The new On18 Calico layout occupies the left side wall and acts as a separate feeder line.
Zooming in: The portable 2' x 5' On18 Calico mini-layout sits on top of the Coyote Canyon section with a base track elevation of 60" above the floor. Ore is delivered from Calico to the TMMC via a large tipple above the canyon. Passengers will need to take the stairs.
With Calico moving to the left end of the layout, nearly everything else along the back wall has shifted to the right. Moving the sleepy border village of San Lorenzo all the way over to its own 30" wide peninsula on the far right opened up room for a larger Coyote Canyon with longer, more dramatic bridges, while also making more space for the Balancing Rocks section - now called "Devil's Garden." I also found room for another small settlement called "Hanging Rock," future home to the Olson Mine and Furlow's store. Between Devil's Garden and Hanging Rock is a narrow, serpentine slot canyon. Slot canyons are amazing natural features of desert the Southwest and something I've long wanted to model on the TMMC. Both canyons on this side of the layout will be very deep, with scenery extending nearly to the floor.
Next comes the Devil's Garden/Hanging Rock section with its deep slot canyon. Here the branchline begins its steep ascent up a 6% grade to Big Thunder Camp. Only short ore trains will be making this trip. The standing rocks in Devil's Garden will be animated to sway and move as the trains pass. Furlow's Store and the Olson Mine are about all there is to the settlement of Hanging Rock.
The branchline up to Big Thunder Camp is short and very steep, with a ruling grade of 6%. Only short ore trains will make the trip up the grade and the new run-around track at Big Thunder Camp should make it easier to switch the mine there before backing down the hill. Another improvement is placing the Natural Bridge on the branchline. It means the bridge can be higher and more dramatic while also creating interesting sight-lines from both sides of the peninsula.
The San Lorenzo section includes a small engine terminal and views through Natural Bridge toward Calico. This section will be the new home for Verne Niner's award winning San Lorenzo diorama where an adobe depot and Indian pueblos on the mesa above will complement the scene. San Lorenzo will also be home to an interchange with Verne's Estrella & Sonora Grande Ry and will act as one end of the line in operations.
Last, but not least, we come to the original Thunder Mesa section. The only real change here is the addition of Big Thunder Camp and its runaround track. The track through Rainbow Caverns has also been straightened out a bit and realigned in a broader 18" radius curve. Visually, Big Thunder Mine will loom high above town providing a counterpoint to Baxter's Butte. By the way, this is by far the most accurate rendering of Thunder Mesa I have done to date.
Operations
As I've stated before, I'm not really much of an operations guy. My main enjoyment in the hobby comes from building models, planning scenes, and watching little trains roll through big scenery. This plan, and really the entire concept for Thunder Mesa, caters to those interests. For all of its bells and whistles, this plan is really just a basic folded dog-bone with a branchline. It doesn't really go anywhere and trains just loop around to right back where they started. However, there is a way to operate the layout in a more realistic point to point fashion if desired.
If we consider Thunder Mesa as one end of the line and San Lorenzo as the other end, suddenly the layout is transformed from a roundy-roundy caboose chaser into some semblance of a miniature transportation system. All it takes is a little imagination, some careful planning, and a willingness to share the passing siding and turntable between the two endpoints. It's an old John Armstrong trick. In operations, the turntable and passing siding at Thunder Mesa is also the turntable and passing siding at San Lorenzo.
Imagine that rather than just down the aisle from each other, Thunder Mesa and San Lorenzo are really many miles apart, just as they would be in the real world. Imagine also that they each have similar track arrangements, with a passing track, turntable, and interchange siding. Since the TMMC is a small railroad with a laid back and uncomplicated operating scheme it is actually possible to get away with using one end for both ends. The advantage, of course, is that the entire remainder of the railroad lies "in between" these points.
In this simplified overview sketch of Thunder Mesa Country, the possible point-to-point operations become more apparent. Thunder Mesa and San Lorenzo share some - but not all - of the track at each "end" of the line. The timing of trains, as well as which tracks can be used at each end, would need to clearly defined for an effective operating session to take place.
I would run three trains a day in each direction with this scheme. Train #1, the Ore Train leaves Thunder Mesa first and ascends the branchline to Big Thunder Camp. It never goes to San Lorenzo. Meanwhile, train #2, the Daily Mixed, and train #3, the Excursion Special, follow behind on the "hour." Train #1 waits at Big Thunder as trains #2 and #3 pass the junction to San Lorenzo. Train #2 switches and turns at San Lorenzo before train #3 arrives. The Ore Train then backs downgrade all the way to Thunder Mesa as the Daily Mixed departs San Lorenzo. The Excursion Train then turns at San Lorenzo and heads back to Thunder Mesa. Clear as mud, right?
Take a Ride on the TMMC
Let's take a ride on a typical daily mixed train from Thunder Mesa to San Lorenzo. This would be train #2 on the schedule, departing Thunder Mesa Depot about an hour after train #1, the morning ore train bound for Big Thunder Camp.
The conductor cries, "All aboard!" as we climb the steps and find an empty seat in bright yellow combine #101. The combine is coupled at the rear of the train and will also act as caboose and express car for our journey to San Lorenzo. Two loud blasts on the whistle and the engineer eases the narrow gauge 4-4-0, Earl Vilmer, forward out of the depot siding and on to the mainline. The slack is barely out of the couplers when our train crosses Big Thunder Creek on a wooden trestle. We can hear the roar of the falls echoing back in the narrow canyon as we pass. A moment later and we are steaming through the Cactus Forest before passing below McKennon Arch, gateway to the living desert.
Brakes squeal as we slow for Geyser Gulch trestle. Down below, the turquoise water bubbles and steams as the largest of the geysers, Old Unfaithful, gets ready to erupt again. The geyser is unpredictable, but it must be our lucky day since Old Unfaithful sends a spectacular plume of steam and spray skyward just as our coach rounds the bend at Ambush Rock.
Next comes famous Dinosaur Gap where construction of the right-of-way in the 1870s revealed the fossilized bones of an ancient creature. The toothy skeleton is remarkably well preserved but we barley have time to admire it before plunging into the darkness of Rainbow Caverns. It takes a moment or two for our eyes to adjust and when they do we are treated to an amazing spectacle of technicolor wonders. Stalactites, stalagmites and other underground formations seem to glow with unearthly light as waterfalls and fountains stream by in all the colors of the rainbow. Beyond, giant crystals fill mammoth chambers where living rock has been sculpted by centuries of flowing water into taffy-like confections.
Emerging from Rainbow Caverns and back into the brilliant light of day we pass below Natural Bridge and on through the whistle-stop hamlet of Hanging Rock. Home to Furlow's Store and Olson's Mine, Hanging Rock is a well known haunt for outlaws and ne'er-do-wells so we won't be lingering there today. Crossing a bridge over what appears to be a nearly bottomless slot canyon, we enter Devil's Garden. Here, the standing rocks and hoodoo formations move and sway as our train passes, leaving the feeling we may be crushed at any moment. Relief comes soon however, as the great expanse of Coyote Canyon opens up before us.
Our train slows as we venture across the longest and highest bridge on the Thunder Mesa line. The river seems miles below as we ease across the arched iron bridge and chuff to a stop on the far side. A large ore tipple looms on our right and a small wooden platform is on the left. This is the stop for Calico, legendary gold camp located high on the cliffs above.
A gambler and his lady companion get off at Calico as the conductor checks his pocket watch. He knows that train #3, the Excursion Special, is just now departing Thunder Mesa with a load of curious tourists. Train #3 follows along about an hour behind the Daily Mixed.
Two more blasts of the whistle and we are underway again, entering a long tunnel below Calico Mountain. We emerge at upper Coyote Canyon and soon pass the junction for the branchline up to Big Thunder Camp. Train #1, the morning ore train, took the switch at the junction about an hour before and has already climbed the steep grade up to Big Thunder to work the mines. Our route takes us downgrade, across a narrow canyon and into another tunnel. Before plunging again into darkness, we can see the whitewashed adobe walls of a pueblo Indian village high on the mesa above.
Maybe we dozed off from the gentle rocking of the coach, but just a few moments later it seams, and we arrive in the sleepy border village of San Lorenzo. The Spanish influence is very apparent here as our train backs slowly into the depot siding. The fireman sounds the bell until a single short toot of the whistle indicates full stop. We gather our things and disembark. It will be awhile until our connecting stage arrives so we've got some time to explore the village.
With some warm tortillas and a plate of beens from La Frontera Cantina, we sit in the shade on the depot platform to enjoy lunch and do a little train watching. The Daily Mixed has left the depot now and the crews are just finishing up a couple of switching moves, swapping head for tail with the combine and dropping two boxcars at the E&SG interchange. Meanwhile, across the tracks, a trio of local banditos are cursing a fat pig that has chosen to cool off in the village fountain. The bells of San Lorenzo Mission chime the hour as the locomotive, Earl Vilmer, takes a spin on the turntable before re-coupling to her train. Glancing at the station timetable we see that our Daily Mixed is now train #4, ready to depart for the trip back to Thunder Mesa.
Just then, another train appears, bell ringing loudly as it rounds the bend into San Lorenzo. This is train #3, the Excursion Special, pulled by a bright red and green Porter and towing a half dozen passenger-converted gondolas filled with happy tourists. They'll stop here for lunch as the Daily Mixed departs, then turn the locomotive for the return trip to Thunder Mesa. Meanwhile, high up at Big Thunder Camp, the morning ore train has completed its duties there and is now backing downgrade with a heavy load bound for Thunder Mesa Mill. Switching the mill will go on into the evening but all three trains will be back and ready for the next day by suppertime.
Construction of benchwork and sub-roadbed is already underway to put this new plan into action. I'm very happy with it. It does just about everything I want the layout to do in the space I have available. If I ever end up moving to a bigger location though, all bets are off and it will be back to the drawing board again!
Thanks for checking in, amigos. Question or comments are welcome below, or join the ongoing conversation on the Thunder Mesa Facebook page. Adios for now!
The Calico Gold Company will be a 24" x 60" portable layout in On18 scale. Based loosely upon the Calico Mine Train at Knott's Berry Farm, the layout will also act as a feeder line connecting to the TMMC. Minimum radius on this plan is 10" and the ruling grade is 5%.
For a long time, I've been mulling over ideas for a small, portable layout or module that could be taken on the road to shows and modeling exhibitions as a representative sample of what Thunder Mesa is all about. I've also been toying with the idea of doing something in On18 that could act as a feeder line for the main railroad. And regular readers of this blog will know that I'm a huge fan of the Calico Mine Train at Knott's Berry Farm in California, having pretty much spent my youth there when I wasn't just down the road at Disneyland. Well, all of those ingredients have finally come together in a new 2' x 5' layout project that will showcase the style of Thunder Mesa while paying tribute to some of its Knott's/Calico inspirations.
A 1960's vintage postcard of the Calico Mine Train at Knott's. Just as the TMMC attempts to imagine a prototype for Big Thunder and Natures' Wonderland, the new Calico mini-layout will appear as something that could have, if it existed, inspired the attraction. The idea is for a model that shares visual cues with the Knott's attraction while not trying to be a slavish copy.
What the Heck is On18?
On18 is a funny scale/gauge combination that is intriguing to a dyed-in-the-wool rubber gauger like myself. It uses N gauge track and mechanisms as a starting point for 1/4" scale models in one of the slimmest of slim gauges. The 9mm gauge N scale track works out very close to 18" in 1:48, happily, a rather common track gauge for industrial and mining railways. The resulting models can have a lilliputian charm and character that really appeals to my sense of whimsy.
Concept illustration for a freelanced On18 locomotive inspired by the Knott's Calico Mine Train. This tiny drivered 0-6-0 will measure just 3" long in O scale and be powered by an N scale Atlas 2-6-0 mechanism. As a point of comparison, a diminutive Bachmann 0-4-0 Porter in On30 is a good inch (four scale feet) longer.
I've gone back and forth on the idea of an On18 feeder line several times; adding it and then removing it from subsequent track plans. Experience has taught me that if an idea keeps coming back around again and again, it's probably solid and eventually I'll have to do something with it. Well, the time has come and my long delayed plans for Calico will at last be moving forward with tiny trains on some very slim rails.
Refining the Concept
Designing the simple over-and-under figure eight track plan was the easy part. Figuring out where and how it will fit into the larger scheme of things on Thunder Mesa was the real challenge. Not only do I want the layout to be light and portable, I also want it to "plug-in" to the main layout as seamlessly as possible when not out on the road. It took some creative engineering and more than a few major tweaks to the TMMC plan to get all 10 lbs of both railroads to fit into the 5 lb sack of my art studio. I'll explain the changes to the TMMC plan in another post in the near future.
I still draw my plans the old fashioned way, with pencil and paper. I went through a lot of both figuring out where to place the Calico module within the larger scheme of the layout. There will be more on the updated overall plans for the TMMC in a future post.
Parts from Other Scales
Working in an oddball, niche scale like this means that just about everything needs to be scratch-built, kit-bashed, adapted or modified from materials, models or details in other scales. That's a big part of the fun as far as I'm concerned. Figuring out which bits and pieces from the smaller scales that can be useful is an interesting challenge. For example, I'll be using Peco HOn30 track and turnouts since the big, chunky ties and spike detail will look right at home in On18. Many carefully selected HO scale items can come in handy, especially things like locomotive detail parts and freight car frames. 18" gauge trains are small, so the roughly half-sized HO parts should work fairly well. Of course, N scale wheals and mechanisms will be used to model rolling stock. The trick is to find donor mechanisms that run reliably and that can be modified into something somewhat believable. I've already begun tinkering with a smooth running Atlas N scale 2-6-0 mechanism, removing the pony truck and mocking up ideas for the frame and cab. This may form the basis for Calico's first locomotive as illustrated above.
The 1:48 scale mechanics aren't quite sure where to start, but some HOn30 track, N scale mechanisms, HO parts and O scale details all get thrown into the mix when modeling On18.
Scenery and Structures
Naturally, figures, scenery and structures will be built at 1:48 scale, though since most buildings will be "smaller than life" caricatures, they will need to be scratch-built as well. Some structures, like the Calico Mine Co. warehouse below, will be modeled directly after the originals at Knott's, while others will be designed to fit the available space.
Color elevation plan of the Calico Mine Co., drawn from photos of the loading area at Knott's Berry Farm.
The scenic highlight of the layout will be Calico Mountain with its distinctive rock spire and waterfalls. No attempt will be made to replicate the interior scenes from the attraction but the dramatic high trestles and mine tunnels will be there, along with a truncated version of Calico Ghost Town - now very much alive with lighting, animation and sound effects.
Another vintage postcard from Knott's showing the spectacular sandstone spires of Calico Mountain along with the loading platform for the Mine Train.
Lightweight Construction
Since the layout will be portable, I'll be building it as tough and light as possible, using mostly polystyrene foam and very little wood. I developed a method for "cookie-cutter" foam benchwork for an N scale layout built some years ago and I'll be reprising that technique again here. The technique uses polystyrene foam sheet cut and fit very much like dimensional lumber for benchwork that is strong, sturdy and mostly air. Sub-roadbed is then cut from foam, cookie-cutter style, and glued into place with foam risers for elevation. I'll go much more deeply into detail on this lightweight construction method in a future post.
The Calico Gold Company will be built almost entirely from polystyrene and urethane foams. The integrated backdrop will be stretched canvas. The goal is a finished layout that can be lifted off of the larger Thunder Mesa pike and then travel to shows. A simple, folding stand will be constructed for the layout to sit on when it is away from home.
For the backdrop I'm hoping to use stretched canvas on a light wooden frame, very similar to the way theatrical scenery flats are made. The backdrop will be integral to the layout, both as an extension of the scenery and as additional structural support. If all goes well, it should be much lighter and more flexible than Masonite and will also serve as proof-of-concept for the entire backdrop system on the larger Thunder Mesa layout.
Much More to Come
With a plan I'm finally happy with it's time to get modeling and move forward. I'm not sure how long building Calico will take me, but as it's integral to the overall scheme of Thunder Mesa, it will be worth the time and effort to get it well started. No doubt there will be side projects and distractions along the way, and there is still so much to be done on Thunder Mesa proper that I should be very busy well into the future. Thanks for checking in, amigos. January has already raced by with a load of fun projects and the rest of 2015 looks like it will be a humdinger. Adios for now!
