Seaboard Central 2.0

[Bsklarski]

Yup, Do it

[Jeff AKA St0rm]

I am going to have to say go for it aswell. You might be able to drop the height on that shelf easily so you don't need the grade.

[dnhouston]

Sounds like a plan!  It's a great place for staging.

[davefoxx]

The track on the A&R is installed.  Obviously, all turnouts need slide switch throws, and the frogs need powering.  But, the cork roadbed and the track are down and finished.  I've been having a blast running A&R trains up and down the hill, switching along the way.  It's cool to be able to run a train up the hill, switch, and run a different train back down to Aberdeen without any 0-5-0 action.  I never thought that I would like an out-and-back or point-to-point layout so much.  Thankfully, the SBD scratches my roundy-round itch.  This layout is really beginning to exceed the expectations that I had when I assembled the first HCD table.  Fortunately, I was able to expand the layout with minimal rearrangement of the original layout.

Raeford:


By the way, that orange box car in the picture above has been online for almost 1-1/2 years.  Tonight, it was finally able to go on to its home rails.  It's sitting on the Laurinburg & Southern interchange.

Dundarrach:


The passing siding in Dundarrach allowed me to run a Geep around these three covered hoppers and a caboose and then drop the hoppers into the siding.  Then, it was back to Raeford, where I picked up some cars and headed back to Aberdeen.  Fun, fun, fun!

DFF

[Rich_S]

Raeford:


Dundarrach:


DFF

Dave, That is pure A&R hawtness   

[jpec]

Watch out Dave...you might find that little out and back section becomes your favorite part of the layout. Taking a few cars up and down a branch for a little switching can be a great stress buster.

Jeff

[Specter3]

I dont know Dave, that water heater looks like it would be just low enough to be under the Raeford trackage if extended in that direction. By the time it gets down there it will be 3 or 4 inches above the current foam level right?  Begs to carry on across the heater.

Hmmmmmm

[davefoxx]

I had a pleasant surprise waiting for me when I got home tonight.  In a package from MBK, I received seven Bluford Shops wood chip hoppers.  Bluford Shops did a great job on these cars.  They're based on former Georgia Railroad hopper cars with homemade extensions.  The Georgia RR became part of the Seaboard System, so the other six represent repainted former GA cars.  I bought the six different numbers decorated for the SBD, plus I bought one Georgia car, which blends in nicely with the rest of the fleet and establishes the history:





I brought the loaded cars online in Dundarrach and had the A&R deliver them to the SBD in Aberdeen.  A local pulled by SBD GP18 #1057 picked up the loaded hoppers to move them down the line.     Although you would think that they would be top heavy with the raised center of gravity and those loads up high, these cars are tracking nicely on the layout.

DFF

[MichaelWinicki]

Those are pretty slick looking cars.

[sizemore]

That is so hawt.


The S.

[Rich_S]

I brought the loaded cars online in Dundarrach and had the A&R deliver them to the SBD in Aberdeen. 

DFF

Pictures or it didn't happen      Looking good Dave, looking forward to seeing the scenery progress on the new extension.

[davefoxx]

I've been making solid efforts in the trackwork and scenic forms in Hamlet this weekend.  I've installed most of the slide switch turnout throws, so I can switch cars in the yard without the points flapping in the breeze.  I'll eventually power the frogs, but the expansion is going to require at least three Hex Frog Juicers.  I haven't made that purchase yet.  I also installed the cork roadbed and tracks into the future engine facility near the yard.

Here's an overview of where I am to date: In the first picture below, the SD50s and coal train at left are on the mainline.  The two B30-7s are on Arrival/Departure Track #1 and the wood chip hoppers are on Arrival/Departure Track #2.  What you're seeing of the Arrival/Departure tracks is all that exists now.  I have to hand build two curved turnouts at the far end of these tracks to complete them.  The former SCL SD35 sits on the yard lead near the building, and the locomotive facility should be obvious.  The other tracks at right are four classification tracks.  The SCL (gray) caboose sits on the "future" caboose track (well, it sits on the cork roadbed).  I am exactly one #5 right turnout short, so that track will have to wait, which is holding up the runaround track.  But, this yard is fun to operate already, even as incomplete as it is.



To fit the tracks to the locomotive facility in, I had to do a lot of sculpting and cutting the hill back.  This led to me to taking the opportunity to cut in road access to the yard.  I also put the Lee's former commissary building up on a hill to keep the cabooses on the caboose track from being shoved through inadvertently.



DFF

[Chris333]

I like the raised building and sloped road leading down to the yard. This area just looks very "railroady" to me. 

[davefoxx]

Thanks, Chris!   A major piece still missing is the highway bridge that will cross over the mainline back in the corner.  I also am really glad that I decided to raise the building.  It lessens the steepness of the hill and gets the building above the tracks.  Between the hill and the highway bridge, I think I'll be successful in separating Aberdeen and Hamlet visually.

DFF

[Scottl]

Dave, this is really coming along nicely.   I am amazed how different (and larger) the layout and mainline run seem with the addition.  Really great.