Our Rail Fan Trip without the rails.

Today my wife and I did a “rail fan trip without rails”.  We drove up to Grantsville, MD and had breakfast at Penn Alps.  Then we proceeded to Meyersdale, PA to begin our rail fan trip.  From the WMRY Meyersdale Station we proceeded on the ROW west to the East end of Salisbury Viaduct.  This bridge is 2000 feet long.  I rode my bike out about 500 feet. Then I stopped and took some pictures as a train going west went under the bridge. 

At 100 feet in the air I was uncomfortable.  I have been across this bridge at least 20 times, but not this time.  So we walked back to the East end. We then proceeded east to Meyersdale, PA,

The old B & O Bollman Iron Bridge from Wills Creek near Meyersdale

The WMRY Keystone Viaduct,  The viaduct consists of several plate girder bridges and one camel back truss.

 Sand Patch area on the WMRY

The Continental Divide and engine 9401

And finally to and through the Big Savage Tunnel which is 3,300 feet and lit..

West End of Big Savage Tunnel

East End of Big Savage Tunnel

We rode 24 miles which took 3 hours.  Half of the trip was up a grade.  The CSX trains going east as we were all had helpers. The ruling grade from Meyersdale to Big Savage is less than 1% but it is tough.  The ride back to Meyersdale was a dream, however.  For example the grade from Cumberland to Forstburg is about 1.5%.  We also want to do that bike trip from Cumberland.  There again the ride back to Cumberland will be all downhill.

Convention Update

My Layout will be open on  Saturday October 18th 1:00 to 5:00 and on Sunday October 19th 1:00 to whenever.  The layout will not be open on Friday October 17th.

Warren's Clinic on Rock Carving will be presented Saturday October 18th at 10:00.

Jay's Clinic On C/MRI the Basic will be presented Saturday October 18th at 11:15.

Both Clinics last an hour with a 15 minute Q & A session.

South Mountain Division Regional Convention Web Site

Temporary Signal Bridge on the PRR mainline

Here is the new signal bridge installed and operational under CTC control.  These use the single and double heads build by Bill and Gail Carr and myself installed on a simple structural bridge made from some Plastruct shapes I had.  This will be replaced in the future by a detailed PRR signal bridge/catenary support with proper position light heads.  For now this allows us to test the CTC and ABS function and operate.

Green over Red North Bound at Bay View Yards On PRR South Bound Track

Looking South/West at Bay View Yards

Progress Report Today September 8, 2014

Today I cut in and rolled 85 feet of Valance.  Basically from C&C Jct’s A/C Vent west to the A/C Vent at Big Spring Run Trestle.  And from the West end of Hickory Lick East to the A/C Vent at Laurel Bank.  Also re-coated some of the Fascia in the same areas as needed.  Before the open houses in October I plan on painting the remaining fascia and valance and adding about 80 feet of black drop under the fascia.  We are doing it in 10 foot sections where ever that works.  My wife is doing the hemming and I will be using Velcro to attach it to the fascia.   I also plan to put up Plexiglas or Lexan strips to protect the trains near the edge.

I have almost completed the construction of a temporary signal bridge for use over three tracks.  It contains two double head signals and three single head signals.  It will be used near Bay View Yards.  I may need another one nearer Penn Station due to closeness (spacing) of tracks along that narrow piece of layout.  Next year when I start building permanent signals (after the CTC is operational) most of the PRR tracks I will use signal bridges integrated with the catenary supports.  In Penn Station will use dwarf PRR type signals.  The entire WM will be signaled using standard US&S style L or R-2 color signals.

Any painters out there that would like to help with painting valances?  Also looking for help with ballasting the PRR tracks.Don't forget the convention in October.  See the previous posting for the link to the convention information.