Some Scenery Photos

Here are some photos showing scenery and backdrop under construction.  However the arched drainage tunnel is basically finished.

Stream in backdrop disappearing in the background
 

A distance shot of the same area
 

The drainage tunnel for a small stream
 

The center abutements for two plate girder bridges.  The Mod Podge hasn't dried yet in the river.

Update to my Blog

Below is the most recent update of the layout design.  There are still a few areas that have not been finalized. However the Mainline of the PRR and the WM has been finalized and forwarded to Bill Carr to create the new program to run the CTC based on Bruce Chubb's C/MRI system.  Still under development is the Baltimore area of Sparrows Point or Fells Point on the PRR.  On the WM the upper level is not designed yet.  Port Covington may become a peninsular instead of under the main level of the layout.

(Click to enlarge drawing)

Once Bill finishes the programs and I rebuild all four Model Boards and the four Lever Boards the CTC should be back in operation.  Many changes were made to the left end of the layout when I dropped the South Shore Line in favor of the PRR.  I still have a substantial amount of work to finish hooking up tracks blocks and OS sections, installing switch machines and switch controllers in the left end.  However 90% of the track is in place.

Warren Hart has continued work on the top of the layout which you would see when you descend the stairs.  I will try and get some photos of his scenery on this blog.  Also we are expecting visitors when the Fall Convention of the Middle Eastern Region of the NMRA holds it's convention in Hagerstown, MD.  We are about one hour from the convention hotel and will be open during the convention.

To get the railroad back operating we need to finish painting and decal-ling two plate girder bridges and finish construction of a 5 foot long high wooden trestle.   Once they are completed and installed we will be able to run again.  Also I had NCE upgrade my cabs and the radio base station as we were having problems when too far from the base station.  Losing control of a moving train isn't my idea of fun. They were able to upgrade everything for an extremely reasonable amount.  NCE really Rocks!

Check back in the next couple of days for some scenery photos.

Searching My Blog

Today I added a Search box to this blog. It is on the right. Give it a try.

Photo and text for crossover problem

My PRR mainline enters the Penn Station via track #1 and #2 both on a slight curve.  This curve duplicates the prototype’s exit from the B & P Tunnel under the streets of Baltimore.

The WM connects with the PRR at Fulton Tower on track #1 which is actually the wrong way as #1 is South Bound (towards the bottom of the photo) and #2 is North Bound.  So WM trains entering onto PRR trackage need to go from track #1 to #2 before reaching the turnout just beyond the solder gun laying on the roadbed.  It needs to then follow the ladder to the far right track as that track leads down through the city to Hillen station, which is WM terminal in Baltimore.

About where the Red #1 is located the tracks are almost straight so a RH turnout might fit there.  But I would need a curved turnout farther down on track #2 just before the soldering gun.

I have seen example where people have hand laid a crossover such as I need.  I sold my fast tracks jigs but should be able to lay out this crossover without it.  Any suggestions on how to proceed would be appreciate.  If I had BK do it I imagine the price would be prohibited.

The only thing I have come up with is to do a tracing of the existing rails (the #2 track was installed after this photo was taken) and use it and some curved templates to figure out the bends and cuts for two frogs and two sets of point rails.  Also the radius of these tracks are 54 and 58 inches as I recall.

Thanks

A new year begins

Happy New Year and a belated Merry Christmas to all my followers.  As we continue to work on the layout and make progress we have made a few minor changes.  Yesterday after months of trying to get the swing gate to line up properly, I secured the gate and it is no longer a swing gate, just a part of the layout.   So from now on to access the utilities area we require crawling or scouting under the layout.  I have found an office chair with arms which can go down fairly close to the floor will allow me to scout under.  I have to bend over just a bit to clear the framework on the layout.  So we replace a small amount of track at the cracks of the swing portion and the rails are now smooth as silk.

We are continuing to lay more check on the new roadbed in the south end of the basement.  This is the area where the WM splits.  One track leads to Port Covington which is now a lower level portion of the layout under the WM on the West wall.  Two additional PRR tracks lead to the South also under the layout on the West wall.  This staging represents Washington DC and points south.

The Penn Station terminal tracks are almost finished and the WM track that connects at Fulton Tower is in place which allows the WM to enter Penn Station and beyond there continue to Hillen Station in downtown Baltimore.

The PRR tracks north of Penn Station lead to a staging yard representing points North e.g. Philly and New York are behind downtown Baltimore.   In downtown Baltimore there will be some city scenes and may include Fells Point waterfront area with a couple of O Scale ships tied up.  Also Hillen station which was WM passenger station in Baltimore.  The WM also stopped at Penn Station.  This allows the WM to connect with the North and the South.  One could travel from Cumberland, Elkins, or Hagerstown to Florida or Boston via the stop at Penn Station.

Also continuing to build various buildings for the layout.  Will post photos as soon as the four structures I am working on are completed and painted.

I also had to change my email address due to a spammer using my email as a return address on his/her spams.  They did not get my address lists, just using my email address.  So that is the origin of james @ thebeckhams . us.

Standard WM Tool House

This small Tool House is being constructed from basswood strips, board and batten sheet, and a Grandt Line door casting.  Below is the tool house shelter as of 11/30/13.  It occupies a space of 4-1/2 by 3-1/4 inches and will have rails leading into it for a hand pump car.

Ackerman Passenger Shelter

This small Passenger shelter is being constructed from basswood strips and board and batten sheet.  Below is the shelter as of today.  It occupies a space of 3-1/2 by 2-1/4 inches.