That was one of my main objectives with this module. I wish I could have made it single track; as that would have better captured the prototype feel. Fortunately, when this thing is on the wall at eye level, the double track won't be as obvious. I purposely stuck with a single signal for each direction at the cross-over for that very reason. I had a very pleasant surprise when I received the Blair line road signs and found that they happened to contain two US Route 30 signs! That is the prototype highway. One of these is clearly visible in the second through fourth photos just East of University Road. It is a small detail, but it really makes a connection to the prototype site in my mind. Thanks for checking in.
Jack: I followed the entire project and you did a great job on that module... What's next? Stay cool and run steam.....
Next up is a corner module that will continue this prototype scene to the West. The highway curves away from the track and then completes an "S" curve to cross the track on a highway bridge. I think that will be fun to model. I already have the Rix brand concrete overpass kit and have the basic module construction completed (photos above).
Jack, this is an excellent project, and well done! I ended up not duplicating it, but you gave me some very good ideas. And along the way I also discovered the benefits of MDF. Non-warping and easier to handle and do accurate work with than plywood. And these days, as plywood's price has gone through the roof, I found it actually ending up being cheaper too. On narrow sections the weight penalty isn't that great, either... I ended up using the MDF strips, cut 3-4 inches wide, as support framing, rather than edge framing on yours, because my layout ended up having too many curved edges.
This thread wouldn't be complete without some coverage of how the modules are connected together. It's hard to capture the detail with photos, but I'm attaching the best ones I could come up with. First step in connecting the modules is to place them on the shelf brackets and loosely bolt them together. For sake of explanation, I'll refer to the track centerline as the "x" axis, with the front to back being the "y" and the up and down being the "z". "Eyeballing" has always been sufficient for aligning the y axis. The one inch gap between the ends of the track on adjacent modules provides more than enough flexibility for slight misalignments. As long as the track to track separation is an accurate 1.25", getting them to align and connect is not a problem. For the z axis (up and down), I usually lay a steel ruler or level on top of the tracks and wedge a shim (if needed) under one of the modules until the tracks are at the same height. Having the y and z in alignment, I tighten the two 1/4" bolts that pass through the outer holes (3/8") on each module end. The 1/8" clearance in the holes provides for plenty of y and z adjustment. Once the modules are firmly bolted together, it's time to get out the calipers. I measure the gap in each rail to the closest 1/1000 of an inch. Although the gaps are nominally 1", it is not unusual for the true measure to vary from ~.9 to 1.1 inches. It really doesn't matter, since I custom cut and assemble a connecting track for each gap. Here is my tooling for cutting the rails: Hopefully the method is obvious. I butt the calipers and rail up against the clamp, and then use the Xuron rail cutter to cut the rail to the needed length. Despite the crudeness of this, the results are usually within .005. If the rail is a bit to long, a few passes with a steel file brings it to the correct length. Anything undersize by up to 10 thousandths is not a problem After cutting both rails to their needed lengths, I assemble the connecting track using a single pair of Atlas code 55 ties: I slide rail joiners fully onto one end and about half way onto the other. Installation is simple. The protruding rail joiners are first slid onto the rails on one module. The other ends of each rail are then aligned with the other module rails and then the rail joiners are slid onto those rails to complete the installation. I would imagine the following two questions are coming to some of your minds: a) How in the heck can 1" sections of code 55 flex rail and a single pair of ties provide a reliable connecting track? b) Just how long does it take to do all of this? All I can say in response to "a" is that it works perfectly. I've been using this same basic approach for years and have never had a problematic module joint. The key is having flat, dimensionally accurate modules and good rail alignment. Beyond that, a cheap pair of calipers and a bit of patience is all that's required. I actually think the "flimsiness" of code 55 rail helps in making a smooth joint. I have a good answer to "b". Normally, when I make a new module I just swap it with an existing one (i.e. I have to redo a pair of connecting tracks on each end of the new module). This time it was different. I decided that I wanted to rearrange my existing modules to be in the correct location/sequence for my future additions. I had to disconnect and rearrange six of my eight modules. That meant redoing the connecting tracks on seven module-to-module interfaces. That is a total of 28 individual rails to be measured and cut, along with the other related tasks. To make a long story short(er), I started this yesterday afternoon and completed it today. I think 30 minutes per module "joint" is a reasonable estimate of how long it takes. The following two photos show some of the new joints: (sorry about the fuzzy photo) Since the layout has been down for a while, I ran an engine with Aztec track cleaning car around both loops for an hour today. Everything seems to working great. [ July 23, 2005, 10:01 PM: Message edited by: NorsemanJack ]
First let me say..... Not only are you modeling one of my favorite lines, but you are modeling the area in my back yard! I have always wanted to model Rochelle to Savanah either as modern BNSF or 1960's CB&Q. Reading this fine thread has me ready to tear down my struggling B&M layout and build this! As far as the width of the ROW, a friend and I railfanned this line from Rochelle to Savanah and thought the same thing. I too think that it may have been double tracked at one time. I also noticed in one of your photo's you have a Galesburg RR Days poster from 1998. I know the year because that was the poster and year my wife and I went there for our honeymoon. If you ever make it back here, let me know. I live near Oregon IL where the town is restoring the old CB&Q station.
A sharp eye! Yep, we spent two nights in Galesburg for the 1998 railroad days. My favorite part without a doubt was watching Silver Pilot (the E5) and the Nebraska Zephyr train set moving around in the yard on Friday evening. I had driven out to the long, concrete overpass over the yard and, camera in hand, happened to catch her moving under the bridge. Saturday was awfully hot and we spent a large part of the afternoon sitting in the nicely air conditioned Nebraska Zephyr parlour car (which was open for touring) watching the occasional train come through on the main. The "big" attraction was the Milwaukee Road Northern (261?) that pulled a fan trip down from Chicago. As I recall, they had a bearing problem that made it about 6 hours late - not good for the riders in that hot weather. I haven't been back to Illinois since last June, but will be at some point. We still have a lot of family in the Dekalb / Rochelle area. Thanks for posting.
Wow! I just read from the very beginning, and well, ! Very, very impressive. I really appreciate you posting the details of your progress. Like others have said, you've given me great ideas. I have very limited space, which is why I originally went with a folding layout design. But a narrow module, around a couple of walls, has great possibilities. It looks like there may even be enough room for industry sidings, as long as the structures were blended into the background. I look forward to seeing the progress on your corner module. Please keep us updated.
notenuftoys - this concept works great for those with limited space. In my case, I have a dedicated 9 x 11 room and I could have created a more conventional, floor standing layout. Had I done so, the room would not have been able to be used for anything else. By going up around the walls, I'm able to have a computer and several work tables as well. The key is to go high enough so that the space under the modules can still be used. In my case, the bottom of the modules is at 60" (5') and the track height is about 64 1/2". I like the effect of looking at the sides of the trains instead of a more aerial view.
Great job, Jack And that section about the joint - in the nick of time for moi!! Thanks again for sharing.
William - does that mean you've moved ahead with some module construction? If so, have you posted photos? (Sorry if I missed it; I've been away from the forum for awhile)
No, not quite. I decided to go with something a little more permanent, and not as thoroughly engineered as yours But I have those issues with a lift-out section near the HVAC and water heater, as well as a drop-down bridge. So your techniques are inspiring, even for those who aren't following exactly in your footsteps. I'll share pictures once I've cleaned the clutter and debris off the layout...
You're among friends here William. We'll look past the "clutter and debris" . Besides, a clean train room is probably one where not much progress is happening.....
I'm finally getting going a bit more on my next module. As mentioned earlier in the thread, this will be an extension of the prototype area Westward towards Shabbona, IL. The desirable modeling feature in this area is an S-curve in US route 30 that goes up and over the CB&Q tracks. Here's a prototype photo of the bridge (conveniently with a truck on the bridge and a train under) taken the last time I was in this area of Illinois. Here's the preliminary foam work. I used the cookie-cutter approach to bring the roadway grade up exactly two inches. That bumpy, yellowish material filling out the grade is the aerosol foam insulation which, I believe, is essentially the same material as our extruded foam is made from. It carves and shapes just like the pink stuff. The third photo is from about the same angle as the prototype photo.
NorsemanJack, What brand and type of canned foam did you use? I've found different types including ones too airy for any kind of reasonably sturdy scenery.
