Valence 4

Last week i discussed a change in benchwork, resizing the south wall modules from 24 inches to 32 inches in depth. This change while relatively minor resulted in a whole new problem regarding valence location. 

What I failed to realize was that when the ceiling was installed I ran 1x3s and 1x4s to match drywall panel locations. I did NOT add 1x3s at the valence location points. I had two options: 1) I'd  have to mark the ceiling at 32 inches from the wall and cut out the drywall 3 inches wide along the entire 12 foot valence footprint, install a new 1x3 and then replace the piece of drywall I cut out, or 2) I'd have to estimate the location of each rafter and then use a 6 inch long drill bit to find the real location and then use a longer lag screw to secure the valence to the ceiling. 

Keeping it simple, I quickly installed the east wall valence per normal practice. As i had an 8 inch opening along the south wall ceiling that hadnt been drywalled yet, finding the rafters was no problem - a 4' drywall T square made estimating easier and within an hour i had the valences installed.  I missed a couple of rafters by several inches (laterally) but thats just a couple of holes to spackle and the damage is hidden. 

 

I then finished drywalling the last bit of ceiling and will hit it with spackle and a paint job next week.

All thats left is a short 4 foot section had to be cut at the new 48 inch location for the helix valence, and then installing the party light strings. 

Station 3 - Demaine Yard

Location.



History. The area where Demaine Yard is located was originally high ground bounded by the NP main line to the north, a platted residential area to the west, flood plain/slough formed by the Chehelis river to the east, and the Chehelis River itself to the south. An existing Schafer Brothers Logging Company spur line ran from Brady to a two track log dump on the Chehelis River.

In the alternate history Montesano became the Headquarters for the railroad when it was established in 1935. As a common carrier with an increased interchange with the NP, it built an interchange yard at Brady. When the WWSL acquired trackage south of the Chehelis River from the Saganaw Timber Company, the WWSL built the Demaine Yard as its primary freight yard.

Operations.

Demaine Yard is a medium sized classification yard operated under the direction of a Yardmaster under Rule 93. It will support a traffic mix of 4 trains, 2 transfers to interchanges, and an local industry switcher. Approximately 50 cars per day will flow through the yard. Most trains are blocked into lumber and mineral traffic headed north and pulp and paper traffic headed south. Cars destined for local shipment and cars interchanging with the Union Pacific, Milwaukee Road and the Nothern Pacific are also blocked here. 

The Subdivision main lines will begin north and south of the main yard.

Design.

Demaine Yard will have the following capabilities:

• Arrival / Departure Yard. There will be one arrival track and one departure track. Both tracks will  have direct access to the yard lead. The arrival/departure yard will be electrified.
  
• Yard Lead. The yard lead will be sized to handle one 8 car train.
  
• Classification Yard. The classification yard will be a 2-track yard that will alternate between north/south trains and MILW/UP and NP transfers.
  
• Industrial Track. The industrial track will be the industrial lead to four local industry spurs (coal dealership, a lumber distributor, an oil dealer, a propane dealer). Alternatively it can be used as a classification track.

Demaine Yard will designed along the philosophy espoused by Craig Bisgeier's The Ten Commandments of Model Railroad Yard Design

Nice to have Elements. 

• 1 team track located alongside the yard lead. A freight shed and/or a loading dock.
• An engine servicing facility for diesel and electric locomotives.
  
• A caboose track

Right of Way. 

Scenery

• The backdrop will be painted as a Near Trees type format. 
  
• The yard will be modeled as a flat yard with an industrial format.
• The module edge will be yard edge scenery to include drainage and selected small buildings as appropriate.
  

Catenary/Signaling. The arrival and departure tracks, the track leads to the engine service area and Montesano Junction are under wire. Demaine Yard itself is not under wire, nor are the industrial tracks or auxillary tracks.

Locomotives. The Demaine yard switcher will be an ALCO hp switcher. First Subdivision trains will be run with electric locomotives, Second Subdivision trains will be run with diesel locomotives.

Rolling Stock. Unique rolling stock required by the Demaine Yard operations includes:

• Sand car if engine servicing facility is installed.
• ICC Type 103 tank cars for fuel distributor.
• ICC Type 104 tank cars for freight station/team track.
• ICC Type 105 tank cars for propane distributor. 
  

Buildings

• Freight Station
• Car Repair Shop
• Coal Dealer (O.McDonalds Coal Co.)
  
• Lumber Dealer (Planck's Lumber)
  
• Fuel Distributor (Caster Oil Co.)
• Propane Distributor (Buyher Propane)
• Arrival Track Buildings
  

 

References.

The Ten Commandments of Model Railroad Yard Design

Benchwork 8

The last major section of benchwork to be installed was along the south wall. I knew this was going to be something out of the ordinary because this was new construction per se. All previous benchwork came from WWSL version 2 and was pretty simple to build and install. This section was unique in that it was the location of the helix, and helix construction causes all sorts of benchwork issues. 

Undaunted I forged ahead. The valence along the south wall in zone 3 was built. I initially planned to continue the benchwork at 24 inches in depth leaving an 8 inch gap between the layout and the south wall. Sanity quickly overwelmed me as i realized two things: 1)  an 8 inch gap either requires another stud wall, or 2) i would have to divide two 8 foot modules and insert a special 8 inch module piece somewhere along a straight track sectionso if i ever moved, i would not have to rebuild multiple curved track. Neither solution was appealing to me. 

 

I came to the conclusion that I could use that 8 inches to solve some layout issues I had with the Lumber Camp and the NP interchange yard. (More of that later in the layout planning blog). The 4 modules on the south wall would be 32 inches in depth rather than 24. Up went the standard compressed stud wall, the lower L-Girder, and the backdrop panels. 

 

 

At this point I need to reverse my normal installation practice. Previously the upper deck was installed first and the lower deck last for ease of installation. This time around the helix base has to be built and installed, then the lower deck built and installed. The upper deck was then gets measured and installed temporarily - knowing final installation was dependent on the location of the helix exit point. 

 

Helix building is a whole new subject that i will get to shortly. .

 

 

 

Station 2 Montesano

Main Headquarters

Location. Montesano is the first station south of Brady Junction. 

 

History

Montesano is a freelanced station on the WWSL. The area was originally high ground bounded by the NP main line to the north, a platted residential area to the west, flood plane/slough formed by the Chehelis river to the east, and the Chehelis River itself to the south. An existing Schafer Brothers Logging Company spur line ran from Brady to a two track log dump on the Chehelis River.

In the alternate history Montesano became the Headquarters for the railroad when it was established in 1935. As a common carrier with an increased interchange with the NP, it built an interchange yard at Brady. When the WWSL acquired trackage south of the Chehelis River from the Saganaw Timber Company, the WWSL built the Demaine Yard. The WWSL headquarters building is mileage 0.0 on the timetable.

Design Considerations.

I saw the Brady Junction - Montesano - Demaine Yard modules to be what a Class 1 railroad would consider to be a Division Point, that is all operations start at this location and extend outward. As a result, we have a major junction, an administrative building/passenger station, an interchange yard and a classification yard in easy communications reach of headquarters. 

The Montesano module ties everything together. One track (normally called the main track) extends north and east to the NP Junction at Brady and WWSL Subdivision 1and south and west to Demaine Yard and the Second Subdivision. It also acts as the station track for passenger operations, and has a turnout that provides passenger car movement from the coach yard to the station.

A second track acts as a the interchange yard lead track. It has turnouts supporting two MOW spurs.

Roadway. 

• WWSL main track - Class B standard
• WWSL interchange lead track - Class B standard
• 2 spur tracks - Class C standard

Catenary/Signaling

• (C) Main track and coach yard lead are wired.
• (C) Interchange lead track is not wired.
  

 Scenery.

• Background is ground level sparse near treeline.
  
• Midground is Headquarters Building
• Foreground is spur tracks with MOW storage areas.

Rolling Stock 

The option to locate a passenger station to the layout would then entail the acquisition of passenger coaches. See Passenger Car history for additional details.

Structures. Structures located at this station will be: 

• Headquarters building is home to WWSL corporate functions. The building also functions as the passsenger station. A building that caught my interest years ago is a C&O Railway building in Thurman WV.
• A rail and tie storage yard.
• A bridge parts yard.