Journey of a thousand miles starts with a single chuff (redux)

[SteamGene]

The reverse loop is in and tested by pushing. I hope to have power to it next week.  Now I can get back to work on visible trackage.
Gene

[lanny]

Sounds to me like the 'real fun' is about to begin, Gene  !

When you get time, post a photo or two of your layout.

lanny nicolet

[Bojangle]

Hope you post pictures (and layout drawings), as a newbie I have no idea what this is all about lol.. JK, the more I hear, the less I know, but it's coming.  I'm still trying to figure out how to model the local freight yard here.  Not much trackage, but many industries (cement plants, gravel pits, coal mines, grain elevators, power plants, could sure use some expert advice on the layout.  There is a very strange reverse loop, but it isn't a loop, its more like the top half of figure 8 triangle wye, with a "backaround and go the other way" thing, but since it changes directions, has to be a reverse loop, right? But back on topic, sounds like you're having fun. Keep us informed....
Bo

[guslcp]

Hi Gene,

First things first.."jopurney" is obviously a typo (not a spelling mistake), since the O & P are together they were both hit at the same time...

As for ballasting...I definitely feel you HAVE to lay track first  and then ballast.  Actually, ballasting is the last thing I do.  Once I ballast an area I call it good.  I do all the messy work (plaster, painting, grass, bushes, etc.) first, since I don't want anything to mess up the ballast.  Also, I wouldn't use track nails since they tend to "dig" into the ties.  I glue all my track down with latex adhesive.

Good luck with your layout..!!

Gus (LC&P).

[ebtbob]

Bo,

      What you described at the local yard sounds like wye to me.   Imagine the letter Y.   Draw a line across the top two legs of the letter and that is basically a wye on the railroad.   Both the reverse loop and the wye accomplish the same thing,  reversing the direction of the engine or train.   In the model world,  the reverse loop and wye must be wired the same way regardless of whether you are using DC or DCC to power your railroad.

Bob

[Bojangle]

Yes, I figured any situation that lets a train reverse its nose has to be a reverse loop, regardless of what it looks like.   It is actually more of an " X "

When do we get to see pictures Gene. Suspense.....
Bo

[SteamGene]

Bo,
Send me an e-mail.  I have yet to figure out how to post pictures on the web.  Maybe I don't want to learn   
Gene

[SteamGene]

The good news is I have permission to use their 1957 logo on a building in Basic City.  the bad news is they don't know what it looked like.  Anybody have a clue?  I do have a phone number which I will try - but maybe some of the older guys might have an idea of where to find the sign that would appear on a building in 1957.

While I can't post pictures - yet, I should be able to do a fairly good description of the layout.  A train would start from the eight track staging yard.  Let's assume it's a westbound, so it would depart from Gordonsville, Virginia.  if it's a VT&P train, it would depart on the mainline; if a C&O along the interchange track.  The VT&P train would emerge from a tunnel just east of Noah Junction where it might switch the industries in Nicksburg before continuing through Bradyton.  If a passenger train, it will make a station stop at Bradyton.  There is a passing siding at Bradton plus the interchange track, allowing C&O to take a short cut to some coal fields in the north of West Virginia.  The train then climbs the helix in the first penninsula, finally crossing the South River on a tall deck girder bridge with steel piers.  It then comes into Basic City where it may switch several industries there before continuing into South River Yard in Leesboro.  There may be a engine swap or the train may stop there to be heavily switched.  It will continue westbound, passing below Newberry Military School and the Michael farm to pass over a combined highway and stream deck girder and Warren truss bridge before coming to Hannahville and the John Paul #6 mine.  Proceeding west, it comes to the second penninsula and a truncated helix as it continues to descend.   There may be a second coal mine on the penninsula.  Still descending it crosses a short plate girder bridge before coming to the last industry in Virginia, the Valley(?) Meat and Poultry Processing Plant, before entering the last tunnel taking it to Sugar Grove,  West Virginia and the staging yard.
The layout is 26X 17, with a short extension that is Nicksburg and the two penninsulas, which make the layout look like a Gothic capital "C" when viewed from above.
Gene

[SteamGene]

That seems to solve the typo on some of the comments. 
Gene

[SteamGene]

I've had to move a couple of helix posts, but progress is going apace with the eastern helix, which should be the northern helix if it could see the sun.  But then the Valley is sort of strange in that if you go up the valley, you head north and if you go down the valley you head south.  This is always hard to explain when discussing Jackson's Valley campaign.
Gene

[SteamGene]

On the third attempt, it seems that the helix is on the correct grade.  I've learned a lot, but I've used some words I haven't used since I was a firing battery executive officer and a hip shoot started going south.
Gene

[SteamGene]

Anybody have a good source for 18-20 gauge wire, other than the expesive reels in your LHS or Radio Shack?
Gene

[SteamGene]

I'm getting ready to put down sub roadbed over the lower helix loop and the reverse loop.  The subroad bed rests of horizonal supports held up by either one or two risers.  Because of some tight horizonal clearances - the helix especially, I'm using fairly small horizonal supports and think that a drywall screw may split the wood, even with a pilot hole. 
Thoughts on Liquid Nails vs Elmer's Carpender's Glue t6o attach subroadbed to its supports. 


BTW, to make it easier to identify buss wires, I bought some key tags and both color coded and letter coded them to make it easy to look through the wiring jungle for the correct buss wire.  Cheap and easy.
Gene

[Atlantic Central]

Gene,

Liquid nails, and few small real nails.

Sheldon

[lanny]

Gene,

Sheldon's 'liquid nails' is a great idea ... clamp very well while drying (you already know this, I'm sure). Also, thin 'finishing nails' such as would be used in delicate trim work, in pre drilled holes, if possible, would also help with structural rigidity.

lanny nicolet