Dismantling of Siskiyou Line 1

First off, let me give an update on the dismantling of Siskiyou Line 1 with some photos and captions. You can click on any photo to enlarge it.

Here's how much has been dismantled by using my track plans:

 Until I can get enough of SL2 done with scenery that I have a place to demo models for the magazine, I will be keeping the Coos Bay Branchline from Camas Valley to Myrtle Point (back wall only) to run trains on for product demos.

I'm currently removing the wiring and trees from the middle upper and lower decks in preparation for getting out the drill and saws all and start disassembling that middle mushroomed benchwork. Also, the rest of the raised floor needs to go -- that is actually a lot harder to remove because it's heavy, covered with carpet, and anchored to the floor.

Photos of the dismantling of SL1

Here's photos of SL1 in its current state of being dismantled. As mentioned in the previous post, I'm removing wiring and saving it, plus I'm removing trees, bridges and other details and saving them. That's making the dismantling process go slower because I don't want to damage things.

You can click on any of these photos to enlarge them.

 This is the end of the line of the upper deck near Sutherlin.

 This is the end of the line on the lower deck just past Camas Valley. Tenmile Creek trestle sat just to the right of this spot, but it's now gone.

 This shows the end of the line on both the lower and upper decks. The lower deck is just past Camas Valley, and the upper deck here is just past Roseburg. Dillard used to sit off to the right on the upper deck, but that's gone. The piece of roadbed needs to go and then I can repair the huge hole in the wall separating the layout room from the shop area.

 Here's the shop area now. You can see one of the SL2 module sections sitting on the table to the right.

 I'm removing the wiring and trees on the middle section of the old layout -- this is the mushroomed portion. Once the trees and wiring have been removed, then out will come the saws all and the drill to begin dismantling the benchwork itself.

 Here's another angle on this part of the upper deck at Winchester and the North Umpqua River. The bridge is being saved for SL2.

 You're looking at the tree supply for SL2. I'm saving every tree and putting it in pink foam for safe keeping and use on the new layout. I have well over 1000 trees on the old layout, and it will make it a lot easier to scenic SL2 quickly if I save all these trees.

 I'm saving wiring, screws, cup hooks -- collecting and saving all this stuff from SL1 slows down the dismantling process quite a bit. But it gives me lots of useful raw materials for SL2.

 Another view of the old Roseburg yard area where I'm collecting and storing parts. In the distance on the left is a pile of sempahore signals and their mounting bases. In the foreground you can see my brass 4449 being put into its box for storage.

So far, I estimate I have about 200 hours invested in the careful dismantling and saving of SL1 materials, rolling stock, locos, electrical parts, and raw materials like screws, cup hooks, and the like. Part of that 200 hours includes dump runs and disposal of SL1 refuse. I estimate it's been about 20 cubic yards of scrap, and the layout is only 40% dismantled so far!

On the next post, I'll give some updates on SL2 itself.

Siskiyou Line 2 track plan and take 1 module experiment

 Here is Siskiyou Line 2's "take 1" track plan. With TOMA, you don't need detailed planning of the entire layout. I've just planned out the center area with 17 module sections given some detail. The rest of the layout is just a vague general track routing and that's it.

From this track plan, I picked two module sections to go ahead and build. I deliberately pushed the envelope on techniques knowing these first two modules were likely "chainsaw modules" ... and that's exactly what happened.

Here's the two module sections plan up close:

  
I built these two modules to the operational stage and took them to shows.

 Here are the two SL2 chainsaw modules along with the flat top staging on one end. I learned a lot from this effort and have a laundry list of learnings for SL2 - take 2. More on that in the next post.

Siskiyou Line 2 take 1 learnings and take 2 plans

For the moment, I'm posting some text only. I will update this post soon with photos and diagrams to illustrate the points.

Learnings from SL2 TOMA take 1 module sections - first what did not work well:

1. Aligning a shadow box module ends is a lot more tricky than a simple domino slab module.
2. Good track alignment becomes a lot more difficult due to #1.
3. Maintaining 90 degree vertical alignment of ends is crucial to avoid unwanted grades on adjoining sections.
4. Quarter inch plywood benchwork flexes too much to maintain good module integrity.
5. Six foot long curved modules are a bear to handle, that's just too long.
6. My attempt to use PVC piping legs failed miserably. Too flexible, modules wobbled badly.

What did work well on SL2 TOMA take 1:

1. LED strip lighting worked marvelously.
2. Laminating 60 thou styrene on the backdrop, valance and fascia plywood face works great.
3. Using a drop down wiring panel secured in the up position with cabinet door magnets works great.
4. Replacing the PVC legs with wood legs secured with drywall screws eliminated the wobble.
5. Adding 1/2" anchor panels on the bottom of the legs with a cinder block to add stability worked great.
6. Cup hook and 1/4" hose method of hanging skirting with loop clamps works great.

Plans for SL2 take 2 modules:
1. Use the Bruce Chubb module joint method to limit end alignment issues.
2. Use 1/2" plywood benchwork members with holes drilled every couple inches to reduce weight.
3. Use a spanning segment of track on joints, not butt joints (allows for misalignment issues due to shadowbox design)
4. Perfect 90 degree accurate vertical end plates process so adjoining modules don't have unintended grades.
5. Redesign take 2 track plan to make all curved module sections no more than 4 feet long.
6. Rebuild the two Dillard module sections (redesigned) to test learnings.

If take 2 module section improvements work out, then it's highball time on Siskiyou Line 2.

Unfortunately, Covid threw a monkey wrench in my SL2 take 2 plans and I have a Locomotives book to finish first. I had expected to be done with that book by now and be back on SL2 take 2, but MRH layoffs / rehires / training new hires essentially put all extra-curricular projects back by 12-18 months. I never planned for a global pandemic.

Reverse TOMA

Are you still operating on the remnants as size decreases?

Only demos and tests

Only on the back wall from Myrtle Point to Camas Valley. Mostly loco product demos and tests of decoder installs. Not really "operating" as in doing an op session with a purpose.

The wiring is being removed from the middle section (both upper and lower decks) so nothing will run there now because the track has no power to it any longer. Plus there's lots of debris building up on the middle section due to the slow dismantling efforts.

Lessons learned

It is bitter sweet to take down a layout but exciting to start a new one. I can only imagine how many lessons could be learned from your old layout to the SL#2. The question I always like to ask layout owners is this: would you build this same thing again? Some say yes with a few changes, and some say no for various reasons. It is nice to see you using the lessons as you move towards the new home layout. 

Good info

Thanks for taking the time to put this together. It has some interesting information as I am putting together another layout and am considering the TOMA idea. Especially, thanks for the “don’t do” notes! I had considered PVC legs for the “lighter” module.

Also, welcome back and I hope you and Patty are feeling well. That COVID-19 really sucks you dry. I’m glad to see you rolling again. And again, thank you for this magazine.

Thank goodness...

Dear Joe, RicharH,

Thank goodness many of us in the Exhibition Layout world, esp in the UK and Aust,
have had these issues resolved for many moons, nay, decades now...
(and have many 1000s of successful transport/setup/run/teardown/transport cycles as live-fire examples... ).

Happy Modelling,
Aim to Improve,
Prof Klyzlr

That’s great

That’s great to hear.

Is this "secret" tribal knowledge or can we get some well illustrated articles / videos sharing some of this great insight?

Text alone isn’t enough because only 25% of the population thrives on text only learning. To help the other 75% get it, we need plenty of pictures to illustrate the concepts.

That old "Tribal Knowldge"...

Dear Joe,

Hmmm, seems like the last time we talked "Tribal Knowledge",
it came out that there was a lot more "prior art" published info than maybe expected?

https://forum.mrhmag.com/post/train-masters-tv-video-on-using-graphite-on-the-rail-12217016?pid=1331367901

That said, you did prompt me to challenge myself and ask:

- How and When did I first learn about Proper Section/Module design, Alignment, and Joining?

- What "Prior Art" info had I previously seen/received regarding Proscenium modules?
(I certainly didn't come up with it myself),

- What "historical" evidence and "how-to" info for successful Proscenium has been published previously?

I've been digging back thru my personal library and archives, and have an timeline forming,
(Hint: We have references to split-hinge alignment systems in circa 1950s "Model Railway Constructor" magazine and "Model Railway Encyclopaedia" by Ernest F Carter,
and we have Iain Rice's sectional proscenium "Woolverstone" layout circa 1990, 
see "An Approach to Model Railway Layout Design - Finescale in Small Spaces"),

but will certainly look to take some more-contemporary useful pics RE Alignment and Proscenium Design details on the next layout build...

Happy Modelling,
Aiming to Improve,
Prof Klyzlr

Siskiyou Line 2 - "tribal knowledge"

Hello Joe,

I am a member of Fremo-americaN in Europe (we build in N scale) and I built several modules. Up to now I thought, that there exist recommendations in our standard concerning materials to be used for module building. But regrettably there are none. So it is true: it is really "tribal knowledge".

To share some experiences: I build modules 40 cm wide by 80 to 110 cm long and 7 to 10 cm high with at least two vertical frames. I use birch plywood of 12 mm for the longitudinal sides and 15 mm thickness for the front ends. The vertical frames may be thinner (9 mm). I had never problems with deformations  be it caused thermal, mechanical or by humdity.

Can you tell us more on your shadow box design? And why you meet issues with the module joints? Do you join the module to the box? We in fremo do not use spanning elements across the module joints for esthetical  reasons. If you mount the tracks well, there are no problems even with multiple tracks (I know examples up to eight tracks!) across the module joints.

You stress an important point with "Perfect 90 degree accurate vertical end plates process". Occasionally one day I discovered a minor sag of my workbench and suddenly found the reason why I had a problem with non vertical front ends.......

Best regards - stay well

Robert