Seaboard Central 2.0

[seusscaboose]

mmmm.... do you have an interchange track in there somewhere?

just sayin...

how we gonna do quasi-virtual op's if ya ain't got no dern' interchange track?

[davefoxx]

mmmm.... do you have an interchange track in there somewhere?

just sayin...

how we gonna do quasi-virtual op's if ya ain't got no dern' interchange track?

I've got four tracks that go off of the layout, and, technically two are interchanges: 1) the Aberdeen & Briar Patch Ry. (ex-SOU, exx-original NS Ry.) in Aberdeen is an interchange; 2) the Aberdeen & Rockfish RR that climbs the hill and crosses over the Seaboard System ("SBD") main is an interchange; 3) the SBD junction near the lake bridge; and 4) the SBD mainline in the yard that runs off the end of the table.  That's three railroads on one HCD.  Not bad.   

Note that the SBD junction near the lake and the A&R were actually designed to allow expansion off of that corner of the layout.  (I posted a portion of the latest version of the track plan on page 5 of this thread)

DFF

P.S. Thanks for the kudos everyone.  I'm having fun building a layout again.  Now that we're settled in our new home, this one should be around for a while... thankfully.  I've learned a lot since I built the Virginia Central, so I hope to make good progress with minimal setbacks.  That said, I'm still willing to experiment with new techniques, e.g., cookie-cutter foam subroadbed and, hopefully someday, static grass.  I had a brainstorm this morning on how to set the final grade on the A&R.  Since I haven't glued the foam to the HCD yet, I can flip the foam over to get underneath it and glue the proper height blocks (i.e., shims) to the underside of the A&R track's subroadbed.

[seusscaboose]

Grout

[davefoxx]

Threw down a few more pieces of cork last night.  I'm hopeful that either tonight or tomorrow (holiday!), I can finish the cork roadbed, establish the A&R grade, glue the foam to the HCD, and begin installing track.  I would love to be running a train on the roundy-round by the end of tomorrow.  I have just enough turnouts to complete the loop.

DFF

[vt_railroad_guy]

Threw down a few more pieces of cork last night.  I'm hopeful that either tonight or tomorrow (holiday!), I can finish the cork roadbed, establish the A&R grade, glue the foam to the HCD, and begin installing track.  I would love to be running a train on the roundy-round by the end of tomorrow.  I have just enough turnouts to complete the loop.

DFF

There's nothing quite like the satisfaction of seeing a train running to motivate a person.  Can't wait to see you running trains again Dave!

VTRG

[davefoxx]

VTRG,

I agree.  If I can run a train, it's more likely I can get myself down to the train room, which often leads to accomplishing more.  Thanks!

DFF

[dwyaneward]

Looking Good, Dave.

[davefoxx]

Thanks, everyone.

Well, my first goal for this short holiday break is checked off.  I finished the cork roadbed installation this evening. It's difficult to tell from this photo, but I am short exactly four turnouts.  That will prevent me from installing the A&R line in its entirety (I have a trestle to build anyway), the passing siding in Southern Pines, and completing the yard with another crossover, but that won't slow me down much.  I have plenty to do in the meantime, and, as I pointed out earlier, I can complete the roundy-round.



Note: Bottom right in the photo is the Aberdeen & Briar Patch Ry. interchange.  At top right (and third track from the right in the yard) is the SBD mainline that continues off the end of the layout.  In the original Seaboard Central, another MR project layout, the Kitty Hawk Central, connected to this track.

We'll have to see what tomorrow brings.  I'd really like to get the loop in, but it appears some family may be stopping by tomorrow afternoon.  I'll keep you posted.

DFF

[DKS]

 

[davefoxx]

Okay, I promised to discuss the foam cookie-cutter construction that I'm experimenting with.  This morning, I flipped the 2" foam upside down on the table and glued on progressively larger foam blocks.  Luckily, I have a low temperature hot-glue gun that works great on foam.  Starting at 0" and increasing in 1/8" increments, the incline rises two full inches in approximately 75" of run.  The siding halfway up the hill is at 1-1/4" and will be level.


Then, I flipped the foam back over, and the result made it go from this . . .


to this!


Perfect!  The foam has just enough flex that this worked beautifully.

But, I'm still not ready to glue the foam to the table, because I may do some more cookie-cutting to create the grade for the road and building foundations in Aberdeen.  That area will also go from 0" to 2", so that the road crosses the tracks at grade at one end of the table and a bridge at the other end.

I'm also not starting track yet, because I need to buy some 1/8" or 1/4" masking tape to create the superelevation of the curved trackage.

Happy Independence Day!
DFF

[MVW]

Slick! Nicely done, Dave. May have to try that concept myself eventually.

Jim

[DKS]

That is very nearly identical to the method I used for the WR&N. Only difference: I cut two cookie-cutter pieces, then sawed one edgewise to make the grade supports, instead of using blocks. I could get away with it because I had almost no grades on curves.

Well done. Neat and tidy.

[GP38-2freak]

I like your work, nice to see the birth of a new layout, I've thrown away all plans of a big basement empire and will build an L-shaped layout with the rests of my "Carolina Central"- experimental layout...have been at the local hardware dealer to get the building materials....

[sizemore]

Nice Dave!

The S.

[davefoxx]

Got a little start with track this evening.  I began at the turnout in Southern Pines near the end of the layout, because I wanted to solder the joints of all three tracks to the turnout to avoid kinks here.  I also laid down six layers of masking tape cut to about 1/8"-1/4" wide strips to create some superelevation in the curved track.  At each end, I held back about 1/2" on each successive layer (in a stairstep manner) to create some vertical easements.  I really like superelevation and am optimistic that this will be worth the effort.

Will post pictures later, since there's not much to see yet.

DFF