Cedar Creek Gravel Company

[VonRyan]

So now that my foray into On30 has started to turn into a layout, it's time for a layout thread.

The name "Cedar Creek Gravel Company" is fictitious, but is inspired by real things.
Along the P-RSL's Penns Grove Branch used to be a spur to a gravel pit on the outskirts of the town I grew up in: Repaupo, NJ. While I have no clue what the business was originally called, that didn't matter. Near where the gravel pit used to be is a small creek called Little Timber Creek, and a road called Cedar Swamp road. So I just used those two things to come up with the name. In reality the gravel pit in my hometown only ever got a few gondolas, and it certainly didn't have a narrow gauge railroad on the premises, but this project is just for fun, not for being faithful to any one place or prototype.

For my layout, the plan is for the gravel to go from the loader, to a pier for loading into barges.

I don't have a track plan in mind, opting instead to just make it up as I go along.

The layout will be sectional, and will probably comprise a total of just three modules, similar in size to the module I'm already using.

Of course, as time goes on I may add more modules or change plans, but again this is just a fun project. A diversion from everything else.

But as always, insight and suggestions are welcomed. You never know what idle comment could set off the next brainstorm of ideas.

Lastly, I see some folks using JFRT a lot, well in my case it's JFBT. Just F****** Build Trains
Because with this project, the building part is supposed to be just as much fun as the running part.

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And to see my previous progress, be sure to check out my thread over in the Narrow Gauge subforum:
https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=48393.0

[VonRyan]

So last night I constructed and installed the frog of the turnout (took two tries, but only because I made the one rail whose length was somewhat crucial like 1/4" too short, and of course the second attempt was harder than the first...) and I built and installed the first guardrail. Today I did the second guardrail, and started adding feeder wires to the tracks in inconspicuous areas. I still need to wire the frog.

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[VonRyan]

And now all the track is built, save for the turnout and the rails to the end of the module (I plan to use a PCB tie at the end of the module). I still need to add the rest of the spikes for appearances, and the rest of the feeder wires, but essentially 95% of the trackwork is done.

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[Hawghead]

As the switch is 95% of the work of laying that track, you're really only about 10% done.    Looking good so far, looking forward to more.

Scott

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Love it man! Neat topic too.

Reminds me of one of the British layouts I recently saw that was an animated colliery layout. Cool stuff.

[VonRyan]

Love it man! Neat topic too.

Reminds me of one of the British layouts I recently saw that was an animated colliery layout. Cool stuff.

I just had a serious hankering to really build something, and to give On30 a try, and here I am.
Plus, it gives me an opportunity to build things that I wouldn't attempt in N, like hand-spiked track and turnouts.


And a working British colliery is on my list of things to model, but that'll be a future N gauge project as I'd like to build one to scale.

[VonRyan]

No more progress at the moment. Been spending time at my fiancée's place.
But I did pick up a bottle of Micro Engineering's rail weathering solution yesterday, as I'd like to give that a try as opposed to trying to paint the rails. I'm also exploring options for nice prototypical looking/working switch stands for the turnout.

[VonRyan]

I honestly never thought I'd try handlaying a turnout, let alone doing it with just spikes, and yet here I am doing just that.

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So far everything checks out on the NMRA gauge and in testing it with an archbar truck.

All that's left to do is to make the points and the throwbar.

[VonRyan]

I made the first point a few days ago (bottom one).
I made the second point a few minutes ago (top one).

A lot of trial and error involved, and I had to remove a spike from the inside of each main rail, plus remove the foot of the rail to get a cleaner fit. But, I was able to do all that while leaving the main rails in place, and I fortunately didn't have to do anything to the heads of the main rails.

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All that's left is to hinge the points somehow, and to build a throwbar.
I also have a switchstand kit on order from Right-O-Way that I'll be giving a try

[mighalpern]

Cody
 that's very nice and clean work , looks real good. 
getting the point rails nestled into the main rail makes a huge difference on smoothness
keep it coming, 

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I also have a switchstand kit on order from Right-O-Way that I'll be giving a try

Ooh, I am quite curious about how that goes since I'd want to use something similar down the road when I actually get into doing O stuff.

[Hawghead]

Cody,

That came out very nice.  A couple of suggestions if I may.  Because you didn't notch the stock rail on the straight route point, the pointy end of the point rail that forms the straight route (the bottom point in your picture) protrudes from the stock rail very slightly.  I'd suggest taking a small file and knocking down the inside edge of the end of that point so your wheels don't run into the blunt end of the point.  The tie ahead of the of the two long ties is where I'm guessing you pulled the spikes to allow room for the points to mate up to the stock rails.  In the future you might consider using a PC board tie there and soldering the stock rail vice using spikes, at least on the inside of the rail.

As for the hinge for the points, you can use rail joiners where the gap is now, you may have to very slightly notch the tie on which the joiners would rest.  Additionally, if you ever do another one, you can use a PC board tie where the tie is that is two ties closer to the frog from where the gap is now and make the points and the wing rails all one piece (no hinge).  You could replace the points and the wing rails with rail that is all one piece now, but with them being held with just spikes, they'd eventually work loose.

Looking forward to more.
Scott

[VonRyan]

Cody,

That came out very nice.  A couple of suggestions if I may.  Because you didn't notch the stock rail on the straight route point, the pointy end of the point rail that forms the straight route (the bottom point in your picture) protrudes from the stock rail very slightly.  I'd suggest taking a small file and knocking down the inside edge of the end of that point so your wheels don't run into the blunt end of the point.  The tie ahead of the of the two long ties is where I'm guessing you pulled the spikes to allow room for the points to mate up to the stock rails.  In the future you might consider using a PC board tie there and soldering the stock rail vice using spikes, at least on the inside of the rail.

As for the hinge for the points, you can use rail joiners where the gap is now, you may have to very slightly notch the tie on which the joiners would rest.  Additionally, if you ever do another one, you can use a PC board tie where the tie is that is two ties closer to the frog from where the gap is now and make the points and the wing rails all one piece (no hinge).  You could replace the points and the wing rails with rail that is all one piece now, but with them being held with just spikes, they'd eventually work loose.

Looking forward to more.
Scott

That point rail actually just needed some more filing. It's sitting against the stock rail much better now.

[VonRyan]

Here's the solution I just came up with for hinging the points.
I drilled holes through the tie and inserted brass tubing that has corresponding rods. They came from old Lemaco switch machines. The end of the point rail is filed to leave some room for the solder, and the brass rod is soldered onto that area. The placement of the rods was done by eye and hand.
The benefit of using these brass rods is that I'll also be able to solder wires to the ends for better electrical continuity.

All that's left to do is the throwbar and since the switchstand kit arrived today i'm currently building that first so I can have a better idea of how to build the throwbar.

[VonRyan]

It helps to remember to attach the photo...

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