The HO Scale Delaware Avenue Branch

[perezbill]

For several years I have been looking at building a model railroad. I looked at many published plans. I drew up custom plans myself using different software to draw them up and see what would fit my available space. I have used different software such as cadrail, 3rd planit, xtracad, anyrail, and scarm, all at different times over the years. I ended up settling on 3rd planit. During the outbreak of Covid-19 in the beginning of 2020 I was laid off from work. I had a lot of free time on my hands and used that time to polish up some 3rd planit skills a little and make a final drawing for the chosen plan. The chosen plan is the Delaware Avenue Branch which was in model railroader; I believe it was March 2017's magazine. The plan is also in MR's track planning database on their website. It took me probably a good month or more to get the plan drawn out in 3rd planit the way I wanted it. I increased its area size from 9' x 12' to 13' x 17'. My scale in this case is going to be HO. Based on the original size I was not able to get switches to fit the plan in its original configuration, that is why the dimensions changed. My approach to building this plan was to 1. Get the area cleaned up where the layout would occupy. 2. Get benchwork built. 3. The plan would use hand laid switches...in this case Fast Tracks hand laid switches. The rail used is Atlas code 83 rail on everything. Now that I knew what I wanted to build I had a few needs and questions to be answered so I could start working. One of the questions concerned building Fast Tracks switches with Atlas rail. Tim Warris was extremely helpful with the answers I needed. Basically Atlas code 83 rail fits Fast Tracks code 100 fixtures. Since the base of the rail on Atlas track is the same on both code 100 and 83 I can build switches with both sizes of rail in the same fixtures.

To Be Continued....

[perezbill]

Now I have the plan, what I am going to do for switches and a person who is going to build the benchwork for me it was time to get started. Basically for me it meant a large purchase with Fast Tracks, and working with the person making my benchwork. I purchased a lot of Atlas code 83 flex track and I built all my turnouts prior to getting the benchwork completed using some of the flex track I purchased. I stripped the rail from the ties and used it in the Fast Track templates to make the switches the plan required. I am happy with the results.

To Be Continued...

[ChristianJDavis1]

Glad to see you posting, @perezbill ; keep it up and you'll be at the required post count to post pictures, which should help others visualize the layout better (for those unfamiliar with your plan). Maybe in the meantime you could talk about things like prototype, DCC system, turnout controls, or decoder choices; something you don't really need to see but you could still get advice/comments on. Maybe you could ask about that bridge you were curious about; I'm sure someone here would know.

[wm3798]

Looking forward to seeing this one.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Looking forward to seeing this one.

You said it!

[amato1969]

@perezbill what section of the branch are you focusing on?  Philadelphia has some amazing references here (scroll to the bottom for the 1940s track diagrams) -->

https://www.philageohistory.org/rdic-images/Streets/index.cfm?kw=pier&id=&dt1=&dt2=&num=100000&pg=1

  Frank

[perezbill]

The plan I am working on is from a MR article in 2017. It is not real and I am modeling it modern.

[perezbill]

Now that I can add pictures I am adding pictures of the FastTrack's items that I built. The amount of materials that I needed to purchase from FastTrack's was rather expensive when you add it all up. It was worth it to me as the only switches that seemed to fit the drawn plan were FastTrack's switches. These pictures don't fully do justice to the amount of track that I built. It was a lot but it was fun to build.

[amato1969]

Heck yea, love it !!!

[perezbill]

The next set of pictures are for the benchwork build. I had a friend who is extremely good with wood make them for me. The layout is built modularly just in case. The layout breaks down into 5' and 6' sections. The modules are made out of MDF. I topped them off with pink foam. They also got a coat of white primer just to get the wood painted.

[pedro]

Wow! Holy FastTracks! Being a customer, I know what you’ve got invested there!! Good stuff...

[CRL]

Had an old friend who insisted on painting the underside of his modules white. It made a huge difference in visibility when you were under the layout troubleshooting wiring.

[perezbill]

Sorry it has taken me so long to post here. Since my last post many things have changed in my life. About two months after my last post, I became a widower. Almost a year to the day my father-n-law passed away also. I had issues with my basement flooding, and I needed my heater fixed. It's been quite a few busy years. I got everything taken care of in the basement and now when I go down there the dust gets disturbed. It's now a very dry environment. Humidity is below 60%. I had a very close friend helping me clean the basement after it was dried out which took a long time. I am finally working on the layout again.

[perezbill]

These are some of the things I have gotten done recently.

• Basement is now dried out and humidity is below 60%.
• Basement is now cleaned up enough for me to get working on the layout again.
• Layout lighting has been added. 5000K LED lights and currently have no shadows on the layout. Bought lights from Amazon.
• I have laid down thin cork on top of the foam to deaden sound.
• I am working on the part of the layout that is identified as 17th Street Yard. https://www.trains.com/mrr/how-to/track-plan-database/ho-scale-pennsylvania-rr-delaware-avenue-branch/
• Track is being glued down.
• Some of the feeder wires are attached.
• One of the main bus wires is run.
• Wiring is soldered...no crimp connections used here.
• DCC booster is installed and wired. https://dcc-ex.com
• DCC command station is installed and wired.
• I am using Rapido electromatic uncoupler ramps for some, hard to reach areas of the layout. https://rapidotrains.com/detail-parts/railcrew.html
• For the remainder of the uncoupler magnets I am using KD under track magnets. A little dot of paint on the end of the tie will be used to mark the middle of the ramp.
• I have ordered mounts for the tortoise switch machines I am using.
• The 1st of several control panels has been built and attached to the layout.
• I picked up a mechanics stool to assist me with wiring under the layout.
• I have some LCC boards from RRCirKits on order. http://rrcirkits.com/
• I need to add the power strip under the layout to plug in everything.
• I need to label some more wiring.

For now that's all I can think of that I have done. I will post some pics.

[perezbill]

I have a few more images to post and since you can only post 10 pics per post I am making another post.