2026 07 03 CB&Q V5 Monthly Update #80

This is layout construction update #80, for July 3rd, 2026, on my HO Scale model railroad layout. In this update I finish reconstruction of the helix then spent most of the rest of the month fixing some very annoying problems with locomotives and a bad rail joint. I held an operating session June 23rd, and attended an operating session at another layout a few days later. The layout represents the Chicago Burlington & Quincy Railroad and the Chicago & North Western Railway in central Wyoming during the timeframe 1930-1945. The layout is (or WAS) all steam except for the Doodlebugs that were used in passenger service between Casper and Lander. Now it's mostly steam with a few early Blackbird paint scheme diesels on the Burlington line. Model locomotives include Proto 2000, Broadway Limited, Spectrum and Bachmann. The layout features Fast Tracks turnouts and fully weathered rolling stock. All mainline curves are superelevated. The layout is multi-deck with nearly nine scale miles of mainline track. One of the key scenic features is a twenty-plus foot long representation of the Wind River Canyon near the center of the state. The layout is run by a radio NCE Power Pro DCC system, augmented with wi-fi using a Wifitrax WFD-31 and TCS UWT-50 throttle. Backdrops are panoramic photos of the actual locations around the state. Track arrangements in most towns on the layout are based on Sanborn maps of the towns in the 1930's and 1940's. Industries, with only one or two exceptions, are representative of actual industries that existed in each town during my modeled period. This series of videos is published monthly on the 3rd. My website: http://thecbandqinwyoming.com/ Link to the 6th birthday video for the layout:    • 2026 06 25 Sixth Birthday   Chapters: 00:00 Titles & Intro 01:28 Completing Helix Reconstruction 05:13 Acquiring a Berkshire 06:40 Preparing for the Operating Session, and a Mikado Problem 09:08 The Operating Session 10:39 Fixing a Bad Rail Joint - MAJOR Work! 17:19 Operating Session on Alex's Layout 18:25 Freight Cars 18:45 Sixth Birthday Video 18:58 Outro