CSX Hanover Subdivision

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Love it. Looking forward to watching It take shape.

[wm3798]

I like this a lot.  But we're going to have to talk about eras and paint schemes...



What is this CSX everyone talks about?  Sounds like a bacteria!

Lee

[mu26aeh]

I like this a lot.  But we're going to have to talk about eras and paint schemes...



What is this CSX everyone talks about?  Sounds like a bacteria!

Lee

Don't worry Lee, I have given thought to have this as a dual era layout, I grew up at the Granite Station Rd crossing and seen many a Western Maryland and Chessie System locomotives.  I do have some cars/locos from the 70/80's era, and most of the points on the layout can function at any time frame.

Here is a shot from RR picture archives showing WM and Reading units at Gettysburg, not quite sure though where that photo was shot at ...
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2702277

And here is Western Maryland in Hanover with CSX
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3701429

[mu26aeh]

I finally got around to getting a clear coat on these two.  I only did the decals two years ago.  These will patrol the branch line between York/Spring Grove and Hanover.

Gettysburg Units by mu26aeh, on Flickr

Depending on Lee's memory, these may look familiar.  They have CN-GP decoders hard wired underneath the hoods.

[wm3798]

Ah yes.  Those do look familiar!  Nice!

[mu26aeh]

A couple of packages were on the porch from wm3798 when I got home today.  After some minor repairs from the apparently rough trip, I situated the power plant and warehouse on the layout.  Power plant is probably in its place, just have to get the coal pier installed.


20150226_205123 by mu26aeh, on Flickr

The warehouse may or may not stay here.  Could move to where the spackle is, which will be on other side of scenic divider.  One issue that will add to operational instances will be that the company has been around since the times of 40' boxcar, given the door spacing.  With new 50' cars, only two of the doors can be utilized at any time.


20150226_205207 by mu26aeh, on Flickr

[mu26aeh]

With snow and freezing rain for most of the day, it was a good time to stay in the basement.  I decided I liked the track arrangement so up it all came, roadbed down, track back down and ready to roll.  Time to fit the buildings in and make it flow.  Here's a distant helicopter view to get the whole scene.

20150301_191151 by mu26aeh, on Flickr

I need to figure something out on the far left, behind the machine shop.  Need to decide whether the plant gets chips delivered ( I don't have any chip cars ) or pulpwood ( I do have those cars  )  Thinking I can have a small pile at the far left, and have a front end loader with grapple to load a bin, and conveyor towards the top of the tan building, like in Spring Grove PH Gladfelter.

http://davecathell.tripod.com/sg4.jpg

Some other great pictures and information on PH Gladfelter here:

http://davecathell.tripod.com/sg.html

I also got about 8' of divider done for Hagerstown and Hanover, can see that in the lower half of picture, as well as some fascia installed and painted, and 2 UP5 panels installed.  Hoping that will be part of next weekends work.

[Scottl]

I really like how this has come together.  Great stuff.

[Jeff AKA St0rm]

You know what they say. If you don't got it buy it. There are lots of nice chip cars out there. 

[mu26aeh]

I worked on Hagerstown Yard today.  Only had one day to work in basement this weekend thanks to snow on Thursday.  Shut us down, so we had to work Saturday. 

In order to continue with the branch line, I will have to get Porters Sideling figured out.  But before I can do that, I needed to get the track laid for the approach to staging which exits at the south end of Hagerstown Yard since that will be in a "trench", out of sight from Porters.  Here is a chopper view of the trackage heading into staging.  The branch from Porters will cross overhead via a modified Atlas plate girder that I cut down the middle and moved the halves off center to create an angled bridge, seen on the left.

20150308_205054 by mu26aeh, on Flickr

Here is the view coming out of staging, thinking of having an overpass here to hide the hole in the wall.

20150308_205306 by mu26aeh, on Flickr

After getting the track from staging settled, it was on like donkey kong !  I cut my sheet cork, and laid out the yard track by track from one end to the other, so I could avoid having tracks not meeting on the opposite end.  I did have to get a slight S curve on one track next to the 4 cars in this picture, but it's not too bad.  I will test things out and if need be, relay that section to get rid of it.

20150308_202237 by mu26aeh, on Flickr

And here is a final shot, showing a few engines resting in their future home.

20150308_202219 by mu26aeh, on Flickr

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Looks good, but... Code 80?

[OldEastRR]

What brand turnouts are you using? I can't quite identify them.

[mu26aeh]

Sorry to say but yes Ed K, it's code 80. I've got too much money wrapped in track to buy all new at this point.  So unless someone ponies up some 55 on the cheap...

They are Atlas switches. Some are remote ones with the motors removed, if the two nubs on side is what is throwing you off, that is where it would be screwed in place.

[basementcalling]

I like the curve in the middle of the yard, but not the one on the caboose track. The tracks you have beat the ones you cannot lay.

[Dave V]

Sorry to say but yes Ed K, it's code 80. I've got too much money wrapped in track to buy all new at this point.  So unless someone ponies up some 55 on the cheap...

They are Atlas switches. Some are remote ones with the motors removed, if the two nubs on side is what is throwing you off, that is where it would be screwed in place.

I'm obviously not going to ding anyone on code 80...

However, might I recommend Peco turnouts if the funds can be procured?   They're not perfect either by a long shot, but the internal spring alone makes them worthwhile.  I think they're also more reliable than the few Atlas "Custom Line" code 80 turnouts I've used.  No switch motors needed.