The Uffington and Davis Railroad (The Uff Da Line)


Iron Horseman said:
Thinking about this overnight..... Or maybe a more convenient run-around off the inside loop so one doesn't have to block both mains to perform said maneuver.
Click to expand...

I don't suppose you could be a bit more specific?

Are you sugggesting the switching area inside the main loop or the yard 'ell' off the upper right?

I am looking at the servicing tracks inside the loops. I don't want 'too much' track, but I do want quality, interesting ops. I suspect there will be times that just going rouny-roundy will give me the mental diversion needed, but times when a intricate switching/service plan might e great fun.

So, thanks IH, and all others, still interested in suggestions from those of you who have been in this game! ------------Steve J
 
MilwRoader_Steve said:
I don't suppose you could be a bit more specific?

Are you suggesting the switching area inside the main loop or the yard 'ell' off the upper right?
Click to expand...
Yes, my original thought was inside the loop with the industry tracks. My after thinking about it is in red. However it has the same issue as a run-around inside the industrial area. The lead into this space is such a sharp curve, I am not even certain a #2 wye switch track would be able to pull it off. So then a much shorter run-around would be to bypass on the green. The whole point of course is just so a different train (or different operator) can be circulating on the outside loop without interfearance.

runaround.jpg
 
No worries gents,

I have been posting updates to the Coffee SHop, but thought I would post an in-progress here as well:
20210811_081024.jpg


20210811_081125.jpg


I am learning a lot.

I am using clear-drying latex caulk to put the track onto the foam roadbed. This is a good idea, methinks. Yesterday, for instance, it took no little bit of fiddling about and adjusting and cursing getting the crossover and the 2d ladder track down and in place. So the longer set-up time was an advantage. I rolled the track when in place and weighted it with canned goods and water bottles. I did notice a thing, though. Where my weights were, the caulk took longer to set, so I have begun using a small turbo fan to blow air down the line to help curing. Seems to help.

Like I say, experience is a great teacher, but so are the many, many videos out there. Watching videos really does help - highly recommended.
 
Greetings all,

Question for the operators out there. I am wondering if I should put in permanent magnetic Kadee 308 uncouplers at both ends of the ladder tracks?
View attachment 131094

That east end of the layout is a bit of a reach, would there be much call to uncouple from a switcher going in head first? Or could I pretty much always have the cars backed in?

Key to the above drawing:

pink = electromagnetic uncouplers (on the main at both ends of the **ladder**)
Maroon = currently planned/installed perm magnetic K308 uncouplers.
Red arrows = possible sites of Perm Mag 308 uncouplers


I would greatly appreciate your advice here. Yankee Dabbler sells 308s for under $5 but will of course take a week or so to get here? not sure if LHS has any or not - I can call when he opens.
 
You really need only one uncoupler at the yard throat but you’d also need a short straight section. The idea of the trip pins is to push the uncoupled car into position but that depends on how you operate too.
At the end of the runaround at the top of the drawing you could have another.
 
The MOW crews have been busy:

20210818_075232.jpg


All ladder tracks installed, and I started the ladder runaround when I had a little setback.

modelrailroadforums.com

ME Code 70 Turnout Problem - H E L P !

So this ... Yep, the non-affixed frog rail came out and apparently I broke off some of the spikes which keep it secured to the ties. Rats! What to do?? Would you A) Rip it out and replace the TO (I do have another that is yet to be installed. LHS ***may*** have one in stock to...
modelrailroadforums.com modelrailroadforums.com

I am using the ME Code 70 Ladder system, and the TO in question is a #5B. I do have a #5A on hand that I eliminated from the design so is now surplus. Perhaps I take out the sick #5B and replace it with a #5A. The #5A is about an inch longer before the points and maybe 1/2 - 3/4 inches longer on both the stock and diverging routes. I could probably trim the point end to match the 5B and leave the frog end be and all will work peachy-keen?

Just up from 'playing' with a train using HOG power and control. Everything seems to work pretty well! One frog seems to rub on one truck. It seems a bit proud or high as if perhaps it bowed up or just did not set up in the adhesive well. I might try to carefully apply gluw of some sort underneath the frog and then pin it down real well. Or I will have to do some serious filing.

So far the under-track magnet uncouplers seem to work pretty well. The lowest (#6) may be so strong that it uncouples even as cars are moving over it under tension. Not the end of the world.

Still having fun! Ask me again when I am in the middle of wiring all those track ladders! --------- Steve J
 
Iron Horseman said:
Yes, one nice yard where a train is made up. The train goes out onto the layout. Does its assignment (travel x number laps, work industries, etc.) and then back to the yard pretending it is a different place.
Click to expand...


Yes, that is my basic op concept. A made-up train departs head first onto the outer loop for x circuits, then the inner loop for x circuits. Drops and collects cars for the inside loop spurs and then takes the reversing loop to return headfirst into the yard. Uncouples by the eastmost turnout and then backs down the crossover (and this is the most precarious part) and then makes its way via yard and run-around to the turntable for engine servicing and turnaround or wrap-up.
 
Well, discovered a little "uh-oh" but fortunately, it was not a deal breaker. Turns out I made an error in measuring and put the alcove wall depth in as the aisleway depth. Here is the corrected drawing:
UffDa_03_Reality.jpg


As you can see, the real dimensions show that turntable much farther left or west than my original. That shortened the approach tracks by almost 6 inches!! Still, go figure, it fit!

Here is the entire yard area installed!
20210824_123704.jpg


Now for the wiring. Unfortunately, wiring does not make for good in-progress photos, so might be awhile before next update. I plan to finish out the yard area to the point where I can run trains in switching/classification ops in the yard before moving to the main loop portion.

Thanks for your time and attention! -------- Steve J
 
In the meantime, I plan on using the 0-5-0 manual conductor. Eventually I hope to purchase the Tam Valley Depot servo system for automatic turnout control, so I do not really want to invest in ground throws even though they are nice. The goal is to have pushbuttons and DCC accessory decoders for control. I ***may*** get into route control at some point, but do not ever see me going to a computer or tablet/phone interface. The automation is a bit daunting for there are eleven TOs in the yard alone, and probably another 8 or more in the main loops, though design phase is still under way. So I have to plan out the costs and maybe buy a little bit each month or so.
 
MilwRoader_Steve said:
In the meantime, I plan on using the 0-5-0 manual conductor. Eventually I hope to purchase the Tam Valley Depot servo system for automatic turnout control, so I do not really want to invest in ground throws even though they are nice. The goal is to have pushbuttons and DCC accessory decoders for control. I ***may*** get into route control at some point, but do not ever see me going to a computer or tablet/phone interface. The automation is a bit daunting for there are eleven TOs in the yard alone, and probably another 8 or more in the main loops, though design phase is still under way. So I have to plan out the costs and maybe buy a little bit each month or so.
Click to expand...

Thats good but for the short term, you will need some mechanism to hold the switch blades against the stock rails since Atlas turnouts (which is what I think you're using) don't have a built-in locking mechanism unlike Peco.
 
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