Delaware & Hudson - Champlain Division

[coldriver]

Coldriver,
Thanks for that.
I plan on using Portholes along the fascia to see where the train is as it is a long run. (close to 15 meters from staging to the main deck)

I will find a pic and post what I mean..

I've seen your portholes so no need.  I had pretty much the exact same situation as you with a long lower deck approach to the staging yard.  As long as the track is close to the edge (like you have it), and you're not planning on any major switching or trackwork you really don't need much in the way of vertical clearance and the scene doesn't need to be particularly deep (even 20 cm will get you there).  I scenicked mine which added a significant run to the mainline (doesn't an additional 15 meters of mainline sound enticing?) and I even added a full length siding for meets.   Because the scene won't be all that deep you really don't need much lighting (I ran a couple strings of rope lights) and the scenery doesn't need to be anything amazing either.  The downside is that you pretty much have to finish the scene before starting the upper deck and if you're like me you couldn't wait for that.  But I curbed my enthusiasm long enough to scenic the staging approach and it really added to the layout operation.  Just before the staging yard begins I added a backdrop across the staging approach track to seperate scenicked mainline from unscenicked staging.     

[coldriver]

Here's how what I described in my last post came out. 

007a by coldrvr, on Flickr

By the time you get to the tunnel the vertical difference between the tracks on the upper deck and lower deck (staging approach track) is only 20 cm, the opening between upper and lower fascia is only 10 cm, and the depth of the scene is 20 cm (but you could easily get away with 15 cm or even less).  That's certainly not enough space to build a town or add an industry, but it's plenty to scenic a basic straight mainline (plus I even squeezed in a siding for meets) close to the aisle.  No operational issues at all from the small space. 

[bdennis]

Guys,
Just a quick update.
The staging track work and electricals including block management and turnout management is now completed.
I have also load tested the 2% grade and all worked perfectly!..
http://dh2ndsub.blogspot.com.au/
Here is 24 car train leaving North staging heading up the 2% grade.


Here is the same train at the top of the grade. (Where the track currently finishes. It will take approx. 3 to 4 minutes for the train to travel (an normal speed) from staging to the main deck on the Northern side.



Now to the next deck.

[Philip H]

Nice trackwork - and nice locos.

[bdennis]

All,
Here is the next instalment of work on the D&H.

I have added backing boards to the backs of the approach tracks to create a view block when looking through the portholes that will be in the fascia.
I have also started on the main deck and installed 3 new small / cheap digital Volt / amp meters...

http://dh2ndsub.blogspot.com.au/
This is the main deck between Ft Ann and Plattsburgh.


This is a few of some of the backing boards.


And finally the volt / Amp meters monitoring the power supplies that power the DCS100 and the other 2 for all the loconet devices..
This is a temporary location for the meters until the fascia is installed.

[bdennis]

Wow.. It has been a while since I placed an update here..
The D&H has been progressing well with all staging and all the main line now installed.
All staging and turnouts in staging are wired up.
Now to complete the track power and main line turnout wiring..
Hopefully big wheels will roll around the entire layout in about a week or 2 time.
http://dh2ndsub.blogspot.com.au/

Please visit my blog to see the work that has been completed in the last month or so.

[bdennis]

Here is another update on the progress of the layout..
All the main line is installed and trains are running.
I have now installed the main yard at Whitehall (before I ran out of turnouts!)..
I have also installed 8 tortoise machines in the South end of the main yard and have 13 ready to install on the North end.

Here are a few progress pictures.
The standard train length for the layout is 2 x 6 axle loco's (or 3 x 4 axle) + 20 x 50ft box cars and a caboose. The train that is in the yard has 3 x 4 axle loco's (C 420's) + 2 x 40 ft box cars (track cleaners) + 21 x 90 ton hoppers + a caboose. So as you can see it is a bit longer than the standard train length but still fits into track 3 of the yard.


Whitehall South end. (Tortoise machines installed)


Whitehall North end with tortoise machines at the ready


Here is a short video (well 14 minutes) of a cab ride around the layout (that was taken before the Whitehall yard was installed).

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Thanks for checking in!

[Baronjutter]

This is a really nice layout.  I love long mainlines.  We tend to want to pack so much into our layouts as space is precious, but you seem to have just enough space to get some nice long lonely mains. 

[OldEastRR]

Think about holding off on doing the porthole fascia until you've run some operations. Those unscenicked areas of the lower level approach routes might seem tedious after you run on them for a while. If so, it'd be easier to scenic them without having to remove the fascia. If you decide not to,  just install the portholes as planned. To me, those long closed in spaces looked like subway tunnels. At least, watching them through the cab camera they did.

[bdennis]

OldEastRR,
Thanks for the tip.. I will see how things go when I add the fascia.. The portholes will be short and wide to enable around 500mm of width so the train can be seen and managed if it comes off the track..

[bdennis]

Ah the satisfaction of rolling your own!.
This week I installed my first hand laid turnout. I used the fasttracks quicksticks on this one as it came with the jig.. In the future I will use individual ties and will use a Proto87 tie jig for spacing of the ties.

Here are a few pics of the Build #1


Also a short video on my blog.
http://dh2ndsub.blogspot.com.au/

[bdennis]

Time for a quick update on the D&H Champlain Division.

A fair bit of work has been completed over the last month or so including the issues with the dreaded Acid based flux on my hand laid turnouts.! (now resolved)

All trackwork and subsequent tortoise machines, block detection etc have been completed in Whitehall, Willsboro and Plattsburgh.

Here are a few pictures of the completed town of Whitehall.


The loco facility is well overloaded, however I wanted to see what capacity it has.


Here is a wide shot of Whitehall on the left and Willsboro on the right.


Willsboro

Trackwork at Plattsburgh is also completed




This weekend I completed the track work at Saratoga Springs



I now need to add the track power at Saratoga Springs plus the tortoise machines.

See my blog for more info and pictures.
http://dh2ndsub.blogspot.com.au/

[bdennis]

A fair bit of work has been done on the layout since my last post.

I recently created a few video's of the layout as a cab ride. here they are.
If you have the bandwidth, the video's are in full HD. So be sure to click on the settings and choose 480p or 720p

Here is a full layout tour.

Here is a cab ride from Whitehall up to North Creek.

For more info check out my blog.
http://dh2ndsub.blogspot.com.au/

[Jeff AKA St0rm]

Great videos. Keep up the good work.

[Pesto]

I watched the second video, as my father grew up in the North Creek area and I have been there many times.  I really liked the length of the run and think it will be even more immersive once more of the scenery is in place!

Other comments/observations:
1. Getting to ride behind the Sharks--how fun!  The sound really makes a difference in imparting a sense of realism.
2. Very happy not to see or hear any giant full-sized humans during the run.  A lot of layout videos have people poking their head into the frame or talking off-camera about some random thing or other, and it really destroys the illusion a video should be trying to create IMO.  Glad to see you did not do this.
3. Felt nervous going over the bridge  (is that the bridge over the upper Hudson?) after passing through the backdrop, though there is no real danger.
4. Thank heavens for those hidden helper locos behind the camera at Saratoga Springs 
5. Was disappointed to end the journey pulling into North Creek.  I found myself wishing you were going to model the long-abandoned spur up to Tahawus too!


In short I enjoyed the video a lot and look forward to further developments on your D&H.