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.

Section 17 - Reload - Part 2

In the last blog (Section 17 - Reload - Part 1) I identified the layout design elements of the Reload Section 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 simple backdrop - a clear blue sky suggesting a sunny day.
2. A close tree line.
4. A close tree line.
5. A two track logging reload. 
8. A wye track with engine service spur on the inside.

Scenery Design Considerations

Background

The backdrop available for the Reload section is 22 inches in height. There are two backdrop section: the main section and the terminating section 24 inches wide. Both sections will have:

•  A blue sky with cumulus clouds suggesting a sunny day. See 5.4.1 Sky  and 5.4.2 Clouds for construction information.

•  A Close Treeline. See 5.4.9 Conifer Trees for construction information.

Landforms

Mid ground  

 

2. Portions of the midground between the backdrop and the Coal Grove yard lead will be a close tree line. The slight midground embankment is modeled with 2 inch foam sheet cut in the hillside at a 45 degree angle to integrate the backdrop into the scene.

There will be stream between the yard lead and the OPLC trackage. 

4. There will be a sparse tree line and shrubbery leading into a sloping and somewhat undulating foreground. There will be indications of  of previous logging activities. site construction and operational improvement activities

 

 

 Foreground

8. The wye trackage and service area will be flat ground.  Depending on space available a truck servicing area may be included. See 5.5.1 Flat Ground for construction details.

Waterways

There will be stream between the yard lead and the OPLC trackage. See 5.8.2 Streams for construction details.

Section 17 - Reload - Part 1

It's time to layout the Reload section. The layout design given and druthers of this section is identified in Station 17 - Reload.

Layout Design Elements

The Reload section is the OPLC's Camp 11. It is the 'end of track', the northernmost point of the WWSL's 1st Division. Coal Grove is the section to the immediate south. 

Reload has eight layout design elements (from backdrop to fascia):

1. A simple backdrop - a clear blue sky suggesting a sunny day.
   
2. A close tree line.
3. A yard lead to the Coal Grove yard. 
4. A close tree line.
5. A two-track logging reload spur.  
6. A terminating main line.
7. An interchange track.
8. A wye track with an engine service spur on the inside.

Module Construction

Reload is a two-section set. The first section (17a) is a standard 2-foot by 8-foot section. The second section (17b) is a 2-foot by 4-foot section. Section 17b is connected in parallel to module 17a to deepen the section for the wye track and engine service spur.

See the WWSL section construction reference page for the construction technique.

ROW Design Considerations 

Logging railroads using steam locomotives for transporting logs from the cutting sites to the sawmill have two options for train handling. The railroad can either: 1) push logging cars from the main line to the loading site, or 2) turn the locomotive at the loading site. The OPLC's standard procedure is to turn the locomotive at the loading site. Normally, the logging railroad used a wye track. Wye's require a great deal of space, and finding sufficient acreage in a mountainous forest in the Olympic Peninsula is just as difficult for the WWSL.

I really wanted to show a logging company wye track at the end of the line.

This wye has three specific design issues: 

1. The north end wye leg length is only necessary to hold a steam locomotive and a water car, 
2. The south leg needs to join the scale track (as opposed to the main line) so that the service track can be inside the wye.
3. The west wye leg intrudes into the dispatcher's desk space (but more importantly, the utility room equipment space).

A design alternative to a true wye track at Reload is replacing the west leg of the wye with a turntable.  I could not fine anyone doing it in the modeling press. Leaping into the abyss i am using an Atlas 65-foot turntable and literally pushing it along the west leg center line until the north and south legs intersects with two of the turntable's 30 degree radius tracks.

The WWSL minimum engineering standards for a 2-8-0 steam locomotives using the right-of-way is 26-inch radius curves and # 6 turnouts. The railroad engineer surveyed the site to locate a triangle shaped wye places the North - South wye length 72 inches long (2*(26+10)), and the west end wye length 36 inches into the aisle. Once the west leg's  center line is established, the turntable's location can be fiddled. 

The logging reload spurs are easy to place. The critical factor here is the two spur tracks footprint must allow for log cars and log trucks under the electric log crane structure. I suspect that the footprint is going to look like a two-lane concrete road specification rather than a two-track yard. 

The Coal Grove North Yard lead track is a continuation of its location on Coal Grove.

Laying out the Structures

There are nine structures that are going to be located on this section: the locomotive servicing structures, I am not going to go into great detail about laying out the structures, as they do not affect the location of the 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 Electric Powered Log Crane
2. Lay out the Water column
3. Lay out the Oil column.
4. Lay out the Sand column

 I created structural footprints for all the 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 main line at the 7 inch line.
   
2. Lay out the secondary (scale lead) track at the 4 inch line.
3. Lay out the north wye leg allowing for the length of the OPLC steam locomotive, a water car, and the north leg turnout.
4. Lay out the west to north wye curve.
5. Lay out the west to south wye curve.
   
6. Lay out the south wye leg allowing for the length of the south leg turnout.
   
7. Lay out the two log transfer tracks using a preferred 6 log car capacity on each track.
   
8. Lay out the Coal Grove north yard lead at the 15 inch line.
9. Lay out the WWSL interchange track. 
   

Roadway.

• 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.
• The WWSL scale track is designated a storage track. See 4.2.11.8 Modeling Technique for Storage Track for details.
  

Laying out the turnouts

The OPLC uses #6 turnouts on all its trackage. I have to ensure that the normal route leg of the north wye turnout (26-inch radius) aligns with the main track layout line at 7 inches, and the normal route leg of the south wye turnout (26-inch radius) aligns with the scale track layout line at 4 inches.

I laid out the OPLC locomotive/water car length templates at the end of main line location and added sufficient clearance spacing to prevent collision with the backdrop. I used Ribbon Rail and Fast Track track laying tools to locate and build in the easement and curve radius'.

Laying out the turntable

The Atlas Turntable has a 9 inch turntable track and its built in stall track is xx degrees. I laid out the straight line equivalent on both ends of the turntable wall to aid in the location of the turntable. There was alot of fiddling - reliable turntable operations are best when the approach track is straight to the turntable track.

Cantenary

The O.K. Coal north yard lead will require catenary pole placement. The OPLC trackage is not wired. See 7.1 Cantenary Systems Overview for details.

Layout Drainage.  See 4.1.8 Ditches, Drains and Culverts

Drainage

Culverts

Track Details.

• The OPLC will use 4 bolt rail joiners on all trackage.
• The OPLC use low mount switch stands.
• There is a lift type derail on the service track.

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

In the next blog (Section 17 - Reload - Part 2) I will discuss the Landform Design Considerations. 

 

Section 16 - Coal Grove - Part 2

In the last blog (Section 16 - Coal Grove - Part 1) I identified the layout design elements of the Coal Grove Section 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 (from backdrop to fascia):

1. A ridge line paralleling the main line.
2. A coal processing plant.
3. A diamond shaped coal yard with north and south leads.
4. A scale track serving the coal and sand and gravel industry.

Scenery Design Considerations

Background

The background available for the Coal Grove section is 22 inches in height, consisting of a two part backdrop: 

•  A blue sky suggesting a sunny day. See 5.4.1 Sky for construction information.
•  A ridge line. See 5.4.4 Intermediate Hills for construction information.

Landforms

Mid-ground. 

1. Ridge. The ridge is modeled with 2 inch x 4 inch x 8 foot styrofoam panels. The ridge will have some rock faces that show traces of coal seams. See 5.5.5 Rock Faces for additional information. 

The treeline is a combination of second growth firs  and shrubs. See xxxx for construction details. 

2. The midground is flat ground servicing the coal yard.

3.

 Foreground. 

4. The foreground is flat ground with undulations suggesting prior ROW engineering and site placement for structures and equipment storage. I liked the conveyor picture suggesting that overloaded hoppers would have product removed before re-weighing.

 

Section 16 - Coal Grove - Part 1

It's time to layout the Coal Grove section. The layout design given and druthers of this section is identified in Station 16 Coal Grove.

Layout Design Elements

The Coal Grove section adjoins the Reload section to the north and the Basalt Sand and Gravel section to the south. It has five scenic elements (from backdrop to fascia):

1. A clear sky suggesting sunny weather.
2. A ridge paralleling the main line.
3. A coal processing plant.
4. A diamond shaped coal yard with north and south leads.
5. A scale track serving the coal and sand and gravel industry.

Section Construction

Coal Grove is a standard 2-foot by 8-foot section. 

See the WWSL section construction reference page for the construction technique. 

ROW Design Considerations 

One of my major considerations in the WWSL layout design was the location of Coal Grove. I considered putting Coal Grove at the end-of-track (present location of Reload). The mine located at the end of track and a multi-track stub loading layout would have been easy to construct and operate. I had some misgivings. 

1) I did stub yards in my pre-WWSL days, but was never really enthused about it. Set outs and pick up at smaller industries tracks is one thing - a similar design at a larger industry just doesn't make sense to me.

2) Putting Coal Grove at the end of the line conflicts with other layout design decisions.  I have shown OPLC growth: constant harvesting of new sections of forest. Camp 1 is modeled, and the location of abandoned Camp 3, Camp 5, Camp 7, and Camp 9 are located along the right-of-way.  Reload needed to be end-of-line so it gives the OPLC a future without the need for additional logging lines. 

So Coal Grove's location gets swapped. With 8 feet of space and industries on either side, the design possibilities are narrowed. The most critical design considerations on this module are: 1) the location of the coal processing plant,  2) the number of cars to be processed per train load, 3) the shape of the load/empty yard, and 4) the location of yard turnouts.

3. If you've ever researched coal mines in the east, you will find that the coal loading facilities are parallel to the terrain, with the loading tipple smack dab in the middle of the spur track(s). My favorite coal mining tipple and loading facilities were always multi-track affairs. 

Working with only 24 inches in width (including terrain) puts a damper on 4- or 5-track loading facilities. A main line at 7-inches doesn't give much room for a hillside and a loading facility. Selective compression suggested a small facility: a two-loading tracks and a supply track at best. That puts the loading tracks at 10- and 12.5-inches, the supply track at 15-inches (a half-inch clearance for the tipple posts for each track). A scale track can be located on the fascia side of the main track at the 4-inch line.   

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, (three cars per loading track). On a stub track that's 18 to 24 inches,  on a double-end yard you have to figure one empty.one under the tipple, one load and two spaces - that's 30 inches.

4. Three-yard tracks coming off a main line at a total width of 17.5 inches is beyond my calculating best. I had to create a #5 yard template (WWSL Common Standard yard turnout), Its a lot longer footprint than you would think - a normal ladder track occupies xx inches from main line points to third yard track clearance point.

Because you can't put xxx linear inches in a 96 linear inch space, the yard design became a simple decision - a diamond yard! A diamond yard has two ladder tracks that are parallel to each other. one of its normal ladder tracks flipped. Yes, there is at least one prototype: the Deer Lodge yard on the Milwaukee Road. The Basalt - Coal Grove Main track is the south yard lead, and the north yard lead is located along the back ground of the Reload module.

4. The industrial complex must be accessed from the main track. Off the main line is the O.K. Coal yard lead. The lead services three loading tracks: two processed coal loading tracks and one supply track. In this case, the industrial lead is approximately x feet in length, the industry sidings a minimum of x feet (coal) and x feet (supplies) respectively.

5. The scale track is a more than a scenic element. It can be located closest to the fascia. The WWSL technical specification requires a minimum of 4 inches from the fascia. There is no specific length required, but it should be at least 3 feet in length to allow for one 'shift' of coal cars to be located there for weighing, and an unload site for any coal or gravel cars exceeding weight limits.

 

Lay out the structures

The modeled portion includes a coal tipple, a supply building and a two-track coal loader. The remainder of the facility is not modeled. I created structural footprints for all the structures anticipated to be used on the section. Once I have placed the tipple and 2 track coal loader footprint along the empty / loading yard I can finalize the yard leads. There will be some fiddling.

Essentially you're going to follow this process: 

1. Lay out the Tipple Wood
2. Lay out the Tipple Corrugated
3. Lay out the Storage Building
4. Lay out the Conveyor Frame

 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. 

Essentially you're going to follow this process: 

1. Lay out the main line at the 7-inch line.
2. Lay out the #1 load track at the 10-inch line.
3. Lay out the scale track at the 4-inch line.
4. Lay out the transition template for the yard lead turnouts - north and south leads switch. This is going to be the greatest challenge, you don't want to have part of a turnout on the section break.

Because this section ties into both the Reload - Section 17 and the Basalt Sand and Gravel  - Section 15, some layout of those sections will need to be done at the same time, primarily the main line locators and the turnout positions vis-a-vis section and bridge placements etc. 

Lay out the turnouts

I have WWSL common standard #5 turnouts throughout the Coal Grove section. The O. K. Coal Company owns its own trackage, the WWSL maintains it, and uses the WWSL Common Standard #5 turnout. 

Laying out the yard lead turnouts - north and south leads switch is going to be the greatest challenge. Successful yard operations require smooth yard leads, and placing part of a turnout on the section break will always be troublesome.

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 scale track is designated a Low Profile Yard track. See 4.2.11.5 Modeling Technique for Low Profile Yard Track for details.
• The O. K. Coal trackage is designated a Non-Profile Yard track. See 4.2.11.6 Modeling Technique for No Profile Yard Track for details.
• Main line to yard and industry turnouts are Common Standard #5.
  

Layout Drainage.  See 4.1.8 Ditches, Drains and Culverts

Track Details.

• O. K. Coal track will use 4 bolt rail joiners on the industrial tracks.
• O. K. Coal will have capstan car moving devices servicing all three yard tracks.
• All turnouts will have low mount switch stands.
• There will be lift type derails on all yard ladders.

See 4.2.12 Track Details for additional information and construction techniques.

In the next blog (Section 16 - Coal Grove - Part 2) I will discuss the Landform Design Considerations.

Section 15 - Basalt - 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. An intermediate hillside,with a basalt cliff.
2. An embankment dropping toward an unmodeled river located along the front fascia.
3. A stream that traverses from the fascia to the rear of the section. 
4. A forest road that parallels the stream.
5. A hillside is located on the north side of the stream, offset from the backdrop to hint the location of an abandoned logging roadbed.
   

Scenery Design Considerations

Background

The backdrop available for the Basalt section is 22 inches in height. To the south, it will be a continuation of the rain clouds on the Satsop River section. The remainder of the Basalt section will be a two part backdrop: 

•  A blue sky with cumulus clouds suggesting a sunny day. See 5.4.1 Sky  and 5.4.2 Clouds for construction information.

•  An Intermediate hillside. See 5.4.4 Intermediate Hills for construction information. 

Landforms

1. Basalt cliff. This is another example of needing some reinforcement to ensure the scenery is not broken in transport. The hillside is modeled with a 2 inch x 4 inch x 8 foot styrofoam panel glued to an 1/8 " luan panel that anchored to the section with rafter stiffeners. The quarry rock is a series of plaster castings. See 5.5.5 Rock Faces for additional information.  

The treeline is a combination of 3d trees and shrubs. See 5.5.7 Three Dimensional Backgrounds for construction details.

Mid-ground.  Mid-ground is flat ground with undulations suggesting bulldozing for product removal and to provide room for structures and equipment storage.

2. Embankment. Portions of the foreground between the auxiliary track and fascia is flat or sloped downward toward the Satsop River.

4. A dirt road with a improvised gate blocking traffic. See 5.9.1 Dirt Paths and Roads for construction details.

5. Intermediate hillside. This intermediate hillside begins the ridge line introducing the Coal
Grove section. Angled into the backdrop, the gap suggests the old Camp 9 right of way (now overgrown). The hillside is modeled with a 2 inch x 4 inch x 8 foot styrofoam panel. Hints of coal seams.

Waterways

3. The stream bed is multi-level with several small waterfalls. Dirt banks, gravel and small rocks in the stream. Water is created by Modge Podge. See 5.8.2 Streams for construction details.

Ground Cover

1. The areas where the sand and gravel company sand plant sits on flat land between the Satsop River and the hillside. Modeled portion includes sand plant and silos, a fuel tank, and a 2 track gravel loader. Production areas will be be gravel and dirt as appropriate. Some undulation will be formed with sculptamold.  

Vegetation

Mid-distance hillside has ground cover, shrubs, small trees.

Embankment has dirt, grass and weeds. 

Waterways

3. The stream bed is multi-layered with several small waterfalls. Dirt banks, gravel and small rocks in the stream. Water is created by Modge Podge. See 5.8.2 Streams for construction details.