Dallas Divide Ground Work
Apr 10 2025
Posted on April 9, 2025
| 2 minutes
| 279 words
| Jonathan Sauer
This week I finished the basic ground work for Dallas Divide. Took down the temporary backdrop and finished forming the XPS Foam. Since I’m building this layout modular with the intention of moving it into the train-room (once built), I wanted it lite. I picked up some 3", 2" and 1" thick XPS foam from the local hardware store, and some 1/2" thick from a craft store. Using a combination of hot foam knife and a rasp, formed the basic hills.
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NMRA PCR Convention
Apr 9 2025
Posted on April 9, 2025
| 2 minutes
| 275 words
| Jonathan Sauer
This is a Non RGS post, but thought folks may find this interesting. I’m a member of the NMRA Pacific Coast Region and at the end of March, the region had its yearly convention hosted by the Daylight Division. It was held at a nice hotel in San Luis Obispo and had the typical venue of a swap meet, clinics, open homes and some excursions. More details can be found at https://pcr2025.
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Dallas Divide Barn 1
Apr 9 2025
Posted on April 8, 2025
| 3 minutes
| 435 words
| Jonathan Sauer
Been far too long since I did an update. Life has a way of changing best laid plans. Had a bit of family emergency and then some health challenges. Now have time for working on trains. :) This will be the first of a few quick posts over the next few days.
During the holiday I did build the barn, but did not post it.
After looking at all the pictures I could find of the barns at Dallas Divide and along the RGS, the following 2 images captures what I wanted.
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Dallas Divide Barns
Dec 7 2024
Posted on December 7, 2024
| 2 minutes
| 325 words
| Jonathan Sauer
Now that the track is “mostly” down, I’m thinking about the “scene”. I also want to build a structure over the holiday. I grew up enjoying time spent at relatives’ farms and I think barns are interesting structure. Not really serviced by rails but always near tracks. As a kid staying at my cousins’ farm in the summer, I have fond memories of the nightly freight train whistling at the crossing as the track went through one of their fields.
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Laying Track part 1
Nov 20 2024
Posted on November 19, 2024
| 2 minutes
| 250 words
| Jonathan Sauer
Quick update on track progress. I finally had time to put the ties down. I have been using 3d planit to work out the track plan of my modules. From that I can print 1-1 templates to help visualize and get the look and feel of each section. I’m using 1/2" cork as the roadbed. It’s an experiment for this section. But in theory the cork will be more resilient to humidity and temperature fluctuations.
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Update - Dallas Divide and turnouts again
Nov 10 2024
Posted on November 10, 2024
| 2 minutes
| 241 words
| Jonathan Sauer
It’s been way way too long since I did an update. Life always has challenges.
First off is completing the main structures for Dallas Divide. I spent some time with my son at college and that gave me some focused building time when he was at classes. Packed up my travel tools, some stain, paint and finished them up. I also scratched built the coal building and tool shed. The Car Shed, Section house and Bunk house are all kits from Banta.
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Update - Dallas Divide and other
Aug 18 2024
Posted on August 17, 2024
| 3 minutes
| 493 words
| Jonathan Sauer
It’s been a long while since I have done an update. Been a busy summer with alot of family stuff since the 4th, but did make some minor progress and other interesting items. This is more of a Layout infrastructure post.
A friend of mine had a custom figure made of a past model railroader and wanted to include him in his layout. He found a group who do figures Print figureines where they can construct a figure in any pose you would like.
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Dallas Divide Backdrop
July 8 2024
Posted on July 8, 2024
| 2 minutes
| 296 words
| Jonathan Sauer
Last year I took a number of panoramic photographs on the way back from the 2023 NG convention.
I was hoping for fall colors, but was a tad early for the Aspens to change. However I did get some great “test shots” on backdrops. Placerville, Ridgeway, Dallas Divide, Rico, and a few others along the way.
A friend of mine has a large format printer and is an fantastic photographer. Has a fantastic layout as well.
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Dallas Divide Tool Shed Build
July 7 2024
Posted on July 7, 2024
| 2 minutes
| 217 words
| Jonathan Sauer
A train buddy of mine suggested I capture my Placerville General store in black and white like the photo I used as reference. I did not get the angle quite right, still missing the flag and bike, but it’s a reasonable match. I can’t wait till I build Placerville!
Now that the section house is finished, time for the next structure.
For the next structure, I decide to see what I could do with my laser cutter and made the Tool Shed.
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Dallas Divide Section House Build
July 3 2024
Posted on July 3, 2024
| 2 minutes
| 224 words
| Jonathan Sauer
Since I’m working on test benchwork for Dallas Divide, I thought it was time to replace some of the cardboard mockups with real structures. Last year at the Narrow Gauge Convention in Colorado, I picked up the Dallas Divide Section house. Time to build that kit.
It’s an old kit and the board and batten was something you actually had to build up, unlike a number of kits today. It was a total pleasure doing that.
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