Room Preparation 5

A good cleaning of Zone 2 and 4 was necessary for installing carpeting.

Carpeting should have been installed much earlier in the room preparation process and is properly identified in the room preparation project worksheet located here.

I used indoor outdoor carpeting purchased from Home Depot. It's a medium shade of gray which i think will go well with the black valence and fascia. No padding was installed underneath but i did install several pieces of heavy mil plastic under the carpet in two areas that had some light water seepage to prevent recurring wetness under extreme rainy weather.

I used two 12 foot wide sections, one 16 foot long and one 12 foot long. The two sections were carpet taped together to form one continuous length. The carpet was cut around the furnace and water heater.

I also took this time to cover the glass block window located in the east wall with a navy blue window covering. The material was stapled to the 2x2 inch lumber used as the header for the compression stud wall, and tucked behind the stud.

The train room is starting to look complete and is certainly a morale booster to me.

Modeling Interest 6 - Personnel Positions

In the last blog, we discussed the Rolling Stock of interest to the modeler. In this blog we will discuss the type of railroad personnel positions the modeler wants to simulate during layout operations.

Personnel.

Prototype railroads have hundreds of operational positions required for safe and efficient operations. Those positions include crew and admmistrative positions. The WWSL has determined the following operational positions required:

Dispatcher.  The dispatcher is responsible for authorizing the occupancy of main track and sidings by issuing track bulletins and warrants and communicating such authorities to train crews, track crews and others when required by the general superintendent or superintendent of operations.

• Monitors train movements and conditions affecting movements (such as weather conditions, train crew availability, engine and equipment availability, track warrants/bulletins, general orders, timetables, and track and speed restrictions), taking indicated actions to assure safety and performance, and coordinating responses to unplanned events and emergency situations.

• Communicating via telephone or radio with train crews, yard supervisory personnel, maintenance of way personnel and others regarding train movements and instructions, train orders and authorities. 

• Plans in advance for smooth and effective movement of trains and meets/passes to avoid unnecessary delay.

Yardmaster. The yardmaster is in charge of and overseeing switching and yard operations where trains are "made up" or prepared for their next service and schedules maintenance of trains.

• Ensure the safe arrival and departure of all trains, consistent with all established schedules.

•  Classify cars in classification yard, as indicated on the train manifest. 

•  Prepare departing trains. Notify the Dispatcher that the train is ready for crew call. Provide train symbol, total train length, tonnage, and lead engine number for all departing trains. 

•  Provide the outgoing crew with departing train manifest and consist card. 

•  Switch industrial zone.

Train Crew (Conductor/Engineer/Brakeman).

• Conductor. He or she is responsible for the safety of the crew, compliance to all rules and regulations, and assurance of the railroad’s customer fulfillment. Managing manifests and applicable paperwork. Communication with the Dispatcher to obtain/release track authority, convey issues, etc.

• Engineer. He or she is responsible for the adherence to all rules and regulations defined in the Employee Timetable, including compliance with signal indications, speed requirements/limits, and any special instructions

• Brakeman. He or she is responsible for throwing switches on the ground, uncoupling cars, and other work as assigned by the Conductor. While on the ground, the Switchman must simulate the time required to walk between the switches, walk the train from car to car, setting brakes, etc.

Station Agent / Car Distributor. He or she is responsible for customer fulfillment.

• Identifies and posts car requirements with a waybill at the station / customer location. 

• Inserts waybills in car cards after arrival at customer location.
  

• Loads open cars with appropriate loads. 

• Acts as interchange station agent placing interchange cars for WWSL pickup, or removing cars delivered by WWSL to car storage area.
  

Room Preparation 4

 Room preparation continues in Zone 2 and 4.

I finished hanging drywall, spackled and pained the last bit of ceiling in Zone 2. I used luan paneling cut to size to form utility access panels along the water lines.

The next step was to add 1/2 inch styrofoam insulation and HVAC tape to insulate the furnace ducts that were located below the ceiling lines.

Upon completion of the insulation installation, the ductwork was painted black to hid it from normal viewing.

Modeling Interest 5 - Rolling Stock

In the last blog Modeling Interest - Locomotives, we discussed the type of locomotives the modeler wishes to replicate. In this blog we will discuss rolling stock of interest. 

Rolling Stock.  

Rolling stock is equipment which is used by the railroad to move freight and passengers from place to place, or is used to maintain operations. It falls into two service categories: revenue and non-revenue. Revenue equipment includes passenger equipment, boxcars, hoppers, flat cars, gondolas and other specialty equipment. Non-revenue equipment includes cabooses, maintenance of way, and company supply and service equipment. 

Ownership

Rolling stock used by railroads would be primarily owned by the principle railroad. Railroads determined the number of cars by type based on the ongoing needs of their customers. The document below is a Northern Pacific analysis of flat cars required for ownership. Notice the bottom line required for ownership to protect loadings, etc is 1954 cars. If the railroad was short cars, additional rolling stock could be available from railroads that interchange with the principle railroad, or the railroad would purchase new or used rolling stock.

 

Because the WWSL is a short line railroad with limited finances, it would probably not be able to provide 100%  of the railroad cars necessary to meet customer requirements. Under national car management rules, the WWSL could ask its three interchange partners (the NP, MILW, and UP) or private owners (cars available for contractual lease) for cars. 

WWSL ownership. I have tentatively set the revenue car presence: WWSL %, OPLC %, STC %, NP - %, MILW - %,  the UP - %, private owner  %.

Age of equipment

 

The 1940's and 1950's saw a shaking out of railroad operations. Wages, unnaturally low because of the Depression and War, were quickly catching up in the post war decade, and labor costs were a balance sheet item. The Depression also delayed the replacement of rolling stock. John Nehrich wrote Freight Trains, Choosing the Right Cars,  in the April 1992 Mainline Modeler. In this article he reviews the age of rolling stock in service. 

 

Period	1949	1953
WWI or earlier	20
1918-1922	12	18
1925-1027	27	19
1928-1930	8	8
1931-1935	2	2
1936-1937	5	5
1938-1941	7	7
1942-1945	7	7
1946-1949	12	12
1950-1953		22

 

Nehrich notes several things. 1) Freight car construction during the Depression plummeted to 1% of previous levels. 2) Rebuilding of existing freight cars with steel understructures occurred to extend service life of existing cars. 3) Freight trains of the 1950s were mainly composed of cars originally built in the 1920s, and 4) in the period 1946 - 1963 2/3rds of the total 1,515,139 freight car fleet in service was newly built. 

WWSL 1950's rolling stock age determinations.

• Class 1 railroads will have primarily newer equiptment - based on their revenue capabilities.

• WWSL will have older rolling stock purchased through used equipment dealers with some new equipment purchased.

• OPLC and STC will have the oldest equipment, equipment which had been recycled for newer operational requirement or equipment purchased through used equipment dealers of class 1 or class 2 railroad equipment. 

 See Rolling Stock references pages for specific railroad rolling stock ownership information used by the WWSL.

 

Benchwork 6

This week's benchwork construction was along the east wall in Zone 3. The wall was painted.

The compression stud wall was installed.

The Lower Rear L-girders was constructed, installed and leveled. The backdrops were installed. You will notice that I recycled a WWSL ver 2a backdrop on the right side, the sky colors are reversed because i kept the luan paneling manufactured ends mated and the cut end was placed in the corner. The Upper Rear L-Girders were installed. 

Construction is halted until i get the ceiling drywalled. 

Modeling Interest 4 - Locomotives

In the last blog Modeling Interest - Traffic, we discussed the type of traffic the modeler wishes to replicate. In this blog we will discuss the third part of locomotives and rolling stock of interest.

 

Locomotives.

Steam Locomotives. Steam locomotives of both geared and rod construction were used in railroading from its beginning to the mid to late 1950's in the Grays Harbor area.  The Northern Pacific used xxx model in passenger service.until that service was discontinued in 195x.  Rod locomotives (2-6-0s through 2-6-6-2 Mallets) were used in freight service.on the flat lands, and geared locomotives (Heislers, Climaxes, and Shays) on the mountainous grades and switchbacks.

Based on my interests, the following prototype steam locomotives are of interest:

• Logging operations in British Columbia. There were two locomotives of interest: MacMillan Boedel 1044, a 2-6-2T  with rectangular tank, and MacMillan Boedel 1055, a 2-6-2T with saddle tank.

• Logging operations in Gray's Harbor.  Rayonier had 2-6-6-2 mallets operating in the Humptulips - Aberdeen area until 1959. Smaller logging companies used 2-6-2s and 2-8-2s

WWSL potential steam locomotives. I anticipate the WWSL will have the OPLC continue to use steam locomotives. Not having the size and scope of British Columbian or Rayonier operations, the OPLC could operate 2-4-2T locomotives along MacMillan Boedel lines, and 2-6-2s or 2-8-0s based on Rayonier operations.

Diesel Locomotives. Diesel locomotives were first introduced to prototype operations in 1930 (Ingersoll Rand) and slowly began to replace steam locomotives in the early 1940's. Accelerated replacement occurred after WWII. The NP, MILW and UP introduced diesel locomotives to Gray's Harbor operations after WWII. Based on my interests and the time period, the following prototype diesel locomotives are of interest:

• NP 220 (a GP-9) located at Hoquiam for road service. NP 159, (a SW1200) located at Hoquiam for switcher service.
• MILW 619 (a SW1200) located at Hoquiam for switcher service.
• UP 112 (a GP7) located at Hoquiam for interchange service. 

WWSL potential Diesel locomotives. An IR type diesel locomotive for switcher service. A GP7 for road service.

Electric Locomotives.  Electric locomotives were first used in the Northeast for long-distance mainline electrification (Pennsylvania Railroad, New York Central, New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad, among others). Other railroads, such as the Virginian, Chicago South Shore & South Bend Railroad, Norfolk and Western, ran mainline freight operations. In the Pacific Northwest, the Great Northern and Milwaukee Road had electrified divisions. 

 

Smaller electrified lines in the US (Piedmont and Northern (PN),  Butte Anaconda and Pacific (BAP), Pacific Electric (PE), Sacramento Northern (SN), and the Red River Lumber Company, ran freight operations.

 

WWSL potential electric locomotives. BB boxcab electrics such as those used by the BAP and PN for road operations. 

See 8.0 Locomotives for specific locomotive modeling information.

Benchwork 5

Benchwork construction continued along the east wall and the north side of the center peninsula in Zone 2 and 4.

Using standarized construction techniques found in Benchwork 4  I installed the the Upper and Lower Deck (rear) benchwork on the east wall.

I then constructed and installed the Upper and Lower Deck (rear) L-Girders on the peninsula. The backdrop only extends 16' with a 4 foot open end. For the rear L-Girders I installed an 8' 1x3 L-Girder, then a 4' 1x3 L-Girder, and then installed a final 8' L-Girder cantilevered into the final open 4' area. This 8' L-Girder was made from a 1x4 for improved stability when cantilevered.

The Upper Deck Front L-Girder was constructed of two 1x4 L-Girders 10 foot long, installed 24 inches from the backdrop and attached to the valance with the 19 gauge dark annealed steel wire.

The lower Deck Front L-Girders were constructed and installed using the same techniques. The cantilevered L-Girder was leveled and secured to a leg cut to size.

The Upper and Lower Deck Front L-Girder benchwork on the east wall was measured and cut to fit between the north and center peninsula benchwork.

I also installed Lower Deck String 1 along the north and east wall and parts of the Upper and Lower Deck Strings 1 and 2 to the upper cantilevered section.

Modeling Interest 3 - Traffic

In Layout Design Process 4 - Railroad Modeling I identified that the layout design process can be broken down into three primary functional areas: Concept, Structure and Layout Detail. In this blog we will discuss the third of the five elements of Concept 2) Specific modeling interests - Traffic.

The traffic element includes 3 elements: 1) the types of trains to be run (streamline passenger v commuter, merchandise fast freights v local freights v mixed trains), 2) the traffic density (the number of trains to be run during an operating session), and 3) the length of trains to be runas indicated by Modeling Interest - Railroad Operations.

Types of trains to be run

• Passenger. Logging operations had logging camps near logging reload locations. Movement to cutting sites was often done by home made speeders or by flat car. The railroad would on a regular basis transport loggers lining in the camps to town on weekends. In the mid-50s logging camps were becoming obsolete as trucks became more prevalent and more loggers were living in local towns and commuting to cutting sites. My passenger modeling consideration suggested a local (perhaps mixed service) between Montesano and the logging camp.

• Freight. Industry practice on short lines and logging railroads suggest locals, usually run as extras, operating based on the demand of the customer. I would anticipate at least two freight trains serving coal and stone customers, one freight train serving the lumber company, and one freight serving the paper mill.

• Yard Switching. Freight traffic would move through a central yard, located near the Class 1 interchange locations. The yard would classify the incoming cars in five sorts: 1) Interchange to NP, 2) Interchange to MILW, 3) Interchange to UP, 4) local freight north and south bound, 5) local switching. Yard switcher would usually do local switching within yard limits.

• Interchange. The Northern Pacific employee timetables listed a 75 car siding at Montesano, Washington. MILW and UP interchange tracks are located at Melbourne WA. This would suggest 3 transfer runs daily.
  

Traffic Density

Traffic density is defined as the amount of freight moved. Small amounts are considered light density, large amounts are considered heavy density.

At the industry level, the size of the industry (in terms of cars received and shipped), the volume rate (cars loaded or unloaded per day) and the demurrage rate( the number of days the industry had to load or empty the car before a daily charge was made) often determined the size of the industry's siding. A small industry with a small volume rate would rate a small siding with on call servicing. A medium industry with a large volume rate would rate a small siding with daily servicing or a large siding with alternate day servicing. Large industries with mismatched sized sidings would require multiple servicing per day, often suggesting a dedicated railroad switcher assignment, or an industry owned switcher.

Heavy Industry

• Logging. Movement of logs from the reload site to the sawmill would be by logging train. Logging railroads in the Grays Harbor area loaded between 60 and 120 flat cars per day. Based on the size of the sawmill I anticipate daily activity would be 24 logging cars inbound, and 10 boxcars, flat cars or gondolas outbound daily.

• Pulp and Paper. The paper mill would see a variety of loads and empties - chips in open hopppers and gondolas, chemicals in tank and boxcars, finished paper in boxcars, fuel in hoppers and gondolas. Chips would be loads in and empties out. Chemicals would be loads in and empties out. Finished paper would be empties in and loads out. Daily activity would be 15 to 20 cars.
  

Medium Industry

• Coal Mine. The coal mine would see empty hoppers and gondolas in and loads out. Occasionally the coal mine could receive supplies in boxcars and flat cars. Based on the size of the coal mine I anticipate daily activity would be 14 hopper or gondola cars inbound and outbound.

• Sand and Gravel. The sand and gravel processing area would see empty hoppers and gondolas in and loads out. Based on the size of the sand and gravel plant I anticipate daily activity would be 4 hopper or gondola cars inbound and outbound.
  

Light Industry

• Creosote Plant.The creosote plant would see loaded gondolas and flat cars of raw materiels of cedar poles and unfinished railroad ties either daily or several times per week. The plant would also see a loaded tank car, probably weekly.

• Pole Yard. The pole yard would see empty flat cars or gondolas in and loaded flatcars or gondolas out, probably one or two a week.
  

Length of Trains

The WWSL is a class III shortline. Based on the overall size of the layout, I determined that the longest train would be no more than 8 50 foot boxcars, with no more than 75% of the cars being delivered to any single industry.

The next blog will discuss locomotives and rolling stock interests.

Benchwork 4

Benchwork continues in Zone 2 and 4. The upper and lower front L-girders are assembled and installed.

The first step is temporarily clamping a vertical 1x3 to the valence.

  

With a length of 29 feet, i used three 10 foot 1x4s for the top L-girders.The first L-girder is clamped to the end L-girder. The other end of the L-girder is clamped at the vertical with a second clamp.  Each L-girder is leveled horizontally with a 4 foot level and cross leveled with a 2 foot level. Once correctly leveled the L-girder is attached at the end with a rafter angle plate and temporarily screwed at the other end to the vertical 1x3.

At the other end of the wall a second L-girder is attached and installed in the same manner.

The third (center) L-girder is aligned with the two end L-girder and cut to fit. A rafter splice plate is then screwed at each connection point.

When all L-girders are leveled I then install two wires attached between the valence and the upper L-girder and legs between the lower L-girder and the floor.