The Gopher Mining Company

Dwayne · Post by **Dwayne** » Thu Jul 12, 2012 10:03 pm

As of July 1st the Gopher Light Railway ceased to exist. In it's place comes a new railroad, The Gopher Mining Company.

The railroad will represent a freelanced three foot gauge mining railroad with no specific location in Oklahoma (which research shows never had any narrow gauge railroads). It will be a point-to-point line and operated as such (although a future provision may allow it to become an oval design) with motive power being diesel critters (battery/rc power management).

Trains will be short and operation simple as my work schedule precludes much more than that. I hope to at least begin putting down rails this weekend in spite of the high temperatures (upper 90's) and in the coming months extend the line towards the yet undetermined Point B.

I have a better feeling about this version successfully growing than the previous layout.

Dwayne · Post by **Dwayne** » Sat Aug 18, 2012 10:34 pm

I managed to complete the installation of cinder blocks around the future patio area a couple of weeks ago.

The following weekend I handspiked a six foot section of code 250 rail to wood ties.

Set it in place where the line's primary town of Keylock will be located with a new Bachmann Davenport posing on it.

Experiencing our first significant rainfall today since June, I worked inside today and began cutting rail for my first ever scratchbuilt switch. Since the GMC is a backwoods line I've opted to use stub switches.

Crackingjob · Post by **Crackingjob** » Sun Aug 19, 2012 5:38 pm

Excellant, love the track building. Have tried in the past even with a jig but never quite right
Look forward to the points being built (or switches as you say the other side of the pond)

Sir Clothem Cap · Post by **Sir Clothem Cap** » Sun Aug 19, 2012 8:56 pm

Its looking great so far, keep up the good work

Dwayne · Post by **Dwayne** » Sat Sep 01, 2012 6:35 pm

Manged to get home Thursday evening. Spent yesterday mowing the yard and getting it back into shape after being gone for ten days during which time we had some much needed rain. Strange how grass that was dormant and dead looking suddenly comes back to life and grows like crazy.

Anywayz, with a few minutes to spare this morning before my wife drags me out to town to do some shopping I managed to bend the rails leading to the frog. I've drawn a rough template that I place the rail on top of to check for comparison.

This being my first scratchbuilt switch make it's a learning process. As this is a new endeavor for me I'm expecting to make a few mistakes but so far so good with nothing going drastically wrong.

Dwayne · Post by **Dwayne** » Sat Sep 01, 2012 11:58 pm

Continued working on the stubbie this afternoon...

IrishPeter · Post by **IrishPeter** » Sun Sep 02, 2012 12:05 am

Looking good, Dwayne.

Peter in AZ

Dwayne · Post by **Dwayne** » Sun Sep 02, 2012 12:41 am

Thank you sir. Tomorrow I plan to start cutting ties, trim the rail to the proper lengths, spike it all down and fine tune. I'm actually surprised at how easy it's been so far.

Annie · Post by **Annie** » Sun Sep 02, 2012 2:35 am

Nice progress so far with building your first stub point. Your trackwork is very much going to look the part with those rough hewn looking sleepers.

Dwayne · Post by **Dwayne** » Sun Sep 02, 2012 9:28 pm

Thanks Annie.

Made some progress today by cutting ties to length...

Then began with the frog...

After a few hours...

The most difficult part was getting some of the spikes to drive straight without bending. The wood I'm using for ties has been laying around for a few months, which has allowed it to season. About twenty spike bent. Once I got the spike heads to the web rail I set them with a nail set.

I made sure to use the track gauges at each tie to keep things in gauge. I had considered flaring the ends of the guard rails but instead opted to follow a friends advice and simply file down the inside rail head corners which was much easier and in my opinion looks better. When a wheelset is run across the frog it doesn't pick the frog point, there is almost no clatter and no discernible wheel drop.

Of course the approach side of the stub still needs to be constructed to make this a wholly functioning switch. The plan is to attach this portion of the switch to a stringer which will be buried in the ballast. The approach ties will be attached to the stringer to keep them from shifting out of place. And I need to come up with a throw mechanism that will hold the approach rails in place and indexed to the corresponding route rails.

Annie · Post by **Annie** » Mon Sep 03, 2012 3:37 am

Now that is a lovely stub point.

Dwayne · Post by **Dwayne** » Mon Sep 03, 2012 2:26 pm

Thank you Annie. It was a learning experience. From this endeavor I've discovered a few things I'll do slightly different on subsequent switches as they're constructed. This one gives me a template of sorts for more precise lengths of rail, placement of the ties in relation to the various parts, etc.

Building it was much easier than I had anticipated.

Spule 4 · Post by **Spule 4** » Mon Sep 03, 2012 4:11 pm

Great work, and well done!!

A friend made several out of code 70 rail for his On30 layout. Being a real glutton for punishment, his first one was a three way point!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/51032247@N ... hotostream

Keith S · Post by **Keith S** » Mon Sep 03, 2012 4:52 pm

That looks really good. I intend to lay rails this way when I have a railway, it really adds to the "narrow gauge" look of the tracks to have the big wooden sleepers.

Where are you getting the rails? It looks like code 200 aluminium rail from Sunset Valley. I have some of that, with the plastic sleepers. It's good value, much cheaper than the brass or nickel.

Dwayne · Post by **Dwayne** » Mon Sep 03, 2012 6:33 pm

@Garrett... tell your friend I like the idea of Layout Design Enhancement Fluid in his photo. Nice three-way stub btw.

@ Keith... the rail is code 250 alum, purchased from Switchcrafters at this link... http://www.switchcrafters.com/

My switch is about the size of an LGB R3, of which I have six on hand not being used (5RH, 1LF) that a friend gave to me thinking I'd use them.

Narrow Minded · Post by **Narrow Minded** » Mon Sep 03, 2012 6:56 pm

Just caught up on this build due to being away on holiday, which is the reason I'm late saying "Well done! Brilliant job with something I've yet to tackle!

"

My switch is about the size of an LGB R3, of which I have six on hand not being used

I know someone who could use 'em!

Spule 4 · Post by **Spule 4** » Mon Sep 03, 2012 9:03 pm

Dwayne:74390 wrote:@Garrett... tell your friend I like the idea of Layout Design Enhancement Fluid in his photo. Nice three-way stub btw.

My switch is about the size of an LGB R3, of which I have six on hand not being used (5RH, 1LF) that a friend gave to me thinking I'd use them.

Will do. OK City eh, my future stepmother (don't ask) lives there, she just retired from her job and will be moving away shortly and with dad up in the NE.

Yes, he has a lot of points on the railway, now I have to gap and wire them for him. He was on a 1:1 track crew before becoming an engineer, so he is well versed on track. The rail came from dad's layout he built in the early 1960s....

I would have killed for those R3 points back in 2007. I was getting over $175+ for them on eBay when LGB went bankrupt!

Dwayne · Post by **Dwayne** » Fri Nov 23, 2012 12:05 am

Fellas, just a brief update. Haven't been working on the line for a few months. Work is keeping me too busy. And when home, it's for such a brief time. Have to take care of other tasks and spend time with the wife.

Anyways, I worked on the stub switch (95% complete) today. Installed it this evening but the camera batteries died. Will get some photos of the installation asap.

Need to fabricate some sort of switch stand/throw for it. Other than that, it works like a charm.

Dwayne · Post by **Dwayne** » Fri Nov 23, 2012 10:23 pm

Snapped a few photos this morning of the installed switch.

Keith S · Post by **Keith S** » Sat Nov 24, 2012 7:41 pm

The switch stand may prove to be a little too large for the switch, unless you can gear it down somewhat.

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