# Building the Andersley Western Railroad



## andersley (Oct 24, 2010)

New switching layout underway. All track is laid and ready for wiring of slide switches which both control turnouts and provide power to frogs. Some structures are being reused from previous layouts but more are needed, either kitbuilt or scratchbuilt/kitbashed.

The AW is freelance, but set in Montana in the 1970's, it is a sister railroad to my son's Montana Central. Both are part of the Curtis Railroad Corporation and equipment is painted black with yellow lettering and trim. AW has an all-Alco roster (except for a GE 70-tonner from a previous layout).

Layout will be operated by DCC as I really do have to have at least some locomotives with sound! Pity we cannot reproduce the black Alco exhaust smoke!

The layout is 3m x 0.5m (about 10 feet by 1ft 6ins)


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## andersley (Oct 24, 2010)

Some initial pictures:


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## Magic (Jan 28, 2014)

Man you got a lot of RR in a very small space. :smilie_daumenpos:
Looking good.

Magic


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Very interesting switching layout design. Lots of operating
capabilities. It has what every switching layout needs; a 
'run around'. You must have that if, like your layout, there
are spurs that a loco must push a car forward into, and others
a loco must push a car backing into. The loco must have
the ability to get in front of AND behind a car.

It's interesting that your trains are all US yet you are in England.
Why did you elect to model US trains? The Railroads
of England seem ideal for modelling based on what
I've seen in pictures.

Don


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## andersley (Oct 24, 2010)

The main things I wanted was plenty of switching opportunities and a lot of car spots. Also some have more than one spot on each track, so cars have to be moved to get the one behind, then put back. This adds switching interest. After much test operation I intend adopting a 'dwell time' for each car loading/unloading spot.

Don, if you have a browse round my website you will see that I have modeled many different scales and countries railways! The reason I chose American for my 'final'? layout is that no other country offers so much switching as car loads from rail-served industries are more or less a thing of the past and block trains the norm. I really enjoyed US modeling in the past, so the choice was an easy one. Adopting the 1970's era allows more interest for me in range of locomotives and cars.

As my son lives nearby we are co-operating on models, era, paint scheme, etc. as explained on our websites. We can run interchanges between our layouts - even though they are a mile or so apart!


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## andersley (Oct 24, 2010)

Started making card mockups of building extension across ends of layout. Until I ran out of cereal packets!
















Fertilizer building will be extended across the end of the layout as shown by the card mockup. Includes a covered hopper loading bay. Farmers' Co-op building extened across the other side of tracks with a covered access from the main building. Includes a reefer loading bay. This will help hide the staging yard.


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## golfermd (Apr 19, 2013)

Great layout. A lot of action in a small space. Your scenery is really nice. Those structures sure make the layout pop.


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## andersley (Oct 24, 2010)

Time I updated this thread. Quite a lot of progress since last post.


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## andersley (Oct 24, 2010)




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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Beautiful work.

When it looks real in a good photo close up
you know you're looking at model craftsmanship. :appl:

Don


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## andersley (Oct 24, 2010)

Thanks Don. Lots more to do yet, but am getting there 

I actually ran a train today! The RSC2 collected cars from the elevator, picked up a caboose and headed the first grain train from Andersley


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## Bone1977 (Jan 17, 2014)

Damn fine scene! And the trains are running  Awesome work!


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## Magic (Jan 28, 2014)

Looking very nice. :thumbsup::thumbsup:
Like your ballast. 
Always good when you can finely run trains. 

Magic


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## andersley (Oct 24, 2010)

A few more progress pics


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## andersley (Oct 24, 2010)

Finally took a break from the layout to fit decoders in a couple more locomotives and disassemble them ready for painting. So now I have only one locomotive to run until I get them finished!

Ready for paint are an RSC2, RSD5, RS3 and a caboose. 3 more cabooses to do, but I want to improve/rebuild them first (new end handrails, new grabs, etc.) Some other freightcars need work or kitbuilding. These can follow on later.

With AWRR locomotives and caboose, it will really take on the intended identity


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## andersley (Oct 24, 2010)

Realised I had not updated this recently. Yesterday a BN train arrived from South Lewistown (my son's layout) and called to exchange cars before heading to Great Falls.


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## andersley (Oct 24, 2010)




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## andersley (Oct 24, 2010)




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## andersley (Oct 24, 2010)




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## andersley (Oct 24, 2010)




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## andersley (Oct 24, 2010)




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## andersley (Oct 24, 2010)




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## andersley (Oct 24, 2010)




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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Looking great.

you've got some very true to life
scenes going there.

Don


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## hannamet (Dec 1, 2012)

Very nice track design. I like it. I've been wanting to do something similar myself, but more rural and earlier, perhaps early 50's so I can run some steam. Thanks for the visual encouragement to get started.


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## andersley (Oct 24, 2010)

Thank you. Pleased the layout is inspirational! 

Alan
www.andersley.co.uk


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## Shadowplayer (Oct 31, 2014)

Amazing how beautiful a small little layout like this can look like!


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## andersley (Oct 24, 2010)

Shadowplayer said:


> Amazing how beautiful a small little layout like this can look like!


Thank you! But a lot more still to be done to make it better yet.


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## andersley (Oct 24, 2010)

First video of my first sound fitted locomotive. Alco RS3

http://youtu.be/nMbrd1u_s_0


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## Magic (Jan 28, 2014)

You sure got a lot of good looking RR in a small layout. 
Very interesting as well. 

Magic


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## andersley (Oct 24, 2010)

Another clip

http://youtu.be/V6ShhyiPBsg


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## IlliniViking (Dec 13, 2009)

As others have said, very nice layout. So much action in a small area, great job.


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## andersley (Oct 24, 2010)

Switching moves

http://youtu.be/6SLn138czIU


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## Bone1977 (Jan 17, 2014)

Nice switching!


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## andersley (Oct 24, 2010)

Another clip

https://youtu.be/RJv_rhJ-6qc


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Some very nice model work. Shows up great in
your closeups. The last scene in the last clip
is so typical of an American small town yard.

For a US layout in England you are doing a
fantastic job.

Don


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## andersley (Oct 24, 2010)

Thanks Don. Makes the effort worthwhile to know it has some realism. Lots of detail work to do yet, including people!


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## andersley (Oct 24, 2010)

New power on the AWR

https://youtu.be/p0tYQ2Ua6bY


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## andersley (Oct 24, 2010)

BN freight arriving. No sound in the SD24, but background sounds provided by two idling Alcos!

https://youtu.be/8IxSi4YZblA


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## breezy8 (Jun 21, 2012)

*photos?*

Andersley, for some reason I cannot see your pics.....sounds really great though....breezy8


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## andersley (Oct 24, 2010)

breezy8 said:


> Andersley, for some reason I cannot see your pics.....sounds really great though....breezy8


Very strange. Should take you directly to the Youtube video. Are you watching on phone, tablet or PC? Could be settings?


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

The link works fine on my desk top Firefox. If you can't see the
video try another device. Andersley's model work is outstanding.
You definitely want to see it.

Don


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## andersley (Oct 24, 2010)

Thanks for the kind words Don


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## breezy8 (Jun 21, 2012)

*pics*

Andersley, The you-tube videos come out fine. The first few pics you posted ,I could not see....Great videos.....I am on windows & a pc


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## andersley (Oct 24, 2010)

I will shortly be discontinuing my http://www.andersleywestern.co.uk website. The link has been removed from my signature.

It is shortly due for renewal and the visitor numbers do not make it worthwhile to continue the domain payments. Most activity now is on forums and other social media, with far more visitors and feedback.


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