As I was searching for the photo of the top mounted switch machines used in the post above, I came across some pics from earlier on in the construction of the engine facility scene. I thought I would take you back a bit, before teh roundhouse job. In order to lay my approach tracks for the turntable, i had to build the servicing facilities. This is the first shot I took, the ash conveyor is almost complete here, I had just built up the concrete foundation for it. The coaling tower was under construction as well. I thought it was neat to see how the area looked back then.

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This is how it still looks today. I still need to install a ladder! This area will be next, after I finish the roof for the corp bldg.

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The headquarters area is really looking good, Gary. Every time you post photos of your layout that show such wider views, I feel as if I'm looking at a club layout - a large club layout.
I like your Revell boxcar shed, too: it was one that I had wanted but never saw in my LHS back in the days when those were new. I did get the interlocking tower, the school, the sandhouse and oil tank, and the Weekly Herald building. The first two went with my first layout, while the sandhouse and oil tank are still around here somewhere. The Weekly Herald building, slightly modified, ended-up in Lowbanks:
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Wayne

Hi Wayne, I wasn't aware it was a Revell kit, I've had that thing knocking around for a long long time! I recognize that wall from the Herald bldg., it was used in at least 4 kits I'd say, maybe more. I had the engine house kit which had those walls.

doctorwayne Wrote:The headquarters area is really looking good, Gary. Every time you post photos of your layout that show such wider views, I feel as if I'm looking at a club layout - a large club layout.

Wayne, I've run on a large club layout.........Gary's runs better.
When you can put 40 coal hoppers behind a N&W Y6, with another Y6 pushing, and it runs the layout with no problem?!?........ The sound of a steam whistle, heard from the opposite end of the basement, is magic.

...40 hoppers and TWO Y6's...?? Is this a dream of yours..?? If not, you've been to RR Heaven....

Steamtrains Wrote:...40 hoppers and TWO Y6's...?? Is this a dream of yours..?? If not, you've been to RR Heaven....

Not a dream. but now that you mention it, there are over forty hoppers, each with a different road number, but I can't remember if all of them were brought along, when I visited the John Galt Lines. Both y6's were there, and running on independent control (not MU'ed),one pulling, one pushing, with a long string of hoppers.
and yes.......that layout could be called "RR Heaven".

Thanks Pete, the layout runs as well as the equipment running on it, your equipment and your handling of that train were important parts of the success! I've run some trains for visitors that have had problems, I need to check some equipment!

With only the diesel servicing area and roof details for the corp headquarters building to be done I've lost momentum and have started work at the other end of the yard. In the first pic, the three thru tracks are merging to one on the left, and the track on the embankment is the yard runaround, from which the lead to the engine facility branches off. The turnout in the center of the pic, powered by that switchmaster motor, is the lead. All that blue plywood is an industrial area not connected to the yard. A service road will come from the tower in the distance, and cross the lead just past the turnout motor, where the white styrene is sitting, thyen cross over the runaround track, gaining access to that space in the forefront of the pic. It is not a terribly large space and I am wondering what it can be used for. I had envisioned some type of yard related storage, perhaps rails or ties, etc. I think I will cut the center and right stub ended tracks shorter, and extend the left hand track, curving it into that area.

I'd like to hear thoughts on what may be appropriate.

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This pic shows a module I built to get the roadway over the motor. Once the roadway passes the throwbar of the switch, it turns and there will be a grade crossing over the runaround trck. As I mentioned the two yard tracks will be shortened.

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And from the industrial area. A structure will conceal the microswitch used for powering the turnouts frog.

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I've been messing around in the diesel fueling/sanding area. I built a sanding tower kit and have a question about placement. There was no mention in the kit instructions about how to place the height of the arm, it is positionable. Perhaps I ought to have made it lower and in so doing I would have avoided the problem I now have. The two hoses which hang from the arm are not far enough apart to avoid contact with locos which pass by. In the photo I have removed one. I am thinking I will extend the arm slightly by splicing in additional length. Anybody think this is a stupid idea?

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I also built a Stewart Models fueling tower. It is a bit crude but I'm ok with it. It swivels and I'm not sure how far from the track I should mount it. Pics show the hose swung around to opposite sides. Obviously, if swung forward it would obstruct the track. Should it be moved back to a point where it would no longer foul the track? If so, what would be the point of it swiveling in the first place? Any thoughts appreciated!

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I'm not sure about the sanding tower. Does it swing around like the fueling tower? I think the two pieces were used together. The railroad would top off the sand when fueling the locomotive. I think the fuel hose would be positioned between 2 adjacent tracks to allow fueling of locomotives from either side. This allows the fueler to swing the boom over a locomotive to fuel it while the hostler moves another locomotive off of the adjacent track and another one into position. That way as soon as one locomotive is fueled, the fueler just swings over to the other track and fuels another locomotive while the hostler changes out the fueled locomotive for another one. If no locomotive is being fueled, the boom would be positioned parallel between the two tracks. If the sanding tower boom is not movable, it may be that it was intended to have the boom parallel to the tracks and the sanding hose just swung over the locomotive. The hoses should reach the sanding hatches of any locomotive, and the boom should be high enough that gravity would feed the sand into the locomotive, I think. I think the reason for the two hoses on the sanding tower is to allow them to fill sand hatches on both ends of the locomotive without moving the loco.

Gary, I think that you might better splice-in a piece of pipe on the main delivery, right below the storage tank. This should allow you to change the angle on the pipe which crosses the track, which will place the hoses a little farther away from any passing locos. Don't forget, too, that the sand filler hatches for many switchers were place pretty low, so you'll need to either lengthen the downcomer pipes or their hoses.

Here's a photo of the TH&B's service facility in Hamilton, Ontario, which illustrates the situation.


There's also a fuel delivery pipe in the background, although it's difficult to see whether or not it swivels. Here are all of the pictures which I have of the fuel/sand area - perhaps they'll be of some assistance.








Those vertical support pipes in the last photo are for the steam line from the shop boiler (this kept both the sand dry and the coal from freezing into a solid mass inside the storage bunkers). As you can see, the sand storage at the time of the photos still utilised the old concrete coaling tower.

Wayne

For the sand facility, the problem may be "scale gravity" - hoses don't hang vertically due to material stiffness, narrowing the clearance in a non-scale manner. These hoses were hung close to clearance on purpose as they are heavy, stiff (particularly in cold weather), and must be man-handled to line up with fairly small access points. Movement of equipment would be very slow in a service area, so some contact would be non-critical in 1:1, but could cause damage in scale. Additional structural supports or something purpose built could be added to allow "tie-backs" to allow safe passage, just as in full size facilities. Am not Familiar with the fuel stand you have...facilities like it have these placed between tracks to allow service on both sides - both the swivel point and the angled joint articulate so all parts of the delivery connection can pass equipment on either track without fouling, and to fuel more than 1 unit along the fuel pad without re-spotting the power. Even though that may not be needed in your case, the equipment has that capability. Hope this helps. Am really impressed with the JGL and it's builder. Bob C.

Thanks for the quick replies guys! OK, sure it makes perfect sense the fuel stand swivels to service two tracks, silly of me not to have thought of it. While I only have one track, there is another just behind, whose purpose is spotting cars for the ash pit, coaling tower, sandhouse and fuel oil deliveries. While I don't envision also using it to fuel diesels, the pic shows it could. As long as there is no gondola at the ash conveyor! Two pics of same scene, different angles. I've rearranged the elements a bit and like it better.

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Thanks for those photos Wayne, they are a big help in detailing the area. I see the fuel stand is painted yellow, about when would that have become common? I notice also they have a structural support like Bob mentions to hold the far end of the delivery pipe. The sanding tower kit I built had parts for another arm, to service two tracks, I did not use it. But I took the part and held it an the optimum angle for obtaining greater distance and I don't think it helps much. It does however make the far end of the delivery pipe lower, to the point of obstruction. Of course, I could mount the whole tower on a concrete base to make it higher. I think I may just extend the delivery pipe, cutting it between the hoses. And install the column for support as in your pic. I'll also lengthen the hoses a bit.

I'll use the photos to detail the area in the pic below and I'll be well on my way to completion. Need to add a water pipe and spigot next to the ash pit.

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Bob C Wrote:Am really impressed with the JGL and it's builder. Bob C.

Thanks Bob!

I've applied some grond cover in the diesel area, more to do, like oil spills, dirty up the ashpit area, some details, but here is what it looks like now, two aerial views.

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I've also done some work on the MOW storage area, per suggestions in the Upper Berth thread I went thru my boxes of old stuff and found a suitable passenger car body. I attempted to make the roof sag in the middle with not so great results. I built a jig similar to the one Wayne linked to in that thread, and used a hair dryer to heat the shell. I tried to focus the heat on the lower body and apply pressure gently to avoid kinking the chelestory roof, but did so anyway. Also, the body curved sideways a bit at one end. I did get a slight bow to the length of the body as well. Here are tow shots of it, tomorrow I figure I will cut a wood block for a snug fit in the shell, and gently heat again, forcing the block in and hopefully straightening the body.

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And..I got the Jordan steam crane kit and have started assembly. Here are pics of the track assy and the platform with gears to turn the body, and one of me holding the two together prior to glueing. There is a pin in the center of the large gear which goes in the hole in the platform of the track assy. A small retainer snaps on from beneath the track assy, and by glueing carefully, the body swivels on the track assy.

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