CP Scarborough Harbor Branch Line - HO Scale

[tetters]

Holy $#%#! I did it! It works!!!

I had my doubts about modeling the transfer slip as seen in pictures showing the float operations in BC. Specifically, to have the loco go down the slope only to climb up onto the slip. The photos all show this pronounced angle between the rail that goes down into the water, to the rail that sits on top of said rail and allows the loco to climb on the slip. I wanted to model that. Just enough to suggest it.

I really should remember to take more pictures. As I'm sure some people would like to see how I go about accomplishing certain items. Thing is, I get so focused, so far in, I forget to grab the camera and snap off some photos.

Some pictures to show what has been occupying me for the last couple of weeks...

To begin with I've constructed a good portion of the slip. I then started to use my belt sander to grind down some Cd 70 rail into some very sharp fine points. These had to be very sharp and the angle on them very shallow. To be honest I don't know the degrees of the angle, I just went with what "fit"



I used some rail joiners which I made ridiculously undersized and then soldered the points onto the rail already affixed to the transfer slip.



A good shot of the Transfer Slip. Still under construction.



Well...like I said, not enough pictures. I soldered the points of the outside rails to the tops of the outside track going down the grade. I might have jumped the gun a bit here, but to be honest I wanted to make sure that this would work so I decided to test it out. I am after all winging this in big way. Other then going off a set of prints for the prototype Transfer Slip, I really had no idea if this would really work.



I enlisted the help of 8416 my trusted GP7 loco, took a deep breath... and began to push a box car down the grade.











It rolled down the track and onto the rail for the slip like butter. Probably smoother then the prototype. Lucky? I looked for the horseshoe and couldn't find it so...

The wheels remained in contact with the rail the whole time. Obviously if they lifted off the rail because the angle was too sharp it would be no good and straight back to the drawing board. # 8416 also transitioned smoothly onto the slip without hesitation. Awesome! Looks like I'll be able to model the prototype and load entire trains onto the float just like I plan to. I am so relieved that this is starting to working out. Hopefully I'll be able to complete the track work for the slip and fix the other rails in place for the inner track. Then I imagine I'll remove the slip one last time stain it, weather, paint and add some details before I permanently fix into place on the layout.

Until next update.