Vermissa Valley - PRR 1960s

[Hornwrecker]

I like your approach to layout photography.  Kind of reminds me of Google-Earth! 

This is what happens when I'm too inept to learn the track planning software in a timely fashion.

Speaking of aerial images, I just put together this image of Buttonwood Yard from 1966, sourced from US Army survey, from USGS.  I'm linking it here instead of posting, because it is a large image, 3500 x 990 pxl.

https://picasaweb.google.com/Hornwrecker/ButtonwoodYard

[Hornwrecker]

Got phase II of the rock painting done, deepened the colors, then black wash, and adding a rust wash in areas where water would seep down.  Rust wash is made from real rust, sieved and mixed with isopropyl alcohol.  Still needs some more attention, but I'll wait until a base scenery coat and ballasting are done.



I think this will be the final arrangement of the yard (laid out with flex); the long runaround track on the left joining the two yards will be where the engine servicing will be.

[MichaelWinicki]

Question Bob...

How are the two yards going to function?

Is there a reason for two separate yards and not one (only) much bigger and probably more efficient setup?  I had a setup like yours on my layout initially, but found the short double-ended yards tracks to be big space eaters and that I could get far more cars in to the yard with several tracks stretched longer and stub-ended. 

You may not need more yard storage.   I sat down one night and figured out how many cars would be needed in the yard at one time inorder to run the trains I wanted to run.  I found the shorter-track, double-ended yard simply wasn't going to cut it.

[Hornwrecker]

Michael, good questions.  I've thought about the reasons I want to do it this way, and I guess these are the best reasons:

• It matches the prototype, makes the yard look more like Buttonwood
• Gives a reason for the smaller, double ended yard to exist.  Interchange with the D&H (WBCRR) and CNJ, as well as the EL on the upper level, plus local industries
• With my new, longer staging yard I should have enough capacity to keep ops interesting.  28 ft of staging, five tracks
• The new yard will be for Wilkes-Barre Connection RR, so really won't be used for any storage.  Most photos I've seen of this part it is mostly empty.
• I like big yards!

If it doesn't work out, it will be easy rip up and put in another scrap yard there.

[Hornwrecker]

Spent time working on the staging yard today, soldering tracks and power drops.


The track on the top is for the reversing loop, the main, then the two double ended staging tracks, then the three fiddle tracks.  In case you're wondering, that's an old Roco three way there; still works! (the old. gold hat box below the layout is full of trees)

Since doing the mainline radius expansion, the two double ended staging tracks got expanded by about two feet, and the addition of the three stub tracks now gives a tracks of, 73, 68, 66, 64, 66 inches which by my calculations gives a capacity of 103 40 ft cars.   I'm not sure I own that many, yet.

[Chevyconvertible]

I like what you've done to your layout, Bob. I hope that I can join in this weekend's work party with you and Joey UBoats. I'm getting some ideas as to what I want to do with the new loop for my layout when you've finished your track work. I hope to get my work bench up and running again so I can build the lumber yard and maybe finish some of the details on your other buildings. While you're posting these great pictures, you ought to post a picture of that kit bashed theater you did a couple of years ago. To those reading this thread, Bob did a beautiful job, and when it's all done, he'll have a great looking town with a cool run down industrial area.

Chevyconvertible..(AKA Walt)

[Hornwrecker]

Hope that you can make it, Walt.  Lots of changes.  Made a big batch of pulled pork today, so that's whats being served in the diner.

I was able to re-purpose some old benchwork from my brother's Lionel layout into new legs for mine.  It's a lot sturdier now, and can use a mechanics seat on casters to work under there.  The bad news is that my large dog now has room to "help" me with wiring.  Yard level is about 43" high, and the upper level is at 45".  If I raised it any more, reach might become a problem after all the trees are planted.

Now I have to figure out the byzantine color coding system that I used.  I'm sure there was some logical reason for it, but damned if I can remember what it was.

[Hornwrecker]

Got the basic rock colors in this weekend, and a base coat of scenery for some tooth.







Saturday, Joey Uboats and son came over to lay some track.  Uboats had his spawn put down the WBCRR yard, under his watchful guidance.  It's as straight as the Atlas turnouts would allow.



Where the Trainmaster is sitting is going to be the engine "facilities", mostly a collection of junk that Pennsy didn't see belonging on the rest of the system. (the dead tree on the hill is the handle for the tunnel access hatch)

Yesterday - soldering
Today - soldering
Tomorrow - ???

[Hornwrecker]

Spent the week painting the rail and ties, and the majority of the time under the layout installing a twelve foot long bus and wiring the yard and upper level to it. I'll keep the main separate, until I figure out which DCC system I want and eventually buy.

Tonight I got the WBCRR yard ballasted and the branch line to the coal mine and upper level wye/interchange with the EL.





Everything is still a bit damp, so it should lighten up a bit.  Put lots of coal spills on the yard tracks, and some green stuff to make it look like the deferred maintenance that shows in every photo I've seen of the area from the 1960s.

I think for operations, the four tracks on the left will be the WBCRR for interchange with the D"&H, and the two to the left will be for the CNJ interchange (track on the far right is the RIP track).

[Lemosteam]

Hornwrecker,

I enjoyed my visit with you yesterday Bob.  Layout has come a long way and I was impressed with your coloring techniques and rustpile.  Joey Uboats is a nice gent too! 

Chicken45 said HI too as an avid "horn (sound) wrecker" himself. 

BTW Thanks for the 2" foam, going to cut & glue it today and try to make the grade down to the LIRR.

[Hornwrecker]

It was a pleasure meeting another SPF, especially a local one.  Tell chicken hello, and if he ever crushes his bone bell, I offer a PRR modeler discount.  I've known Uboats  since 3rd grade; we'd go over the local GTW yards at lunchtime, and many a time we  got into trouble  for being late  back to class.

Ballast is getting farther along, with the main and the scrapyard areas done.





The scrap pile and load is lathe swarf that I  rusted, and the ground has been rusted up with a concoction I make from rusted steel wool, filtered, in an alcohol supsension.

[Hornwrecker]

Finished ballasting the extension the DL&W leg of the wye.  Going to need a lot of weathering to get the newly ballasted areas to not look so bright.



I think I'm going to put an interlocking tower in the flat area, and supertrees in the back part, so that I can use it as a setting for taking photos.



An RS1 I painted about a dozen years ago - the infamous Flying RS1.  On my original small layout with the steep grades, Joey Uboats brought over an undec RS1 to see if I wanted it.  He was running it up and down the rollercoaster when he took it up to full throttle.  On the next trip up the grade, instead of making the turn, it keep going upwards, flying off the layout proving a couple of Newton's Laws true.  After that, he said I could have the RS for nothing.   Still runs pretty well, considering its age and past.

[Hornwrecker]

I found some photos of Buttonwood yd in the steam era, fourth and fifth rows down.

http://www.northeast.railfan.net/local_train.html

Three of an L1 #3197 and an M1

This is where I think it's labelled where the old enginehouse was (Eng. Ho. Track), in yellow.

[wazzou]

The scrap pile and load is lathe swarf that I  rusted, and the ground has been rusted up with a concoction I make from rusted steel wool, filtered, in an alcohol supsension.

Make sure that you glue that stuff down and then glue it again.  I'd then go over it with a strong magnet to be sure these filings aren't sucked into your locomotives gears and/or motor magnets.

One thing I am having a tough time with is the deep cut right next to a tunnel in a hill of equal height with the adjacent cut.  Why wouldn't they cut at both lines?  J MO

[DKS]

One thing I am having a tough time with is the deep cut right next to a tunnel in a hill of equal height with the adjacent cut.  Why wouldn't they cut at both lines?  J MO

Maybe one is older, before cuts were made as deep; or perhaps one was daylighted for clearance...?