Amoskeag Northern - Conrail Portland (PRO&C) Line Engineering Thread

[wazzou]

That photo is pornographic. Do that.

You just like it because the trees don't have leaves.   

[conrail98]

Ian, are you still going to do the industrial/model a short segment-type layout?

Phil

[Ed Kapuscinski]

You just like it because the trees don't have leaves.   

Pretty much!

[Ian MacMillan]

Ian, are you still going to do the industrial/model a short segment-type layout?

Phil

Pretty much. Ive decided to move about 20 miles east on my Protofreelanced line so the area will be moral rural and I am still planning on heavily focusing on the short segment style. There will be an actual 2.5 miles of visible track on the layout, which Im looking at having represent about ~6-8 miles.

[conrail98]

Pretty much. Ive decided to move about 20 miles east on my Protofreelanced line so the area will be moral rural and I am still planning on heavily focusing on the short segment style. There will be an actual 2.5 miles of visible track on the layout, which Im looking at having represent about ~6-8 miles.

Ok, if it's more rural then before I'd go with the double track now single-track with passing sidings, particularly if your switching areas will be separated by a decent distance, otherwise, I would've suggested staying double track for greatest operational flexibility,

Phil

[Ian MacMillan]

Im thinking two switching areas right now, one on each long wall of the room,  and this would put them about 35' apart. One is going to be a paper mill that comes off the mainline and goes onto a blob. The second... I am really up the air.

[basementcalling]

The second... I am really up the air.

Not enough for a second deck though, right?

Marble quarry or stone industry? What about an interchange yard with a larger, or smaller, railroad?

[Ian MacMillan]

Not enough for a second deck though, right?

Marble quarry or stone industry? What about an interchange yard with a larger, or smaller, railroad?

Plenty of room for a second deck.... I'm just anti-multi deck.

Most of the interchange is going to happen off layout like CN and Guilford trains. But I am pondering that if I extend the modeled portion of the layout east about a half mile into West Ossipee, I can include the crossing with the former B&M Conway Branch, which would be owned/operated by New Hampshire Northcoast at this point.

Stone industry other than gravel would be abnormal for this part of the state as the stone industry is pretty much focused around Concord. Gravel and Forest products are the norm for this part of the state.

By also extending it that short distance I could also include the former Yield House factory that was by the B&M "Mount Whittier" station on the Conway Branch. You can see the depot and former lot of the factory just northeast of the 16/25 intersection.

[Ian MacMillan]

I was just thinking of maybe something like this.

[Ian MacMillan]

I'm outta drywall again... so until I can get more ( I picked up a PT job at Home Depot to get cheap layout materials) I have been messing around with checking out how the basic benchwork will look. I tossed up a sheet of Masonite and marked the base height of the track, which is 54", as shown via the lower white mark. The bottom of the upper fascia is shown via the upper white mark, which is 17" from the ceiling. This gives a really good viewing for people up to 6' 03"...I'm an awesome 5'08"



I also had looked at how I was going to go about heating the layout room and basement. I had looked at adding ductwork onto our existing forced hot air system, and it would support it, but I wanted to reduce my yearly propane costs as well. By luck a co-worker had a friend who was selling a 2200sqft capable pellet stove that he had used a few times before deciding to go with a pellet boiler. I picked this up cheap, $500, for the whole set up, including the pipe. I got it temporarily installed yesterday and will finish it so that it is more presentable as it is in the family room. I am planning on building a faux chimney with EldoradoStone this winter. I've had this running yesterday and today and damn does it heat up all the rooms in the basement, and then upstairs.

[Bsklarski]

. The second... I am really up the air.

HUMP YARD 

[davefoxx]

Ian,

Looks to me that the distance between those two white marks is 24" or less.  If so, you could rip those sheets of Masonite down to 2' x 8' pieces and stretch your use of the sheets for backdrop and fascia.

DFF

[wazzou]

Ian

You may be well aware but Pellet stoves do make for a lot of dust.

[Ian MacMillan]

Ian,

Looks to me that the distance between those two white marks is 24" or less.  If so, you could rip those sheets of Masonite down to 2' x 8' pieces and stretch your use of the sheets for backdrop and fascia.

DFF

I just tossed that sheet up there to get a visual of the heights. The sheets will be cut down, but I won't be able to get two sheets out of one 4x8. The bottom white line is the top of the rail height for the median track level. The scenery could be up to -10" from this point. I also want the sheet to go above the bottom of the fascia so that the sky is continuous in your peripheral vision. So, from the quick set up today, it looks like I will be using about 30" of sheet, leaving me 18" to rip down to strips for the roadbed, ModuTrak style.

Ian

You may be well aware but Pellet stoves do make for a lot of dust.

I had heard that as well, but after doing some research online and with some installers, learned that the dust issues are generally due to: 1. improper install leading to leaks in vacuum and exhaust lines, 2. improperly cleaned ash pans, 3. blowers blowing already dusty areas or dirty air, 4. use of poor quality pellets.

The stove is not directly in the area of the layout room, so this should keep any dust issues to a minimum. I guess we will see at the end of winter how it worked, and what adjustments will need to be made.  Right now I am getting pellets from New England Wood Pellet at $195 a ton bagged, or if I bring my own truck to the mill I can get it cheaper loose.

[central.vermont]

Ian,
Not to thread drift but where did you get NE pellets at $195.00 per ton!!

Jon