WM Western Lines Engineering Report

[wm3798]

Dave, this is one of those instances where form has to follow function.  The helix is exposed so I can monitor progress up or down, and reach in from below to deal with any calamities.   My preference would be to pull the yard scenery over the whole thing, but at this stage, I'm content with the compromise.  The goal is to have a few other locales on the layout that are more conducive to photography...

And yes, MC, so far the pen clickers I've installed have performed well.  I typically stretch the pen spring out a bit, maybe an extra 1/8 to 1/4" to increase the pull back.  (The mechanical clicker holds the push position tight).  Also, since there are two connection points between the pen and the points, you can crawl around and use the screw posts to make minor adjustments down the line if needed.

Phil, I'm working on rigging up some sort of signal to indicate red if the points at the top of the helix aren't aligned properly.

Lee

[davefoxx]

Dave, this is one of those instances where form has to follow function.  The helix is exposed so I can monitor progress up or down, and reach in from below to deal with any calamities.   My preference would be to pull the yard scenery over the whole thing, but at this stage, I'm content with the compromise.  The goal is to have a few other locales on the layout that are more conducive to photography...

Fair enough, but one question comes to mind: When have you ever been intimidated by hidden trackage?   

[wm3798]

The hidden trackage isn't that big a deal... The main issue is a 32" diameter loop under a 24" deep yard.  If I pulled the yard all the way out, it would be harder to reach back in, it would visually clog Greenwood and the west yard throat, and also block up the dispatcher's desk more than it already is.  Believe me, I've thought this corner out for 4 years before I even started building it.

Tonight I ground gooped around the area a bit.  There's still more to do, so it's not really ready for prime time photography.  But stay tuned.  Maybe by next week's update it'll be in more or less finished form.

I'm amazed it's ended up as presentable as it is!

Lee

[wm3798]

Fast freight AJ-2 clears the tunnel at Greenwood, heading eastbound toward the Casselman River and Ridgeley yard.



View across the Greenwood cut and the helix overlook.

Working on the base scenery for downtown Greenwood now.  Just waiting for the liquor license for the Hard Hat to be approved!

Lee

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Very nice. The Hard Hat? Even better...

What did you use for the rock face in the back there? I need to do some rocks on the shelf, and that looks like a good technique for what I need.

[wm3798]

I used ... wait for it... rocks.

When I went out to Hancock over the summer, I scooped up a big pile of mud shale from the side of the ROW.  I set it into the sculptamold, stuff in some ground cover, and wash it with thinned white glue.

I've added some more ground foam since I took those shots.
Lee

[davefoxx]

Lee,

Ed may actually be referring to the "goop" or tinted Sculptamold that you used on the hill over the helix, because he asked about the rock face "in the back there."

DFF

[wm3798]

That's not even done yet...  It will get a similar treatment, though.  Tinted sculptamold, pressed in rocks, ground foam.  That piece will be removable so I can peek inside the helix when needed.

Lee

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I was talking about the stuff back above the caboose.

[wm3798]

That's just blue foam, coarsely shaped, with enough of a schmear of sculptamold on it to hold it together.  It's nowhere near finished.

Lee

[wm3798]

Thanks to my ADD and some unsupervised play time while my wife was in class, I started monkeying around with the lay of the land for Cumberland.

Thanks to some research via Google Maps, and some field photography from my friend Paul Hutter, a Cumberpatch local, I'm beginning to assemble some ideas.

The first thing that became apparent was the need for a more efficient run around track, since all of the industries are located on switch back spurs.  So I dug around in the track box, and found a few remaining turnouts to press into service.



It's comprised of #5 turnouts, one left coming out of the curve, and a right.  While this crossover is between the two mains, it is not a controlled crossover, and is only to be used for run around moves by the local crew.  Thru traffic will almost always run through right hand rail, so there won't be many occasions for picking points coming out of the curve.

With that installed, I cut some foam to form a mock up of the industrial tracks behind the Cumberland Station.  Utilizing one of the many wye tracks in my collection, I came up with the following:


The plan is quasi-prototypical, with the newspaper plant right behind the station.  By my era, I'm not sure whether it was receiving paper by rail, but in my world it is.  Also, I know there was a freight house near the station, and I'm sure there were other industries served by rail in this vicinity.  I plan to build a freight house in the style of the one still standing at Hillen Street in Baltimore.  The industries could be any kind of down townie warehouse or manufacturing places, not sure yet.

Anyway, this configuration will join the B&O interchange, the brewery, and the PPG plant already proposed for Cumberland.  This will be another destination for a busy traveling switcher.

Stay tuned for further developments.
Lee

[ndwolf68]

Wow!    Very nicely done.  I skimmed thru many of the pixes and will make a more thorough go-thru when I get home.  Thanks for sharing your journey.

I've still got a lot of pink & plywood showing, but Sculptamold and scenery aren't too far off.

[sizemore]

I like it. Who makes the stand-in WM warehouse buildings they look pretty neat?

The S.

[Dave V]

Lee,

Having worked Cumberland the one and only time I've "played trains" on the WM, I think the improvements you've made are spot-on!  Good call!

[seusscaboose]

you need an SBVR interchange... although technically it is in Greenspring.. down the road a little...

how else are we going to ferry cars between the two layouts?

I can use the WM Interchange in Sandy Springs...   

what say YOU?

 

p.s that reminds me... i need a M&O interchange...