Weekend Update 5/17/20

[High Hood]

During our Zoom Meeting this week, I actually did something instead of just sitting there listening to others, occasionally throwing in my 2 cents worth.  I downloaded a few more DigCom Designs trailers recently and went about building an Estes trailer.  It's been a while since I've cut one out and glued it up but now I think I can get back into swing of things.  Here it's seen already pressed into service getting loaded with paper goods at PH Gladfelter on my layout.  And just enough room for YorkRail to sneak by with a cut of cars headed for interchange with CSX.

Looks like a tight squeeze! Does the track on the left see regular service?

[aikorob]

Late weekend update entry... spent the day finishing this:

Hope this one is "model railroady" enough! Will post a how-I-did-it in the engineering thread in a couple of days--still shooting pics, writing, and wrapping up loose ends.

+eleventy million

[mu26aeh]

Looks like a tight squeeze! Does the track on the left see regular service?

It's a siding, so trucks are normally across the tracks.  Railroad will have to find the driver if they need to get in.  Its flipped 180 * from proto due to my layout orientation.  I don't think too many cars go in their any more though.  The other side sees more traffic, with Kaolin/clay slurry tank cars stored there.

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.870432,-76.8648159,3a,75y,236.48h,72.64t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sT1ZCRLVWKUK7TBh9i8K_5Q!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo2.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DT1ZCRLVWKUK7TBh9i8K_5Q%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dsearch.revgeo_and_fetch.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D96%26h%3D64%26yaw%3D60.73348%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192

[wm3798]

Trackwork through there is still a little wobbly.  I haven't quite finalized what I want to do back in that corner.  It's visible from the end of the layout, but not a "frequent flyer" as a photo location.

I need to put a solid roadbed under the upper loop to better support that curve, that's for sure.  Maybe some foamcore?  It's got to be thin enough to let my GG-1s and Metroliners pass beneath unhindered, but strong enough to secure the upper loop tracks to.

But other than that, yeah... she was flyin'!
Lee

[John]

@mu26aeh -- I downloaded the 3x3 container block and printed it on photo paper .. it didnt come out as good as your trailer .. the large surface will need some reinforcement, otherwise the containers are too flimsy ..

[johnb]

I have finally got a brass locomotive! It took me almost 44 years to get one, but finally! The locomotive is an Oriental Limited Southern Pacific C-8 with a modified pilot that has a Micro Trains coupler.



I have also picked up a Micro Trains Southern Pacific tank car runner pack.

[mu26aeh]

@mu26aeh -- I downloaded the 3x3 container block and printed it on photo paper .. it didnt come out as good as your trailer .. the large surface will need some reinforcement, otherwise the containers are too flimsy ..

I don't have any experience with anything other than the trailers/single containers.  Maybe an interior brace of cardstock cut to fit the size of the ends would help ?

[John]

I don't have any experience with anything other than the trailers/single containers.  Maybe an interior brace of cards took cut to fit the size of the ends would help ?

I'm going to try that ..

[ns737]

John you could try foam or balsa wood then wrap the container print around it.

[nkalanaga]

From what I've heard, the SP and UP liked the "lower quadrant", down-pointing, signals, both for train orders and ABS.  As far as I know, all of the other Northwest roads used the upper quadrant signals.  By the 60s, when I saw them enough to pay attention, the UP along the Columbia river was all color-light or searchlight signals for ABS, and I have no idea what they used for train orders.

By the 50s, both the GN and MILW had stations with color-light signals rather than semaphores, although they never fully took over.

I noticed that the one on the upper left is apparently defined for "manual block" operations as well as train orders.

[John]

John you could try foam or balsa wood then wrap the container print around it.

Yea .. I'm considering all of those .. fortunately, I can print as many of these as I need so experimenting is possible ..

[ns737]

for containers I use Hammermill card stock. It is nice stiff paper.

[VonRyan]

@71jeep people want to see these come back!

Yes, yes I do. I could use a few of the F25s, and a few ND cabins.

[babbo_enzo]

WHAT!?!? A working "lower quadrant" semaphore? Mind blown.....

Sprinkle LOT of water on this fire, Mike... no way to have it for us "Normal" .... unfortunately!


Keep work on the article, DKS... just in case someone wants to go crazy!

[DKS]

Finally finished editing and uploading videos on the making of the working train order signals.