Section 5 - Preachers Slough - Part 2

In the last blog (Module 15 - Basalt Module - Part 1) I identified the layout design elements of the Basalt 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. A sunny sky. 
2. A far hillside with scattered trees.
   
3. A two track industrial area (North Pole Company and Knotty Pine Lumber Company)
4. An embankment with a state highway paralleling the main line.
5. A highway bridge crossing the main line.
6. A class 1 main line, a passing track and an interchange track.
   
7. A concrete tunnel portal passing through a ridge line.

Scenery Design Considerations

Background

1. The backdrop available for the Preachers Slough section is 22 inches in height. The section will be a simple backdrop - a clear blue sky suggesting a sunny day. 

2. A far hillside with scattered trees.

 

This photograph will be the basis for the far hillside on the left (geographically south) area paralleling the section's industrial area.

 

This photograph will be the basis for the center and right (northern) hillside paralleling the section's main line / interchange area. 

 

 

 

 

Landforms

The two photographs above will be the basis for the landforms on the Reachers Slough section.

Mid ground

 3. A two track industrial area. The backdrop hillside is extended into the midground paralleling the section's industrial area as a terraced hillside built from extruded styrofoam. It will directly extend from the backdrop. (See above).

4. An embankment with a state highway paralleling the main line.The hillside in the center parallels the section's main line / interchange area is an embankment four inches high and inches at the base. The rear of the embankment is sloped, giving a stand-off from the background. The top of the embankment is sized for a state highway with shoulder and guard rails. (See above).

7. A concrete tunnel portal passing through a ridge line. The hillside on the right (geographically north) area parallels the section's fascia and  integrates with the tunnel complex on the Smith Canal section.

 

 

 

 

 Foreground

Portions of the foreground between the interchange track and fascia is flat or sloped slightly downward toward the North River. 

Drainage and MOW structures, etc will be integrated with the foreground landforms. 

Section 5 - Preachers Slough - Part 1

It's time to layout the Preachers Slough section. The layout design given and druthers of this section is identified in 4.3.5 Preachers Slough Station Map.

Layout Design Elements

This section consists of seven layout design elements:

1. A sunny sky. 
2. A far hillside with scattered trees.
   
3. A two track industrial area (North Pole Company and Knotty Pine Lumber Company).
4. An embankment with a state highway paralleling the main line.
5. A highway bridge crossing the main line.
6. A class 1 main line, a passing track and an interchange track.
7. A tunnel that is bored thru a ridge line that acts as a scenic view block.

This Section consists of two WWSL Common Standard eight-foot sections. See the WWSL section construction reference page for the construction technique.

ROW Design Considerations 

The most critical design consideration on this module is the curvature of the main line track. These curves are 32-degree (26-inch) cosmetic curves. The width of the roadway in the river canyon must be approximately 8 inches in-order-to have 8 inches of hillside to the rear of the module and 6 inches of scenic elements to the front. 

The most critical design consideration on this module is the location of the industrial spur. Its location determines the location of the main line and the interchange siding. Placing the industrial spur at 15 inches from the fascia permits a two track industrial spur.

The WWSL usually uses easements on its main line right of way.. In this section there are two elements in the roadway layout:

1. easement  - simple curve  - easement  - Industrial spur switch 
2. easement  - simple curve - easement - Interchange switch -

Laying out the Structures

I am not going to go into great detail about laying out the structures. See the 10.0.3 Structure Layout Technique for the specific details.

The Preachers Slough industrial site is located in a river valley and parallel to a wide deep river. Prototypically it would be a long and narrow industrial site.

The Knotty Pine Lumber Company is basically a creosote plant taking in processed timber for creosoting. The North Pole Company processes second generation fir trees for utility poles. Each company has its own industrial track.

Essentially you're going to follow this process: 

1. Lay out the Knotty Pine industrial spur. 
2. Layout the creosote plant footprint.
   
3. Lay out the North Pole industrial spur.
   

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 of doing it before. 

Because this section ties into both the North River - Section 6 and the Smith Canal - Section 4, some layout of those sections will need to be done at the same time, primarily the main line locator at North River (12 inches from the fascia) and the southernmost Smith Canal curve (4 inches from the fascia.). 

Essentially you're going to follow this process: 

1. Lay out the main line at the 15-inch line from the fascia.
2. Lay out the creosote plant spur at the 15-inch line.
3. Lay out the pole plant spur at approximately 10-inch line
   
4. Layout the main line at the 12-inch line (the North River main line)
   
5. Lay out the main line at the 9-inch line from the fascia (the Smith Canal main line)..
6. Lay out the interchange track at the 6-inch line from the fascia.
   

Laying out the turnouts 

The WWSL common standard is a #6 turnout for main line turnouts. The industrial spur turnout woill  be a #6 because the spur is on the outside of the main line curve. The interchange track southern turnout is a #6 for the same reason. The interchange track northern turnout is a WWSL common standard #5. The MILW/UP interchange track turnout is also a #6 turnout.

Roadway Details

• The WWSL 2nd Division is designated Class A main line. See 4.2.11.1  Modeling Technique for High Profile Roadway for details.
• The interchange track is designated Medium Profile Yard track. See 4.2.11.4 Modeling Technique for Medium Profile Yard Track for details.
• The WWSL industrial spur and all the industrial track is designated Industrial Lead or Spur Track. See 4.2.11.7 Modeling Technique for Industrial Lead or Spur Track for details.

Right of Way Drainage.   

I have a Milwaukee Road / Union Pacific track diagram showing right of way drainage. Preachers  Slough is a great opportunity to show some of these techniques. See 4.1.8 Ditches, Drains and Culverts

• Drainage
• Culverts

MOW Details

• 4.2.12.4 Hand or Motor Car Set-off Detail
• 4.2.12.5 Rail Rests
• 4.2.12.6 Tie Stack Detail
• 4.2.12.7 Equipment House Detail

Track Details.

• Manually operated derail (1) is located on the Industrial spur track.
  
• Manually operated derails (2) are located on the Interchange track. 

In the next blog (Section 5 - Preachers Slough - Part 2) I will discuss the Landform Design Considerations.