October 23rd 2017
The final part of the transition is Lillooet. The design is done and a plan is in place.
January 2017
Pemberton was finished.
March 26th 2016
The Squamish project was finished in February in time for an op session. It seemed to work very well. The long split siding is usefull for adding pushers. There will be changes to the shops area in the future. It is nice to have this project behind me.
The spur at McGillivary Falls was added in late March. We will test it during the April 1st op session.
The plan for Pemberton is coming together which will also see Evans in it's final place.
November 12th 2015
Now that Vancouver Train Expo is over I have gone back to altering Squamish. Back in October I realigned Squamish Terminals to be more like the prototype. This also added more capacity and made it easier to switch. The mainline south of Squamish has been moved towards the backdrop. This will allow a representation of the Mamquam channel with FMC, the log dump and Weldwood. This will eliminate Garibaldi but I think there will be a similar amount of switching or at least enough to be fun. The timeline on this is to be ready for an op session in January.
A locomotive page has been created to illustrate the planning and progress in the locomotive area.
August 5th 2015
I have installed Seton and it has been through 1 op session. Everything worked well and the comment was made that it was fun to work. This is likely because it was designed after the prototype. A 1977 timetable and a 1985 profile show that there were 2 back tracks instead of the 1 I have installed. I will likely install another later. I am looking toward Vanrail in a few weeks but I may still be able to install Mount Currie and MacGillivary spurs.
I have begun to install some locomotive tracks at North Vancouver but it looks like there will not be room for the diesel shop.
April 21st 2015
Experience operating North Vancouver has shown some issues. There was a nod under where the mainline south of Mons passed over the isle. I didn't think this would be an problem but it was a major pain. John, Colin and Greg came over and we took out the nod under and the wall and rerouted the main south of Mons to go around. This increased the mainline length by 4 feet. It has been a big improvement.
I realized that the Lynn Creek Yard interchange was awkward to use. The session started with North Vancouver Yard plugged with trains and the yardmaster had difficulty getting work done. I have stared putting an interchange yard as in an earlier plan that I passed over. Now that the track is in at North Van I can see how this will work and it will be great. A curved turnout yields 6 tracks of 14 to 15 feet and staged trains can stay out of North Van. One track is in and has the coal train staged on it. I cut up the end of the old staging yard to give me the new yard.
I moved my model shop to the rec room/crew lounge and it cleared up space by North Van. This might be a spot for the RTC or an operator in the future.
Photos
February 24th 2015
We have been operating with North Vancouver and it is working well. I plan to move the south approach to Mons around the walls to allow for removing the nod under. This will make people moving much easier. The Squamish plan is mostly done and working out. During trains modeller and PGE/BCR expert Timothy Horton came by for a visit He went over the layout and made suggestions and posted notes as to what would be good to model there. This was a great help and has helped to finalize the plans. I have extended the bench work to allow the installation of Seton. After Seton is in I will need to work on Pemberton and Squamish together in order to reuse turnouts. I promise to keep you posted.
September 29th 2014
Well it has been a while since the last update but North Vancouver is done at least the track. I cut it a bit close for the Friday op session and I still need to clean and test. I may still add a spur for Lafarge if I can get some pressure flow hoppers and a spur for Vancouver shipyards to deliver steel in gondolas. I have been printing waybills for the new scheme and still have lots to do.
The next project is to finish the design of Squamish. I have a lot of info and photos but more would be nice. Some compromises will be needed. I have been able to locate some chlorine cars and propane cars but lots more are needed. I hope to include Squamish terminals, Canadian Oxy, Weldwood, ICG Propane, Squamish Shake & Shingle, Squamish Gas, company stores, car shop, log unloader, BHP rail Products, freight house and perhaps a scrap dealer and the stock pens. I am still learning what was there.
July 28th 2014
Work continues on this project. All the turnouts and A/D track is in except 2 handlaid turnouts. I have cut out the rail car ferry and installed. It will be removable for finishing. I will use Atlas code 100 to simulate the rail clips. I am using the recent article in MR and photos of the North Van ferry and slip as a guide. There will not be another op session till September so I can finish This and get North Vancouver operating.
I have done all the prep work and turned the south staging yard and am ready to reinstall it. I did this by my self as help seems to be absent. This yard will become CN Lynn Creek yard and BCR extra tracks.
I have begun the design process for Squamish. I have had excellent help from Trevor Mills. There are a number of challenges and compromise will be necessary. There was a lot of industry in Squamish in '82 and with modelers license it will be as fun as the Garibaldi Switcher is now.
Doug Hicks gave me a bunch of photos of Pemberton which have filled in the blanks for me. Currently Pemberton is on a 180degree curve at the end of an isle to allow placement of a raised floor. The presence of plumbing will make a more prototypical alignment difficult but I am thinking about it.
I have picked up a new website which is taking some of my time--but I love website development.
Photos
June 5th 2014
I am continuing track laying at North Vancouver. The arrival/departure yard is in and the sub yard is nearly finished. I am installing industry tracks. This will involve putting in 5 hand laid turnouts. I will probably not put in the Lafarge spur but use modeller's license to put in the Vancouver Shipyard spur and I can put my mill gons to use.
During the May op session we ran the North Van Switcher for the first and it worked out well. In British Columbia Railway terms a switcher is a way freight.
I have a target of the September op session to have North Vancouver fully operational.
I have had some great feedback from Trevor Mills regarding Squamish. I am understanding what industries were there in 1982,what they did,what cars they used,where exactly they were and what they looked like. I will soon start on a plan.
May 7th 2104
North Vancouver is progressing and much roadbed is in. The north ladder has 5 turnouts installed and some track is in. I am rebuilding all Shinohara turnouts installed to be more conductive and non shorting. I am rethinking the Vancouver Wharves and Seaspan ferry after seeing the track installed. I am not sure I want a 15 foot hidden switch lead as in plan D so I may just turn Vancouver staging and have 1 visible switch lead in the south as in plan B.
I installed the north Brunswick turnout and reconnected the main. 12 feet of the siding track are in also. I have a plan for installing the Magnesia creek bridge but I must decide whether to do so before the May op session.
April 6 2104
The North Vancouver benchwork is in as is most of the subroadbed. After feedback on the design from Colin and Brian I have changed the design a little to keep the staging where it is but reverse it and have a 16 foot lead to switch it. Trains do not move directly into or out of the CN Lynn Creek yard anyway and it will still function as the prototype does.
As soon as the March operating session was over I removed Roberts Bay. The benchwork and Subroadbed is in. I have started on the siding at Brunswick but I don't know if it will be ready for April's op session. I have sold a lot of inappropriate rolling stock in preparation for buying more BCR stuff. I need to get to Central Hobbies soon.
Photos
March 12 2104
The North Vancouver plan is progressing. I rearranged my shop,installed L girder,reinforced Mons/Summit bench work to allow removal of the L girder and cleaned and organized most of my stuff.

Photos

February 28 2104
I started on the North Vancouver project. It will go under Mons/Summit, in my shop and under upper Checkamus canyon. There is a lot to do that doesn't seem like model railroading. I am culling all my old magazines. I am saving what I want to keep and recording it in an excel file. The rest are going to Central Hobbies. This will free up much needed shelf space. I will need to remove my work bench,install the bench work and put in a smaller workbench. I must also reorganize the storage under Upper Checkamus and remove the cabinet under Roberts Bay.

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