Indiana Harbor Belt of Texas

[Rossford Yard]

So,whose lost it more? You forgetting a loco road owner, or me saying it would be my "last loco on my wish list?" ,  Off the top of my head, I need several IHB schemed SW 1500's just for one.....

This will drive Wyatt crazy, but the comment from M Winicki has me rethinking the roundhouse because of the long reach behind it.  While I plan no turnouts or fancy track back there, it is still a reach.  The reason is because of the near half circle roundhouse, facing the yard.  If I turned it 90 degrees to face my aisle, I could narrow the widest point there from 44" to 33", which is still a bit long, but doable.

[soo]

You're killing me!!! Make my mind up will ya!!!! You could just comprimise and call it 40". I like my idea about going through the wall for Barr Yard (CSX).

  I am ready to get some firm lines down, throw some cork down,, lay some track!!!!!!!!!!!!. This layout will the 2nd most famous Illinios rail junction in N Scale!!! First being Mr Kruse.

  Adios Wyatt

[Rossford Yard]

Well, aren't we aiming for the moon!  Dk will be pretty hard to beat though.

Just considering the long term ramifications of an unreachable area in the name of absolute proto fidelity (well, closer anyway, on the shape, angle, etc of the roundhouse). 

I have been putting some track lines down, and am convinced we will be okay if I just put one CSX main hard by the inside of the wall, using industries and scenery to cover it up.  Of course, I will need to change them a few more times before final, for instance perhaps not parallelling the wall.....

[gringo]

Blue Island is one of my FAVORITE spots in Chicago, and I too have been dreaming of a way to model it accurately- I'm excited to follow your progress!

[Rossford Yard]

Gringo,

I had been thinking about it for a long time, too.  And the arrangement of huge bridges ending at the backdrop gives just a perfect way for tracks to exit the layout, at least IMHO.

[soo]

I say that proto is important. Or at least close to it. Maybe when I come up there next,, there just might be a CSX line not in the layout room.

  Adios Wyatt

[Rossford Yard]

Soo,

Well, I decided to lay a hidden CSX track right along the back wall, connecting back at the throat of Gibson near the window.  The idea of cutting a hole in a wall to a non air conditioned garage space for more stub ended staging, when I have 22 tracks below, seemed waaaaaay to out there for me, especially since I need that wall for garage storage items, like rakes.  And, I hate big electric bills!

At least for now I will have one hidden CSX staging track that will not require going down to staging.  Still wondering if a hidden track is worth the potential trouble of having more realistice "dissapearence" of CSX stack trains coming from Chicago, since they will be visiblle for only a few feet throught the crossing.  I laid the cork, but may leave the track out.  I haven't sanded the cork yet......

I have corked all of Blue Island and am working towards Gibson.  Also, painted those bridges, and will glue them together tonight or tomorrow.

[soo]

Yes I know you hate big electric bills,,,, believe me I know. Glad to see you are getting work done. Much nicer to work in a climate controlled room, than a hot garage.

  Looks this coming weekend is a no go,,,,, but still there is one more day where the plans can change.

  Adios Wyatt

[Rossford Yard]

Wyatt,

Well, I am really corked!  Not really, but the layout is......more than half the Blue Island side.

Newest problem is that I decided after seeing a few of the No. 10 turnouts that all the mains should be that.  Only problem is, it seems only left hand no. 10's are in stock anywhere.  Need some right hands!

[soo]

  Well this weekend was productive. Track was laid, switchmachines installed, track feeders dropped. The IHB work crew was able to get the track tied in from the helix to the visable trackage on the top deck. Alot of track was installed. Rossford yard would be able to give a percentage of track laid.

  The IHB is starting a new work program,,,we beileve in starting them young.



  Here you can see the majority of the work done. The first two are of the diamond area, and the last one is of the crossovers leading into Gibson Yard. From bottom to top,, IHB 1, IHB 2 and then the CSX main. I am getting pretty pumped!!! This layout will be the envy of young and old alike, LOL







  Here are two videos that were taken with a test train running on DC analog,,don't worry kiddies,, DCC is going to be installed soon.

[Rossford Yard]

The grandkids can now proudly say "they helped."   Wyatt is probably more amenable to them helping than me. LOL.

But, we got corked all the way around, and the mainline laid from the helix to the Gibson yard throat (in front of window.)

Biggest takeaways from the weekend are that once you start using No. 10 turnouts, the 3.5 Y, the 21.25/15" curved turnouts and No. 7 sure look sharp radius!  And, looking at the "cosmetic" (and near prototype at 70" + radius just south of Blue Island, the 21.25/22.5/23.75 radii curve in the corner sure look "tight" too.  Kicking myself for not going with full HO standards of something like 30" minimum.

Anyway, I think we are taking full advange of what N has to offer here, by focusing on a signature scene.

Wyatt split a gut when he came up from under the benchwork to see me spreading a bit of green craft paint out there to test it as a scenery base.  At $0.97 per 2 oz bottle, it sure beats $7 for 4 oz of WS ground coloring.  Actually works, although there needs to be some color blending, IMHO.

[Coxy]

Wow, great progress. I only know the prototype scene from clips on YT but that looks like a great depiction. Well done. Looking forward to seeing more.

[GaryHinshaw]

Fantastic progress!  I spent some time studying maps of the area and it is indeed a hot spot that is instantly recognizable in your rendition.  I know what you mean about the curves too: my 18" curves start looking like Lionel to me after a while...

-gfh

[soo]

  Well sorry for the late update,,,having pc issues.

  This past weekend saw the lighting and part of the valance installed. Jeff and I were trying to figure a lighting solution that did not invovle the expensive LED bars. Track lighting was solution that was determined to be the most cost effective route. After 25 lights and 2' of blondewood plywood hanging from the ceiling you get this, you can see we are trying to do the whole close encounters of the third kind...



There is a gap at the top between the plywood and the sheetrock lid...dont worry,,, crown molding fixes all.



  Here is a junky phone pic taken with the new lighting turned off and just a 4 bulb ceiling fan fixture providing the light


   Here we have some mock up pics using various structures and what not.




The building you see in the left side of the pic are hiding the CSX main so  that can be used as staging.



[IMG]http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r159/SooMilwCnw/mansfield%20ihb/2012-08-19210156.jpg[/IMG

  And there ya have it,, some more work done on the 2nd best n scale junction layout...

Adios Wyatt

[Scottl]

I really like how you have developed this and incorporated this prototype scene into the plan.