Tehachapi, BC

[Cajonpassfan]

Drove through Tehachapi (CA) today, on the way home from Yosemite.
The place looked like Ireland, green and lush and beautiful, although quite windy.
Explained to my sweet wife this detour via Tehachapi and Cajon made more sense than fighting outbound LA traffic
And it did. The museum in Tehachapi was unfortunately closed (Tuesdays and Wednesdays). The chili size at Kelcey's was as good as ever...
Fun day.
Otto K.

[GaryHinshaw]

Drove through Tehachapi (CA) today, on the way home from Yosemite.

I've never actually been to the Pass in spring - it could change my plan to model the tinder-dry late summer.  Here's a recent shot showing the emerald landscape, but note how the south facing (left-facing) slopes are already turning brown.

[ednadolski]

I've never actually been to the Pass in spring - it could change my plan to model the tinder-dry late summer.

Mid/Late April is typically best for the Spring green. I've been fortunate enough to have visited the area several times during the Spring and it has always been amazing:

http://www.railpictures.net/images/d1/4/5/6/7456.1123116000.jpg

This shot is a long-time fav of mine, but pics can't really do justice to the experience of seeing it first hand.

Ed

[GaryHinshaw]

Oh I have lived through many green springs in the Bay Area and the Sierra foothills, and it is amazing!  Just never in Tehachapi proper.  But the golden hills dotted with deep green live oaks have their own allure, for inexplicable reasons.  I guess it's my primal landscape.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Mid/Late April is typically best for the Spring green. I've been fortunate enough to have visited the area several times during the Spring and it has always been amazing:

http://www.railpictures.net/images/d1/4/5/6/7456.1123116000.jpg

This shot is a long-time fav of mine, but pics can't really do justice to the experience of seeing it first hand.

Ed

That photo REALLY drives home how tight the loop is. That's nuts.

[Hamaker]

The Loop.....my old stomping grounds. Hundreds of trip to it.  Miss it greatly.

[GaryHinshaw]

That photo REALLY drives home how tight the loop is. That's nuts.

Check out the drone videos that the other ed...ski posted.  Especially around 1:30 in the first one.   It's nothing to have a single train stretched out through more than 480° of curvature.

[ednadolski]

That photo REALLY drives home how tight the loop is.

1150 feet diameter (man, I love google maps  )

(the other) Ed...ski

[Cajonpassfan]

Well, that would be a ten degree curve, very tight by mainline standards.
Of course in N, that's an 86" diameter, I believe
Otto K.

[Cajonpassfan]

I've never actually been to the Pass in spring - it could change my plan to model the tinder-dry late summer.  Here's a recent shot showing the emerald landscape, but note how the south facing (left-facing) slopes are already turning brown.

Lol. Yes, Yosemite, Techachapi and Cajon, all in one day in Spring.
Gary, one thing to consider about the season is that the colors change with elevation this time of year. The valley and lower elevations are green, the summit is still barren. I'm attempting co capture that on my Cajon layout. And yes the golden grass and dark green oaks have their own beauty...
Have fun with whatever you choose...
Otto

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Check out the drone videos that the other ed...ski posted.  Especially around 1:30 in the first one.   It's nothing to have a single train stretched out through more than 480° of curvature.

Good lord.

It really DOES look like someone's Lionel layout...

[ednadolski]

It really DOES look like someone's Lionel layout...

Or G scale:

http://thetehachapiloopingscale.weebly.com/outdoor-layout.html

(Now that's a place to use anchor bolt cement for tunnel portals!  )

[jagged ben]

Or G scale:

http://thetehachapiloopingscale.weebly.com/outdoor-layout.html

(Now that's a place to use anchor bolt cement for tunnel portals!  )

 

[eric220]

Or G scale:

http://thetehachapiloopingscale.weebly.com/outdoor-layout.html

(Now that's a place to use anchor bolt cement for tunnel portals!  )

That's on my "If I win the lottery" shortlist, right behind owning some PV: a #1 gauge PRR outdoor layout.  I'm thinking 10 acres or so...  Of course, depending on the size of the jackpot, that quickly goes to making something a bit bigger that I can ride on...

It's fun to dream.

[GaryHinshaw]

A Tale of Two Tunnels - The ballast crew has reached Tunnel 9 (the Loop tunnel) and that has forced the Engineering department to finally come up with a "concrete" plan for tunnel liners and portals on TBC. 

Since the tunnels are all short, and most can be peered into, I am going to fully line them.  (It will also look cool when onboard video becomes standard fare.)  I think the best way to go is to build a custom form for each tunnel and cast them in plaster.  Here is an in-progress shot of the form for Tunnel 9:



The arches are Shapeways parts that I'm using as a size guide, but they will be removed before casting.  The wood strips are the nominal surface of the mould, though I might use styrene strips in place of wood before I'm done.  Any words of wisdom about casting something this large?  Should I be worried about shrinkage?  I'll probably make the lining at least half an inch thick everywhere.

For the portals, I have two options right now: 1) cast them in plaster, or 2) use the Shapeways parts from the DallesHostler, for example his Tunnel 16 west in white, strong & flexible.  Here is a sample comparison, plaster on the left, Shapeways on the right:



The plaster one is a sample that @ednadolski sent me many moons ago that I have finally gotten around to working with.  He also sent me the master he used for casting it.  (Thanks again Ed!!) 

The Shapeways portals are all custom designed for each of the unique Tehachapi tunnels - which is great - but they lack much in the way of surface detail, such as form board gaps, etc.  I tried to scribe those into the sample above before I finished it, and I think the effect is ok (certainly good enough for the 3-foot rule), but the end result is still a bit too pristine for me.  The plaster casting has much better surface detail, but I always find finishing plaster to be a bit hit or miss, depending on how the density works out.  I do like how this one turned out though, so I think I have convinced myself to cast them all. 

I do like the sizing of the Shapeways liner (16' wide), so I think I will redo Ed's master to that size opening, but otherwise I think plans are in place.  Now to execute them.  Of course each portal will be custom made to the unique shape of the prototype - the above plaster sample is just a test case.

I've been looking forward to this part of the build for a long time!  Here are a few more shots of the portals resting in place:





Any tips on how to finish them to look like this?