PRR/Conrail Juniata Division Engineering Report

[asciibaron]

Speaking of foobies, does a Conrail-era Tropicana Juice Train get to be diverted on Ed's layout (because of a massive derailment on the B&O's Philly Subdivision OR perhaps Agnes did a number on the B&O's Susquehanna River bridge) up the NCR to Harrisburg, where it would be sent to Philly on the Keystone Corridor?  

the Juice used to run on the NEC until 1986.

a redirect from Harrisburg to Philly makes no sense - the train needs to get to Kearny - a run out the former Reading, across NJ to Port Reading would be the realistic re-route.

[davefoxx]

i have no advice to give since i don't have a layout and thus have no idea what i am talking about.  since i have not published a book or have hundreds of photos detailing my work, you can not possibly learn anything from me.

Enough of the self-pity, whether tongue-in-cheek or not.  If you can't add productively to the theme of this thread, then please don't respond.  We've tied up enough bandwidth on this off-topic crap anyway.

DFF

[davefoxx]

Speaking of foobies, does a Conrail-era Tropicana Juice Train get to be diverted on Ed's layout (because of a massive derailment on the B&O's Philly Subdivision OR perhaps Agnes did a number on the B&O's Susquehanna River bridge) up the NCR to Harrisburg, where it would be sent to Philly on the Keystone Corridor?  

the Juice used to run on the NEC until 1986.

a redirect from Harrisburg to Philly makes no sense - the train needs to get to Kearny - a run out the former Reading, across NJ to Port Reading would be the realistic re-route.

You're probably right, but we're altering history, so...

[keystonecrossings]

There's nothing worth mentioning between Enola and Cly (interlocking north of Wago) unless you plan to model LEMO or the New Cumberland Army depot. So...

I'd make Enola staging. Come into view just north of Cly. Model Cly, York Haven (hydro dam, paper plant, etc.), and Wago Junction.

The two tracks of the A&S would be nothing more than a loop, running loaded coal, empty hoppers, and merchandise trains under wire along the river.

Actual operations from other two tracks (Northern Central) at least as far as York. Several small towns with great industries (Mt. Wolf, Emigsville, etc). Interchange at York with Ma & Pa and WM. Lots of switching opportunities. Plus, six passenger trains each way each day! And east and west connections to PRR branches. Loco facility in the wye.

[Bob Bufkin]

Another train you could add would be the D&H runthru which ran to Pot Yard in Va.  Good excuse to run some D&H U-boats or Alco's.

[Dave V]

There's nothing worth mentioning between Enola and Cly (interlocking north of Wago) unless you plan to model LEMO or the New Cumberland Army depot. So...

I'd make Enola staging. Come into view just north of Cly. Model Cly, York Haven (hydro dam, paper plant, etc.), and Wago Junction.

The two tracks of the A&S would be nothing more than a loop, running loaded coal, empty hoppers, and merchandise trains under wire along the river.

Actual operations from other two tracks (Northern Central) at least as far as York. Several small towns with great industries (Mt. Wolf, Emigsville, etc). Interchange at York with Ma & Pa and WM. Lots of switching opportunities. Plus, six passenger trains each way each day! And east and west connections to PRR branches. Loco facility in the wye.

Jerry,

I've given thought to the A&S loop myself!  Very cool.  If I were starting from scratch, I would probably do Enola as staging too.  However, since I'm getting somewhere on an Enola-like yard now, it might just be partially visible.  I like visible staging anyway.

The New Cumberland Army Depot is somewhat tempting, given my own military service and that I actually delayed-enlisted as an Air Force officer candidate right there at the Harrisburg MEPS (Military Entrance Processing Station)!

Otherwise I suspect I would pick up at Cly and go south.

I HAVE to model the York Flour Mill at Emigsville.

[Blazeman]

I'm not sure of the year it was built, but don't forget the Caterpillar facility at York (on US 30) as a traffic source. For fidelity, cars would interchange with MPA at York.

[Dave V]

We'll see.  I'm not dead-set on integrating the the Enola Yard section...  But I really like the idea of the diesel shop and some of the other features.  There was an enginehouse in York but it was wood rather than brick.

You are correct in that keeping the Enola Yard module may constrain me.  It may go the way of the main door section someday and be stripped of all re-useable parts.

Again, the ultimate dream is a permanent around-the-walls shelf affair, so perhaps Enola won't fit in well, either conceptually or physically.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Well, if you followed my concept, CR's NCR Line a single track main with a number of controlled sidings. Most of which are in places that you'd be interested in doing, anyway.

It's funny, I drew up a preliminary plan on thursday but haven't had a chance to convert it from a bunch of screen grabs to an actual decent image yet.

Ed,
Slowing down with the house, huh?     Seriously, I can't wait to see your final plan.  I (and I suspect many others) are a tad jealous of the space.

It's funny, once you start putting turnouts and 18" radius curves onto it, it doesn't feel that big any longer!

[seusscaboose]

I'm not sure of the year it was built, but don't forget the Caterpillar facility at York (on US 30) as a traffic source. For fidelity, cars would interchange with MPA at York.

nothing wrong with supporting Yellow locally
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ejpvTRcEn4A5oqXwOw6s_Q?feat=directlink

EP

[DKS]

Another option is to build it tall and then use a chair or stool on rollers to scoot underneath.

Exactly what I did for my last layout. Mean track height above the floor was about 54 inches. I had a small stepstool handy for height-challenged visitors, and I used a rolling office chair to work underneath.

[Dave V]

Nevertheless, I'm getting some good info in this thread in between the less useful finger-wagging.

In the meantime, once I finish Enola, I'm planning the following projects:

1.  Add a scrap metal yard to where the current DCC programming track is.
2.  Start working on structures for the future layout, like kitbashing a Mt Wolf or Cly station (could replace the Lewisport station) or the York Flour Mill.
3.  Work on expanding the Conrail roster using equipment appropriate for the York Haven/NCRR line.

Ed, I've been scouring the CRHS site for info.  Not sure I have the right mix of CR power for the line, though.  So far I have:

1 GP15-1
2 GP38-2
2 SD40
1 SD35 (ex-PC paint-out)
1 U25B
1 U23B
1 MP15DC

That's actually a fairly sizable fleet considering I started Conrail modeling less than 2 years ago.  Plus, I'm still doing Pennsy stuff.

What else should I be considering for this line?

[bbussey]

A GP38 to pair with the GP38-2 units for variety, with it being an ex-PC paint-out to add a twist:

[wm3798]

If you're doing 1980, you need GP40-2's to handle your Trailvan service, plus a handful (maybe a gob) of GP 7/9's to serve in back up power roles.  I remember Enola being lousy with old Geeps, and westbounds out of Enola dragging 2 or 3 in a lashup along with some more modern stuff in case something broke down.

You definitely need the D&H represented for the Pot Yard service.  They went down the Port Road, but if your Hurricane Agnes theory wiped that out, then the NCR would be obvious route.  GP 38's and -2's, and Alcos.  You could even get one of Steve's beloved L&HR units and do a number on it...



I like this plan...

Lee

[davefoxx]

Dave,

On the Port Road DVD, if my memory serves me correctly, I remember a plethora of six-axle EMD and GE locomotives, with a healthy dose of GP40/GP40-2s and B23-7s/B30-7s (in addition to the GP38 suggestion by bbussey).

DFF

EDIT: Lee posted while I was typing.  I like his thinking.