PRR Allegheny Subdivision

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Wow.

[Ian MacMillan]

I love the shots over the ridge looking into the curve with the PRR running around. I'd have to say a much better rendition of HSC than mine was. I've really liked this layout since following it over on Railroad-Line.

[Dave V]

Oh, man...   ;D

[Caleb Austin]

I second the "wow"s! Truly awesome stuff there dude.

[pbrooks]

I hate to pile on, but WOW! 

VERY nice work. You've nailed the horseshoe...
(is that a pun of some kind?)

Anyhoo, great job!

-Phil Brooks

[Puddington]

Takes a guy in Canada to "nail" Horseshoe Curve.............. and when will I see a guy from Georgia/Arkansas/Oregon/Alaska/New York or any of the other Great 50 "nail" the Spiral Tunnels of British Columbia..............? ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D - "Ya all owe us one............................."

Seriously - very nice work...........eh.

[shark_jj]

Guys, thanks for all the kind words and encouragement. 

[Frank Amato]

Fantastic work!  And thank you for sharing the "pot-topper" idea with this scenery-challenged modeler.

  Frank

[Chris333]

I sure wish I could order the "pot topper" online...

[Nato]

   As a longtime Closet Pennsy Fanzee all I can say is 'Wozzers!" Shark, amazing work.                          Nate Goodman(Nato). Salt Lake, Utah.

[shark_jj]

Hi all, I suspect that you think I dropped off the face of the earth.  That assessment is close to accurate.  I have been in the hobby now for a little over 40 years and I find that every decade or so I get into a "modellers funk" and just need to take a break.  The last 8 to 10 months have been such at time.  Last time this happened in 2000 I switched from HO to N scale.  Since I haven't posted in the same time frame, this is going to be a little lengthy as I catch up.

I didn't leave the hobby entirely as I have been working on Justins layout and also our HO modular layout but nothing was done on the Allegheny Division.  The layout was running and I did participate in a couple of open houses and from those experiences found that there were a number of things about the layout that were bugging me.  Unfortunately, I couldn't put my finger on some of them and so went through a fair bit of reflection.  Since this will probably be my last layout, I am fixated on doing things right even if it means tearing out what I have done and redoing it.  I am also fixated on keeping it as accurate as possible given the constraints of the space that I have.  I will discuss each of these decisions in a separate post.

[shark_jj]

Some additional research showed me that I didn't have Slope and Alto correct for my 1967 era.  Track 2 should end at Slope and Alto should have the "bump out" created by the Station tracks.  I decided that getting it right was more important that getting it done quickly so I have made the decision to take up these interlockings and relay them.  Here is a plan and photos of the new Slope and the new Alto being put in.

[shark_jj]

The new Slope.  I also made benchwork changes at the end which opened up the end of this aisle and added 3 feet to the Alto area.

[shark_jj]

The new Alto.  I am not sure why these photos are so fuzzy.  The ties on the track are disappearing into pixelization.

[shark_jj]

I also made two major changes, the first being that I realized that the third level overhung Altoona yard by too much.  It was causing a viewing angle that I wasn't satisfied with.  After some experimenting I decided that the upper level had to be reduced by 6 inches.  Since track and everything was already in on the upper level this was a major task.  Out came the saw-z-all and after a bit of work the upper level is now 6 inches narrower, dramatically opening up Altoona which with the Curve will be the centrepiece of the layout.  I am much happier with this result.