Coming up the hill

We have the homasote down and have put on the plaster shoulders. This picture and the following show the work from the hidden track up to the start of the yard trackage.

The horseshoe curve is now built. We are coming up the hill to Northumberland.  After the plaster is dry (two coats) we then paint the whole surface with flat black paint to simulate cinders.  

Continuing to build the main line

Well, I have a new computer and a new operating system and needless to say, I am having some learnings about how to post to the blog. It started with problems loading the pictures, now posting the text and who knows what else will be a problem. That is why there have not been any posts for a while. But we are struggling up the learning curve and this is the first evidence of progress. Meanwhile, I have continued working on the layout so you will see some concentrated postings to catch you up on where we are now. I have build all the substructure for the main and am now trying to get the homasote down. These shots show the building out from the hidden siding into Milton which is just west of the main yard. You can see the laying of the cut roadbed, the N scale cork that is used for super elevation on the curves and then the plaster shoulders in palce. We are approaching the big horse shoe curve at the end of the room that turns us back up hill towards Northumberland.

Finishing the main line - Part 2

Well, here we go! I have completed the roadbed and spliced it together while it was on the framework. Then, I temporarily raised it up so I could cut the end where it meets the yard. I did not splice that to allow it to float while I set the actual grade.

In the first couple of pictures, you can see that the roadbed is aligned, and there are temporary supports to give me the idea of what we have to do (to determine the actual percent gradient) and to cut the risers. You can see the cross members are cut and laying on the roadbed.

There is a sag in the roadbed as I have not established the final grade. It turns out that it is a bit steep so I made the grade 1.85% on the curved portion to compensate for the drag of the train on the curve. I stiffened the grade to 2.3% on the long straight away as that will be about the same rolling resistance.

The risers are now in but just held by clamps as I start working with the level and looking at the edge of the roadbed by eye to take out minor sags. I also have to cross level the roadbed with the small red level.

We are getting closer to the final grade as I work my way up the grade with the two leveling tools. I also use a 4 foot ruler to slide on edge to see that the roadbed is not wavy under the yellow level.

Well, here we are with the finished grade. It took two days to get it all set from the curve on the bottom up to the yard at my right. Total distance is about 550 inches with 9.5 inches of elevation change. I had to include a long vertical easement at each end as I have some long wheelbase engines.

It really will look nice when the track is snaking around here. That is the next step - roadbed and then track. I have to use the trammel to draw the edges of the roadbed so I can lay that and prepare it for the track.
I have left the trammel in place so I do not have to re-establish the center point.

Installing the last of mainline sub roadbed Part 1

Well, it took me about a week but I have finished with the subroadbed for the main line. My biggest problem was horsing a piece of 4X8 by 3/4 inch plywood up onto the bench work. Once there, I used my trusty trammel, as shown in the first picture, to draw the outline of the roadbed. I started over by Milton on the right and, as shown in second picture, came around the bend to begin the long climb up to the yard.

The third picture shows how I mounted the pencil in a small wooden block and then clamped it to the reach rod of the trammel. This gave me a great deal of flexibility on the radius that I wanted to use. The curves here will be 62 inch and 66 inch radius, with easement curves.

The reach rod is a 1/2 inch angle left over from trimming in a storm door a long time ago.

Here you can see how I am drawing on the sheet which has already been cut once. I have completed the bulk of the curve and now am curving back to go up the hill. The loose pieces are what I will use to complete the roadbed up the hill.

You can see the pencil lines that I will cut along with the sabre saw to get the outline that I need.

Some of the roadbed is now cut. I am screwing it to the framing to hold it in place as I draw the rest of the outline of what I need.

This last shot shows me down to the last piece that I need to cut to make the curve. The curved benchwork is a of a similar radius so that the roadbed approaches the edge as it finishes the turn.

Building the last major section of benchwork

Well, as we approach the end of the bench work phase, I had to do a lot of traveling to get supplies. I went to Richmond to buy more flexible plywood, then to Newport News to get homasote, and lastly to Lowes to get more "white wood". This white wood is a substitute for pine. How I miss the sugar pine I started with. This white wood comes from Scandanavia and it appears to be spruce.
Well, with all the supplies in hand, I painted up some legs (ripped 2X4's) as you can see in the first picture. I am running out of space for the saw as we are down to this narrow alley. In the second picture you see that we are going in front of a door to my shop. I plan to curve the bench work so it does not interfer with the closing of the door.

In the third picture I have started to erect the outside walls of the framing, using the saw horses as a support. I have tied in the base of this section with the existing section back by the TV. Now the quarters are getting tight with the saw very close to the front edge. the pictures are shot from the end of the Northumberland yard. The Dewalt saw box sits on the end of the plywood there.


The next couple of shots show the building of the grid of the benchwork. You see the framing holding the curved portion by the door. It now clears nicely. I plan to have 62 and a 66 inch radius curves come around from the wall to the right here.



We now have the framing done and the bench work is held up temporarily with clamps and studs.

Now, I have made a great many more legs and secured them so the bench work is complete. It has a nice flow into the end of the higher bench work under the yard.
You can see the brackets on the wall for the future building of the branch line that will cross over this aisle on a bridge. This line has to rise to the ceiling to hook into that trackage back there where the red wire is hanging down.

Next I have to set the plywood road bed which I hope to do shortly now that we have power again after the passing of hurricane Irene.

Finishing Subgrade at Milton

Well,

We are now starting the last section of track to get us back to the yard at Northumberland. You can see the end of the hidden yard at the left of the first picture. I have laid the plywood and now must secure it down. Then we start the grade while the subroadbed for Milton goes off to the right and ends by the door. You can see the main line going up to the left. The benchwork is complete to the end of the wall down by the TV. The main will turn left there and go back to the left and up the hill to Northumberland.

In the last two pictures you can see the tool that I am using to set the grade at about 1.85% to bring us up the 8 inches I need to reach the level of the yard.

I am planning to get the bench work done and then place the plywood before I put the homasote in place.

I am reaching the end of major construction and cannot wait to get to the yard trackage.

Sheathing the yard.

So, after a quick trip to Home Depot, it took six sheets of cabinet grade plywood to put the base on the box framing. I left a long tongue sticking out as the basis for the start of the grade down to Milton. My next step will be to go back to Milton and build the sub roadbed base there. You can see that area in the first picture to the left of the door. The grade will start up there and go to the upper yard. The pieces of plywood are resting on the framing along the wall where it will make its U turn to go back to the upper yard.

I have to find a special lumber yard in another town to buy the homasote to cover the yard so I can start laying track.