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February 19, 2014
by Dave Winter
Comments Off on The Summerland Project – Week 1

The Summerland Project – Week 1

The Summerland area and the sawmill behind it are the second oldest parts of the layout and as a result they badly needed upgrading in scenery, track alignment and operation possibilities. What’s more, the wiring under the layout was functioning but no one quite knew how. It was a mess.

This area is also the most visited part of the layout as it’s the first thing a visitors will see when they come up to the second floor of the Peachland Museum. It must make a good impression.

Photo 1-1 Before the project.

1-1

This is the old Summerland. A main line, a short station track and an even shorter siding that usually accommodates a well-detailed work train. The curved switch at the top of the hill, bottom left, was too short and hindered operation. The sawmill, just visible over the hill, was a scenic feature that had no operational access. The station itself, the object of the whole thing, was tucked in at the end of the siding and didn’t work well with the automatic system.

It all had to come down.

1-2

Paul, on the left, is removing the old single track that made it’s way up the hill, past the sawmill, and into Summerland on the right. Arnold is removing scenery materials from the old Summerland road. The sawmill has been removed to my garage for refurbishing, see the hole in a flat piece of plywood, and the crappy wiring is exposed.

Fortunately John Green had built the bench work very well and it will provide great support for the new layout.

1-3

All cleaned up and ready for real work to begin. The track in the foreground will be doubled up creating a siding and spur adjacent to the sawmill and a new canyon and wooden trestle will appear at Arnolds elbows. The public will operate the sawmill sounds that will, in turn, light up the beehive burner with fire and smoke. Operators will deliver loads of supplies to the mill and take away finished lumber and plywood.

Next week? Laying new track and wiring it into the DC/DCC display system. We can also start continuous running with a locomotive and a couple of track cleaning cars that to keep the other 700 feet of track in good shape.

January 14, 2014
by admin
Comments Off on Massive upgrade planned for Summerland

Massive upgrade planned for Summerland

The large peninsula that is Summerland and the Okanagan Sawmills facility has been unchanged for over 10 years and it’s showing it’s age. It is a visitors first real close-up look at the display. Changes are planned for the months of February and March 2014.

We plan to strip it all down to the foundations, replace and slightly realign all the sub roadbed, lay new track and new sidings, reposition the Summerland Station for better operation and rebuild all the mountainous scenery using up to date, more realistic products. This will also afford us the opportunity to rework the wiring and signal lines that have been tampered with over the years and add a nice new siding and spur to the sawmill complex.

No expense will be spared and many hours logged in to make this the very finest part of the Central Okanagan Railway Company operation. There. I said it. Now we just have to live up to the hype. We’ll talk again in April and we’ll see you again in the spring.

January 12, 2014
by admin
Comments Off on Upgrading the public display

Upgrading the public display

After years of operating the same public display (Visitor push button = two trains run and stop at predetermined spot) we decided that an update was required for two reasons. The largely mechanical relay system we were using was 15 years old and no parts were available should we need them and second, the layout was much larger and two trains were often lost in the building.

We needed three trains running and we needed a reliable, fixable system.

In the spring of 2013 we decided on a system developed in California and widely advertised as capable of doing just what we needed. It was based on photocells and AND gate logic. Photocells would stop trains at desired locations on isolated track sections. When three trains were stopped at their respected locations the public push button would once again be enabled and the three trains would move one location down the main line to the next stop.

It did not work. Very long and noisy control lines, stray and changing natural light conditions and timing issues used up a full year of effort with no good results.

No disrespect for the manufacture. It worked every time in a test condition on or under the bench work but not in real live action.

In the end we opted for a simple Digitrax function by controlling the DCC/DC applied to three sections of track and programming every engine to NOT run on DC. When DCC was applied to the isolated tracks for 15 seconds trains would move out and then DC was reapplied to stop the next train in. No photo cells – no worries.

Asymmetrical DCC would have been a better solution but costly due to the need to replace nearly all our decoders.

December 18, 2013
by admin
Comments Off on The 2013 Christmas raffle prize!

The 2013 Christmas raffle prize!

For the second year running the members have built and raffled off an N scale module at Christmas 2013 in order to raise funds for our continued operation. In 2013 we were given a large selection of buildings and track from the estate of Mr. Gary Lewis who owned a very extensive layout in Vernon BC. That made it much easier to build and thanks to his generosity, a more profitable exercise.

These are a few photos of the module:

The draw was held on the 18th of December at our final regular weekly meeting before Christmas. Club treasurer Don Wilson is seen presenting the prize to Josie Tettamanti:

Congratulations to Josie Tettamanti, the proud new owner of the “N” Scale Model Layout!

June 12, 2013
by admin
Comments Off on Rebuilding the Myra Canyon and updating scenery and electronics

Rebuilding the Myra Canyon and updating scenery and electronics

Throughout 2012 and into 2013 members met and planned a serious update for our home museum layout. There had been at least 3 separate expansions over the previous 14 years and it all had to be tied together in both a visual format and a control format. Meetings were held and plans were made.

The long awaited Myra canyon was finished after much deliberation regarding whether we should follow some KVR prototype operation and have single track throughout or opt for a ‘visual’ Myra but include plenty of passing sidings to facilitate operations. A compromise was reached.

The entire layout was cleaned up and touched up as necessary to welcome summer visitors after a two-month shutdown.

Once in a while something went wrong and a search was carried out in order to find the problem. Sometimes we found things we should best have left hidden.

Max Hailstones is our master boat builder and he has two models of the actual tugboats and barges that plied the Okanagan during the height of the KVR operations. He has also contributed outstanding models to the Peachland Historical Society. This is the Penticton facility:

One of the things we had to do was to get rid of the DCC/DC option and go full DCC. After that decision was made we had to decide on the type of system we would use. This entailed a learning curve that was not always smooth but here we are today. We even invested in a program that rosters and configures our 40 + locomotives on our laptop.

December 20, 2012
by admin
Comments Off on Our FreeMo modules get the big stage!

Our FreeMo modules get the big stage!

Following our successful foray into a public display at the local mall we were offered a larger venue and as is always the case with modelers we greatly expanded our operation. Within weeks we had completed a continuous running loop that was very well received by kids and grown-ups alike.

We were open to the public, and fully staffed, from noon until four PM every Saturday for almost two full years from early 2011 through 2012. The shop was eventually rented out and we lost our wonderful space but it was an amazing experience for everyone.

Coffee was always available for the hard working crew. McLeod was always available as well but usually only helped clean up the last of the donuts or fries.

An overview of the full layout after scenery was completed….

We had a ‘Seniors Day’ that brought in folks from all over town following our advertisement in the paper. That didn’t stop the usual batch of younger folks from showing up as well. Here is Arnold giving a throttle demonstration.

December 18, 2010
by admin
Comments Off on The gang gets together to show off our FreeMo modules for the first time

The gang gets together to show off our FreeMo modules for the first time

A small shop space was open for a long time at our local mall so we inquired about having that space let to us at no cost in the few months before Christmas 2010. The management was kind enough to give us the keys and we set up in late October right next to the bank and the liquor store. How good is that?

We had trains running for passersby right through Christmas and into the late spring. It not only brought the FreeMo concept – and model railroading – to the public but it encouraged our members to join in and build their own module. Each one supported by our club dues.

July 20, 2009
by admin
Comments Off on Bursary Program

Bursary Program

Bursary Program
Peachland, British Columbia V0H 1X7
2009-07-20

The Central Okanagan Railway Company of Peachland, established in 1997, is pleased to announce the awarding of the Ken Barwise Memorial Bursary on Friday June 19th, 2009. Ken a long time member of CORC and a decorated Korean War veteran, passed away last year. A real hero at a time when the word hero is often over used.

Mackenzie Bennett of Peachland, a recent graduate of Mount Bushery Senior Secondary School, received the cheque for $500.00 to further her education at UBC Okanagan where she intends to study nursing. She is also a member of 090 Peregrine Squadron of The Royal Canadian Air Cadets where she has reached the rank of Master Warrant Officer.

Peachland Mayor Keith Fielding and Central Okanagan Railway Company President Ernie Bradley officiated at the presentation accompanied by Mackenzie’s proud mother and father. They also cut a ribbon to officially open the newly renovated Kettle Valley Division of the Central Okanagan Railway.

Funds in support of the annual bursary are raised during the clubs annual Hobby and Craft Show in Peachland. The next one being held on 3 October 2009.

June 9, 2009
by admin
Comments Off on Rebuilding the KVR

Rebuilding the KVR

After nearly 5 years in its present configuration the members of the Central Okanagan Railway Company were unanimous that a serious layout update was required. Through their donations, members of the public were our principle means of support and we clearly weren’t offering what’s now considered the latest in technology and scenery. As a result we held a serious ‘bashing’ evening in mid December 2008 at which time it all came down except the exterior walls and frame.

The goals were well defined: (1) Use the Digitrax DCC operating electronics exclusively. No mixed DC program. (2) Open the track up so viewers could see more trains while at the same time offer more short tunnels and trestles typical of the KVR. (3) offer public input buy using a simple “push to start” system.

After just over 5 months of installing completely new wiring and controls, using 200 feet of new track and turnouts and burning up over 300 pounds of Hydrocal, 3 quarts of glue and $300.00 worth scenery materials we had things running again.

The mayor of Peachland cut the ribbon to start our 2009 season on 12 June 2009.

June 1, 2009
by admin
Comments Off on The Kettle Valley Railway is all prepared for the tourist season

The Kettle Valley Railway is all prepared for the tourist season

Recently the Central Okanagan Railway Company (CORC) played host to modelers from Vernon and Kelowna who pitched in and helped ‘de-bug’ the KVR layout. Robert Moore and his group pulled in at 11:00 and, following a familiarization tour and a working lunch at the Blind Angler, the real work got under way. The local attraction was cleaned, tested and successfully prepared for the up coming tourist season.

The work parties ran trains from Grand Forks in the east, through the Okanagan over the famous Myra Canyon, down into Penticton, Summerland and up again into Merritt. It seems to be true that children, of all ages, still delight in watching trains of any size. Visitors to the museum watched and asked questions while slow freight trains took sidings and passenger trains such as The Kootenay Express swooshed by at a speedy 30 MPH. Not a bad clip in these mountainous conditions.

The CORC modelers had completed a significant upgrade in the display during the winter by switching from an obsolete analog system to the now standard Digital Command Control system. This innovation offers the group the flexibility they need to first: present a historically accurate model of the Kettle Valley Railway (within the limits of space and money of course) to Peachland visitors and second; a significant challenge to the members on their monthly operating evenings.

By late afternoon the visiting hoggers had proven the system and headed up north again still talking about drawbars, slack action and sanding the rails. About controllers and consists and double-heading. They’ll be back in Peachland again though for the 10th Annual Hobby Show in the fall but in the meantime CORC is ready to play host to the world all through these summer months.

Don Wilson. curator and local historian, (center) introduces a couple of visiting railroaders to the intricacies of Penticton Yard during an operations test held recently at the Peachland Museum. The trains have delighted huge numbers of young and old over the years and now they should be even better this tourist season.