Station 6 - North River

Location.

The North River is approximately 5 miles south of the MILW/UP main line. 

Vignette. 

Operations. Approaching the North River from the east (actual compass heading is south) the single track WWSL mainline rises along a short fill to cross over the river on a 350 ft long bridge made up of one thru plate girder section on the east side of the river, one steel through truss bridge over the river, and another thru plate girder section on the west side of the river. The west end of the bridge leads to the top of a bluff overlooking the west shore.

Track Diagram

 

(Track Chart)

Roadway.

1 - Stone Abutment

1 - 90 foot Thru Plate Girder Bridge

1 - Stone Pier

1 - 125 foot Thru Truss Girder Bridge

1 - Stone Pier

1 - 90 foot Thru Plate Girder Bridge

1 - Stone Abutment

Catenary/Signaling. None

Scenery

Wide deep river.

References.

 

Benchwork 9 - Helix

The layout design given and druthers about helixes on a model railroad layout will be discussed in the layout design section of the blog. Here we are going to look at the benchwork construction of the helix base.

The helix module will occupy a space 4 foot long, 4 foot wide and approximately 24 inches or more in height. The sheer size and weight of the module requires some modification of the WWSLs L-girder costruction techniques.

As seen in the lower photograph the major change is the absence of the horizontal 1x3 as part of the lower L girder. A temporary 1x3 was used to ensure level of the horizontal girder and the installation of the backdrop panels.

Next, the helix base was constructed. To minimize weight, I opted to use 1/2 inch playwood for the base. 1x4 inch L-girders were constructed and installed around the outside edges of the playwood panel for strength. L-girders along two edges of the the panel were set in the traditional internal orientation, two L-girders along the other two edges were oriented outward. All 4 corners were reinforced with metal brackets.

Heres a view of the reversed L-girders. In this case the horizontal L-girder members are 1x2 inch dimentional lumber. They are oriented outward so that when the module is installed on the benchwork, the 1x2 horizontal edges hooks onto the benchwork holding it in place until a leg can be temporarily installed, the module leveled and in this case, galanized screws inserted to lock the module onto the benchwork.

Having gotten the base installed with a temporary leg, I then cut the luan panels I plan to use for the helix roadbed to 48x48 inches. I then installed them on the plywood base and aligned them to the base. I screwed them to the plywood base and then sanded the cut edge with a belt sander. 

The lower level has the helix foundation base for stability. The upper level needs a L girder for stability. I used a 2x2 inch stud for the helix leg. I cut the corner of the luan panels and the 1/2 inch plywood panel, placed the leg inside the L-girder corner and screwed it into the L girders.

 

 

It is my plan to enclose the helix. The east side of the helix will be painted per the lower level sky color. The north side of the helix will be mostly enclosed as fascia and painted black. To make the backdrop and facia panels flush with the Lgirders at the leg, a 1x3 and 1x2 was attached as trim pieces. 

 

Now that the helix base is built and installed, I can finish the benchwork in the south east corner of the layout room and call benchwork construction over.

Station 5 - Preachers Slough

Location.

History. Preachers Slough is the Saginaw Timber Company's connection to the joint UP/MILW mainline.

In the alternate history, when the WWSL acquired trackage south of the Chehelis River from the Saganaw Timber Company, the WWSL built the Chehelis River Bridge. The UP/MILW granted trackage rights from the bridge to MP x where the Saganaw Timber Company had a small interchange yard. That yard became the new interchange yard between the WWSL and the UP/Milw. 

Operations. From the Chehelis River module, the WWSL 2nd Division has trackage rights on the MILW / UP main track from South Montesano to Preachers Slough (not modeled). At Preacher's Slough, the WWSL interchanges with the MILW / UP, then continues south toward Wickwood.

Design.  Preachers Slough is designed to be the interchange point between the WWSL and the MILW/UP.  At the south end of the module, a two track spur diverges from the main track to serve the YKnott Lumber Company tie treatment plant and the Cascade Pole Company

Roadway.

Main track.
Passing siding.
Interchange track

Scenery.

Preachers Slough is designed loosely on three prototype photos I found during my research that appealed to me. 

First was a photo of a Milwaukee road freight coming out of a tunnel. (Location unknown). This will be the south portal of Tunnel 2 on the Second Subdivision.

 

I really liked this photo of the Milwaukee Road's main track and siding at Pipestone Pass. It merges well with photo 1. This will be the main track and siding, with a third track added to the left for the interchange track. The elevated road will be Highway 107 which parallels the WWSL trackage.

 

 

I was trying to figure out what the background should be at the southern end of the module. The hillside with the varied treeline in photo 3 (location unknown) came closest to the Pipestone Pass photo.

Catenary/Signaling. Second Subdivision is non-electrified. 

The real MILW/UP branch line had an automated crossing at Preachers Slough for interchange with the Saganaw Timber Company, as the timber company dumped logs into the Chehelis River at that point for movement to Aberdeen's sawmills. As that crossing is signaled, i will install dwarf signals and they will be operated by the Dispatcher.

Structures. The following structures will be built for the Preachers Slough module:

• South Portal Tunnel 2
• Highway 107 Bridge over WWSL main line
• Interchange shed (MILW/UP)
• MOW sheds
• Miscellaneous structures representing the Y. Knott Lumber Company and the Cascade Pole Company

 

REFERENCES

Valence 5

This last work session was focused on finishing up bits and pieces of valence and ceiling projects. 

• Drywall panels that i had delayed putting up were installed in zone 1. 

 

•  Spackling was done in zone 1, 2 and 3 finishing up ceiling work that had been done in bits and pieces. 

• The valence extending over the helix was built and installed.

 

•  Party light string was installed on the upper valence. 
• The upper outer l-girder was installed.

 

 

Next week I have to build the helix benchwork so i can finish the upper and lower deck benchwork and call overall benchwork construction done !

 

Station 4 - Chehelis River

Location.

2nd Division

History. The original location of an existing Schafer Brothers Logging Company spur line ran from Brady to a two track log dump on the Chehelis River.

The alternate history is that when the WWSL acquired soon to be abandoned trackage south of the Chehelis River from the Saganaw Timber Company to entice the American Pulp and Paper Company to build a mill. The WWSL upgraded the spur line to main line status, built a bridge spanning the Smith Canal, and then built a multi-span bridge across the Chehelis River at its shortest width.

Design. 

Chehelis River is a vignette based on three photos of a bridge.

While reading up on bridges I came across a timber bridge that used retired rails for its stringers. It would work well for the bridge over Smith Canal. 

The single track main track continues on an embankment (the ground along the Chehelis River is flood plain / wetlands /slough)

 

 

 

It then crosses the Chehelis River on a bridge made up of two deck girder bridges and a concrete girder bridge …. and then enters Tunnel S1.

 





 

 

Track Diagram

 Roadway

•  The WWSL mainline is well maintained main line.
  

Scenery. The module is a 43 inch x 5 foot outside curve at the end of the center peninsula. The scenery will consist of:

•  An embankment at the end of the Demaine yard than ends at the edge of Smith Canal.
• A waterway that begins as a narrow stream (canal) and ends as a small river. 
• A embankment (levee) that is the roadway for the main line between Demaine Yard and the Chehelis River Bridge.
• A tunnel that is bored thru a ridgeline that acts as a scenic view block. 

In addition, I'd like to include a second track on the embankment not powered by the layout to act as the programming track for the DCC system. (The DCC system is located directly under this module).

 Catenary/ Signaling

Catenary/Signaling. Second Subdivision is non-electrified. 

Assuming trackage rights on the real MILW/UP branch line, it would make sense that there would be an automated system. There was an automated crossing at Preachers Slough for interchange with the Saganaw Timber Company. Using that system, I will install dwarf signals just before the Chehelis River bridge and they will be operated by the Dispatcher.

Structures.

• 1- 65 foot wood and rail stringer bridge with one wood and one stone abutment.
• 2 - xx foot deck plate girder bridges with a concrete abutment and two concrete piers
• 1 - 30 foot concrete beam bridge with a concrete abutment.
• 1 concrete tunnel portal with wings
  

REFERENCES