Mill Street: Boston & Maine Branchline

[garethashenden]

Revisiting this after a while I'm realizing that I'm not that happy with the initial concept. I actually really don't like switching, so having a point to point layout wasn't the best idea. As a result I have reimagined this as a continuous run. 30"x42" or 45", probably not 48" I don't think I have that much space. This will still be modular, split down the middle in two 15" wide sections. There will be a town section on one side and a country section on the other. The Mill will be in the middle, probably on a lift out so that it can be removed before the layout is split. I don't know that it can fit otherwise. Planing on a siding and junction in the town section, with a station, tower, and fuel dealer. The bridge will be in the country section. I think there should be room for the mill pond and dam in this version, with the outflow of the dam flowing under the bridge. I have sketched this out in Atlas Code 55 track. In reality it will still be handlaid code 40. So a few things to bear in mind when looking at the sketch; the curved turnouts will be shorter and tighter, the track in the scenic section will be a little curvier, and the three tracks in the town section will all extend off scene. I may also revise the era back to the late '40s to have more steam, but that's dependent on having the steam engines built...

What do you think?

[Chris333]

Man I swear couldn't build a layout that I couldn't just let trains run on.

[garethashenden]

A revision. Added a freight house track. Pretty pleased with it overall.

[Chris333]

Do it!

[garethashenden]

The mill spur needs some adjustment. I put too much of a curve into it.



Other than that I'm happy enough to carry on. Looking forward to a place to run these:


And the revised trackplan. Hope to start construction tomorrow

[davefoxx]

Man I swear couldn't build a layout that I couldn't just let trains run on.

Me, too.  I am the roundy-round king.  So, @garethashenden, I say, "Let it happen, cap'n."

DFF

[DKS]

I am the roundy-round king.

If that's true, then you'd better make room on that throne for a few more of us.

[wm3798]

I've got three running the loops right now!

[CRL]

I’ll certainly have a continuous run option, even though it may be loop to loop instead of roundly round, because sometimes you just want to sit back & watch ‘em roll. But if I did end up with a roundly round, I’d prefer to cycle through a staging yard where the trains alternated appearances.

[garethashenden]

Some progress has been made. I got the basic frame done, and some bracing, all from 3/4" ply. Not the highest grade, but it was free. I need to attack some of the braces and edges with a jigsaw to make the river valley. In the meantime I've been ordering stuff. Always the best part of any new project. I've been unsure if I want to handlay all the track or just the turnouts, but I ordered some code 40 flex from Micro Engineering. I thought it would be best to use flex, it will get me up and running much faster. I've also ordered a couple bridges and buildings along with some static grass and equipment. I want to say that I now have everything I need, but that's probably not true. I also have a very dedicated assistant. She may prove to be problematic.

[Chris333]

I'm more excited than the cat! 

[Cajonpassfan]

Yea, why are you wasting time on your silly trains when you could be petting me?😼

[garethashenden]

Further progress, things have actually been glued down! I have put down plywood under the areas that will have track and the template is currently attached with double sided tape. I started making a turnout, it took a couple of tries to get the frog right but a track rolls through smoothly, so that's reassuring. It looks like I either need new Pliobond or an alternative adhesive. Half the ties I attached have since fallen off. But they can be reattached. I was probably being too impatient.



I have had a bit of a setback with the bridge though. I built a skewed bridge, unfortunately the redesigned layout has the river flowing in the other direction. I can get away with a straight through bridge and with that in mind I ordered another kit from eBay. I'm not sure if it was mislisted or if they just sent the wrong thing, but the kit that arrived is HO. The seller is quite responsive about the return, but if they don't have the N scale kit I'm not entirely sure what to do for a replacement. This is the Central Valley Pratt Truss kit. I'd really like to have a through truss bridge but I don't like any of the other options. Atlas' bridges all seem too small, the Walthers Arched Pratt truss looks a little odd somehow, probably just that there aren't many arched truss bridges around here, whereas there are lots of flat topped bridges. The Walthers double track bridge is a possibility, if it can be single tracked. I may buy one just to see. If anyone has an unbuilt Traincat Pratt Truss they no longer want, that would be ideal...
Or I could go with a wooden trestle/girder/covered bridge combination a la Bennington:

That would be an interesting solution to the situation.

[Angus Shops]

I’m a big fan of your sweeping, curving, trackwork. It’s going to be beautiful. If I might suggest: Adding a few more copper clad ties at stress points such as where you will eventually gap the rails (I like to have two copper ties on each side of the gap (I also notice you haven’t added any ties beyond the frog)). And a couple of more ties to shorten the spaces between the existing ties. I’d also think about moving the tie the last tie where the point rails are soldered to the tie a couple of ties closer to the frog to allow the point rails to flex a little easier and reduce the stress on the throw bar solder joint. A lot of better modellers than me here on TRW advocate for hinged point rails and/or a more flexible connection at the throw bar, but I do it your way and don’t really have a problem. And cut the gaps in the ties and test for shorts before you go too much further.

You can use pliobond, or do what I do about 1/2 the time: install the switches without the wood ties and slip them in afterwards. The advantage for me is that all the trackwork can be installed and test run; it’s easier to fix any rail gauge faults or electrical bugs without hundreds of wood ties getting in the way.

The Central Valley bridges are really nice; I hope you can find one. Most of the other commercially available through truss bridges don’t look very ‘North American’ to my eye. The covered bridge wood would be stylish as well…. You could build your own. I’ve build 3 through truss bridges using an old article in “Bridges and Buildings for Model Railroads”. This particular bridge is a big one, probably bigger than you need at 140 feet, but the best part of this particular article is that it shows how to break the complex model up into easy to construct components. The article is old enough that it talks about building it from cardstock, but it’s even easier to use strip styrene instead. You could adapt the techniques for a smaller bridge - it would still be a big project, but worth it for a signature scene.

I’m looking forward to seeing this progress.

[davefoxx]

@garethashenden,

Regarding that Pliobond, have you tried the trick that is taught on the FastTracks videos?  Once the ties have been glued to the rails, take a soldering iron and apply heat to the rails.  If you listen closely, you will hear a slight sizzle.  According to FastTracks, that's the Pliobond vulcanizing.  Once you hear the sizzle, move on down the rail.  I've had no problems with Pliobond failing when this was done.

Hope this helps,
DFF