I may have found my muse.

[wcfn100]

  Well since my CGW Des Moines district plans are on hold until the number of cars I have to kitbash, scratchbuilt, or RP gets under 50,  I've chosen to get something up and running that I can take to the local shows as there aren't any really good N scale layouts that aren't attached to peoples basements here.



East Debuque (left) is up the river from Portage which is in the Junctions book by MR.  At Portage CGW had rights over the CB&Q and then the IC.   At E. Dubuque, the IC and CGW cut into the bluff and crossed the double track and the river into Dubuque.

Here's a couple reference shots.

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1680568 (you can see the tunnel just to the right of the depot)
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=207434

Here's the other side:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=207436


On the right side, I'm not decided, but what does fit is a mirrored "Hole in the wall" in Minneapoils.  This is where the SOO came down to the GN/BN tracks just north of the Minneapolis depot.  The GN tracks were also used by the MSTL/CNW and saw the MNS as well.

http://johnhill_3009.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1314905

I got the measurements worked out to get the lumber.  My only concern at this point is how to make the crossing over the double track.  I can't use full easements before and after because it gets too long.  I did an experiment with some 19" and a 90° crossing which seemed to work ok, so if I could ease from the 15" to a 19", place the crossing and continue back to a more gradual curve, I hope that'll work.  


Jason

[up1950s]

Having a station on a curve like that lends itself to a layout very well . Looks very doable .

[wcfn100]

I'm hoping the curve will be good for photographs. I'm a little worried about getting too close to the front edge so i may have to take some test shots before committing.

A couple things I really like is that outside of the depot (which I could make removable), I think it can be made to look fairly 'timeless". Here's a more modern look:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1504130


And here's a shot of the bridge (the next section isn't missing, it's a swing bridge  ).

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1600108


The other thing is that this stretch hosted many different RRs over the years so I can hopefully take photos that look more 'authentic' than straight generic scenery.  I haven't thought about it yet, but I should be able to shot my CZ there, is that right?

edit: I also like the fact that I could use this as a return loop for another setup although I wish the radii were larger for that.

Jason

[kiwi_al]

Is it the correct time frame and part of the country where you can run your Northtown Transfer Switchers if you had any? ;D

[wcfn100]

Is it the correct time frame and part of the country where you can run your Northtown Transfer Switchers?

That's what the otherside is for.   

Ok, maybe not to Northtown but the MNS came off their line in Saint Louis Park into the GN Cedar Lake yard and used these tracks to either cross the Mississippi or get south to the Railway transfer yard in Minneapolis, I'm not sure.  I don't know if the Baldwins were used for this ever. I'll have to check.

I'm not too concerned with ever seeing the transfer units.  I had actually started drawing one, but when I found out someone had gone to the museum to actually measure the MNS unit I stopped.

Jason

[wcfn100]

The LOC has a couple neat pics.



I may have to fudge in that siding.


You can see the old roadway that was cut into the bluff and the bridge in the background.

Here's a postcard of the overhead:




Jason

[Chris333]

Don't want to push in that curve or it will be a kidney 

Do those double crossing have to be real? You can lay track any way you want and put in fake crossings that look real. I have done it, can take pics if you want.

[wcfn100]

The hope is that they will be real.  I can use it for a staging lead or as a return loop for a point-to-loop type setup later on.  If I make the crossings tangent to the curve, I may be able to lay the curve and come back and solder the rails where the crossing will be and dremel out the flangeways for the crossing.  90° crossings are so much easier to make the guard rails than other angles, I think it may be possible.

I'm hoping that I can get real aggressive with the easements since the curves are the same direction.

That reminds me to make sure I have some sort of spline material after the move. 


Jason

[Chris333]

All I have to offer to get you started:
http://www.handlaidtrack.com/templates/tt-n-x-90.pdf

[DKS]

I love the looks on the faces of the gentlemen on the platform. The mind boggles with all sorts of possible thought balloons...

[diezmon]

I love the looks on the faces of the gentlemen on the platform. The mind boggles with all sorts of possible thought balloons...

 I was thinking that too.

[wcfn100]

Well I laid out the 15" radius and the 90° crossing to see what I can do with it.  It looks like I may be able to get away with just a 4" easement (2" either side of tangent) and cut the crossing back to 1" legs on either side.

Unfortunately the 3/4" ply that I had laying around has way too many knots in it to even consider.  But with any luck, I may be able to get the basic frame done by the end of the weekend and pick up some 1/2" ply if I can find cabinate grade.

I don't think I've have had a layout in eight years.  This is going to cost me a lot of money in decoders.


Jason

[diezmon]

Unfortunately the 3/4" ply that I had laying around has way too many knots in it to even consider.  But with any luck, I may be able to get the basic frame done by the end of the weekend and pick up some 1/2" ply if I can find cabinate grade.

You mean those knots that are filled with the little football shaped biscuits?   If you put a layer of foam on the whole thing, you could still use the ply..

[C855B]

I'm edu-guessing that Jason has a sheet of CDX, which is pretty coarse stuff, and is the stock-in-trade of roofers. I wouldn't want to build a layout on it, either, even with a layer of 1/2" foam on top. Knots inevitably end-up in the wrong places.

Jason, BC would be my recommendation (lightly sanded, few or no knots on one side; filled knots and semi-rough on the other). You're talking about AB grade, which... truthfully... is throwing a lot of money away for something that's going to get covered up. Be prepared for sticker shock.

[DKS]