PRR/Conrail Juniata Division Engineering Report

[wm3798]

The three tracks in front of the view block should include the river running along side it, with the view block being the ridge rising beyond the track.  You could put one of those ubiquitous river side fishing camps like the ones that speckle the line between Marysville and Newport.

Lee

[MichaelWinicki]

I've been thinking about that but I also want staging to be as reliable and as hands-off as possible, and I don't feel like the Atlas code 55 switches are that right now.  Peco curved turnouts have too broad a radius to be of much use.

EDIT:  Does anyone know more about the geometry of these guys?

Dave if you put out the call I wouldn't be surprised if one of the hand-laid track masters wouldn't built you a couple curved code 55 turnouts for a reasonable sum.

You'll come to appreciated the extra length.



 

[davefoxx]

^ Heh, that, and I don't believe that each yard track will be seven feet long without using curved turnouts.  The yard ladders will eat into the length of those tracks.  You might get seven feet on the first two tracks but not the others.

DFF

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Two thoughts about locomotive shops:

1. Don't make it part of the layout if it doesn't belong. Make it its own thing. Maybe a oNeTRAK module, maybe some TTRAK modules, maybe an actual NTRAK module, maybe just a lump of foam surrounded by some 1x4s. I'm betting you'd find it handy to have something transportable for things like the PRR T&HS event, shows, etc...

2. If you insist on making it part of the layout:
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=424664
http://www.railpictures.net/photo/247859/
http://www.railpictures.net/photo/283009/
http://www.railpictures.net/photo/246818/

[davefoxx]

Two thoughts about locomotive shops:

1. Don't make it part of the layout if it doesn't belong. Make it its own thing. Maybe a oNeTRAK module, maybe some TTRAK modules, maybe an actual NTRAK module, maybe just a lump of foam surrounded by some 1x4s. I'm betting you'd find it handy to have something transportable for things like the PRR T&HS event, shows, etc...

2. If you insist on making it part of the layout:
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=424664
http://www.railpictures.net/photo/247859/
http://www.railpictures.net/photo/283009/
http://www.railpictures.net/photo/246818/

Just to be clear, in my previous posts, I'm really only talking about staging tracks for locomotives for @Dave Vollmer's situation, despite my use of the words, "shops."

DFF

[Dave V]

I might need some handlaid curved code 55 turnouts for sure if I got this route.

I'm really not sure about this "shops" idea, with or without a building.

EDIT:  It sounds like the Atlas curved turnouts can be "tuned" to some degree...  Little jumper wires at the hinges and soldering the frog power directly to the frog.  Any ideas on the sloppy throwbar?

[Dave V]

Then there's @Chris333's plan from page 103...   

[MichaelWinicki]

Any ideas on the sloppy throwbar?

I've got 125 Atlas code 55 turnouts and I'm not sure what mayhem the sloppy throwbar is suppose to cause...

The Atlas design hasn't caused me any headaches.

Now I will say I've had two turnouts where one of the points "rode high" when pressed against the rail, but that was solved using a very, very small shim that M.C. suggested in one of his threads... If that's a throwbar issue then I've had two of them... and it's easy to fix.

[MichaelWinicki]

Chris did a great job on that!

But I personally think the present Enola configuration, even with extending the tracks a little is a lost cause for the exact reasons Dave has posted about previously... tracks too short for staging... and so on.

If you're going to have staging double-ended tracks are the way to go if possible.  Plus this plan recaptures the "cluttered" feel, even more so than having a small town where the Enola yard is.

[Dave V]

True enough.  I need run-through, not stub-end, staging.

[Dave V]

Also, just to manage expectations, no actual benchwork or tracklaying will happen until the Colorado Midland is fully operational and mostly scenicked.

[wazzou]

Also, just to manage expectations, no actual benchwork or tracklaying will happen until the Colorado Midland is fully operational and mostly scenicked.

Just make sure you update this thread. 

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Also, just to manage expectations, no actual benchwork or tracklaying will happen until the Colorado Midland is fully operational and mostly scenicked.

Why?

I understand this desire.


But you've gotta follow your heart. If you're in a PRR mood this week, do PRR stuff. When the CM fancy strikes, do CM!

[Dave V]

I have enough Pennsy projects to satisfy the mood.  Besides, I want to have at least one finished N scale layout on hand at any given time...

In terms of Pennsy projects, besides rolling stock and motive power projects, now I get to build VIEW tower and Sherman's Creek bridge!

Thinking for the crossovers on the bridge I might go ME #6s because they have springs on the throws.

[davefoxx]

Thinking for the crossovers on the bridge I might go ME #6s because they have springs on the throws.

Do you have to do the crossovers on the bridge, or are you trying to replicate the prototype?

DFF