Label: Still trackin'     

Work in downtown Murphysboro, Illinois is still coming along. This has indeed been a busy process. It seems like you do a lot of work but don't get anywhere since everything is in the old M&O rail yard. Of course you're gonna' need a lot of track to hold numerous rail cars so it must be done. The flip side of this is even when you get done, you're going to run out of room. Ironic I know. But, as previously mentioned, bounds must be set. Still, I've been fabricating track after track. There is a man named GEORGE SELLIOS, who has built a very fine model railroad layout with a very high level of detail. I read in an article about the model railroad that he put a company name of a large downtown office building as I.M. Boren. He said he got very bored making all the windows for the building. I get it. I can relate. Nevertheless, persistence wins the day. By the way, if I have not already mentioned, on September 12^th, the annual Murphysboro, Illinois Apple Festival starts. The 12^th through the 15^th I believe. Mr. Apple will be there. Parades, competitions, demonstrations too. Oldest non-alcoholic festival in southern Illinois. Over 45,000 in attendance. Mark your calendars! Until next time, omscaler

Label: A turn in time?

Just one more gotcha' to share. I am currently working on laying track on the module. I did some preliminary work with grade crossings as already mentioned. Next came turnout planning. All well and good. I did the layout. Checked my work. Then asked myself, “If the train can cross over to this siding, how does it get back on the track it came from?” No answer except, “It doesn't!” After rechecking, guess what? The planning engineer (me) had skipped a set of crossovers. Wow! This won't do. To compound the problem, a crossover to a parallel track that extends alongside both ways actually needs two turnouts. Boy is my face red. See what happens when you get in a hurry. Glad I caught this in time.  Until next week, omscaler

Label: Jus' walkin' down the street    

This week we look at some more details about the current project. Besides railroad track, we are also working on streets. The streets back in the day were simply dirt or chert or clay or sand or crushed sea shell. In Murphysboro, after the initial dirt or clay streets, the city laid down paving brick. That is correct, brick. Similar to what is used in house construction. The bricks were made in a brick plant located south east of town. The company made bricks for many municipalities all over the United States. And as you might surmise, after the advent of Macadam roads (asphalt), the company became less important and eventually closed. What this means for the Omega Scale module of said town is that we had the need to ascertain what tones and colors are needed to simulate a paving brick road. Should we indicate each and every brick. Oh no! We ain't gonna do that! We think that would take forever! So what we decided was to use a textured surface with a variation in tones. So far, so good. Yours again, a relieved omscaler

Label: A little update.

This week's post is just a small update on progress. We did complete the preliminary prep work and also we did get the grade crossings installed. I am working late on this part as I write this just having installed the aforementioned grade crossings. Next is the roadbed and track proper. Until next week. Staying busy, omscaler

Label: Oops! Correction to follow.

Well, it seems that I must correct myself. Last post, I related that I was working on grade crossings. I averred that three were needed. I now wish I was correct. What I should have stated was that three would be needed on the main line through town. We are good there. Now that I am working on sidings and a freight yard, some more are needed. Also, turnouts, also called switches are proliferating. I realize that patience is called for. But at least the work is relaxing and somewhat fun. That's what it's all about. Until next time, an industrious omscaler

Label: Slowly but surely redux

On my last post, I related that the main roadbed through Murphysboro had been laid out. At this point I am working on grade crossings. These are the points where roads and streets cross the railroad proper. I decided that it would be a good idea to do these first. There will be three on the module. They will be composed of creosoted wood boards of a hefty size and of course the rails. This was and sometimes is still a common practice. Then, the rest of the right of way will be put down. Until next time, omscaler

Label: Serendipity, that's the word.

As previously related, I am working on a town named Murphysboro. Located in southern Illinois. It is situated in an area known as the Shawnee Hills, actually the Eastern Ozarks. What is less commonly known is Murphysboro was the unlucky participant in the Tri-state tornado of 1925. The storm was one mile wide. Its effects were deadly. Thirty-five people killed when a roof came down at the M&O shops. Also, five hundred injured here as well.  A school was struck and children were killed and injured. After-math photographs show wrecked houses and buildings. The place looked like a war zone. A tragic time. The M&O passenger station was not damaged. The old roundhouse is now a printing business. Still, I was hoping to find some good pictures of the roundhouse. I looked and looked online. Many were there. None were what you would call a close up. Still, what I saw gave me hope. I felt like I could get the job done. I could not find any with the turntable showing. It is long gone. However, and this is what gave me hope, I did find an old aerial picture of the roundhouse with what looks like the turntable. The picture is grainy. But still, Serendipity! I think this will help me get the measurements I need. As a last note, the main roadbed through town has been started just a few minutes ago. Til next time, a once again elated, omscaler