Section 10 - Headquarters - Part 2

In the last blog (Section 10 - Headquarters - Part 1) I identified the layout design elements of the Headquarters Module and laid out the roadway lines. 

In this blog I am identifying the scenery construction concept and laying out the landforms.

As a refresher, here are the scenic elements.

1. blue sky with cumulus clouds suggesting a sunny day.
2. Distant Mountains or Hills.
3. A sparse tree line with smaller trees and shrubs.
4. A creek bed.
5. A gravel road.

Scenery Design Considerations

Background

1. The backdrop available for the Headquarters section is 22 inches in height. The Headquarters backdrop merges with the end backgrounds of Sawmill and Camp 1. Those sections will be blue sky with cumulus clouds suggesting a sunny day. See 5.4.1 Sky  and 5.4.2 Clouds for construction information.

2. A distant landform. See 5.4.3 Distant Mountains or Hills for construction information.

Landforms

The Headquarters section is predominately flat ground. There will be some undulation based on drainage or road construction.

Mid ground

3. A sparse tree line with smaller trees and shrubs.

 

 

Foreground

5. The foreground is flat with drainage or undulation with construction spoil. There will be a gravel road. The gravel road will cross the stream bed.  See 5.9.2 Gravel Roads for construction details. 

WWSL north

oplc ash spur

Waterways

3. The stream bed is modeled as a dry stream bed. See 5.8.2 Streams for construction details. 

Section 10 - Headquarters - Part 1

It's time to layout the Headquarters section. The layout design given and druthers of this section is identified in Station 10 - Headquarters.

Layout Design Elements

The Headquarters section adjoins the Sawmill section to the north and the Camp 1 section to the south. This section has of 13 layout design elements: (from backdrop to fascia):

1. A cloudy sky suggests a sunny day.
2. A Distant Mountains or Hills.
3. A sparse tree line with smaller trees and shrubs.
4. The OPLC operations office and radio transmission tower.
5. A MOW section.
6. The OPLC main line between Sawmill and Camp 1.
7. A spur on the OPLC main line to an ash dumping facility.
8. An interchange track between the WWSL and OPLC.main lines.
   
9. The WWSL main line between Sawmill and Camp 1.
10. A dry creek bed.
11. A gravel road.
    
12. An OPLC Pile Trestle bridge (O1). See Headquarters Bridge O1 (Pile Trestle) for construction details.
13. A WWSL Steel Beam Bridge (N1). See Headquarters Bridge N1 (Steel Beam) for construction details.
14. A Ballasted Deck Pile Trestle road bridge (H1). See Headquarters Bridge H1 (Ballast Deck Pile Trestle) for construction details.
15. A vignette of a pipe culvert storage yard utilizing salvaged tank car bodies and various sized corrugated piping. 
    

Section Construction

Headquarters is a standard 2-foot by 8-foot section. See the WWSL section construction reference page for the construction technique. 

ROW Design Considerations  

The most critical design considerations on this module is the design and location of interchange track. Its location determines the location of the WWSL main line, and the OPLC main line. Placing the industrial lead at 12 inches from the fascia permits both main line running and industrial switching.

In my initial WWSL concepts phase I determined that the longest WWSL train would be no more than 8 50 foot boxcars, with no more than 75% of the cars being delivered to any single industry. Using that standard, there would be no more than 5-6 cars being set up or pulled. On a double ended interchange track thats 24 inches for turnouts and 36 inches for rolling stock - that's 60 inches.

First I looked at the two curved legs. At Sawmill, the 26-inch radius curve needs to connect to a tangent track located 10 inches from the front fascia. That means that 16 inches of space is needed on this section for the main line. At Camp 1, the 26-inch radius curve needs to connect to a tangent track located 10 inches from the front fascia. This means that 16 inches of space is needed on this section. A total of approximately 32 inches is needed for the curved main line components. That leaves us with 64 inches of tangent mainline track to fit the interchange and its related turnouts.

Laying out the Structures

There are three structures that are going to be located on this section: the OPLC operational office, a transmission tower and a MOW section. I am not going to go into great detail about laying out the structures as they do not affect the location of trackage. See the 10.0.3 Structure Layout Technique for the specific details.

Essentially you're going to follow this process:

1. Lay out the office and transmission tower.
2. Lay out the maintenance of way structures.

See the Structures Reference Page  for the specific details about building the structures.

Laying out the Right of Way

I am not going to go into great detail about putting down the roadbed lines. See the Right of Way Reference Page  for the details if you haven't had the fun to do it before.
Essentially you're going to follow this process:

1. Lay out the WWSL main line at the 12-inch line.
2. Lay out the interchange track at the 15-inch line.
3. Lay out the OPLC main line at the 18-inch line. Lay out the creek bed on the north side of the section at the fascia and moving back and to the right to the backdrop.
4. Lay out the ash spur track along the creek, headed south.

Because this section ties into both Sawmill - Section 11 and Camp 1 - Section 9, some layout of those sections will need to be done at the same time, primarily the two main line locators at each section. Great fun!

Roadway.

• The WWSL 1st Division is designated Class B main line. See See 4.2.11.2 Modeling Technique for Medium Profile Roadway for details.
• The WWSL interchange track is designated an Industrial Lead or Spur Track. See 4.2.11.7 Modeling Technique for Industrial Lead or Spur Track for details.
• The OPLC is designated Class C main line. See See 4.2.11.3 Modeling Technique for Low Profile Roadway for details.
• The remaining OPLC trackage is designated an Industrial Lead or Spur Track. See 4.2.11.7 Modeling Technique for Industrial Lead or Spur Track for details.

Laying out the turnouts 

The WWSL common standard #5 turnouts are used throughout the section. The OPLC owns its own trackage,  and uses the (WWSL) Common Standard #6 turnout. 

Laying out the interchange turnouts  is going to be the greatest challenge. Both the WWSL and OPLC main lines are coming off a curve and require easements and tangents before siting the interchange turnouts.

Cantenary. The WWSL main line will require unique catenary pole placement. See 7.1 Catenary Systems Overview for details.

Layout Drainage.  The embankment along the center canyon area has a number of possibilities for drainage. In addition to the roadway ditches there will be a series of pipe and box culverts. See 4.1.8 Ditches, Drains and Culverts for general information.

Track Details. TBD

 

 In the next blog (Section 10 - Headquarters - Part 2) I will discuss the Landform Design Considerations.