Conrail up in Coal Country

[dem34]

Looks like this won’t be a current prototype for much longer.

https://www.thedrive.com/news/30524/famously-low-11-foot-8-bridge-will-be-raised-by-eight-inches-to-stop-the-carnage

Still pretty surprised at the absolute frequency that it happens at that bridge. I can't even count the amount of bridges in my area that have a tighter clearance than 11"8 and its rare anybody hits them.

[jpec]

Still pretty surprised at the absolute frequency that it happens at that bridge. I can't even count the amount of bridges in my area that have a tighter clearance than 11"8 and its rare anybody hits them.

They used to run a shuttle bus from RFK Stadium to Nationals Park. In good weather it would be a double decker sightseeing bus with an open upper deck.  They were cruising along the freeway when a drunk jackass decided he recreate Leonardo DiCaprio's "I'm the King of the World" and shattered his skull on the beam of an overhead on-ramp.

[wazzou]

Videos will still be posted as the general height for trucks is 13' 6".  We just won't see as many of the RV's and high excavators.  Cut down on the Penske/leasing trucks too.  See what I did there ?

14' in the PNW.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Ok, back to the subject at hand...

I've been doing some tweaking to West Cressona after getting a bit more prototype info.



I've concentrated all of the yard activities at the right end (which I'm now calling east).

The track layout seems a little "odd", but that's because it's simulating the remains of a larger facility. The two pit tracks are served off of the old ready track. Those two tracks are the remains of the leads to an engine house that "ain't there no more".

This is what it used to be like in Cressona:



And today:


https://www.google.com/maps/place/Cressona,+PA/@40.6293193,-76.1944917,412m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x89c5ef38bbd7b847:0x117255d5d25b6c3f!8m2!3d40.6267574!4d-76.1927222

I figure it'll be fun making crews make a couple reverse moves to get their power and caboose (suck it Rudy) together to start their day.

But now... DO I want to include a low bridge?


I also added one more inner track. It's 13.5" radius but... that's not too insane AND it's probably just going to used as an engine house lead.

[Dave V]

From my experience with the JD...yes.  Low bridges scream Eastern railroading and make for great photo/video vantage points.

[wm3798]

What a fantastic roundhouse!  Look at the detail in those doors!

I know you won't keep it... I actually really liked your treatment of the roundhouse site you did on Windsor Street... but that would be a fun building to model.

And second the motion on the low bridge.  There's one here on the old Oxford Branch, abandoned now for many decades, but it's truly a classic.  If I ever cave in to my shaky hands and fading vision and convert to HO, (or God forbid, O) this would be a featured scene...

https://goo.gl/maps/d9VTkXUbqEe6dL4KA

[glakedylan]

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.6726974,-76.185864,3a,75y,291.33h,90.58t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sHw8ssQGk-fbGLCBwf0YZWA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en


low underspass
with a unloading tunnel for hoppers next on the left
just 3-4 mi north of cressona
but a cool scene, nevertheless.


enjoying your focus on the area where i grew up


sincerely
Gary


p.s. Cressona is the only real site where i have seen those sawtooth industry roofs
like the models in n scale. it was Alcoa Plant and now owned by a 3rd or 4th company
using the same buildings/equipment.


https://www.google.com/maps/@40.635533,-76.1863364,3a,37.5y,151.02h,93.06t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s3Ww-pVserJm9U5TTNUQtug!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo0.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3D3Ww-pVserJm9U5TTNUQtug%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D81.17242%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

[Ed Kapuscinski]

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.6726974,-76.185864,3a,75y,291.33h,90.58t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sHw8ssQGk-fbGLCBwf0YZWA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en


low underspass
with a unloading tunnel for hoppers next on the left
just 3-4 mi north of cressona
but a cool scene, nevertheless.


enjoying your focus on the area where i grew up


sincerely
Gary


p.s. Cressona is the only real site where i have seen those sawtooth industry roofs
like the models in n scale. it was Alcoa Plant and now owned by a 3rd or 4th company
using the same buildings/equipment.


https://www.google.com/maps/@40.635533,-76.1863364,3a,37.5y,151.02h,93.06t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s3Ww-pVserJm9U5TTNUQtug!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo0.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3D3Ww-pVserJm9U5TTNUQtug%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D81.17242%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

Thanks for that map link. That's handy.

Oh yeah, Alcoa... That's theoretically what that spur in the upper left is for, even though it can in NO way do it justice. I'm leaning towards just ignoring it because it'd be so huge relative to the rest of the layout.

Since you grew up in the area, other than churches and pizza places, what are the iconic things I need to include as background?

[nuno81291]

Absolutely need to model that low bridge. Would be a signature vignette, plus any below grade scenery is a major win. Any headache building would pay dividends in the finished scene! I’ll borrow the line from Nike; JUST DO IT!!!

[Point353]

Oh yeah, Alcoa... That's theoretically what that spur in the upper left is for, even though it can in NO way do it justice. I'm leaning towards just ignoring it because it'd be so huge relative to the rest of the layout.

Leave the siding in as a source of traffic.
You can let the 0-5-0 "plant switcher" swap cars on and off the layout between operating sessions as though you had modeled the industry.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I took some time this weekend to lay out some cork for West Cressona. It's not glued down yet because I wanted to "see it" to make sure I can life with the radii.











I can live with this, so it's time to get out the liquid nails.

[wm3798]

Mmm.  Curvy yards!

[Missaberoad]

Yummy! I can imagine it buried in cinders already. 😎

[wazzou]

Cork?  What do you use that $hit for?   

[mighalpern]

Ed
I usually don't comment on design because i don't know  squat about that , but just my observation
 can you slide the yard down a bit and shorten the curved sections by bring the other end of it  to the left ?
so more  of it is straighter
trying to couple and uncouple on a curve is tough and might make it more frustrating later .  I learned this from my small curved coal yard that was feeding my power plant on my layout
Just my 2 cent
Miguel