Monday, December 25, 2023

Holiday Greetings

The management and employees of the Western Washington Short Line, the Olympic Peninsula Logging Company, and the Saginaw Timber Company have been working our fingers to the bone this holiday season.

Railroad employees are helping our Olympic Peninsula foresters get those Christmas trees from our Grays Harbor tree farms to your home.


When the job's done, we're going to sit down, relax, and enjoy the season's greetings with our friends and collegues. 

So from our family to yours we wish each and every one of you 

 

Sunday, March 19, 2023

Roadway Templates

In Layout Design Process 6 - Railroad Modeling I discussed the variety of prototype railroads Right of Way Maps used to identify right of way information: track diagrams, rail and ballast information, drainage, superelevation and grade line, bridge and building, and signal and communications information. 
 
It is now time to get into the details so that the WWSL Maintenance of Way track gangs can start  construction.

Modeling Information

If you are a Railroad Modeler and you are basing your layout roadway on how the prototype does it, then the following reference pages will help you figure out railroad engineering.

4.1.0 Right of Way discusses how railroads obtain their rights of way and how they document their right of way information.

4.1.1 Roadway discusses roadway engineering and construction, and the use of common standards used by railroads to communicate roadway standards based on their unique operational needs. This page also communicates the roadway standards to be used by the WWSL.

4.1.1.1 Roadbed discusses the geographic issues in roadbed engineering and construction, specifically roadbed construction specifications.

4.1.1.2 Embankments discusses roadway engineering and construction of embankments.

4.1.1.3 Cuts and Fills discusses roadway engineering and construction of cuts and fills.   

4.1.1.4 Drainage discusses the importance of drainage to roadway maintenance and the engineering and construction of cuts and fills.

The WWSL

The WWSL is going to use prototype right of way practices whenever practical. The WWSL is going to use The Milwaukee Roads right of way standard as it applies to electrified lines on the 1st (Northern) Division. 

The WWSL roadway standard will be based on the Union Pacific Common Standards - because that standard was the only consistant regional Class 1 roadway standard I had available for use. 

The WWSL engineering department has identified 15 roadway types that can used on the WWSL right of way. While that may seem excessive to railroad modeling, it does give me some prototype modeling latitude on the WWSL. See 4.2.11 Roadway Modeling Techniques for more details.

The Northern Pacific 16th Sub-Division at Brady, Wa. will be built to Northern Pacific Branch Line practices. See 4.2.11.14 Modeling Technique for Northern Pacific Branch Line for additional details.

The Milwaukee Road / Union Pacific 16th Sub-Division will be built to Union Pacific Branch Line practices. See 4.2.11.15 Modeling Technique for Milwaukee Road / Union Pacific Branch Line for additional details.

The WWSL will include in its modeling efforts drainage and other roadway details (such as hand and motor car set-offs, rail racks, etc), and appropriate signage.

I am going to build a right of way test section to develop and refine the techniques I will have to use during WWSL roadway construction. Those techniques will include putting down layout lines, determining tie spacing, putting down straight and curved track , developing turnout upgrade techniques, and practicing foam roadbed hot wire cutting to name a few new skills.

 

 


 

 

Sunday, March 12, 2023

Paint Right of Way

Now that I have the work space organized and cleaned for the most part, its now time to get the roadway ready for track laying. 

From looking at various construction pictures over the years, you would notice that the extruded polystyrene foam I'm using for roadway is multi-colored. Some is in its original blue (from 20 years ago), green (from the last couple of years), and a browny tan color. The browny-tan color was an earth color that Andy Sperandeo,  a contributor and late executive editor Model Railroader Magazine, recommended ina layout construction project printed in Model Railroader. His recommendation was  Burro Beige,  I think from Sherwood Williams. Not knowing my soil colors I went out and bought a gallon and liberally painted the sections I had developed to date. It was a great improvement over blue foam.

Well Burro Beige isnt on the color charts any more, so I had to cut a chunk out of my  right of way scrap pile and take it to Lowes for a computer match.  The computer does an ok job of matching but its not absolute. Your results may vary. The new color is pretty decent for a first of many layers of ground cover. 

With a roller, a 4 inch brush and a paint pan I started at one end of the layout room and started painting. The job moved right along, especially since most of the right of way is now cleared of mountains of miscellaneous supplies. It gives the room a little more of a finished look. 

In the interest of continued cleaning and organizing, I put up pre-painted fascia that had been sitting on the right of way for more than a little while. There was a giant improvement  - made me think that big things were happening.  See 3.7 Valence / Fascia for additional details. 

While I was temporarily installing the fascia, I took advantage of the opportunity and constructed a Car Card Box and Sorting Rack,  and a Pen / Uncoupler Holder. It is too early to operationally use them but having them there was an opportunity to test the concept. Another small project completed. 

With a paint job, the laying down of roadbed lines will be easier - no more guessing which line is the old line, the new line or an accidental line. My layout line strategy will be discussed at 4.2.1 Putting down layout lines. I am going to do a test section on right of way construction first to get the process down before I go live on the WWSL right of way.


 

Sunday, March 5, 2023

Break In Track

In my earlier model railroading days, I didn't go into high end locomotives. Athearn Blue Box was my choice - frankly that brand WAS the leading edge of technology and quality. With David Burrows minimalist philosophy in mind,  out of the box and onto the track was acceptable in my mind. Direct Current and analog control systems didnt require any tune ups or configuration upgrades, etc.

With DCC the whole philosophy changes. DCC requires programming tracks, can motors and drive trains require break in, decoders need speed control tweaking, and double heading requires speed matching. It really doesn't work on a railroad modeling layout. Something else is needed to do all that programming, tweaking and speed matching.

Given and druthers

For the current test objectives, the givens and druthers for this test layout are as follows:

  1. The test track needs to be conveniently located near my workshop. The main motivation for building it is to have a place to quantify my tune up impact of the various HO locos that I work on.
  2.  It needs to be in a spot that will be undisturbed for long periods of time.
  3. The grade needs to be zero in the level portion. It needs to adjust to a maximum 2.5%. Grade change based on raising the table legs.
  4. The length of the active test sections needs to be long enough to ensure that the acceleration of the test unit has stabilized to zero. It needs to be capable of allowing an hour break-in run (50% forward and 50% reverse).
  5. The track sections shall be wired using DCC best practices. The initial tests will all be DC, later testing will also include DCC testing.
  6. The track roadway shall be cork strip and the track shall be adhered to the cork with acrylic caulk.

I had to smile when, after noting how various modelers were handling the break-in challenge, it came to mind that a circle, the basic layout of a Christmas present decades ago. An older mind contemplated putting it under the benchworked but not built helix, but not being able to see the locomotive in motion was the drawback.

I walked past the solution every day for a couple of years before I realized the solution.

If you've read my earlier planning pages you know that I have a pretty decent basement for railroad modeling. The stairs are at one end of the basement, the utilities are centralized in two better than ok locations allowing for lots of uninterrupted railroad. My crew lounge / workbench area substitutes for a utility room when I'm not modeling. 

I have a rolling dispatcher's desk that abuts against the furnace area when operations are ongoing .....

The dispatching area! To hide the furnace during operations, I built a folding wall from four 2 foot by 6 foot plywood panels secured by hinges with removable pins. The dispatchers desk is placed along the furnace wall. What if that break in track was a circle on a 4' x 4' plywood panel and hinged to the hinged panels? Move the desk and raise the panel for break in operations and leave it hinged downward and out of sight the rest of the time.

Construction. Construction was very simple.

  1. 4 foot x 4 foot by 3/4 inch plywood, painted all 6 sides WWSL subsoil color to allow easier observation of wheel sets in operation .
  2. 1" x 2" frame to prevent warpage and protect track from being bumped, or torn loose when in storage (or rolling stock from falling on the floor).
  3. Two 3 inch hinges to attach the module to the dispatcher wall panel.
  4. Midwest cork roadbed to minimize track noise during motor and drive train evaluation.
  5. Atlas Code 83 flex track  - 21 inch radius (minimum WWSL curvature). Code 83 rail height will also help me find those oversize flanges on rolling stock for replacement.
  6. 18 gauge wire for track feeds.
  7. Electrical panel for amp voltage meters and DC/DCC easy connect plugs.

 

Stored configuration

 

Upright configuration

 

Electrical

 I haven't gotten the final electrical configuration worked up right now. My plan is to use an old personal computer power supply (See 6.2.5 Power Supplies for additional details) for the 12V DC with a Model Rectifier Corporation Cab Control 77 power controller (I think it was the first 'hand held' throttle advertized) hooked up to the track bus. I will add DC amp and volt meters for analysis.

For DCC I will have a power bus line from the DCC system to the same track bus.

In the meantime I was able to test the test track with an old DC power pack, the Cab Control unit and some jumpers… Around and around the locomotives go during the break-in process!

 




Sunday, February 19, 2023

Work Spaces

Prototype Information

Class 1's have acres of dedicated work space for constructing, overhauling and repairing locomotives and rolling stock. Lots and lots of room!

One location I had the opportunity to volunteer at was the North Carolina Transportation Museum, the present name for the former Southern Railway Spencer Shops. The Shops were built in the 1890s and named after Southern Railway president Samuel Spencer. Located in Spencer, North Carolina, the Shops were a division point on the Southern Railway's main line between Atlanta GA. and points north and east. It was a main repair repair facility for those lines operating in the Carolinas, Virginia, and Georgia. It had a a 37-stall roundhouse for locomotive repairs, a back shop capable of overhauling 10 to 15 locomotives at one time, a multi-track major car repair in place, and the blacksmith shop, boiler shop, flue shop, woodworking shop, paint shop, master mechanics shop and other shop and warehouse facilities to support those operations. 


 

The shops ceased working on steam engines in 1953, when the railway company phased them out. Diesel repairs kept the Shops operating until more modern facilities were constructed in Chattanouga. By 1960 only the roundhouse and repair shed were still in use by less than 100 workers. Those activites were ended in 1979 and Spencer Shops was closed. The Southern Railway gifted the state of North Carolina to support the creation of the North Carolina Transportation Museum.

Modeling Information

Even in 1:87th scale I don't have room for a 'prototype' facility. Economy and efficiency is the order of the day. Fortunately I have the internet and a search for railroad modeling work spaces gave me a few leads. Some railroad modelers had work desks, some had pullout work trays, one even had a modeling board and a suitcase of tools and supplies he took with him on trips. A dedicated modeler indeed!

Wherever the railroad modeler does their modeling one thing was very very clear during my search. The modeling area is universally cluttered. I'm grateful for that being the rule rather than the exception. Excepting the clutter, the ingenuity of the modeler is present.

Here are a few of my favorites.

IMG_6554
Stephan Gardiner

Ryan Mendell

_800x719.jpg
Rob McLear 


Neil Ericson

Shannon Crabtree

101_8724.JPG
Kevin Barnett

The WWSL

The WWSL is a moderately sized layout, and now that benchwork construction is done my modeling will now focus on right of way, scenery, locomotives and rolling stock, and structures - most of them either scratchbuilt or kitbatched. So what I need are medium sized workspaces, room for tool and supply storage, a paint booth, and plenty of good light.

Given and Druthers

1. My work space is going to have to co-located with the utility room and the 'crew lounge'. That means being able to get to the circuit breaker box, and the set tubs (for water and washer drainage). I've got to make room for the washer and dryer. I'm going to want to have space for a dorm room sized refrigerator and coffee pot.

2. I need to have a work bench for small projects. I need space to work on larger projects. I need to have a place to store my layout sized tools. I need a place for storing locomotive and car kits, scratchbuilding and kitbatching parts (large and small). I need a place to store projects that are incomplete. I need a place to store reusable jigs. 

3. I need task oriented lighting.

4. I need vertical space to locate construction checklists, etc.

5. I need self contained construction specific workbench aids to keep the work space generally uncluttered.

6. The work space must be fairly easy to construct and maintain.

Work Bench

The work bench size must be appropriate for the work space I have allocated. The height should match the lower level of the layout for estetic reasons. The depth should be narrower so I can reach the back of the bench when seated. It should have plenty of leg room. I should have a solid top, with a support structure design such that I can clamp stuff to the front of the top as necessary. It should have the ability to clamp reference photos so they are not propped up on the bench surface taking up valuable modelling area.  See 11.1.1 Work Bench for additional details.  

Project Tables

I should have one or more tables available for larger project construction and assembly. Table should be height adjustable if possible. Table top and sides must be such that its easer to clamp tools and jigs for various projects. See 11.1.2 Project Tables for additional details. 

Project Lighting

General lighting and point lighting consistant with the layout lighting. Built in Power Bars on both sides of the bench.

Tool Storage. Tools consolidated based on project requirements. Tool bins appropriate for the project I'm working on. See 11.1.3 Tool Storage for additional details. 

Project Supplies. Supplies consolidated based on use. Cleaning supplies separate from project supplies. Supply bins appropriate for the use, size and quantity of the supplies. An overhead shelf to store small scratchbuilding and kitbatching parts and other miscellaneous stuff. Supply bins clearly labeled and easy to move. 11.1.4 Project Supplies for additional details. 

Project Storage. I know I am going to be working on multiple projects at one time. Those projects awaiting parts or waiting for the next step in the production schedule must be out of harms reach. See 11.1.5 Project Storage for additional details. 

Rolling Caddies. Some activities have to be done at the layout. I need some means of bringing selected tools and supplies to the work location, and keeping those tools and supplies organized. See 11.1.6 Rolling Caddies for additional details. 

Tool Stations. A project always goes faster when I have the right tools and supplies at hand for the job. Some tools are more important than others at any given moment. See 11.1.7 Tool Stations for additional details. 


Sunday, February 5, 2023

Clean up Work

In my last post I committed to getting back in the railroad modeling game. But to do that I have to have space to do the 400 (square foot) of small projects to improve my modeling skills. 

The good thing about having a basement for the railroad is I have space. The bad thing about having a basement is its a great place to store things .... and I stored alot of things.

  • Two rolling caddies of camping gear.
  • Five 2 and 3 shelf bookcases for books and obsolete VHS tapes (alot of tapes!).
  • Several former bedroom dressers reconfigured for draw spaces. 
  • Not one, not two, but three car drawers. See 3.14 Car Drawers for further information.
  • Three cabinets for storing car kits, structure kits, and scenery supplies.
  • Eleven 2 drawer filing cabinets for storing some 50 years of model railroad articles related to every major topic on the reference page sidebar.

Oh ! I forgot to mention the 400 square feet of shelf space that I call the WWSL ver. 3.0.

Lots and lots of stuff. Some organized but it became unorganized as time went on and I wasn't laying track. Other people call that procrastination. I plead guilty (sheepishly).

Well as my friend said ''You can only eat an elephant one bite at a time." So starting at one end, I started the clean up. Lots of clean up. The hardest part was finding the appropriate place to put it. I deliberately didn't take a before picture.

It took a while, and during that time I had to build some storage space that I knew I needed (someday) and that someday arrived. 

Half the layout room is cleaned and organized - the half that I'm going to start working on again. As time goes on, the clutter will continue to be contained, organized or gotten rid of. 

 

Reload, Coal Grove (top) Wickwood (bottom)

 

        Satsop River (top)          North River (bottom)

 

Polson Canyon (top)      Preachers Slough (bottom)

 While I was cleaning I decided to fix some of the stationary furniture in the room. The small table is configured as either the dispatcher's desk, or as a drafting table. It's on wheels now for easy moving as necessary. 

The two cushion couch was demoted from the living room to the crew lounge / utility room. It will be a nice place to sit when the railroading day is done and I'm marveling at my latest small project success. I ran two 2" x 4"s along the bottom and then put wheels on that  so its easy to move from the utility room to the layout space as necessary.

 

Roller table dispatcher configuration

 

Roller table draftsman configuration

 

Crew Lounger

 

"One bite (project) at a time.' Now I have to work on the workshop area to get it organized.

Sunday, January 8, 2023

Small Projects to Improve My Modeling Skills

For some time I have been doing things other than railroad modeling, It's not that I dont have the time - I do. It's not that I don't have the resources - I do. What I don't have is the mental discipline to take the next step in the railroad modeling activity - improving my skill set.

Now on one hand I find that pretty funny. I've built things all the time. I built 9 or 10 model railroads over the years in the David Barrow's minimalist tradition (its a good thing) based on what I was interested in at the moment. I've been involved in the restoration of real railroad locomotives, rolling stock and done maintenance of way activities on track.

What I haven't done is gone all the way with railroad modeling. I've done the stuff I have listed in the Pages Sections: History - yes. Operations - most of the time. Construction - yep! Right of way - only in the basic (minimalist) terms.

What I haven't done is the other 270 degrees of railroad modeling. I haven't modeled right of way, haven't dug ditches, installed culverts, or built bridges. I haven't created landforms, built mountains, hills, valleys and ridgelines. Nope to the scenery techniques of creeks streams, rivers. I haven't gone beyond the ready to run locomotives or the kit rolling stock. Structures have been note cards with industry names or cardboard cut outs mocking up the industry at best. It wasn't important enough at the time, modeling wise.

So I stalled - subconsciously. And procrastinated. The action wasn't happening. 

Then I got a kick in the pants. A friend of mine that I hadn't seen in years dropped in. He knew I was a modeler and wanted to know how things were going., what progress I'd made in 5 years with the layout. I was embarassed. 'Don't be', he said. 'You can only eat an elephant one bite at a time.' 

He was right of course. And I kind of knew it because  - as I was developing the blog -  I have a number of pages in each one of the Reference Page sections, that were going to explain what I was going to do and how I was going to do it. I just didn't recognize that what I thought was explaination was actually THE CONCEPT at the time. 

The light finally came on when I was browsing the web and found the Proto48 Modeler site and specifically author Shawn Branstetter's Small Projects to Improve Your Track Modeling Skills. He got it  - and finally I got it! The WWSL ver. 3.0 isnt a multi-deck 200 foot main line, it's 400 (square foot) of small projects to improve my modeling skills. 

And I'm taking the leap!