T-Trak The N scale Pennsy Juniata Division 2.0 - T-TRAK!

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I'm no signal expert but I think you'd need two more signals to do it "prototypical" -- there' be two facing "east", at the east-most switch points (on both mains), and two facing "west" at the other end at the points.   If it's just to test them, then they are perfectly fine as-is!

Hold on though. Dave's doing the PRR middle division.

The Pennsy was... weird when it came to this stuff. They didn't implement CTC on their busiest mainline, instead it was manual block stations with ABS intermediates signaled for the direction of traffic.

Which means our modern notions of signals may not apply.

My suggestion? Find something similar in the prototype and do what they did. Poor Dave, he's gonna have to go look at a bunch of Pennsy Porn now.

[Dave V]

The good news is I don't have to change anything right away. Fixing it now or fixing it later requires the same effort since they're already scenicked in. It's just another two big holes and two little holes, and then some wadded-up foam scraps to fill the old ones back in.

However, noted. I probably should have surveyed more knowledgeable folks before I placed the signals, but ya live and learn. Fortunately for a prototype as enormous as Pennsy, E'd Law applies! 

[Ed Kapuscinski]

The good news is I don't have to change anything right away. Fixing it now or fixing it later requires the same effort since they're already scenicked in. It's just another two big holes and two little holes, and then some wadded-up foam scraps to fill the old ones back in.

However, noted. I probably should have surveyed more knowledgeable folks before I placed the signals, but ya live and learn. Fortunately for a prototype as enormous as Pennsy, E'd Law applies! 

It's funny, I intentionally didn't chime in when I first saw it because I figured there was some limitation due to the hardware or something.

[Dave V]

Home from work and debating grabbing the drill.

But I'm only gonna move them once more!!!

OK, I have my answers! From the mighty Pennsy itself:

https://www.lundsten.dk/us_signaling/aspseq/

[Dave V]

Alright mofos, I went ahead and unwired and removed everything, Then I redid the scenery along the front (the white is a combination of spackle and WS Flex Paste). I hope I don't regret this, LOL.

The interlocking home signals will move--per PRR practice--to the outside of the interlocking plant, The westbound (inside track) signal will move to just before the trailing point switch and the eastbound (outside track) signal will move to the far left just before the facing point switch.



Better modeling through peer pressure.

[Cory Rothlisberger]

@Cory Rothlisberger is right though, if these are home signals for an interlocking, the placement makes little sense. That said, they actually operate as simulated block signals…they don’t indicate routing.

I could move them. There’d be some trauma and some bullet holes in the benchwork, but it’s not impossible. I do need to do some cost/benefit before I move all four items (the signals and detectors) and would like to know where they would make the most sense to place, given that they operate as pseudo-block occupancy signals.

Wasn't trying to bust balls, was genuinely curious. RR's did some weird things. I sure as hell am no authority on signals. Looks good either way though!

[mcjaco]

You'll be glad when that one SPF fan at a train show harps at you for 30 minutes telling you the signals are placed wrong, after 900 other people have walked by and just admired.  LOL

[Dave V]

Wasn't trying to bust balls, was genuinely curious. RR's did some weird things. I sure as hell am no authority on signals. Looks good either way though!

@Cory Rothlisberger nope, no ball-busting detected. You did the Railwire thing by asking the tough questions, and my module will be more prototypical because of it. No worries!

[Point353]

You'll be glad when that one SPF fan at a train show harps at you for 30 minutes telling you the signals are placed wrong, after 900 other people have walked by and just admired.  LOL

All the more likely if and when he relocates to PA.
Consider it being proactive.

[Dave V]

I've already completely restored the scenery. Next will be the placement of signals and detectors in their new locations.

No worries, guys, this is The Railwire at work. This is a total win. This is why I share here...think if I posted this over at the Model Railroader Forum I would have gotten anything besides attaboys?

Seriously, I'm thankful here. I think I know why I did what I did (was thinking about a signal bridge with heads facing both directions) but placing it in the dead center of the interlocking made no sense at all, as it can't protect from either direction there. This was a failure on my part to do the due diligence I normally do with research before starting a project. I was caught up in the enthusiasm of a new project.

Keep on being The Railwire and we'll all be better modelers for it!

[apudelek]

Dave, love what you're doing here.  It's going to look fantastic when it's complete. Out of curiosity with those MTT signals , is it possible to remove the heads from their posts with the wiring remaining intact and mounting them on signal bridges?  You might be able to SPF up a Bachmann signal bridge instead of going with something a bit more prototypical.  However I totally get the fragility issue with signal bridges with a portable module.  Nice work!

[Dave V]

Dave, love what you're doing here.  It's going to look fantastic when it's complete. Out of curiosity with those MTT signals , is it possible to remove the heads from their posts with the wiring remaining intact and mounting them on signal bridges?  You might be able to SPF up a Bachmann signal bridge instead of going with something a bit more prototypical.  However I totally get the fragility issue with signal bridges with a portable module.  Nice work!

LOL, I'm not gonna try to find out! They're fiber optic actually. I would not use them on a signal bridge. I have my old Alkem Scale Models kits for doing a bridge. I may try that someday.

Anyway, here's where I am now. The signal relay cases hiding the IR sensors have been moved, and the new holes for the signal masts are visible in the foam.

[Lemosteam]

OK where did the model of Gallitzin station hiding in plain sight there on the left come from? 

[Dave V]

OK where did the model of Gallitzin station hiding in plain sight there on the left come from?

That's actually an HO scale Narrow Gauge Colorado kit for the Rio Grande Southern depot at Placerville. I replaced it with a better Ragg's[sic] to Riches kit on the layout. None of the structures in the cabinet are PRR. Sorry...

[davefoxx]

Dave,

I’m really enjoying seeing you model the PRR in N scale again.  Not sure why this hits me so and certainly not to disparage your other HOn3 and N scale layouts.  Perhaps it’s nostalgia back to the days of the N scale Juniata Division HCD layout. 🙂

DFF