THIRD TEST OPERATIONS SESSION

I held my third test operations session on my HO scale SP Cascade Line this weekend.  The operating crew nearly doubled to seven compared to the four used for the prior pair of sessions. http://espeecascades.blogspot.com/2014/03/first-flight-ops.html    http://espeecascades.blogspot.com/2014/06/spurred-on-by-operations.html  The crew expansion was based on experience from the previous session, wherein it became clear that the Eugene classification needed more staff to handle their duties. 

The Eugene yard must make and break five local freight trains over the course of the session, plus either add cars or create complete new road freights.  To handle the load, we used two switch crews and a yardmaster.  The RR-West switcher was a “heavy” switcher composed of two switch engines, while the RR-East switcher could make due with a single locomotive.  This reflects the amount of switch lead currently available at each end of the classification yard.  As the railroad expands, the RR-East switch lead will grow in length.

Yardmaster Rick A. and RR-East end switcher Dave H. look on as Dave B. matches car documents to cars in his train prior to departing Eugene.

In addition to having a yardmaster to orchestrate the moves of the two switchers, I provided a couple of organizational aids based on observation and discussion following the previous session.  First, I used several “Highlighter” colors to color code the destinations on the waybills.  This provided a quick visual reference useful while sorting car cards with waybills.  The second innovation was provision of car card slot separators to help organize and designate the car card slots for the yard tracks.  These were 2x5 inch  cards with a destination name and the color code highlight.  These destination aids helped the yardmaster to quickly sort through the car documents for cars on a track to decide how best to have them switched and how to organize the yard for that purpose. 

Yardmaster Rick A. organizes work in the Eugene classification yard aided by card slot destination cards and color-coding.  RR-West end switcher engineer Bob Y. takes a break and points out a yard feature to other crewmembers.

With the yard better organized, all five local switching jobs were run.  Two of these jobs began the session staged at their respective station assignments: Oakridge and the first Springfield job.  These trains start the session immediately.  Their next day counterparts are built in the classification yard during the session and depart for their stations at the end of the session.  A consequence of this is that at least two local freights can begin work immediately without awaiting effort in the yard—a common failing of many model railroad operations.  This also captures the idea of railroad work as a continuous process. 

In addition to these first two locals, the Eugene “City Switcher” began the session by making “pulls” from the city industries.  Eventually, the City Switcher exchanged the block of cars pulled from the industries for a new block of cars made up by the yard crew that were to be spotted at the city industries.  This work organization permitted three of the five local freight-switching jobs to begin working at the start of the session.

As the First Springfield switch job and the Oakridge Turn returned to the Eugene yard, two new local freights were ready to depart:  the second Springfield job and the Marcola Turn.   The first Springfield job switched industries on the geographic north of the mainline using the house and drill tracks.  With its return to Eugene, the house and drill tracks could be used by the Marcola Turn.  The second Springfield job switches the industries on the geographic south of the mainline.  Sufficient runaround tracks are provided on either side of the mainline to allow these jobs to work without fouling or crossing the mainline.  This session marked the first time a crew worked the Marcola Turn.  One minor switch issue was found, but they were able to get their work done.

Dave B. and Brian P. work the first Marcola Turn.

In addition to the yard switchers and local freights, several mainline trains were run, though the current layout construction state means they must run between Eugene and Oakridge—not even half their eventual runs on the completed layout. 

Two other crewmembers “escaped” to other commitments before I remembered to pull out the camera.  Thanks Tom D. and Ken R!

Important outcomes of the third test operating session are that the Eugene Yard work is getting sorted out as to how to organize and perform it, all local freights were run, and a rough sense of timing for this work is emerging.  Those are important accomplishments, especially so with only three operating sessions performed so far.  We are all looking forward to completion of the railroad to see how the mainline traffic fits in with the local, on-layout, switching.

CASCADE SUMMIT TRACK LAID

Construction progress on the upper level of the railroad continued with the laying of track at Cascade Summit.  My Cascade Summit models  the steam era track layout which includes a turning wye for steam helpers.  The tail of the wye was contained within a single-ended tunnel.  Other features of Cascade Summit include the main flanked by two sidings: the “West” Siding for RR-Westbounds, and the “Lake” Siding used by RR-Eastbounds, so named as it was the track closest to Odell Lake.  A set of cross-overs provide for helpers to exit the turning wye and work over to the “Lake” Siding and the small “Beattie Spur” (actually a short siding).  A company spur for maintenance of way equipment or set-out of broken equipment completes the tracks at Cascade Summit. 

Cascade Summit Track Schematic.

RR-East end of Cascade Summit.  Foreground tracks are (left to right): Beattie Spur, Lake Siding, Main Line, West Siding.

Turning Wye. 

Cascade Summit RR-West end.

Cascade Summit Turning Wye.

Although my initial plan used a conventional #6 straight turnout for the wye switch, I eventually acquired a commercial #4 Wye switch.  This is a Shinohara Code 70 switch that needs modification yet.  Commercial Code 70 wye switches have yet to be redesigned as “DCC Friendly.”  This older design switch has the points rigidly tied together by a metal strap, making them electrically equal.  Better practice would have them electrically separate and of the same polarity as their respective stock rails.  I have yet to make that modification and others stemming from the same principle, so the wye switch and tail track are placed temporarily for now.  I am undecided as to the length of the wye tail track.  Historically, the tail was just long enough to handle an SP Cab Forward steam locomotive.  Engineers were known to try to “lengthen” the tunnel on occasion.  My sense is to keep the tail long and not introduce another operating headache, no matter how prototypical.

LAYING OUT CASCADE SUMMIT

Construction of the upper level of my SP Cascade Line is proceeding with laying out Cascade Summit.  The basic benchwork uses a box grid to minimize the overall structure depth.  This is necessary to maintain my design goal of seven feet vertical clearance under the benchwork for the operator “tunnel” through the Pryor area and to place the rail height no closer than two feet under the 9 ft. 6 inch ceiling.  The rail height is 89 inches above the floor.  I built a 30 inches (2.5 ft.) high platform to serve Cascade Summit.  I’ve long used a drawing to illustrate the overhead structure with operator “tunnel” underneath.  The photo below now illustrates the completion of this design feature.

Cascade Summit operator platform and benchwork.  Note the operator tunnel for crews with trains RR-west of Oakridge.

Railings were installed fairly quickly after construction of the platform.  Barely visible in the photo in the railing panel with the blue ladder in the background is a raised lip.  This 1x4 lip sticks up 1.5 inches.  It is intended to keep stools (and feet!) firmly on the platform.  More of this safety lip will be installed soon.  Stools will be useful for shorter operators and even for me for construction and maintemance.

As I laid out the tracks for Cascade Summit, I discovered my sidings were a bit short of the required twenty feet long.  This led to a benchwork extension on the RR-East end of Oakridge and the tracks wrapping further around the curve at this end of the station.  Serendipity provided a wider platform section with this extension. 

With the benchwork built and primary track lines drawn, I installed cork roadbed.  I also built a slight up-ramp and higher roadbed for the wye, just as the actual track rose to the wye tunnel.  Most of the roadbed is Midwest Products split cork roadbed, but I did install several pads of sheet cork to support more complex switch arrangements for the mid-station crossovers and the RR-West end switch throat.  This was easier than cutting lots of triangular sections from the roadbed strip. 

Cascade Summit roadbed looking RR-West.  The turning wye goes into the corner.

Cascade Summit roadbed looking RR-East.  Three curved turnouts will form the throat ladder at this end.

As seen in the photo above of the RR-East end of Cascade Summit, I continued the benchwork into the “nook” with a large S-curve. My original benchwork plan used a rectangular grid, but after a few days of thinking about this and the scenery needed, I opted to replace the rectangle with the deeply cut triangle seen in the photo.  The roadbed did not need any more support than this.  Much of the former rectangular grid would have implied relatively level ground at this end of the station.  The real Cascade Summit slopes off rapidly toward Odell Lake all along what is my aisle side of the station.  The revised benchwork better supports the scenery that will be created for this area.

Also showing in the RR-East end photo is as gap in the benchwork with a girder bridge sitting on top of the roadbed.  This will be where my version of Trapper Creek appears.  I hope this bridge goes faster than my previous bridge installations!

RICHARD HENDRICKSON

It is with great sadness that I read the notices posted by his good friend Tony Thompson that Richard Hendrickson passed away following a fall a couple of days ago.  Richard was a giant of the prototype railroad modeling movement.  His many articles in model railroad publications and his presentations at modeling events helped define, uplift, and encourage what we know today as the prototype modeling movement. 

Richard informed us of prototype railroad practices, guided us to more accurate modeling, and influenced and supported manufacturers as they began producing far more accurate models.  We have come a very long way from Athearn “Blue Box” kits to today’s accurate-to-the-rivets freight cars. 

Richard and his wife Sandra created the Westrail line of freight car kits.  In some cases, these provided detail parts and instructions for improving an Athearn freight car kit, thereby creating a more accurate rendition of an actual freight car.  Other Westrail kits, such as the AAR War Emergency flat car, comprised resin, styrene, and brass parts.  Though most of those kits have been superseded by current production models from several manufacturers, they blazed an important trail toward accurate freight car modeling.  I assembled several kits and have more in my stockpile.

Richard was a fountain of information.  His research and photo study provided the basis for rapid response to inquiries from prototype modelers far and wide.  He was generous with that knowledge.  The steam era freight car movement will be particularly depressed by his passing. 

Richard was a Santa Fe modeler.  He figured prominently in the creation and development of the current Santa Fe Railway Historical & Modeling Society and its predecessor organizations.  Through his interest in recreating a scene from his youth, all of us were enriched.  His efforts even caused me, a congenital Southern Pacific fan, to model a bit of Santa Fe.  I’m sure Richard’s good friend and our own Southern Pacific freight car guru, Dr. Tony Thompson, understands the sentiment and motivation.  Richard’s enthusiasm was that contagious.

I enjoyed meeting with Richard on a number of occasions.  Our conversations might involve freight cars and prototype modeling or flying—a passion we shared.  Whenever I saw him in recent years, I had to ask what altitude he was flying (fast on the ground or in the air).  His Citabria was a perfect complement to his passion. 

Our railroad hobby has lost a great good friend.  Rest in Peace Richard.

ASPIRING TO NEW HEIGHTS

With the central core of the railroad being used for test operations, the time has come to begin the next major construction phase.  Though conventional thought might begin expanding from the existing layout, I am turning to the upper level: Cascade Summit and Crescent Lake.  These stations will benefit from construction now while I still have full access to the floor below.  This is particularly true of Crescent Lake which will be suspended from the ceiling.

I began the upper level construction phase at Cascade Summit as it has relatively more conventional benchwork.  I’ve described and diagramed how Cascade Summit hangs out over the top of the layout below.  Now I can show pictures of this construction.  The overhang, a form of “mushroom” layout design, resolves the space needed for the summit wye.  It also separates operators on the two levels. 

Cascade Summit benchwork high on the wall.  Platform railing is in the mid-distance.

A 30-inch-high operator platform was built for the Cascade Summit operators.  This channels operators on the main floor level into a path directly following the track at the base level and initial mountain climb.  The three feet wide platform provides ample space for operators at Cascade Summit.  The platform to subroadbed height is 60-inches.  This height maintains a platform to ceiling height of seven feet—a design goal for those of us taller folk.  Stools will be provided for operators and a platform lip will prevent those stools from sliding off the platform. 

Cascade Summit benchwork above, main level operator “tunnel” below, and Cascade Summit operator platform under construction.

A modest but stout handrail surrounds the operator platform.

Cascade Summit subroadbed.  Roadbed for the summit wye extends into the corner.

As illustrated in the track plan and Cascade Summit track schematic, my Cascade Summit will go through a couple of ninety-degree bends.  One of those track bends will form the base leg of the wye.  The Cascade Summit wye was used for turning steam locomotive helpers and snow removal equipment.  It was unique as the tail of the wye was in a single-ended tunnel.  The tunnel portal was just beyond the wye switch.

RR-West of Cascade Summit, my mainline will sweep through another ninety-degree bend to swoop out over the RR-East end of Eugene, hug the wall through the pass-through under the house stairs, and head into Crescent Lake which will be my upper level staging.  You can see the roadbed hanging out over the backdrop on the left side of the photo above.

Benchwork for RR-West Cascade Summit extends out over the top of the RR-East end of the Eugene Depot area below.

Benchwork construction is an exciting time, as the physical plant for the railroad begins taking shape.  The upper level construction on my layout is even more exciting as it includes features that resolved important design issues of access without direct operator conflict for two levels of layout.  Onward and upward!

SPURRED ON BY OPERATIONS

We just conducted the second test operating sessions on my SP Cascade Line.  I brought back my original crew of four testers to both confirm (and deny) that fixes from the first session were completed and to move on toward a more complete operational concept.  http://espeecascades.blogspot.com/2014/03/first-flight-ops.html  

I’ve been working to get the gauge set correctly at the points on my FastTracks switches.  My construction technique has been a bit faulty there, so I’ve had to work on broadening the gauge a bit. 

The major emphasis for the second operating session was the introduction of car cards and waybills to guide car movements.  The car card boxes were heavily used as the classification yard broke and created trains according to the waybills.  Three local freights pulled cars from industry spots in their zones and spotted new cars. 

Second Test Operations Session.  Rick A. and John B. are discussing a switch move at Eugene, while Eugene West Switcher Joe B. awaits a decision.  Meanwhile, Dave H. brings the Oakridge Turn back through Springfield.

Four new spurs were added, with at least one at each of the three stations currently on my SP Cascade Line.  All were important to the developing operating plan and were used by those three local freight crews.

At Eugene, I completed the industry spur closest to the depot.  This has three industries on it: Oregon Supply, Portland Electric and Plumbing, and Oregon Egg.  All three of these industries were served by the SP in the area of the Eugene depot.  Note that I finally chose the name for the middle of those three industries: “Portland Electric and Plumbing.”

Industry spur closest to the Eugene depot installed  (closest to the backdrop).  A CNW box, Cotton Belt box and two mechanical refrigerators (SPFE and UPFE) are spotted at the three industries on this spur.

The Eugene City Switcher pulled cars from the many industries located near the backdrop on my layout, near the Eugene depot.  There was plenty of work for this job, even before another four industries get added at the RR-East end of the depot trackage.

In Springfield, I extended the Tilbury Cement spur to the rear space for Clear Fir, as it appeared in the 1960’s.  This created more track space for cement hoppers and provided a couple of spots for in-bound materials to Clear Fir.

Springfield Tilbury Cement spur extended to serve Clear Fir.

The Springfield Switcher had more than enough work to do, eventually pulling 28 cars back to Eugene.  Several spurs still had not been serviced.  It looks like I will need two Springfield jobs in addition to the Marcola Turn to handle all the traffic here.  This is very good news to an individual car movement-focused guy like me.  Adding another local switch crew without adding more switches is great news!

The completion of the mainline bridge over Salmon Creek, just RR-West of Oakridge, paved the way for the temporary bridge over Salmon Creek in front of it to serve the Pope & Talbot mill.  http://espeecascades.blogspot.com/2014/04/salmon-creek-mainline-bridge-1.html   http://espeecascades.blogspot.com/2014/06/salmon-creek-mainline-bridge-2.html 

This past week I added a switch and a pair of tracks on the plywood base for this area to begin Pope & Talbot service.

Pope & Talbot mill spurs, just over Salmon Creek (left) from Oakridge.

The Oakridge Turn was called to duty at Oakridge, beginning with a train staged as if it had just come into town from Eugene.  Empty cars were blocked into the train by car type, plus a few loads for Oakridge delivery at the end of the train.  Roughly half of the empties went to each of the two big mills that straddle Oakridge: Pope & Talbot to the RR-West, and Western Lumber at Westfir to the RR-East.  This job kept Dave H. busy for a couple of hours.

Historically, the Oakridge Turn originated at Eugene one day, trekked up to Oakridge, and switched Pope and Talbot on that first day.  They then went off-duty at Oakridge and came back eight hours later to finish the job.  Finishing involved returning RR-East (toward Eugene) via Westfir to switch Western Lumber, using the now trailing-point switches. 

The initial model operation (just done) suggests I will modify this procedure to bring my model crew on-duty at Oakridge with a previously-staged train in the yard.  They will switch both mills and any other Oakridge work, completing their work by taking their train to Eugene.  Late in an operating session, a new Oakridge Turn will depart Eugene and terminate at Oakridge, setting up a repeat of the cycle.  On a model railroad, this has the advantage of starting a local switch crew early in an operating session, without need to interface with the main classification yard early in the session.  Meanwhile, a new Oakridge Turn can be built in the classification yard, working throughout most of an operating session.

I am well pleased with the results of the second test operating session.  Of course I have a number of “fix-it” tasks, but I can see those coming down in number (progress).  I am thrilled to be moving into developing the operating concept for my railroad, even with only a portion of it built.

SALMON CREEK MAINLINE BRIDGE – 2

The ballasted deck girder bridge for the mainline over Salmon Creek was completed with construction of the piers and abutments and installation.  My previous post on this bridge discussed the deck and girders. http://espeecascades.blogspot.com/2014/04/salmon-creek-mainline-bridge-1.html

This current post describes the piers and abutments and final installation.

I built the piers and abutments out of styrene, mostly using 0.060 inch styrene sheet.  The piers for the deck girder bridge were narrower than the piers I built for the main Willamette River crossing between Eugene and Springfield. http://espeecascades.blogspot.com/2013/11/bridging-gap-willamette-river-bridges-1.html 

http://espeecascades.blogspot.com/2013/11/bridging-gap-2.html

Those piers were wide to account for the through truss spans.  The deck girder footprint is much narrower, making these piers too narrow to clamp for work in my cross-compound miter saw.  That led me to styrene construction for the current effort.

Deck girder bridge with piers under construction.

The first picture shows the piers under construction.  Styrene square tube was used to separate the top and bottom plates at the correct height.  The sides and ends were then sheathed using the aforementioned 0.060-inch styrene sheet, overlapping at the joints.  The overlaps were sanded smooth with the joining surface, providing a solid appearance.  A similar technique was used for the abutments at the bridge ends.  Both piers and abutments have a 12:1 batter (slope) per Southern Pacific Common Standard drawings for such concrete work.

The piers and abutments were finished with paint and weathering powders.  Several weathering passes were made with both paint washes and Bragdon powders.  I may apply yet another coat of a concrete-gray powder, as the rust effects are bit heavy yet.

With the piers and abutments ready, I installed them and the bridge, affixing all with Dap 230 adhesive caulk.  This adhesive will allow me to remove these pieces later, albeit with some effort.  I then installed cork roadbed (the beginning of the ballast) on the deck and continued on up the spline subroadbed grade.  After sanding the cork, I applied gray paint, mostly as a color primer for the eventual ballast installation.  Finally, I formed flex track and installed it, completing the job with electrical feeders.

First train over Salmon Creek.

I continued the track laying up the grade.  I sandwiched tulle between the spline subroadbed and the cork.  Tulle is better known for its use in wedding veils.  It is fairly inexpensive.  My wife used it as part of a craft project for house decoration, knowing it would get recycled by me into the railroad.  The tulle provides an equipment catcher for now.  Eventually, it will help form the terrain, providing a foundation for a proper railroad grade, including drainage ditches.

SP X-9325-W arrives at End of Track on the climb up out of Oakridge.  Note the tulle (bridal veil material) sandwiched between the spline subroadbed and the cork roadbed.

My railroad has begun the climb out of Oakridge.  I’ve also begun benchwork for the upper level: Cascade Summit and Crescent Lake.  I plan to build from both ends, eventually meeting mid-grade.