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Le Mars Industrial

Railroads and Ice Cream in HO-Scale

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Boxcars, Boxcars, Boxcars

November 16, 2022November 16, 2022

After seeing all the boxcars in Le Mars, I got thinking about starting to build out the roster for the layout. This last weekend at Trainfest was a good time to start hunting. While hanging out in the Spring Creek Model Trains booth, promoting our Iowa Scaled Engineering products, I took some time to browse…

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Categories: Prototype Information

New Aerial Photos

November 16, 2022November 16, 2022

About a week ago, as I was browsing Google Maps to check the orientation of one of the derails, a pleasant surprise appeared. New aerial views of Le Mars! Of special note, is the new track at the transload: They are using that new track to store tank cars of, presumably, tallow or other meat…

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Categories: Prototype Information

Derailed, Part 2

October 30, 2022October 30, 2022

While trying to decide which Fast Tracks PointForm tool to buy to make the split-point derails, I ended up comparing the various Fast Tracks turnout templates from #6 to #12. In the previous post on this topic, I determined that the #8 had the correct divergence for the prototype. But I was still curious how…

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Categories: Layout Updates

Derailed

October 28, 2022October 30, 2022

One of the interesting aspects of Le Mars is all the split-point derails: My original plan was to model these by cutting down a standard Walthers turnout and removing the frog. Unfortunately, the Walthers turnouts diverge too quickly, so a little more work will be needed. Since I don’t have on-the-ground measurements, I am relying…

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Categories: Layout Updates

Track Laying

September 9, 2022September 9, 2022

Over the last few weeks, track laying has been taking place. I am using the new Walthers Code 83 track and turnouts. This is nice looking track (at least to me, coming from the land of N-scale) and appears to be sufficiently robust without compromising too much on the fine detail. I think Walthers did…

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Categories: Layout Updates

Turnout Motor Noise

August 23, 2022August 23, 2022

Although I could rely on finger-flick turnouts, especially since the Walthers Code 83 turnouts have a snap-action on the points, I want to try something different. One of the products in development over at Iowa Scaled Engineering is a 3D printed key switch. Originally intended for the relaunch of our timelock circuit, I wanted to…

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Categories: Layout Updates

More Foam

August 7, 2022August 23, 2022

When I last laid down foam, I left a section at the end of the peninsula unfinished. After reflecting on that choice, I decided to finish the foam (and fascia) all the way to the end so that the long side was complete. This simply involved cutting a piece of foam to fit (cut it…

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Categories: Layout Updates

Construction Has Begun

June 25, 2022June 25, 2022

Construction of Le Mars has begun. My plan is to start on 18″ shelf that contains the transload and IML Containers. Build that to a reasonable state of completion and, if I’m satisfied with this change in scale and prototype, then continue with the rest of Le Mars, working north. Below is a chronicle of…

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Categories: Layout Updates

IML Containers

June 25, 2022June 25, 2022

After the last journey, I finally found one… a container made by IML Containers. As expected, the Blue Bunny Load’d Sundaes are packed into plastic containers stamped with the IML logo.

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Categories: Prototype Information

Industrial Archeology

June 19, 2022June 20, 2022

One of the things I enjoy about planning a layout is the industrial archeology – the research into the various industries served (directly or indirectly) by the railroad being modeled. Recently, I went on a quest to learn a bit more about the packaging industry in Le Mars, IA, and its association with Wells Blue…

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Categories: Prototype Information
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Copper River & Northwestern Railway

Gateway Western’s Subdivision 6

IAIS 4th Sub in HO Scale

Iowa Scaled Engineering

Milan Branch of the Iowa Interstate

The Hills Line

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