Barney Secord flies the Grand Valley...

[doctorwayne]

.....Any more?

Well, there's always the line north of Cayuga Junction, although almost no scenery, no structures, no landforms, no ballast, and, for the most part, no benchwork. I think that it'd be a pretty boring flight.

Wayne

[bdw9535]

Great tour of a great layout, like those large industries and the way you modeled them.

Bruce

[Bigsteel]

man,i knew that barney was always a little nuts,but man was he flyin low! .great pics wayne,but how did you figure out your entire layouts setup just by wingin it!?!? i can barely build a layout with one! --josh

[doctorwayne]

man,i knew that barney was always a little nuts,but man was he flyin low! .great pics wayne,but how did you figure out your entire layouts setup just by wingin it!?!? i can barely build a layout with one! --josh

Thanks, Josh. You may have missed this shot of Barney, which I posted some time ago:
[album]49[/album]

He's flown both over and under the Maitland River bridge, but is still upset that the wingspan of his plane is too great to allow him to fly through the length of it.

As for planning the layout, I started with a sketch of the room (before a 200 sq. ft. chunk was lost to "family considerations"). My rough sketch of the layout had staging situated where GERN is now, with the tracks continuing, straight, well beyond GERN (where the doorway to the layout is now), then curving right and crossing a multi-span (about 10' long) bridge over the Grand River. After another right curve, a much larger version of Dunnville would have been about 20' long, ending roughly where Mercury Mills is now. The peninsula that now has the grade to the second level would have started in South Cayuga, and extended parallel to Dunnville. This would have allowed it to be much longer, considerably reducing the grade and allowing much wider curves. The tunnel to Elfrida would not have been required, although Port Maitland (and GERN) would have been condensed into the area where Lowbanks is now.
With the walls for the "lost" space in place, it was obvious that the bridge over the Grand would have to go, so I moved staging to one of the new walls, and Dunnville to the other. This left no room for the peninsula as planned, so I turned it 90 degrees, and accepted that I'd have to "tunnel" to Elfrida. The rest was pretty much "connect the dots". I knew that I wanted to run fairly short trains, which was a good thing, given the resultant grades, and that I'd usually be operating solo. I figured that passing sidings would allow me to run a number of trains "sequentially", so each town is equipped with one - the shortest one determined the length of the rest. Industrial sidings, stations, etc. were crammed in where they looked acceptable, and over-all, I'm pleased with the outcome.
While the switchbacks are inconvenient, they make for lots of operation, as most trains have to "work" each town along their route. The line also seems pretty good for "railfanning" - I've deliberately placed trees, poles, and structures to obscure the views somewhat, so there's lots of "stuff" framing most shots. All considered, I think that this version is probably better than what was originally planned, although it could certainly be improved with wider curves and less severe grades. Given more room, I'd also space the towns farther apart.
If you go to the link at the end of the pictures, on the diagram of the current layout room, the "lost" room is located to the left of GERN and staging (where the door is) and the wall on which most of Dunnville is located would be about 18' to the left of where it is there.

Wayne

[TrainNut]

So, do these pictures pretty much reflect the current status of construction? Also, do you have a timeline when you might be constructing the second level? I really like how you worked Airline Junction into a corner. Makes good use of the space. I might borrow that idea if I may and see if I can work something similar into my current plan for the new layout.

[doctorwayne]

So, do these pictures pretty much reflect the current status of construction?

Yeah, the pictures were taken last week, expressly for this thread.

Also, do you have a timeline when you might be constructing the second level?

A very rough one: I'm currently backdating my rolling stock to place it more solidly in the 1930s, so I have about 35 cars on my workbench right now, undergoing re-building, details, paint, and weathering, with another 55-or-so yet to be started - about a dozen of those are major rebuilds. I also have about a dozen steam locos to rebuild - these are all major rebuilds. If I run out of steam on these projects, the layout will be next on the list: specifically, finishing those areas over which the second level will be built. To put a more positive spin on the actual construction of the second level, though, I have all of the support brackets welded-up and ready to install, along with all of the fluorescent light fixtures and some of the lumber for the benchwork - installation shouldn't take more than a few days. I also have almost all of the structures, although still unbuilt. No track, as yet, though.

I really like how you worked Airline Junction into a corner. Makes good use of the space. I might borrow that idea if I may and see if I can work something similar into my current plan for the new layout.

Thanks. In my opinion, a corner is a great place for such a wye. Mine provides enough room to turn a loco and passenger car or, more commonly for my operating practices, a pair of double-headed locos. Not surprisingly, the turnout under the bridge is the only one that's given me any problems - pretty tough to solder a point rail to the throwbar under there, especially given the reach. It's also the only powered turnout on the layout.
As with pretty-well anything on my layout, the placement of the wye didn't originate with me, so feel free to use the idea. (Of course, if it had been my idea, any and all would still be welcome to use it.)

Wayne

[TrainNut]

...I have about 35 cars on my workbench right now, undergoing re-building, details, paint, and weathering, with another 55-or-so yet to be started - about a dozen of those are major rebuilds. I also have about a dozen steam locos to rebuild - these are all major rebuilds.

Sheesh, if I had that much sitting on my workbench, I'd never get to the second level. I finally finshed my HOn3 gondola and it only took me two years.

[MasonJar]

Great stuff Wayne... Always great to see your layout again. Thank Barney for the fantastic flying...

Andrew

[Steamtrains]

Wayne...That comment about a wye in a corner just lit the ol' lightbulb....In the next (last) section to be built I have planned a return loop to turn the locos....And there's a corner right nearby that could be used for that, and leave more real estate for "real" operations....Hmmm...back to the drawing board....

[cn nutbar]

Hi Doc---Barney's skills have risen to a new level---he'll need oxygen at the height he appears to be flying---great shots,great perspective of the EG&E

[Karl_PA]

Enjoyed the trip. Maybe Barney's next trip will be as he rides Sparkplug through the area?

[doctorwayne]

Hi Karl, and to Big Blue.

Wayne

[Charlie B]

Welcome to you from me too. Hate to do this to Waynes thread. What part of Pa?
Charlie

[doctorwayne]

Photos have been restored to this thread.

Wayne

[Tyson Rayles]

Photos have been restored to this thread.

Wayne

And I'm glad they were, great layout you got going there!