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The Ralston Midland is a fictional short line that thought up by me a few other guys. The short line is mainly a coal hauler and strings of hoppers will be transported out of the hills of Northern Pennsylvania, where the short line is located.
Construction on the layout start about 4 monthes ago but I'm just now getting the pictures of its progress uploaded here. At this point most of the track is laid and we can run trains.
Layout specs:
Scale: HO
Setting: Late summer 1954, Northern Pennsylvania
Industries: Coal, cement, and lumber
Motive Power: steam and diesel (smaller steam ex. 4-4-0 to 4-8-2's)
Track: Atlas code 100
Switches: Atlas No.4 and No.6
Operating System: MRC prodigy Advance
Track Plan: I guess it would be consider around the wall. Note the drawing below.
(No computer program or templates where used to draw the plans, just pencil paper and an imagination)
Of course a lot of things where changed as we started to lay cork and track....
We where lucky in that the bench work was built over 3 years earlier so we could skip that step for the most part and get right to the track work. Reading some of the other posts we consider ourselves lucky in that we have access to 2 (that's right 2) model train hobby shops less then 20 minutes from the layout's location. So all the materials where gathered from there. In fact the workers in shop claim that we cleaned out there supply of cork and track
Here you can see the cork roadbed nailed on the shelf that will be part of the layout's upper level.
Cork for the industry in the middle of the 2 percent grade that will carry the track up to the second level, which is 3 inches above the lower.
Before we could lay cork for the New River Coal mine which is located on the upper level of the layout, we had to build the raised area. To do this we used a combination of 2 inch thick and 1 inch thick foam.
Here the 2 inch foam is placed and glued to the bench work. (all 2 inch foam was provided by my current high school, which is under going renovations....so this stuff was lying around in dumpsters.....) This will be followed by a layer of 1 inch foam bring the section up to 3 inches.
This was also a good time to add the last piece of bench work to the layout. this area will include a 130 foot turntable and a 6 stall roundhouse. Since these are some of my favorite features of a model railroad, it was important to me that we included them on the layout.
Moving right along to, track. All track is atlas code 100 flex track, and most of the turnouts are No.4 (remember where running small steam and diesels). Laying track was a learning experience for me, because in the past all the track I laid was sectional so laying, marking, and cutting flex track was new to me. But following the instruction of one of the guys I'm working with, i quickly learned the skill of laying flex track.
Laying the passing siding at the base of the grade. The siding there is for a helper engine.
The west end of the passing siding is at the base of the grade. The switch leads of to an industry which we just decided will be a lumber company.
East end of the passing siding
At the top of the grade. Those sidings there are where the Ralston Midland interchanges with the Pennsylvania Railroad. Also the starting point for future expansion
Completed passing siding, with 2-10-0 Decapod and coal hopper testing the new track age.
East end of passing siding complete with ground throw
Well it took a couple weeks but we finally got the 1 inch foam, cut and glued it to the top of the 2 in. Almost over night the entire New River Mine passing siding and yard was complete. In fact it happened so fast I forgot to take pictures of the 1 inch layer add...
Finished mine yard
Finished yard with mine in place (note the lower level and part of the upper level received a coat of tan paint)
With the Mine complete the next goal was to finish the main line so we could do some continuous running. Even though the layout will be operated point to point its always fun to turn up the throttle and watch the locomotives stretch there legs, while you sit back and watch.
This bridge crosses the lower level mainline. Note that it is connecting the upper level with the 2 percent down grade.
A second bridge will connect the 2 pieces of cork hanging over the side. The siding will be a one track spur to a cement company siding.
The right of way runs the length of the table and curves down and around....
Another passing siding marks the beginning of the run. This is the future town of Ralston Pennsylvania. The track runs under the bridge in the back making the layout a complete circuit.
The Ralston Midland's expert track layer, prepares the turnouts for final placement to complete the main line. Note: the one track spur for the cement siding, the model on the table there will fit over the track.
The Ralston Midland completed its first main line run on May 18, 2008.
Geep pulling freight passes K4 waiting on the siding in Ralston.
The freight is leaving town and the engineer starts to lean in on the throttle to gather speed before the hill.
Freight leaving the passing siding. All locomotives are run long hood or tender first on the east bound trip to the mine. Which is the ending location. There power is run around the train for the trip back to Ralston.
Crawling up the grade.
Topping the grade, its a flat run to the mine.
After passing through the mine area, the freight passes over the main line and down hill.
Sorry for re posting pictures, but the freight enters Ralston and passes the K4 making the first complete mainline run on the Ralston Midland.
Remember that added section of bench work? well with the completion of the main line our attention fell upon my favorite section of the layout the engine terminal.
A Walther's 130 foot turntable is in use on the Ralston Midland. Note the Frame work of the roundhouse and the completed machine shop, which I built a few years ago in the positioned on the table.
"Like a glove"- one of the guy's favorite sayings describes the placement of the turntable in the hole he cut in the bench work.
The bridge was added.
My Pennsy K4 got the honors of taking the first ride on the table.
A good friend from school and the Ralston Midland's electrician takes a break and watches the turntable operated for the first time.
Another shot of the table. Now I got to finish building that roundhouse...
Moving right along with the engine terminal, I decided to add 3 more stalls onto the original 3 stall roundhouse after I completed the model so I knocked down one wall and added 3 more stalls.
The roundhouse in relationship to the backshop and the turntable. (That black mark on the roundhouse floor is real grease from a locomotive I was working on... )
Sorry for the bad lighting, but here is a over view of the terminal area. The outer track leading to the table will be the inbound and the inner being the outbound.
Pulling an all nighter I managed to assemble the roof of the roundhouse. I made each section removable so we could access and or detail the interior of the house at a later date.
Another view of the roof sections on my work bench
Having been on summer break for a little over a month now allowed me to operated the layout as it would be during an operating session. I know real railroads try to keep switching as easy as possible (Mind you my father works for NS as a conductor/brakeman and has complained about switching puzzles numerous times) but this young man enjoys a switching challenge. So the two spurs in the middle of the 2 percent grade where ripped up and a switch back was added. This causes more operating interest to this area....Or headaches, for those of you who like everything easy as pie.
The Switch back and short sidings that will keep an operator busy switching the lumber company.
Leaving the Ralston we head up hill to the New River Coal mine. We started to glue together the cardboard netting that will become the largest mountain on the layout.
Well, believe it or not, that's it. That's 4 months of working on the Ralston Midland. It seems like just yesterday I was drawing the plans in math class. Besides working on the layout I tried my hand at lettering my own locomotive, I guess its good for a first timer, but I'm the kinda kid that likes everything to be near perfect so this "paint scheme" won't be lasting long as I will most likely reletter the engine.
Well we get together almost ever Saturday, or at least once a week, so if you want I can update the fourm on our progress....
Great looking layout. You accomplished a lot in just 4 months. The size of the layout looks about the same size I had when I was 15.
Keep up the great work. Can't wait to see more scenery. Just one note... you might want to put a few more strips of cardboard on that mountain. especially above the tunnel portal. Otherwise the plaster soak towels (or whatever you're using) will sag to much.
Most excellent! Great progress pics, nice story line, and as the other guys say absolutely refreshing to see young lads as you guys doing this as a joint venture. How many are in your group? This sound sounds as though there is a real club coming out of the wood work as well as some good friendships!
Keep those progress pictures coming and welcome to this forum! We are all glad to have you guys!
Great looking layout. You accomplished a lot in just 4 months. The size of the layout looks about the same size I had when I was 15.
Keep up the great work. Can't wait to see more scenery. Just one note... you might want to put a few more strips of cardboard on that mountain. especially above the tunnel portal. Otherwise the plaster soak towels (or whatever you're using) will sag to much.
