Shortliners Erie RR Harlem Station Yard

Shortliners Erie RR Harlem Station Yard - Printable Version

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Shortliners Erie RR Harlem Station Yard - shortliner - 03-20-2010

I decided I wanted to build a model of the Erie RR Harlem Station float terminal – one of the smallest yards in the Bronx.. I needed it to fit into the back of my “compact” car, so it has had to be adjusted slightly from the prototype. It is being built as an entry for the 2010 challenge on RMweb forum. It is HO, and the actual baseboard is a lop-sided rectangle measuring 46” x 28” at rhe narrow end and 37” at the widest. This has been in my head since last autumn, since the weathr , here in the Highlands of Scotland this winter, has been much too cold to be outside building baseboards. The original yard was tucked in the corner of E149th Street and the Major Deegan Expressway

Enjoy

Re: Shortliners Erie RR Harlem Station Yard - steinjr - 03-20-2010

It is an interesting prototype location. Looks like you have the right engine there, and 40-foot cars probably is the right cars, too. And I like your "T-shaped thingie" and the use of the Loco lifts for the car floats.

But will there be enough space at the right end for the freight house? How big will it be?

The prototype pics show a warehouse where you could spot five cars in each track.

Would it make sense to cut down from four tracks to two tracks by the warehouses, but have room for more cars on each track?

Just a suggestion - you are a far better designer than me, and I expect you have considered quite a few options for how to selectively compress the area. I am looking forward to seeing what you do with this one.

Btw - for people not familiar with the prototype, here is a link to some info: http://members.trainweb.com/bedt/indloco/errhs.html

Smile,
Stein

Re: Shortliners Erie RR Harlem Station Yard - shortliner - 03-20-2010

Stein - that is a very good question - I have had to change the dimensions to fit the area that I have - the board needs to fit into the back of my Ford Ka - I actually measured the area inside very carefully several times before I built the baseboard - and never thought about the width of the rear door, so it was impossible to get it in! - I ended up having to take a 2" wide strip off one side. The prototype originally had a long narrow wooden freight house beside the tracks along-side the river, just north of the float-bridge - at some point this was moved into a larger space inside what is on mine, the curve. That track should really be longer but I had to go with what I had, so the freight-shed might end up with just two loading doors . I agree that it might work by removing a siding, but that would also remove some of the switching, so I'd rather try it as it is and see what I can get away with Nope

in theory it would be possible to build a HO version TO SCALE in 66" x 48" - the yard really was that tiny (I suspect that hand-built points might be needed - I have used RTR)- but I simply don't have that much space. I also didn't realise that when they built the Major Deegan Expressway it actually was built over part of the tracks on that side almost putting part of that building underneath it too.

I hope to be running Boxcabs on it too!

Re: Shortliners Erie RR Harlem Station Yard - steinjr - 03-20-2010

shortliner Wrote:That track should really be longer but I had to go with what I had, so the freight-shed might end up with just two loading doors . I agree that it might work by removing a siding, but that would also remove some of the switching, so I'd rather try it as it is and see what I can get away with

Well, if anyone can pull it off, and make it look good, it will be you. Mmm - you might even be able to put that expressway bridge you mentioned over that end of the layout, hiding that the freight house is rather narrow. In any case - I am looking forward to seeing what it will look like in a short while!

Quote:I hope to be running Boxcabs on it too!

Scratch built boxcabs, I presume? Will be interesting to see - those things are cool looking!

Well, time to go put the kids to bed - I am playing Mr Mom this weekend, while my wife is away at a conference for newsletter editors.

Smile,
Stein

Re: Shortliners Erie RR Harlem Station Yard - Ralph - 03-20-2010

I've been intrigued by that terminal road ever since seeing an article about it in Model Railroader. I think your version is a creative and reasonable way to model it with your space restrictions. Looks like fun!

Ralph

Re: Shortliners Erie RR Harlem Station Yard - faraway - 03-20-2010

That is an excellent choice for such a small switching layout. Looking forward for more photos as you make progress. Please keep us updated.

Re: Shortliners Erie RR Harlem Station Yard - BR60103 - 03-20-2010

How did you join the Locolifts?

Re: Shortliners Erie RR Harlem Station Yard - e-paw - 03-20-2010

very nice Cheers

I like it.

Re: Shortliners Erie RR Harlem Station Yard - shortliner - 03-21-2010

Thanks for the nice comments, Guys Cheers

BR60103 Wrote:How did you join the Locolifts?

The easy way to tell you is to show you
You need two PECO Locolifts (discard one set of handles and the foam sides)
Wood moulding from Model shop that will fit into the Aluminium side channels
Heavy gauge copper earthing wire small saw, modelling knife and a small drill

follow the pictures

Hope it helps

Re: Shortliners Erie RR Harlem Station Yard - BR60103 - 03-21-2010

Thank you, Jack.

Re: Shortliners Erie RR Harlem Station Yard - shortliner - 04-10-2010

Rather than cross-post all the work to date - here is a link for anyone who is interested in how I'm getting on -
you can view without being a member
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php/topic/3354-jacks-in-or-shortliners-shortline/">http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index. ... shortline/</a>

Re: Shortliners Erie RR Harlem Station Yard - shortliner - 04-14-2010

I needed a backscene to hide the Locolifts representing the carfloats - went to Google Streetview, found the Major Deegan Expressway and looked west (it ran above and east of the 149th Street Yard) and sketched the skyline on the far side of the river. I transfered it onto the backscene board (which I had already painted as hazy sky) and then painted in the buildings in three layers - letting each layer dry and then overspraying with white from a rattlecan before painting the next group of buildings - it gives a reasonable impression of distance, I think. It is, of course, a present day skyline, rather than a historical one, but sice I can't find a way of knowing what it would have looked like historically, I don't intend to let it bother me too much.

Re: Shortliners Erie RR Harlem Station Yard - tsby_fan - 04-14-2010

Wow! this is a neat project! Looking forward to seeing your progress on it. Worship

Re: Shortliners Erie RR Harlem Station Yard - nachoman - 04-14-2010

That skyline looks great! What brand of curved turnouts are those?

Re: Shortliners Erie RR Harlem Station Yard - Gary S - 04-14-2010

I agree!. The skyline looks good!