The LIRR Industrial Service, Inc. shelf layout

[Lemosteam]

Calling all asshats. Need some help for a final decision. Earlier uptrhread, I suggested that I might add another siding to the aggregate dealer.

The atlas no. 5 was never going to allow me to make a tight enough curve. So I used some old Rail Craft C55 #4 with some rework to get to the image below. Now before you go off on the diverging route radius being too tight and a kink just before the flex, don’t fret, I have tested it with my intended gons, flats and 50’ boxcars. Not sure about my 44 tonner yet.



Should I install this guy? I think it makes the middle area and waterfront more viable, for unloading the materials into the yard, and especially for loading the barges. Intent is incoming truckloads, dump near the piles and the D5’s will push it around.

[Chris333]

Why not make your own turnout with a tight radius diverging route?

[Lemosteam]

Why not make your own turnout with a tight radius diverging route?

That’s basically what I did. That is an OLD Rail Craft skeleton pre soldered turnout. I just unsoldered the diverging rails, tightened the curve on them a little and re-soldered them.

[peteski]

John,
Even if it is functional (and reliable), it looks really ugly. Looks like something you would see someone do with sectional track.  IMO, your layout is too nice for this kludge.

[Chris333]

These turnouts in the center have a 6" radius:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/WPYMSrjWFhxaMoMR8

I just drew up a simple CAD drawing and built right over them
https://photos.app.goo.gl/RU7eWznd3iRx5Uzd6

[Lemosteam]

John,
Even if it is functional (and reliable), it looks really ugly. Looks like something you would see someone do with sectional track.  IMO, your layout is too nice for this kludge.

Pete, thanks for the opinion. Note that it’s just laying there with no ties or anything. Once I cut it into the ground, add ties, ballast it and fix the shape of the flex, no one will notice at track level.

Keep in mind the premise of the IS. It’s a DIY kinda place, not a class 1 railroad, so they installed a spur using the junk they removed when they acquired the original trackage. It’s what one would expect from a DIY ownership. Functional AND ugly, just like the rest of their equipment.

[Chris333]

I guess at regular eye level it wouldn't look so bad.

[peteski]

I guess it does look worse in the overhead shot without ties or ballast.
Was the down-vote really deserved for expressing my opinion?   

[Lemosteam]

I guess it does look worse in the overhead shot without ties or ballast.
Was the down-vote really deserved for expressing my opinion?   

Tweren’t me!

[Lemosteam]

These turnouts in the center have a 6" radius:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/WPYMSrjWFhxaMoMR8

I just drew up a simple CAD drawing and built right over them
https://photos.app.goo.gl/RU7eWznd3iRx5Uzd6

Thanks Chris, sorry I missed these. Your work is always perfection.

[peteski]

Tweren’t me!

I didn't think so.  Looks like someone fixed it.

[robert3985]

I guess it does look worse in the overhead shot without ties or ballast.
Was the down-vote really deserved for expressing my opinion?   

@peteski - Peter, no.  I zeroed you out.

I have several of the old Rail Craft hand-made turnouts and they are junk...the main reason I decided to learn to make turnouts for myself. 

After all these years of sitting in my "turnout makin's" drawer in my workbench, they've come unsoldered in several places...with nice, white powder on all the solder joints.  Too acidic of a flux is my guess...and plain ol' tin/lead solder. 

Personally, I disliked them so much that I would never use them.  I wondered at the contrast between the quality of Rail Craft flex track...and the lack of quality with their turnouts.

Good luck with it!

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[Lemosteam]

@peteski - Peter, no.  I zeroed you out.

I have several of the old Rail Craft hand-made turnouts and they are junk...the main reason I decided to learn to make turnouts for myself. 

After all these years of sitting in my "turnout makin's" drawer in my workbench, they've come unsoldered in several places...with nice, white powder on all the solder joints.  Too acidic of a flux is my guess...and plain ol' tin/lead solder. 

Personally, I disliked them so much that I would never use them.  I wondered at the contrast between the quality of Rail Craft flex track...and the lack of quality with their turnouts.

Good luck with it!

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

Robert,  that's fair, but then it fits in with the premise of the IS, i.e. old, useable junk!.  I have no desire at all to hand lay any switches.  These are really old; I picked them up at a show 20 yeas ago and they were old then!  The one I chose cleaned up pretty nicely and was in gauge. I only have a very short amount of straight to fit this in and after trimming it, it is short enough. Not sure how I am going to throw the turnout yet though.  Thinking of using an over-center spring.  I have already isolated the frog, but still thinking of how to power it or if I even need to.

[Lemosteam]

The Bucyrus kit got me rolling again so I picked up some scrap decals at the LHS to add an IS to the aggregate barge and weathered it up, added gravel and granite loads, and set it in its channel spot.







Moved the dock office, and added some coal (for the engine house) granite and gravel aggregate piles, and numbered the Bucyrus as #3

[Scottl]

Looks great as always, nice progress.  You might want to tune that turnout that is causing the derailment in the last photo