I have not only seent he articles, I have OPERATED on Mike Danneman's Moffat Road! Here, 3 of my BN 'Deuces haul coal up Clay siding:
Oops! I'd forgotten you were there. I just figured that one should be a really bad influence on you. Boxcab E50
Breath taking shot there Jeremiah,all I can say is hurry up & do it! I'am trying to recreate a section of the Eagle River canyon on the Tennessee Pass line,well sort of,long way to go though, [ 24. October 2004, 16:24: Message edited by: JASON ]
Flash,as you would know,it's too bloody big at times. Jeremiah,yes sorry,didnt mean to mislead anyone it is the Sydney N MRRC.(I'm try to sneek all this scenery in before anyone notices what I'm really up to LOL)
Looks like a very ambitious plan. I would suggest that you strongly consider loop- or through staging. with only two sidings, the "dwell time" of each train on the layout will be _relatively_ short. (Unlike a more conventional layout, there are no industries or yards to require more work / time on the visible layout as each train completes its run) Not to say that this concept would not work or won't be specatacular, just that you might want to try to get the "fun time" to "re-staging time" quotient a little higher and loop- or through staging would help with that. Regards, Byron
Hemi, Have you considered a double decker? 22 x 16 is a huge space that would allow you to run along the walls with a central peninsula running the long dimension. The 16-foot width is the key--you've seen what I've done in 11 feet. You could easily get all the 13 miles of track in there, perhaps on a single deck, and the grades would be, even on a double deck, about 1 to 1.5 percent. My original plan was for a central peninsula and, IIRC, that had more than 1200 feet of mainline. I scrapped that because the aisles would have been about 18-24 inches. But with 5 more feet of width, those aisles would have been about four feet wide. The engineering for a modular construction would be challenging, but not insurmountable. You'd have to build it independent of the walls if you planned to move it--but that's just a bit more lumber, and more construction time. Be glad to help. Pete
Wow. That's cool, Jason. Reminds me of the Belden area... The last set of pics makes my mouth water as well..... Pete, I am considering double-decking it, but the engineering of it, and keeping it portable is a primary consideration. As much as second deck would be cool, when space allows at a permanent house, I could use the second deck to represent Pinecliffe, Pactolus, Rollinsville, Tolland, and East Portal. The whole Moffat Route to Moffat Tunnel. That would also net me Cliff, Rollins, Tolland and East Portal Sidings.
I would suggest that you strongly consider loop- or through staging. with only two sidings, the "dwell time" of each train on the layout will be _relatively_ short. (Unlike a more conventional layout, there are no industries or yards to require more work / time on the visible layout as each train completes its run) Not to say that this concept would not work or won't be specatacular, just that you might want to try to get the "fun time" to "re-staging time" quotient a little higher and loop- or through staging would help with that. Regards, Byron http://www.modelrail.us </font>[/QUOTE]Byron, I am thinking of making a staging area that will allow loop-operation for tours, etc. I want to build a lot of staging under layout or off-layout somehow, and while I am unsure of how I'm gonna do it, I do know I want at least 10 track each in east and west staging, with a loop option for continuous running. This layout alone will have 2 levels at the end, so double-decking it would make it more complicated to build. I have to be able to pack it up and move. I'm working for Uncle Sam...
Correction, I will build the layout at a single level, no grades. The reason being that staging being on 2 decks would require a helix to connect for continuous running, and flat running would allow flexibility in the module set up plan, for available space considerations. The staging area will be at least 10-12 foot tracks for east and west staging, with a 18-22" rad curve used for connecting the layout for continuous running. 2 4x8' sheets of ply, end-to-end built as a table would hold the return loop, and all the staging tracks:
HemiAdda2d--NICE idea on the staging yard. Don't know why I've never thought of something like that. Guess that's why they pay you the "big bucks".
Rriiiggghhhhhhhtttt...... *in his best 'Dr. Evil' voice* It will eat some space, but I can possibly mount some of it under the layout. I can also mount it along the short side of the layout. That remains to be seen. A staging yard operator would make/break consists, and send them to road crews who would pick up their train in staging, and make their run over the visible layout. The prototype part of this railroad can take over 45 minutes to cover the 13 mile distance, as slow-speed are the norm on this twisty portion of the line. Even Amtrak is limited to 20-25 MPH. I could possibly add more tracks to staging, since it will be 4' wide, maybe 10 or more tracks a side would fit. The more, the merrier! Trains on this line will feature: 2 DRGW loaded coal trains EB 2 DRGW empty coalies WB Amtrak #5 WB Amtrak #6 EB Ski Train both ways on weekends BN trackage rights trains: 1 each, EB/WB 1 BN joint-operation coal load with BN/DRGW power 2 DRGW manifests 1 DRGW grain train 1 Denver-Phippsburg local Various work trains Light helper movements Helpers are the rule on this layout!
This is sounding very very interesting,for years I've been planning a DRGW empire in my head.Giving me plenty of inspiration here Jere.
I am unsure of what I'll do in the event of less room than I need... Not all the trains listed will run every session, but most will. Railblazer trains will run in early AM and afternoon of each session. They were the hottest trains on the line. Only the FAST on Tenn. Pass was hotter. As for the trains, I forgot to add a couple: The Railblazer The Ford FAST (Ford's Auto-Service Train) detouring from its normal Tennessee Pass routing.
Just a side note: the FAST was the HOTTEST train on the entire railroad. Even the California Zephyr went into the hole for the FAST! The Railblazer was hot, but I think, IIRC, the CZ had priority.
Trackplan time! The plan, as built has 4' interior aisles, and 2' min. clearance around all edges of the layout. No grades, but the terrain will undulate as if the trains were climbing a tortuous 2%. All tunnels shorter than 100 scale feet length will be approx. scale length. All tunnels from 100'-400' long will be about 10" long, with removable tops. All tunnels 401-600' long will be about 15" long, with removable tops. All tunnels 601'-900' long will be 20" long, with removable top. Tunnels longer than 900' will be 30" long with removable tops. I may have to fudge tunnel lengths a bit to fit the longer ones.. Dumb question: I have visited the South Draw area a few times, and not many people have; but I have the tracks reversed. The South Draw, as viewed from the center ridge (looking towards T16), would have the tunnels 12-15 entering at left, and Tunnels old 17, and 17 to the viewer's right. Is this a big issue? I would have to completely re-draw the entire plan to get it correct. I will build it correctly, bt the plan is reversed.... [ 04. December 2004, 21:35: Message edited by: HemiAdda2d ]
