On to Track Laying


EE5DC8FC-96A6-4588-B35B-83C36BD4229D.png
EB40AF85-6FC2-4699-8E54-5AEFDD2D36A5.png

These 2 models included in the servicing area…. Any opinions, thoughts, constructive criticism welcome😉
 
The sanding towers and drying bin looks good.

The fuel servicing tank looks too small for any sizable servicing facility. I'm going to employ a ex 62' tank car (need at least this size to fill those 6 axle diesels these days,.... especially more than one at a time)
1637765279218.png


1637765402405.png


The supply tank at trackside will be labeled SHELL to match that big tank (offsite supply) in the background.

BTW I have a number of interlocking towers cheap, including several unbuilt kits.
 
Hmmm, something I didn’t think about, size of the supply tank as far as realism, but not sure yet what kind of room I will have to expand…. Always something to consider, configure, reconfigure lol
 
I'm going to set that ex-tank car up slightly on some concrete stands at either end. I thought about using old horizontal propane tanks, but there were too large of a diameter to fit between my two tracks.

Those fueling decks were a relatively cheap kit that I have forgotten where they came from. But they were made in two length sections, so only one length need be used if space requirement dictate.

https://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/40746?page=1

1637771307783.png



https://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/40746?page=2#comment-453501
 
Last edited:
Was thinking knob pulls for yard switching, machines for mainline, cost saving… Anybody have experience with your own design for manual throws?
 
Was thinking knob pulls for yard switching, machines for mainline, cost saving… Anybody have experience with your own design for manual throws?
For cost savings, I went with Caboose Industries ground throws. None of the track on my around the walls layout is more than 18" from the edge of the layout, and with a walk-around throttle, most of the 115+ switches are within easy reach. I have a few with Atlas remote switch motors so that I don't have to reach over structures. My issues with knobs are both the proper mounting and the adjustment. And unless you are quite proficient at carpentry and can recess the knobs, the aisle protrusion would be a bother to me. The fascia on my lower level is just below the belt so the protruding knobs might be painful.
Back to something that you posted last month, go ahead and do the overhead lighting now before anything major on the layout. Just don't wire it into the breaker box until later after you upgrade.
A few other comments regarding track laying. I use cork roadbed as it is tried and true. I glue it to the plywood base with Elmer's White Glue. I am not a fan of using caulk to actually attach track; I use nails. Once the track is painted later (assuming you will paint it) and ballasted, the nails can be removed. I leave them in as they aren't really obvious to me. I do not say that anyone is wrong with using caulk, it's just not for me.
 
I am with you on the nails, not sure what I have done is real permanent so not using glue or caulk. Have bunches of old nails from previous layout I will attach the cork with, track getting new nails… Probably a good idea on the lighting, but not moving real fast anyways, definitely won’t be doing ballast or scenery before lighting and backdrop is up…. My furthest reach for a switch is roughly 24”, nothing major. My idea instead of knobs is using pieces of track slightly reinforced, twist or move up/down over 1/4” or so of shim to engage turnout, track connected by wire to clothes pin spring…
 
Something to consider is that many yards have the fuel tanks off to one side and pipe the juice under or over the tracks to the service area.
That allows fuel trucks or tank cars access without interfering with trains.
 
I got my LED lights from Amazon. They were in pks of 6 or 8, 4 ft long, cheap' light weight, very low power drain, adding almost no heat to the room.

There were a few of my Peco turnouts that were just out of easy reach and over behind my viaduct. i cut a little trough in the plywood surface and laid the music wire connectors in there,...some to be inside a plastic tubing shroud,...some to just be cover with flat piece of something supporting ground cover

1641053422011.png


1641053474958.jpeg


1641053504701.jpeg


Don't know yet what sort of end I will put at the operator's end?
1641053606987.jpeg


1641053655863.png
 
This winter even for as cold as it has been it’s not terrible in the attic, probably means my insulation above second floor needs replaced…. I did do some work in the attic for summertime so AC will hopefully do some good….
 
… Anybody have experience with your own design for manual throws?
recess the knobs, the aisle protrusion would be a bother to me
Chris, looks like your question is leaning towards the scratch built side? I didn't do that, but I did want to use manual pull knobs, and recess them as Willie stated. I did all manual turnouts, electrified just never interested me. I opted for pull knobs on the facia, I don't need these big paws of mine in/on the layout for throwing a switch. I wanted power to the frog so I used the Fastracks Bullfrog switch machines, and for mainline switches only, I wanted an indicator of position of switch that I could see across the room, so I installed these led's. Of course, green is lined for "normal" or through operation, yellow is lined for turnout side. I also used the fastracks turnout control rods because they are flexible. They don't have to be straight across from the switch to operate. I bought one Bluepoint switch machine for an operations comparison vs the Bullfrog. The "throw" on the Bluepoint is a nice short crisp movement compared to the bullfrog. I found the electrical spades on the Bluepoint kind of fiddley to deal with on soldering for an old guy with big shaky hands, being kind of clustered together. And the price, I just couldn't foot the bill for all Bluepoint switch machines on the layout.
IMG_2186.JPG
 
Was overlooking the layout last night, decided it just wasn’t quite what I wanted, am revising. Gonna remove the peninsula and make a U-shaped walk in, will add roughly 15’ more feet of double mainline and offer a few more possibilities of rail serviced industries… Updated pics soon (I hope lol)
 
7EF06610-2FA8-4C71-80E8-9A82F20C133B.jpeg
37BFA382-F6F8-4F5A-B508-45CA1555F72A.jpeg

As you can see I have a slight “S” curve in track work here…. My goal was to both cut the swing gate a little thinner for larger access opening and to align track for next sweeping curve. I have made the curves as slight as possible. Does anyone foresee problems running trains through what is shown here?
 
View attachment 141258View attachment 141259
As you can see I have a slight “S” curve in track work here…. My goal was to both cut the swing gate a little thinner for larger access opening and to align track for next sweeping curve. I have made the curves as slight as possible. Does anyone foresee problems running trains through what is shown here?
If those are #6, most C+C will traverse, long articulated or 2-10-2's may but at reduced speed.
 



Back
Top