CSX Hanover Subdivision

[mu26aeh]

Adam: I've got the stencil. Will bring along when I next visit.

Awesome !

[mu26aeh]

I got to messing around with some switching the other night and came to the realization that switching AgCom might not work real well.  Just past the switch starts a 2% uphill grade on a reverse curve halfway up the grade.  After doing some building placement as well, and talking to a few fellow  's, I just need more room to convey the site !  So I had this, with @wm3798 's module against the wall against an area that I was going to depict Maryland Cup in Owings Mills.

20160827_183117[1] by Adam Henry, on Flickr

I took the module and moved it elsewhere for now, and took off the section that was going to be Maryland Cup.  Felt that it just didn't make sense right there at entrance to staging and MMID siding/interchange.  I removed fascia and cut foamboard on either side of track.  I was able to save the entire section of the grade and will use that on the extension.  I cut it right in the middle of the grade and where the curve starts to reverse.  I can add a short, straight, level section between the two curves now, and can extent the scene/sidings at AgCom probably about 8" up to a foot if I max it out, but then am back at problem of trying to switch on a grade.  Here is where I stand now. 

20160827_195531[1] by Adam Henry, on Flickr

Did I mention I have an open house scheduled in 3 weeks ? 

[mu26aeh]

20160827_215140[1] by Adam Henry, on Flickr

[mu26aeh]

Productive evening as the mainline is back in service as well as Ag Com siding.

20160828_205351[1] by Adam Henry, on Flickr

20160828_205400[1] by Adam Henry, on Flickr

20160828_205423[1] by Adam Henry, on Flickr

Still have to get Bittinger back on line and start cleaning.  Mainline Hobby Open House is only 3 weeks away !  Sept 17-18  !!!!!

[mu26aeh]

I'm still working on getting Ag-Com presentable for the open house.  @Blazeman loaned me his RR crossing stencil so I was able to get those down today.  While at the LHS, I also picked up proper track bumpers, so I removed my hand rolled ones and painted/installed these from Hays Wheel stops from Tomar Industries.  Still need crossing signals, thinking about going with Shapeways products

20160903_183351[1] by Adam Henry, on Flickr

[mu26aeh]

Spent the day home from work in the basement.  Continuing to work on Ag Com.  I was able to get track ballasted that I added last week, as well as sidings at Utz and Bittinger.  The picture from Ag Com really tells me I need to get more grain equipment.  Damn Walthers and their HO kits we don't have in N.  I added a pad at end of quarry tracks for a future engine house.  Vulcan has 2 S-2's and recently acquired a SW1500.

20160905_200256[1] by Adam Henry, on Flickr

20160905_202105[1] by Adam Henry, on Flickr

[mu26aeh]

Final preparations were made for next weekends open house.  I cleaned all the track and cleaned up from ballasting last two weeks.  First up was a base coat of grass/leaf litter (used tea leaves).

20160910_221351[1] by Adam Henry, on Flickr

Then started planting trees. And more trees.  Until I felt it looked good enough.  And that I ran out of said trees.  Once trees were planted, I put the buildings back in place that I'm using to represent Ag Com until I can scratchbuild or find something that better fits the location.

20160911_200438[1] by Adam Henry, on Flickr

Once buildings were up, management demanded crews redeliver the cars so the site can get back to business.  A UP Flag unit was sitting in the power tracks at Hagerstown, so the extra crew fired it up and brought the loaded grain cars up the line.  I was able to get to the crossing as it approached Granite.  Very fitting to see this engine on this day of remembrance.

20160911_200841[1] by Adam Henry, on Flickr

20160911_200859[1] by Adam Henry, on Flickr

The train stopped briefly to let the conductor off at the switch, so I was able to run thru the woods to get a catch in the trees.

20160911_201001[1] by Adam Henry, on Flickr

After crews spotted the cars, Ag Com personnel moved an extra car onto the tail track they use to re-position cars on the two tracks with a car puller.  When things quieted down, I caught a family of deer come out of the woods to graze near the waters edge.

20160911_202209[1] by Adam Henry, on Flickr

[Scottl]

It's a great looking layout.  The finished scenes seem very natural and complete.

[R L Smith]

Outstanding progress Adam.

That sequence of photos belongs in the Weekend Update Thread today...

Ron

[mu26aeh]

Outstanding progress Adam.

That sequence of photos belongs in the Weekend Update Thread today...

Ron

Consider it done 

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Those damned trees on the south side of the tracks... Make sure you model the one that screws up your shot of a westbound...

This looks good man. Glad it all came back together in time!

[mu26aeh]

Two more units got decoderized tonight.  Set for mainline testing tomorrow.

20160914_211015[1] by Adam Henry, on Flickr

[mu26aeh]

Picked up some more wheel stops, this time for the power tracks in Hagerstown.  How's this look ?

20160915_165726[1] by Adam Henry, on Flickr

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3445701

[wazzou]

Not your fault, but they look more like plow stops. 
You might consider another type of stop that won't lead to an over zealous hostler damaging the plows on the engines.

[mu26aeh]

Funny how things always pop up when you have or are expecting visitors.      I was setting up some consists and running some trains tonight when one found a trouble spot.  Now mind you, I ran trains yesterday with no problems.  I had a short section of track that was not level with the next section so it would cause engine to derail, no matter the speed or direction.  So up came the track !

2016-09-15_20.56.24[1] by Adam Henry, on Flickr

I scraped off all the wet ballast, made sure roadbed was level/smooth and relaid the track, using a new section where the problem was.  Soon after, the ballast train showed up.  Good thing it was already staged in Hanover, we didn't have to wait long.

20160915_212337[1] by Adam Henry, on Flickr

20160915_213156[1] by Adam Henry, on Flickr

This also allowed me to smooth out the curve a little better coming off a switch where the engines are sitting in second photo.  Hoping for a solid drying by tomorrow afternoon so I can clean the area up and get back to testing/running trains.