Starting construction...

So while waiting for the other double slip switch to arrive to complete the Rutherford Yard track work I decided to start building the new framework for the extension to the duck under.

The decision to extend the duck under was to allow the new switch lead for Rutherford Yard to extend across the main aisle of the layout to the locomotive service facility above the dispatchers desk.  

The original version of the mainline bridge crossing from Harrisburg to Carlisle Junction over the Susquehanna River was designed to be lifted out if needed.  And since starting five years ago the lift out has maybe been out twice, so the decision to make it permanently fixed has been made.

The existing framework is quite sturdy so it only requires a little more to be added too.  The pine timber is 120mm x 19mm and is covered with 12mm plywood, the river contour will be cut out at a later stage.

First step was to add the extra pine framework:

The new framework and existing is screwed back into the major bench work, and if really needed could be removed at a later date.

Next step was to add the plywood top:

The addition of the new switch lead required the deepening & widening of the lead running in the bench work next to the mainline.  It also required the alteration of the plywood that was placed in the wall cavity to stop loco's & rolling stock taking the long drop down to the floor.

Once the grade and alignment was set it was time to add the Midwest Cork Roadbed, then once this had set to the bench work the grade had to be leveled to remove any undulations.

When this was correct the track work was added and checked along with the radius of the curve.

When I was happy with the track, roadbed, grade and radius of the curve it was time to setup the location of the new truss bridge.  Fortunately the new bridge will be the same Walthers - Single Track Truss Bridge, so setting up was a matter of using the existing one for reference.

Next stage will be the installation of the remaining cork roadbed and track work...

Jas.

Nice work..

As usual Jas. Sidebar...I got my signaling working...I had three bad LocoNet cables!   John

Thanks John...

Always nice to get back into a little construction, saw, smell of cut timber...  Ahh!

That's great that you got your signals working too, LocoNet cables can be a real trap and they are frustrating to problem solve too as you have check each one.

Jas...

Great work on the layout and

Great work on the layout and I really like the signal type you are using. I am planning on adopting something using that type for my railroad. I will just need to design it after I get all the research and planning done.

Really like following your progress Jas. You have done such a nice job via the web I feel like I have been down under to visit!

Thanks Rob...

Those signals are the G-Type or Triangular Color Light are prototypical for the era and area so it was a no brainer to install them.  You can buy these direct from Tomar too.

Thanks for the comments on the blog & posts too, I'm glad you and others are getting something out of it.  When I get time I'll have to do that layout update video which is long overdue.

Jas...

Update on the Switch Lead & River Crossing...

So after adding the new timber frame to the duck under and cutting out the plywood top I decided to continue on and place the new switch lead bridge that crosses the Susquehanna River and install the river canyon into the timber frame work.

The river is cut into about half of the timber frame work and contoured to provided a steep and gradual slope on either side.  The bottom will have a 3mm - 1/8" plywood bottom placed onto it and padded to stop those pesky head strikes on angled timber.

I also had time to install the front fascia for this section too...

The fascia continues the theme from the rest of the layout although a little shorter.

Jas...

Track Work Alterations & Additions finished...

The last two days I have been working on finishing off the remaining changes & additions to the track work for Rutherford Yard and the Locomotive Servicing Facility including the new switch lead and river crossing.

I needed to add two double slip switches to the Rutherford Yard lead and add the switch lead which extends over the Susquehanna River (duck under) to the servicing facility.  I was also waiting on a second Walther's Single Track - Truss Bridge which has now been finished and installed and the track work connecting the switch lead to the servicing facility is complete.

This will allow locomotives to be cut out of consists for maintenance, re-fuelling and/or sanding and keep the yard clear.  It will allow interchange locomotives from the Shippensburg Classification Yard to also use the servicing facility too.

The final stage was the alteration and addition of the two double slip switches to the Rutherford Yard lead, and the addition of the switch lead too.  These three key additions allow the yard to be switched and for cars to be cut and blocked without having to block or interrupt the main.  It also allows locals to be dispatched to either the south (through Rutherford & Manheim) and to the north (via Carlisle Junction & Shippensburg).

The next stage is to test out the yard for operations and begin to map out and build the operating sessions for the layout.

Jas...

That is some interesting

That is some interesting track work Jas.

Just for grins I thought I might toss in some pictures of the Susquehanna river and bridges.

Now I will add I do not know what spot on the river you are trying to represent but these are some of the things I think of when that river is mentioned. Most rivers have much smaller beginnings than endings. There are also smaller sections on the river but from growing up a few hundred miles from these areas this is what I think of more so than the more rural areas.

Here is a link to pictures of the river and bridges from Google if you are interested.

http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/video/low-altitude-pass-over-bridges-on-the-susquehanna-stock-video-footage/109399441

I also understand that many times we need to model what we have space for and our space dictates how much we can model of reality. This was not meant to be critical of what you are modeling. I think that is a very clever way to get trains from one side of the layout to the other.

It is rather interesting track work Rob...

It's all based around the operation of the yard and the ability to switch the tracks and allow both north & south movements, without blocking the main.  Again the yard will only ever be a small classification yard and really only designed to handle smaller "locals" as opposed to larger normal sized consists.

I was actually waiting for someone to highlight the lack of width of the bridge crossing over the Susquehanna River, but alas your right the old selective compression is playing a major role here.  I could have got one more span in width but it would have severally reduced the strength of the framework for the duck under.

The actually area isn't really prototypical but in a proto-freelance sense the river crossing is in between Harrisburg & York Haven hence the York Haven Pulp & Paper Mill (which actually existed) on the western side, and Rutherford  Yard to the east of Harrisburg.  It sort of works for a realism sense but is more for the operations side, and to be honest I don't think my fellow Australian modelers will pick up that it's not purely prototypical in location.

I really appreciate you posting those photos and the link to the the area photos too, I will definitely be using these to reference the look and feel of the area for scenery and potential backdrops.  It's one of the hardest aspects to get right being over 16000km away from the actual area you are modelling.

Jas.

JLandT Railroad

Call it a small local tributary to the Susquehanna River.  Your layout looks really interesting and I'm impressed with your trackwork.  Please keep posting; I'm enjoying following your progress.

Mac

I'll run with that Mac...

Actually when Rob showed me the photos I went and had a look at Google maps around my York Haven section that the Pulp & Paper Mill is based around and its actually on of the narrowest sections of Susquehanna.

Thanks for the comments on the track work and layout too.  Glad your enjoying following along, if your interested you can also follow along on my blogspot as well:

http://jlandtrailroad.blogspot.com.au/

Cheers,

Jas...

Jas, I suspect a great many

Jas, I suspect a great many modelers in the USA would not be very familiar with that river either. As to the track work in the area I really think it makes for an interesting model all by itself. Very nicely done and flowing like the river. I for sure understand about the compression and the construction considerations that came into play. Your railroad and posts are one batch I follow cause I enjoy watching your layout develop and reading your posts not because I am trying to be critical. Thanks for sharing it with the rest of us.

Thanks Rob...

That's actually really interesting Rob, I suppose it's a west coast - east coast thing and some would never have ventured to either side.  I'm extremely grateful for those that know the areas I'm modeling in and offer advice or help as being geographically so far away it can be difficult.

Track work is an interesting topic, I have one of the operators over here that loves lots of track, he really likes the dense nature of our layout and its future switching theme, and then there are the less means more guys who prefer mainline running with less track, guess it's what makes the hobby so diverse!

I enjoy your reply posts and appreciate your replies Rob, your one of the few that actually take the time to offer your thoughts, ideas and kind words on our layout build.  And please no one (in my eyes) has ever been critical, I look at it as just a different view point, it makes me think and consider other things...  And that's all good!

It's great to have people offer ideas, it makes you think outside the square, and take different directions.  And sometimes a fresh set of eyes may pick up something you have missed.  I'd really like to condense all the posts when the layout is finished into one DVD of the entire layout build to share with those starting out, I wish I had something like that when I started...

 Jas...

The addition

  Have you found it much harder to duck under the wider section than it was with the old narrow section? Ten years ago lift outs didn't bother me much but I'm getting to the point I prefer a removable section now ....DaveB

Just call it an island yard.

That's a good question Dave...

I'm used to it now, but the scar on my head tells a different story when I first altered it!  Ouch...

Even at my height of 6'3" it's not an issue, but I'm sure as the years continue it will get harder, at that stage I will likely have to revisit it's design and function.