Welcome
to the Dynamite Canyon Tramway
The Dynamite Canyon Tramway is
a small (300mm X 1000mm, or 12" X 39") HOn30 mining operation set
somewhere "Over yonder". 
Motive
power consists of a single 4 axle diesel loco, bashed and modified from a
Life Like N scale SW1200. This little loco hauls a rake of 
3
ex N scale Atlas 100 ton ore hoppers from the mine at the top of the layout
via 2 "hairpin" or spiral loops, down to a barge dump. From there,
the ore is barged downriver to a concentrator plant.
OK,
enough of the "history". The pics on this site tell the real story.
This layout is not finished, and has existed in the state shown on this site
for over 3 years. The real reason for this layout's existence was and is to
prove a few electrical and mechanical theories that may be of interest to
some model railroaders. The layout uses 4" radius curves as a minimum,
and combines them with a very simple solution to the old modeller's problem
of wiring up reverse loops for regular, basic DC. For the lightweight benchwork
fans, DCT is based on 3 X 2" slabs of extruded polystyrene foam I had
lying around of appropriate size. The roadbed, even the hyper-raised sections,
are one thickness of 5mm "Foamcore" or "Kappa board".
For the trackwork techies, The track is mostly handlaid, (Yes, even the 4" radius curves!), using individual wooden sleepers, code 80 rail stripped from PECO N scale flextrack, and PECO N scale trackpins for trackspikes. For a "How-to" on easy handlaid track, as used on DCT, click here. The risers are simply stacks of small foamcore pieces, hotglued together. Fast to construct, reasonably cheap, and ridiculously light.
While
the DCT trackplan may be pretty twisted, I also figured that it could form
the basis for many a single track shelf layout of even show layout. Point-to-point
show layouts are avoided by many of the regular exhibition modellers, mainly
due to a perceived issue with keeping enough trains running to keep the viewers
happy. Reverse loops are often thought of as a solution, but are then rejected
as too hard to wiring up, and too hard to operate in a pressure show environment.
(At a show, the last thing you want to do is have to remember in exactly which
order you had to throw X number of switches, just to get a train back onto
the mainline).
Anyway, if you would like to know more about the DCT solution to wiring reversing loops, which require you to only have to deal with the controls on your regular throttle, no modifications to locos or rollingstock, no active detectors or point motors, and no extra switches to deal with, click here.
If you are interested in seeing other small HOn30 layouts, esp if you are intrigued by the idea of an "all Foamcore" layout in a Foamcore box, click here.
If you are pressed for space, and would like to see just how much HOn30 logging action you can fit in 2' X 4', click here.
Happy Modelling,
Aim to Improve,
Prof Klyzlr