Hello, Wyatt!

Sharp!!

Fellow Soo model railoader

Hi, Wyatt, Looks like a good plan, I model the Soo line also, in HO scale, 1954 in Northwestern Minnesota, and North Dakota, areas where I actually ran trains for the Soo in the 1990's. No pictures yet I am still in the planning stage and building modules for bench work. Jim

How to do this??????.......

How do I do this, do I just copy and paste from other posts I have made in other forums?. Or do I type fresh? Or do I just post a lot of pictures?

I am seriously thinking about reading the other posts, take notes and type fresh. But I would like to get this blog rolling before I turn to dust.

So here  is a teaser...

This model represents the rail bridge that crosses over I-694 in Shoreview Mn. I used Micro Engineering girders, hand cut gussets from ,040 styrene and custom designed handrails from shapeways. The bridge is about 23" long.

 This picture was taken before I cut the foam further back to allow for the prototype highway lane, median and shoulder width.

Time for some sleep. More to follow.

P.S. I would like the pics I post to fill the screen,, what size is that? The one picture directly above started out at 1600 wide,, I think I sized it down to 800 I think. What is the " perfect" setting?. Any help would be great.

Y-it 

Getting the run around?

I like it, but Wyatt, I only see him one place where an engine can run round the train. Is that intentional?  A Soo engine would be trapped in the Minnesota Transfer yard, and vice versa. 

Geof

Trying my best

Geof,

I know of what you speak. You are not the first person that has brought that up, even myself in the design stages.

I am choosing to keep the current plan because of the prototype fidelity. Yes it will be hard to operate, but I have to start somewhere.

Another thing I keep telling myself, this is just the beginning of a grand and master plan.lol. Once I build a double to single track conversion section to go next to the New Brighton Junction I will have three true Free-moN connections so other modelers with Free-moN sections can connect to my module. Plus I also plan on building more yard sections for both Cardigan Jct and New Brighton Jct.

Thanks for the question.

Laters, Y-It

Jim, Thanks for the comments.

Jim,

Thanks for the comments. Great to hear that you are modeling the SOO also!! Being born in Wisconsin and growing up in the 70's and 80's how can not model/love the SOO and Milwaukee Road. Even the CNW has a soft spot, I worked for them when I got out of the army in 93. Heck any RR in the area is fair game.

 I had a bunch of help with my plan,, I can take very little credit for it, the man that came up with the plan is Karl Andraschko. I fellow modeler that I met on another forum. Very cool dude,,plus he lived in the area that I am trying to replicate. That made drawing the plan easy for him. Also another modeler that was instrumental in the planning was a guy that goes by Missaberoad on the main forum that I used to post at. He did the whole google earth thing tracing the actual track. He was very helpful.

Benchwork is fun,,( for me atleast) since I am a carpenter and welder by trade,, I can build anything out of anything. One piece of advice I can give about benchwork,, use the best materials available,, it will pay off in the end.

Thanks again for the comment.

Laters, Y-it

Photos

IMO you handled the photos just right. The reader has the option to see the photo at full size by tapping on it and if they are just skimming through, the lower resolution/ condensed size speeds up the loading to the reader's computer. 

Excellent modeling! I'm really enjoying your posts.

Nice!

Very cool prototype and modeling Wyatt!  Nice to see your work.

Music to my ears!   In my opinion, that's the most fun way to build a layout.  I'll be anxious to watch this take shape.  I've never seen the Soo in action, but for some reason, it's always been a favorite of mine, and I sometimes consider it for a future layout.  (But who am I kidding?  I'll probably die with IAIS models in my hands.)

By the way, isn't this part of the area that Bob Rivard models on his HO layout?  Looks like a great choice for you, with very interesting operational potential.

I worked the

I worked the trackage for Soo, WC and MNNR in the 90s and through 2000. It was an interesting area as it went through the change from main line to branch for the Soo, then main line for the WC and finally, interchange partner for both on the MNNR at New Brighton.

Wyatt has gotten the gist of the property right but keep in mind the Soo didn't mix their power on the Rocky Soo transfer which was all RI, SP, UP or whatever the the ailing Rock could come up with. They also didn't interchange cars at Cardigan Jct. but took them to Shoreham down through the "park tracks" making a reverse loop move to position the units for a straight on move back to Cardigan and back down the St. Paul line to Innver Grove yard. All they did was make a set out and pick up at Shoreham. They did however always have a Soo caboose for these movements since it was Soo crews who handled these trains and not RI ones.

Cardigan Jct. was used as a pickup/setout point for road freights going to and from the east to interchange St. Paul traffic without having to take it Shoreham and delaying it. Transfer 1 was the job that handled the switching work at the Lexington industrial park which took boxes of paper for International Paper and RBLs of beer for the Miller distributor. They also handled the New Brighton switching off the then Minnesota Transfer (pre MNNR) and Bell Pole along with the steel fabrictor.

BTW, when it comes to runaround tracks there was a center siding between the east and west main tracks just east of the diamond at New Brighton which was used for meeting trains and setting out/picking up cars off the MT. Wyatt could easily put this runaround track in and add to his operation.

Barry

Joe, you are right

Joe you are right,, Bob does model the area,, I am just doing a portion. I would say that his layout could be considered an inspiration for my Free-moN sections/ Home Layout.

Always before in the past I had just done what I felt like when it comes to modeling. Now with the constraints of the prototype to folllow, it feels,,,, more satisfying. 

Thanks for the comments.

Wyatt

You da man Barry!!

Barry,, Thanks for the comments and especially the insight as to how the operations were conducted.

You mentioned the run around at New Brighton,, I have that included in the plan. I definitley saving this post for operating guidelines. 

Now with your input I can plan for another section so I can include the steel fab shop. 

Once more Barry, you the man!!

Laters, Wyatt

Happy to help clear things

Happy to help clear things up, Wyatt.

Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing your work with us.

Barry

Prototype Fidelity

Hi, again, Wyatt, the pictures look like a great start on the modules. I also like using prototype maps and overhead photographs to get things right, When I did the Google earth look at my hometown of Thief river Falls, MN I discovered the yard had 9 tracks instead of the 8 that I remembered, of course they may have added an extra track in the 20 years since I've been there. I am doing the hometown Soo yard on 7 different sized modules that wrap around a 3' x 3' corner module the contains the roundhouse and turntable, with 16 to 20 feet along the yard side ( a 2' x 4' module will have all the yard tracks on it to fit in the middle for the 20' part ) and 8 feet along the locomotive servicing area including the 3' corner. All modules are built out of 3/4 inch Baltic birch sides and ends with 1/4" hard board topped with 1/2" blue foam base. The prototype main track did curve a bit as it went between the yard tracks and the roundhouse area, but not 90 degrees as I am forced to do on the model, but at least, same as you have done, I get almost all of the tracks from the real location on my modules even with the selective compression. Jim

Good to see Cardigan Jct again

As a student at the University of Minnesota back in the 70's I had a part-time job as a relief "telegrapher" and traveling agent for the SOO. (No, they didn't use telegraphs anymore by then.) One of the places where I filled in regularly was Cardigan. I handed up plenty of train orders in those days. An internet search for Cardigan Junction photos even brings some old ones up and from the looks of the cars parked at the office they must be from the 60's or 70's.

Cool story

Tom,

That is pretty cool!! I look back in time and all things I was able to do as a railfan. Not anymore. One regret I have is not rail fanning the area that I am modeling. I had a uncle that lived Fridley. I had my dad drive me around one weeked,, Saw shoreham shops, saw BN's Huge Northtown complex. And me then not having a clue what I was looking at. Hind sight is 20/20.. geez.

Thank you for your comment. You don't have any pics of Cardigan Junction, do you?

Laters, Wyatt

Hey Moe, Hey Moe

Jim,

Thank you for the further input. Aerial photography, Sanborn maps, and railroad right of way drawings are a huge help. Even first hand knowledge from a prior employee is great. For example,, would you have known that the tracks that ran by the Proviso Diesel house were called 19 and 20 Main?. Not me,, if I had not worked there as a Conductor, Brakeman, Hostler. 

You mention modules, do you plan on displaying,, or just for ease of construction?

Birch is a quality material. I used the 3/4" for the end plates and 1/2" for the frame. Helped having a quality straight edge and a table saw handy.

You mention selective compression. In the drawing/trackplan Karl Andraschko drew in the I-35W overpass just west of Arden Hillls and east of New Brighton. Do I keep it there to use as a scenic block between the two scenes, or do I make it a separate section that I take with me when I display the layout at shows and meets?

Yes another overpass would be cool, but do I really want to squeeze it in? I know the Lexington Ave grade crossing will be a separate section. That will have the road crossing the tracks with operational cross bucks. Might build it on a slight 15 degree angle so I can curve the tracks.

Laters,

Y-it

Module design

Wyatt, I build my layout in module form for many of the same reasons as yours, including ease of construction. I am in a modular club that does displays of the club layout at train shows and other events. I also build my modules so that they can be used in the club's layout, but in my future home layout as well. I try to design them so that they will blend in well with the club, but still satisfy my desire to be reasonably correct on the prototype's track plan. I use locking connectors from the Kam Konnect company between my modules that hold them in perfect alignment with other, and then use special built adapters to allow them to line up with the club's modules and support legs.

Since yours is free-mo I would keep the I 35w overpass in the plan, and if need be, make the overpass structure removable for transport to shows. I really like the 3/4" birch for the strength, which is why I use it for both the ends, laid flat and doubled up to hold the locks, and as side panels for strength. I keep it lightweight by using the 1/2" birch only under the tracks while the scenery base is the 1/2" foam, both of which are on a 1/4" hard wood plywood, not the cheapest way to build a module, but they are strong enough to stand on when finished, and will not warp when properly sealed.

 I plan to build many certain scenes on the modules and later incorporate them together into my home layout, with narrow shelf sections and turn back sections where needed, all of which are designed to remain removable, and able to be salvaged, in case moving the layout is ever needed, I don't throw anything away, a lot my modules were screw ups from a builder that couldn't be sold to the public, so I bought them for pennies on the dollar and even cut and reconfigured them into different shapes and sizes, while they all can still lock together to build layouts in many different configurations to fit the available space. I also buy the ends in a kit form and cut the sides and base material and assemble them myself which saves me a lot of time. Time is extremely valuable to me since I spend 12 hours most everyday working at U. P. Jim

Closet SOO fan...

Hey Wyatt,

Looking forward to seeing your layout progress.  I think it's cool that your planning to model the Rocky SOO transfer since I model The Rock.