PRR/Conrail Juniata Division Engineering Report

[Dave V]

"Moreover it's springtime..."

Wha...? Where? We got a few inches more snow over this past weekend. And it's snowing again now. I'm tired of it. Please, PLEASE, make it go away.

You'll note that I then mentioned the fact that spring (and for that matter autumn) are generally indistinguishable from winter along Colorado's Front Range.  It can be 60 degrees and sunny one afternoon and by evening be in the teens with blowing snow.

[conrailthomas519]

Dave, As for me growing up in Denver, all I can say is.... There NO place like Home!  I have seen it snow in July!!

[Ian MacMillan]

Dave..I think you should add this. Could be abandoned in both PRR and CR for ya!

Courtesy of Lance Myers.

[DKS]

It can be 60 degrees and sunny one afternoon and by evening be in the teens with blowing snow.

Funny, but that pretty much describes New Jersey's 2014 winter...

[crrcoal]

Funny, but that pretty much describes New Jersey's 2014 winter...

You got that right my friend. It's been a miserable winter. Now they are calling for snow again this Tuesday. 

[Bob Bufkin]

Same here in MD but in the 60s a couple days later.  At least I've got a bunch of flowers blooming on my front walkway.  Can't wait till I can bitch about the heat.

[Ian MacMillan]

I'll be lucky if I ever see bare ground. Still a crap ton on the ground and the snowbanks taller than my truck.

[Bsklarski]

Ian, I worked White River Friday (Sharon area) and there was at least 2 feet in spots along the ROW where we were dumping rip rap

[John]

I'll be lucky if I ever see bare ground. Still a crap ton on the ground and the snowbanks taller than my truck.

they got 5-8 more inches of snow in Maine this weekend while I was up there

[Ian MacMillan]

they got 5-8 more inches of snow in Maine this weekend while I was up there

Yeah we picked up 13" from the predicted "dusting to an inch".

[Dave V]

I haven't forgotten about this awesomeness...  I spent a good part of the weekend in the train room, shaking out the cobwebs and making a few repairs.  The 15" radius curve coming off the Spruce Creek bridge looks like it'll fit with room to spare.  My thought is that middle bridge scene becomes Duncannon, geographical order be damned.

I'm wondering of there's room for any more staging tracks here.  I thought about doing the staging in Unitrack as it would be hidden behind a ridge.  I would make the switches remote-controlled.  Doug Nelson has his staging somewhat hidden and can queue 3 different trains in each direction.  Being the roundy-round bubba I am, that would be ideal for me.

Even if I could just add one more track on the inside, it could be staging for the Lewistown local, with the other 4 trains in the queue being through trains (a passenger, a coal drag, a mixed freight, and a TrucTrain, for example).

In the meantime I'm tempted to do some code 55 replacement on the main layout.  As happy as I was with the Unitrack replacement piece, now that I look at it I can see it didn't "splice" as well as I'd hoped...the curve it dropped in to replace was not a perfect 15" radius and so there are some visible discontinuities at either end of the splice.  Those discontinuities also have operational impacts.

[DKS]

It is possible to use Unitrack for the staging yard; it is also possible to add one more track--but only one more. Looks like this (Unitrack in blue):



Unitrack #4 switches are a must; otherwise track spacing makes it hard to keep four tracks, let alone have five.

[Dave V]

Interesting.  I will have to test my long wheelbase locos through the #4s on my son's layout.  What's the radius on that inside track there?

[DKS]

All of those curves are 15" radius, including the innermost one.

[Dave V]

All of those curves are 15" radius, including the innermost one.

You, sir, are a genius.