Building the new Anderslej

Alan Feb 15, 2013

  1. Alan

    Alan Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Dug out the switches from the old layout and as I have plenty of length, decided to use switches for the staging instead of a sector plate (easier to align).

    Gradually moving tracks around and just about decided on locations for most things, and which tracks will have catenary. The main yard sidings will not be electrified, so it will be easier to use the toothpick method to uncouple cars. Switching will be done by diesels in any case.
     
  2. traingeekboy

    traingeekboy TrainBoard Member

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    Well Alan,
    You picked a fine place to live. There is a good book about the history of that part of the world called Trieste and the meaning of nowhere; if you get an interest in some history. I could go on and on about how beautiful the country side is there, but you can just look out your window and see it. ;)

    After you started woking on your last layout, and also after you posted pictures of your trip to Nova Gorica, I looked at a lot of shots online of locos in that part of the world. You really do get to run a lot of fine european locos from the 60's and on with your prototype. Do you ever run into any of the little formerly FS d214 switchers over there?

    Sounds like a good call on the staging area. I've never used a sector plate, but they seem so fiddly. With switches you'll be able to throw a control lever and the switch will do all the aligning, then off she goes.

    I don't recall what you used on your last layout for catenary; commercial or hand made. i just went and looked at some images and all the catenary looks like italian FS style.

    here's a Sommerfeldt one, I'm sure you've looked at these already.

    [​IMG]

    They do look nice, but even a short stretch of poles and wire can be pricey. OUCH!
    -------

    Got to thinking about your layout and had more questions. Is there a reason your layout goes narrow where your staging is?

    Could you do something more complicated on that end to get more functionality out of it?

    I converted your layout width and got nearly 5 feet width which is pretty good in HO scale. So I'm just going to throw out a weird idea for the other end of the layout that would give you staging and the ability to reverse trains. Also, you may not have the space for that at all.

    [​IMG]

    where you see the passing siding could be several tracks. You could use a tighter radius on the isnide curve and only store shorter locos and freight car there, with passenger trains taking the outer wider curve tracks. The two crossing tracks would allow for turning whole trains for return trips.

    I totally understand if it's not your cup of tea.

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    Well, I just couldn't leave it alone. I had to think of yet other options. he he he

    Here is another way to perhaps lengthen your station area and have a little bit of storage. Of course you may be able to fit even more storage tracks such as long passing sidings on the ends. With this you could possibly store 5 trains on the back of the layout ready for arrival in the the station.

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 20, 2013
  3. FriscoCharlie

    FriscoCharlie Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Looking good Alan!
     
  4. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    I like this alternative.

    Will your catenary be live? So many I have seen are dummy wires and not live trolley.
     
  5. Alan

    Alan Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Guess why we moved here........


    No, the only locos I saw at Nova Gorice were the D345. But when I venture further into Italy I should see a lot more types.

    Yes, our catenary is FS style. The first electrics were FS ones, as were the articulated 361 "Bellows", which I scratchbuilt, now all withdrawn from service. The 345 "Mopeds" are also Italian design, a few of which are still active. So we inherited FS catenary style and voltage. I handbuilt the catenary (much cheaper!) but used the Sommerfeldt FS fittings and used their copper coated steel wire to make the actual contact wires.

    Yes, the narrow end is at the top of the stairs and I wanted to keep it clear. It is no problem, as I always wanted an end-to-end layout anyway (actually finished with an out-and-back, this means the station can still be a through station). It is basically a switching layout, but with a bit of added running and interchange with Hungary. My previous experience with cross-border workings were in Jesenice where the trains come through a long tunnel from Austria. Another Austrian border crossing is at Spielfeldt Strass, not far from Maribor and quite near us. But after a ride on the "Citadella" from Ptuj to Budapest last year, I quite fell in love with Hungarian Railways, so changed my border area!
     
  6. Alan

    Alan Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Thanks boss :)
     
  7. montanan

    montanan TrainBoard Member

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    I really like electric locomotives having grown up with them, and give you a lot of credit of actually instally the catenary, Many years ago I helped another modeler run catenary for for his Milwaukee Road layout set in Western Montana. We made jigs for making the poles and catenary. At first it was a bit of a learning curve, but it really didn't take too long and he had a fantastic looking layout. I spent many hours and miles in the cabs of the Milwaukee Road and loved every moment. Here are a few pictures of overhead that I really wouldn't want to model. I think boxcab has probably seen these. View attachment 51988 View attachment 51989 View attachment 51990 The first 2 were taken in Avery, ID, the last shot is especially for boxcabe50.
     
  8. traingeekboy

    traingeekboy TrainBoard Member

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    It sounds like you've really thought it out as to the type of layout you want.

    Do you still have the model of the French CC style loco converted to slovenian railways?

    Every time I see your posts I get very sentimental about slovenia. My mother was born in Pula, croatia when it was still part of Italy and I spent part of my childhood in goricia, italian side of nova gorica. We used to take lots of day trips into Slovenia and many of my friends speak slovenian. I really need to find a way to get over there and enjoy the coast sometime.
     
  9. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Sweet! Thanks!
     
  10. Alan

    Alan Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    One of those shots reinforces my decision not to have catenary over the turntable!

    In case you have not seen it on my website, here is the blow by blow account of my catenary building efforts.
    http://www.andersley.co.uk/catenary.html
     
  11. Alan

    Alan Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Yes, all the 363 "Brigittes" are still running, and I still have the French model waiting for conversion to SZ details. - But an SZ 363 has recently been announced!

    I think you had previously recounted putting your hand through the railings in Goricia, knowing your hand was in communist Jugoslavia! :teeth:


    We have a guest room for anyone visiting our area........;)
     
  12. montanan

    montanan TrainBoard Member

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  13. Alan

    Alan Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Amazing! Just a power truck with a cab on! Extension cord - there is a prototype for everything! :)
     
  14. montanan

    montanan TrainBoard Member

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    Guess you do what you have to do to get the job done. There are displays in most parts of the state where the Milwaukee served. The little switcher is on display in Harlowtown, MT (minus its bell), which is where the electrified division started and ran to Avery, ID, where the division ended. View attachment 52004
    Some other displays are this caboose in Three Forks, MT and the E-70 in Deer Lodge, MT.
    View attachment 52005 View attachment 52006
     
  15. Alan

    Alan Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Such a shame to scrap an electric railroad system and go 'backwards' to diesel traction. But I guess the equipment was life expired and would have needed big investment to renew?
     
  16. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    No. It still had life. It was worn, but still completely serviceable. The entire trolley and feeder system was completely viable. In fact, a big chunk of the feeder system is still in use today as part of distribution and transmission in Washington and Montana. The substations, several needed new roofs. That was all as far as electric infrastructure.

    They were running out of motors, due to some wreck damage and the boxcabs being 55 years old. But all the Joes were still good to go. Also, GE had made an incredible offer to completely upgrade the entire electrification system, plus close the gap. Part of a demonstration, which costs to the MILW were actually very small! Facts now known, documented, were that managers of the RR had decided by then to get rid of the western extension.

    Facts are also that existing documentation shows that was the part which was actually profitable, and keeping the eastern end propped up! With massive real estate holdings and scrap value, the RR was worth much, much more dead than alive. So they set out to kill it, succeeded, and a bunch of people got rich off the carcass, while thousands lost jobs, communities suffered and more. Oh well.
     
  17. Alan

    Alan Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    In that case, criminal waste in the real sense of the words

    Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2
     
  18. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Yes. An incredible amount of dishonesty. Even in the later bankruptcy court hearings, documented false testimony, which was allowed to stand and used to implement the final destruction.
     
  19. montanan

    montanan TrainBoard Member

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    Some of the old box cabs date back to 1915 when the first boxcab ran under catenary at Three Forks, MT in 1915. Like boxcabE50 mentioned, it was getting harder to keep the old box cabs running due to the lack of parts. Bad management was probably what finally brought the Milwaukee road down. They de-electrified in 1974, right after the oil crisis hit, and it was pretty well down hill from then. A lot of maintenence was deferred, and track conditions deteriorated sometimes making transit times double or more than what it used to be, forcing shippers to use other railroads.

    I left Montana in 1964 while in the military and working on the Florida Highway Patrol, and did not move back until 1977. I did visit from time to time and rode with my relatives while on vacation and every time I came back things looked worse. I think this was a little more apparent because I wasn't present during the gradual down hill slide. When I did return, I did ride on a regular basis and some of the track conditions, especially on branch lines was close to comical.

    It's a real shame to see one of the giants in the railroad workd to end up like this. They conquered the mountains with the electric locomotives only to have bad management run it into the ground. Living right along the route where the railroad ran, there are still many reminders of the Milwaukee Road.

    I live less than a mile from the Gallatin Gateway Inn, which was built by the Milwaukee Road. Passengers would spend the night there and then take motor coaches south to Yellowstone Park which is a 75 mile trip.

    View attachment 52009

    In Butte, MT the Milwaukee Road station which is a beautiful building is now home to a TV station.
    View attachment 52010

    The railroad has a lot of history out here.
     
  20. Alan

    Alan Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    KXLF certainly have a beautiful building for their station.
     

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