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MinerFortyNiner
Fireman
USA
1994 Posts |
 Posted - 08/27/2011 : 01:49:22 AM
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Good question, was the incline built to replace the tram with greater capacity?
Thanks for sharing these pictures, very interesting...it's amazing to think of the obstacles these miners overcame to connect their claims with the outside world, often in the most rugged locations imaginable.
The Mojave, as your picture suggests, only runs with visible water several months out of the year, but has water a few feet below the dry sand...you can see the dampened sand in the tire tracks, where the dry crust of sand on the surface was disturbed by the tires. Arizona has similar subterranean rivers (Hassayampa, Agua Fria). Like most things that look 'dead' in the desert, the life is underground or hidden from the daylight. |
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n6nvr
Engine Wiper
303 Posts |
Posted - 08/27/2011 : 9:36:29 PM
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At the inlet end of the canyon, there is a ford that almost always has about 15" of water in it. The substrata rock brings the water up to the surface that has a natural spillway at about that depth. You can drive in most of the riverbed most of the year but the upper end where the no vehicles area ends pretty much has quicksand most of the year and depending on the water table that quicksand can run quite a way down the riverbed.
I wish I could find the picture, somewhere in the Death Valley area there was a funicular incline (two tracked counter-balanced - like Angel's Flight in Los Angeles) but it was only about 100 feet long. |
Don't push me bureaucrat, I've got a bit of hangover |
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MinerFortyNiner
Fireman
USA
1994 Posts |
Posted - 08/29/2011 : 12:10:22 AM
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Well, it has been a long time since I've posted progress here. I took some time away from the workbench to help my son build a 1:16 Confederate Whitworth cannon, which was fun. He is a history major in his senior year at Arizona State, and we both share an interest in military history. Next up for his armory will be a matching Napoleon 12-pounder in Union livery...but that's another forum! ;o)
I finished my incline today, as much as anything is ever finished on the E&SG.
There's been a lot of progress, but as I've submitted material to a popular annual On30-oriented publication I can't share too much pending publication. Here is a sneak peek:
The wrecked ore cars are (of course) good old Koppel ore cars from Grandt Line. I carefully heated the assembled and finished models, and bent the sides to simulate banged up cars involved in some accident on the incline. The E&SG keeps its equipment in pretty good shape, but they don't waste time or effort either, so they simply hauled them down the rest of the way to the bottom of the incline and unceremoniously dumped them in the first space available beside the tracks. I actually did three cars, and used the best two for this scene. In the background, you can see the 'cable' lowering a pair of loaded ore cars. This has been a truly rewarding project, as I didn't really know what it would look like when all was finished...the plan changed so many times it evolved into its current shape.
Now for a deep breath, a pause to clean the workbench, and then to get to the gazillion sidelined projects...sounds like fun! |
Edited by - MinerFortyNiner on 12/04/2011 10:57:54 AM |
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elminero67
Engine Wiper
USA
386 Posts |
Posted - 08/29/2011 : 01:54:09 AM
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| I suspected that was what you were up to! Now Ill have to buy this years On30 oriented publication... |
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MinerFortyNiner
Fireman
USA
1994 Posts |
Posted - 08/29/2011 : 02:02:59 AM
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Duane, you should submit more articles of your fantastic layout...you get a free issue, plus a check from Carstens. It deserves to be 'out there'. Shoot, if we can sign up a few more desert dawgs, we could have our own section...
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Edited by - MinerFortyNiner on 08/29/2011 3:59:32 PM |
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milocomarty
Fireman
Netherlands
4927 Posts |
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Frederic Testard
Engineer
France
16441 Posts |
Posted - 08/29/2011 : 05:06:28 AM
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| The wrecked cars are a nice idea, Verne. And well done. |
Frederic Testard |
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andykins
Fireman
United Kingdom
3871 Posts |
Posted - 08/29/2011 : 07:40:11 AM
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| i like the wrecked cars, and the mountains look great :) |
"Is it really "rivet counting" if it's regarding NBW castings?"
Unknown |
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elminero67
Engine Wiper
USA
386 Posts |
Posted - 08/29/2011 : 09:38:29 AM
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Vern-I'm looking forward to seeing your article, Ive always had a soft spot for inclines, tramways and whatnot.
I enjoyed doing the ON30 oriented magazine that will remain unnamed so that Mr. Moderator will not lash out at me, but one of the things I like about posting on a forum is interacting with people and getting good feedback. Of course you'll always get a few comments that will make you scratch your head a bit and make you wish you had published it in a magazine... |
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MinerFortyNiner
Fireman
USA
1994 Posts |
Posted - 08/29/2011 : 11:02:43 AM
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Thanks, guys. I actually made the wrecked cars for Burro Canyon, which I haven't built yet. But they seemed to fit better into this scene.
Duane, I would like to model an operating 20" incline as the central theme of my next layout. They are addictive! |
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elminero67
Engine Wiper
USA
386 Posts |
Posted - 08/29/2011 : 11:43:35 AM
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| Next layout? |
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MinerFortyNiner
Fireman
USA
1994 Posts |
Posted - 08/29/2011 : 12:11:20 PM
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Still years out there, after I get bored with this one! My current layout is the third I have built in the 10x10 spare room where we have lived for nearly 20 years. I will probably get the itch to make changes once the current layout is finished.
An incline would be a great theme for a small two-level layout, but my space is square, and you need a long run to do a convincing incline. It still might be possible in my space, but not with my current plan...so I built my vest-pocket representation here. I want to finish my current layout and enjoy it for a while, so I am just thinking years ahead! |
Edited by - MinerFortyNiner on 08/29/2011 12:21:34 PM |
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railman28
Fireman
USA
1720 Posts |
Posted - 08/29/2011 : 12:56:56 PM
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| Nice mountain, nice looking scene. It all came out super. I like the wrecked ore cars. It must of been hard to trash two innocent ore cars though. I think the red caboose is sharp too. |
It's Only Make Believe
Bob Harris |
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n6nvr
Engine Wiper
303 Posts |
Posted - 08/30/2011 : 12:17:27 AM
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funiculars at both the Noonday and Gunsight Mines near Tecopa, CA
You might want to check with Don Winslow, links on the TT RR site.he has some photos of the Gunsight and Noonday Mine areas in his collections. He doesn't currently have them posted but some of the links on the TT RR site are his. He's pretty serious about his copyrights, and I've known him for many years off and on. He worked Pasadena PD whan my Dad was with South Pasadena PD over 50 years ago. |
Don't push me bureaucrat, I've got a bit of hangover |
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n6nvr
Engine Wiper
303 Posts |
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Building the Estrella & Sonora Grande RR
Topic Locked
