Conrail Windsor St Yard (York PA) Engineering Report

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Starting to look like an actual layout! 
Lee

Lol. That's the goal. I'm hoping to get things running on this end by the summer, when I can have an a$$hat open house to show it all off.

[C855B]

Damn, Ed has one hell of a dress code for visitors. 

At this rate, we're looking at black tie operating sessions, tails suggested. Sir Topham Hatt would be pleased.

Gotta check the attic... I might have a brown tux left over from my wedding in the '70s. 

[eric220]

I guess I missed the memo that night. I'm the only one in jeans.   

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Haven't been posting much of it, since it's kinda boring, but progress continues...

http://conrail1285.com/april-2016-windsor-st-progress-report/

Benchwork, foam, building another bridge, etc...

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I really need to focus... I've been pulled in so many directions on the layout right now.

Irons I've got in the fire:

• Installing Tortoises and DCC Controls for them in the York Section.
• Finishing the Black Bridge scene enough to lay track through it and actually get things running north from the yard.
• Fleshing out the structure plan for downtown York, including the industrial, commercial and residential stuff (like https://goo.gl/maps/36QW67oMb9E2). This is fun though, because I'm planning on creating custom row-houses for those spaces using window hardware from the IHC colonials. I quickly drew both styles of house visible there in Tinkercad, and am working on converting them to 2D drawings that I can drag into Photoshop, add brick texture to, and print out: https://www.tinkercad.com/things/lDjworqaGzA-simple-row-house-core and https://www.tinkercad.com/things/lifIePIU8Yp-colonial-house-core.
• Installing slide switch mounts for the sidings in York. After watching @ChrisKLAS's video on switch lock outs though, I'm thinking about Tortoises for them again. Dammit.
• Working out a signaling system. I really want signaling but I'm not sure I want to build and install all 26 working signals I'd need, so I'm thinking about fascia based repeaters that do the heavy lifting. I'm working on working out which signals need to display which aspects.

I guess it's a good thing I work from home...

[eric220]

That's a lot to get done by the RailBQ! 

[Philip H]

If it were me, I'd bang out the wiring/bus for 3, then grab 1 and 4, then finish 2.  you can noodle on 3 all the while.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I think you're right, it's always a question of balancing "what do I have the stuff to complete right now". My current issue is figuring out the supports for the bridge. That reminds me, I need to go order some Keystone Details stuff...

[unittrain]

For the bridge you'll end several piers and 2 abutment I got information on dimensions I'll post a link tonight, for my bridge supports I fabricated them out of styrene and now going to make a mold to cast them out of hydrocol.

[nuno81291]

I vote bridge scene and switches/tortoises... but then again I much prefer the scenery aspect to the technical infrastructure... Getting the bridge scene in so you can run trains that way sounds like major progress... but over and over I have learned to not rush the technical stuff. That area in the google maps you posted looks awesome! gritty in the best of ways. 

[John]

If you are going to do signals, do your block detection first before you put in any scenery . its a lot easier that way (I know)  .. you can always do "virtual" signals in JMRI before you invest in the signal driver cards .

[Ed Kapuscinski]

If you are going to do signals, do your block detection first before you put in any scenery . its a lot easier that way (I know)  .. you can always do "virtual" signals in JMRI before you invest in the signal driver cards .

That's what I was thinking. I may never even go the detection route, but things are wired for it (although I'd have to cut gaps in track, but that's not a big deal). And then I'd need to install metal wheels and resistors, so it's a long way off. I'm more about trying to find a way to simulate it (even if it requires manual intervention).

But I agree, I think the most important thing to do is get things running.

[eric220]

If you want signals, even virtual signals or facia indicators, I'd encourage you to invest in detection. It'll make the signal operations more prototypical, and much more awesome. One nice thing about the RR CirKits detectors is that you can put the detector coils on as you wire the layout, and then worry about connecting them up later. The coils themselves aren't terribly expensive. As far as resistor wheel sets go, I've had pretty good luck with just putting them on the last car. (Cabooses are handy for that.) At least you can get the front and end of the train.

[mu26aeh]

All this talk of signals and detection, etc makes me happy that the Hanover Sub is considered "dark territory".  No signals required.  Only one I may need if I want to do it is in Hagerstown Yard.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

If you want signals, even virtual signals or facia indicators, I'd encourage you to invest in detection. It'll make the signal operations more prototypical, and much more awesome. One nice thing about the RR CirKits detectors is that you can put the detector coils on as you wire the layout, and then worry about connecting them up later. The coils themselves aren't terribly expensive. As far as resistor wheel sets go, I've had pretty good luck with just putting them on the last car. (Cabooses are handy for that.) At least you can get the front and end of the train.

That's a good thought. Like I said, luckily, all of the wiring is done and ready for detection, and terminates in screw terminals, so I can easily slide the coils on later.

And Adam, you are lucky, but this is kinda fun too.