The Mud Creek Beltline Railroad (MCBX)

Mud Creek Chronicles

Tue, 01 Jan 2013 13:09:28 -0500

This has been a banner week for the Mud Creek Belt line Railroad. Work on the expansion area, “The Collinwood Sub” has progressed nicely. The rock face is now painted, with some green added as well. It looks pretty good.

The Clark Mills area of the expansion has not yet been developed…. But it will be a lumber mill setting.

In the Garfield Valley area of the layout, I removed all the buildings in the Walnut Wood Co. property, and then added the ground turf, and made a test fit of the buildings on the property. I had a warehouse building that I originally was going to set over in the “Clark Mills area, instead I used it in the Walnut Wood Veneer Co. complex. Here is a photo of my test fit.

Walnut Wood Veneer Co. before….

Walnut Wood Veneer Co, After adding ground turf, and moving the buildings around.

That’s about all for now. More to follow later as progress is made.

Mark

Dicoveries Part I

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 09:26:22 -0400

Today I came to the conclusion that wiring a “Wye” is exactly the same as wiring a “Reverse Loop”…. Without insulators to isolate a section of the WYE, you have a dead short!!… Yikes!!!

Easy solution though is the Digitrax AR1 auto reversing module. So I need to order one of those before we can use the wye on the layout.

After going back and forth concerning the main bus wiring for the layout, it turns out that I better go with 14 AWG wire for the main bus. With feeders installed every three feet. Which it seems is the “Standard” practice used in the DCC world of model railroading.

On a much happier note, the wye in installed and ready to be used when I get the AR1 module from “Model Train Stuff” Pictures to follow soon….

Mark

Changes on the Mud Creek Beltline

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 22:18:51 -0400

In the last week I have been making changes on the MCBX. I have added an almost 10 foot long extension to the layout, essentially making the layout “L” shaped.

Current plans and designs for the added space include a “turning wye” and at least one of not two more levels accessed via a series of switchbacks.

I’ll be posting photos soon, so stay tuned..

Mark

MCBX Chronicles

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 20:34:14 -0500

Good News, The Mud Creek Beltline has gone DCC!!.. Yay!!.. Finally, I have Digitrax Decoders installed in 2 GP38-2’s, and have the Digitrax Zephyr-Xtra control system to drive the railroad..

Decoder Installations I must say is kinda a pain in the butt, Well, until you figure out exactly what has to happen, and then it’s not all that bad really if you exercise care and patience in getting the loco put back together.

Operating Session

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

We held an operating session this evening on the MCBX, Our very first with all DCC decoder equipped locomotives. Very interesting indeed. Now being free of worrying about block control (Cab Control), we are free to move about the layout at will. The only restriction being if there is another train on the track you wish to use.

The usual suspects were on hand, myself, Paul, and Norm. The operating session went well. There were no real surprises to speak of. Although I know I do need to purchase a UT4D throttle control to really free up operators from being stuck at the control panel. That will come in time.. Just need to save up some for one is all. About $107.00 for one at my favorite online hobby shop. “Model Train Stuff”.

Other than that, We’ll keep the trains rolling on the MCBX.

Mark

MCBX Chronicles

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 17:44:49 -0500

Goodevening,

Well, work progresses on the Mud Creek Beltline this week. Last Saturday, I had my good friend Paul come over to operate the layout for me while I recorded times used to accomplish the various switching tasks on the layout using a 4:1 fast clock.

That operating session went very well, and gave us some idea’s for improvement.

We discovered that when I had lay the track into Mud Creek Yard, I had placed the insulated rail joiner in the wrong location. There by making the two yard tracks a single block!… Clearly not the intention I had since I had wired those tracks as separate blocks so I could tuck an engine into a yard track and shut it down if I wanted to.

An interesting result of the time survey was that no matter where on the layout the crew had to run, the trip including time making up the train, delivering to the customer, and then returning to the yard, basically took 1 scale hour of time.

I calculated the rail car capacity of all the industry tracks and yard, etc. and multiplied that number by 60% to come up with my layout’s operating capacity. Roughly about 28 railcars on the layout at any one time is about the most I need at 60% capacity. and since most of my trains are about 4 to 8 cars long, this is not a problem, But still good to know.

Last evening I started tearing into Mud Creek Yard, removing track, moving the insulated rail joiners to their new locations, and then re-installing the track onto the layout. I also cut out and replaced the section of mainline track that was severely bent which I surmise happened by leaning on it!… I could see the cars actually raise up as they crossed that section of track!!.. But it’s all better now… Whew..

I started ballasting the yard tracks last evening, working the area tween the rails. I got that all settled in and leveled, then wet down and glued it this afternoon.

More track work to follow tomorrow for sure. The entire yard area is down and Blue Flagged by the MOW crew for most likely this entire coming week. I put off the work too long wanting to run trains… LOL..

Ohh well, that’s about it for today. Stay Tuned!!

Mark

This is a progress video of the Mud Creek Belt Line...

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 17:21:30 -0500

This is a progress video of the Mud Creek Belt Line Railroad…

Mud Creek Chronicles

Sat, 28 May 2011 09:07:08 -0400

The Mud Creek Beltline is doing well. Items accomplished at this point includes:

1. Purchased and installed Car Card & Waybill boxes from Micro-Mark, Have held first operating session with good success.

2. Installation of 2nd power pack for two train control on the layout. Basic operating scheme is “Block Control” at this point. Eventually upgrading to “Crest Cab Control” handheld wireless units for the layout.

3. Planning for 80” X 24” extension / addon to the left side of the layout.

Photos to follow,

Mark

Adjustment in Traffic

Sat, 19 Feb 2011 21:27:17 -0500

Today, I got a rude awakening while attempting my first operating session on my layout. I had the layout loaded up with cars, all way billed, or empty ready to roll back to the yard.

Well right out of the box, I headed out of the yard to my interchange track, picked up three cars for delivery and headed back to Mud Creek Yard. What the heck!! I got no place to drop the cars!, Yard is full!!…

Stepping back, I looked over the way I had loaded the layout up and realized I had to remove several cars from the layout in order to move cars across the railroad.

So about 1/2 the cars are now off the layout, and I will be running the next operating session tomorrow afternoon and see how it all goes.

Mark+

Layout Progress

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 22:13:00 -0500

The last few days I have been busy mulling over my layout’s reason for existence, Location, Customers, History, etc. Here is what I have come up with:

Mud Creek Beltline Railroad

(MCBX)

Name: Mud Creek Beltline Railroad

Reporting Marks: MCBX

Location: Northern Michigan

Time Period: 1950’s - 1960’s

Description: The Mud Creek Beltline Railroad (MCBX) is operated a six mile long section of a former passenger service interurban line that at one time was necessary because many of the current bridges did not exist at the time and access to areas like the Boardman River Basin, was very difficult, requiring repeated trips up and down steep ravine roads.

The Railroad consists of the Mud Creek Yard on the East end of the line, then heading West from the yard, we come to switch 1 (West Facing), which leads to Skelton Sand Works Co. Switch 2 (East Facing) leads to the interchange track with GTW / CN. Continuing West down the 4% Garfield Ravine Grade we come to runaround track crossover (West Facing). Continuing West we come to the Garfield Valley Brick Works switch (West Facing). Continuing West to the East facing siding of the Walnut Woods Veneer Co. Continuing West we go through the last switch onto the runaround track at milepost six.

Although passenger service had ended, the Mud Creek Beltline Railroad Company continued to exist. It was eventually sold on December 31, 1943 to Canadian National Railway (CNR) for $410,000.00

Line Customers:

Skelton Sand Works :

Description:

Incoming traffic - Covered Hoppers loaded with dune sand from Empire Sand Co., Empire, MI.
Outgoing Traffic - Covered Hoppers with Dried Sand. to Valley Brick Works. (Online). Covered Hoppers with Dried Sand to North Star Steel, Delta, OH.

Valley Brick Works:

Incoming traffic - Covered Hoppers loaded with Dried Sand, Boxcars loaded with bags of chemical additives, Boxcars loaded with bins of clay colorant. Boxcars - Pallet Loads, Flatcars - various equipment loads.
Outgoing Traffic - Boxcars - Kiln Dried Bricks, empty covered hoppers,

Walnut Woods Veneer Mill:

Incoming Traffic - Boxcars Empty for wood veneer shipment, Flatcars - wood slabs / logs. Boxcars - pallets, equipment, packaging supplies.
Outgoing Traffic - Boxcars - empty, boxcars loaded with wood veneer, flatcars - empty,

Interchange Track: with GTW / CN

Mud Creek Yard:

Incoming - Four to Five cars twice a day via the interchange track from GTW. Up to 15 cars per day from various industrial customers.

Outgoing - Up to 10 cars per day to the interchange track, and fifteen cars per day to online customers.

Train Schedule:

0700 - Train 100 (Extra) Mud Creek Yard to Interchange Track

0730 - Train 101 (Extra) Interchange Track to Mud Creek Yard.

0900 - Train 102 (Extra) - Mud Creek Yard to Garfield Valley - Servicing Trailing Points Only.

1200 - Train 103 (Extra) - Garfield Valley to Mud Creek Yard - Servicing Trailing Points Only.

1500 - Train 104 (Extra) - Mud Creek Yard to Interchange Track

1530 - Train 105 (Extra) - Interchange Track to Mud Creek Yard.

Mud Creek Yard Track to the main layout is now installed for...

Fri, 11 Feb 2011 18:32:56 -0500

Mud Creek Yard Track to the main layout is now installed for testing.. None of the industry tracks on the upper level have been installed as yet.

Wow! A month, and the layout is up and trains run well!

Sun, 06 Feb 2011 16:12:26 -0500

Today, I have crossed over into a new era in my model railroading journey. I now have my layout bench work installed in it’s place, the wiring of all the installed track is completed. Now for scenery, and all the fun stuff to begin on the layout. Yay!..

A huge step forward in modeling for me here at home. Whew!

Mark

Just looking back… Wow, from the bare walls on the 4th of...

Sun, 06 Feb 2011 16:07:26 -0500

Mud Creek Beltline - Jan 4th 2011

Mud Creek Beltline - 6 Feb 2011

Just looking back… Wow, from the bare walls on the 4th of January, to the layout as it stands today, February 6th…. Can’t hardly believe I have gotten this far in a month!

Now. Mud Creek yard mounted in place, and the gaps roughed in....

Sun, 06 Feb 2011 15:57:57 -0500

Now. Mud Creek yard mounted in place, and the gaps roughed in. This is the overall look of the layout as it stands today. More to come in the near future.

Mud Creek Yard, fitted in, and the gap area spackled in. Also...

Sun, 06 Feb 2011 15:53:38 -0500

Mud Creek Yard, fitted in, and the gap area spackled in. Also showing the rough position where the bridge will be placed in relation the the main line.

The fit between Mud Creek Yard, and the main part of the layout,...

Sun, 06 Feb 2011 15:49:31 -0500

The fit between Mud Creek Yard, and the main part of the layout, Kinda loose fit with the foam base, but I will fill in with some scrap foam, and then spackle in the small gaps when I get the fit I like.

Mud Creek Yard, Test fit to make sure that I am level to the...

Sun, 06 Feb 2011 15:46:33 -0500

Mud Creek Yard, Test fit to make sure that I am level to the main part of the layout.

Wiring upgrade for the Mud Creek Yard…

Sun, 06 Feb 2011 15:44:01 -0500

Wiring upgrade for the Mud Creek Yard…

Mud Creek Yard, before being installed. This is an old yard...

Sun, 06 Feb 2011 15:41:08 -0500

Mud Creek Yard, before being installed. This is an old yard section that I had laying around and decided it would be a good addition to the operating scheme of the layout with some upgrades in wiring, etc.

The wall supports, installed before adding in the yard.

Sun, 06 Feb 2011 15:37:59 -0500

The wall supports, installed before adding in the yard.