Layout Construction Extra: Room 2 Swinging Door

We interrupt the Geoff Elliott parade of memories to showcase some progress on our own layout, which continues to move forward, if at times very slowly.

Overhead panels were added in Room 1 and we are nearly completed the painting of the underside of those in sky blue.  We’ll feature that in a future posting.

Today’s posting looks at the construction of the angled swinging door outside of Room 2.

The door has three levels going across it – the bottom (“Level 1”) will be the connection from the north end of Chatham modeled on Level 1 in Room 2 to connect back to the helix to go to Level 2 / Room 2, which will be Wallaceburg.  A small staging yard leading up to the stairwell will accommodate a few tracks to stage cars for spots not modeled on C&O Sub 1 between Blenheim and St Thomas.

The second level (“Level 2”) is the connection from the north end of Wallaceburg to staging for points north of Wallaceburg and Sarnia in general.  A turnout will also enable staging beside the stairwell for a few tracks for C&O Sarnia ferry freight, bound for Port Huron.  The C&O floated their high & wide cars between Sarnia and Port Huron until the Sarnia and Windsor tunnels were expanded in the 1990’s, after which the ferry service was discontinued.

The third level (“Level 3”) has two purposes.  The first is for both the C&O Sub 1 main coming out of Leamington from Level 2 in Room 1 via the helix to travel through our rendering of Ruthven and Kingsville in Room 2 before it heads back into Room 1 to pass through Harrow, Pelton and then either to the tunnel to go to Detroit staging or into Walkerville.  The second purpose is for CASO Essex County branchline staging, which will run along a few tracks up to the stairwell.

A view from the top of the stairs down to the new swinging door construction outside of Room 2.

The door design is angled to keep the walkways to the stairwell clear.  The staging tracks leading up to the stairwells (not completed) will be removeable in case of the need to use the stairwell to move larger objects into the house that won’t fit through the other main entrance to the house.

A close up view of the revised connections from the helix to Room 2 and the new swinging door.

Part 3 of the Layout Reconfiguration: Canadian C&O plans, Level 2 (Room 1 & 2)

The holidays have kept everyone busy, and going forward the shop is usually even more busy after Christmas than it is before it.  Why settle for socks when you can have a GP7, after all?

So while we can, let’s have a look at the second instalment of the new plans.

Digital scale drawing for Level 2 (Rooms 1 & 2).
Click for a larger view

Room 1 (right hand side) contains CASO Essex, CASO Leamington Branch (HJ Heinz, Leamington Yard and Leamington station), CASO Leamington Branch – C&O Sub 1 junction, C&O Sub 1 Leamington, CASO Comber, Fargo (junction of CASO and C&O Sub 2), C&O Sub 1 & 2 Blenheim Junction, C&O Sub 2 Erieau coal dock, harbour and yard and C&O Sub 1 Blenheim.

Room 2 (left hand side) contains a neutral trackage “Bypass” / Runaround track, C&O Sub 2 staging track for Darrell, Ennet & Eberts, C&O Sub 2 staging for Dresden, C&O Sub 2 staging for Tupperville, C&O Sub 2 Wallaceburg south (station, freight shed, Hawken Milling, C&D Sugar, Maple Leaf Mills), C&O Wallaceburg swing bridge over Sydenham River, C&O Sub 2 Wallaceburg north (Dominion Glass, “Libby’s Lead” w/ Wally Enterprises and Libby’s Canning), Chinook Chemical, C&O Sub 2 staging for Port Lambton, C&O Sub 2 staging for Coatsworth, C&O Sub 2 staging for Sarnia industries and C&O Sub 2 staging for Sarnia-Port Huron ferry traffic.

Both rooms connect to the helix box complex from three different directions, to either climb to Level 3 or to descend to Level 1.

Again the new swinging door across the entrance way to Room 2 is utilized to loop Room 2.  A curved turnout contained within the platform of Level 2’s swinging door crossing will enable switching of the ferry staging outside of Room 2.

The inlets in Room 1 for Erieau and CASO Leamington Branch will be detachable and portable to be removed and installed as needed.

An overview of the new Level 2 design (parenthesis will indicated if a scene is going to be modelled with scenery, structures, etc or will not be modelled and left as simply staging trackage):

ROOM 1

C&O Blenheim (modelled scene)
– All trains, both C&O and CASO ones, exit the helix at Level into the far end of the Blenheim area (“east” of the modelled Chatham Street crossings).  There is no other way to accommodate this exit due to the need have clearance underneath the other helix rising to Level 3 above it, which also prompted the first full circle of the helix to Level 3 to be wider, which also eliminated the space for a possible helix bypass track on this level.  While that could change down the road and this configuration could change, for now it is what it is and will stay that way until circumstances or time allow other possibilities to present themselves.  In turn, CASO trains exit onto the Room 2 staging yard bypass track on route to Fargo.  C&O trains stay in Room 1.
– Standard Tube’s facilities and siding are at the far “east end” of Blenheim.
– Chatham Street Crossing modelled with three tracks crossing (Sub 1 main, passing track, yard lead track)
– Blenheim Station modelled to scale (see previous posting on the blog for photos of the completed model by Santa Claus)
– WG Thompson’s facilities include the row of old wooden elevators along the south side of mainline and background buildings for the concrete elevators along the “south track” that ran behind them and the station up against the sidewalk for Chatham Street.
– Kent County Co-op buildings on the northeast side of the yard (2″ background buildings, likely to be built on top of photo backdrops as well)
– Warwick Seed office & elevator at northwest side of the yard
– C&O Engine Shed and facility building at the west end of the yard with trackage for MW equipment storage
– Marlborough Street crossings for Sub 1 main and the west end of the passing track
– long 3 track yard plus the passing track to the north of the mainline (approx 14′ actual size between the modelled Marlborough Street and Chatham Street crossings)

C&O Blenheim Junction (modelled scene)
– Crossing of C&O Sub 1 main (east / west) and C&O Sub 2 main (north / south).
– Includes northeast wye connection and northwest wye connection per prototype (no connections on south side)

C&O Erieau (modelled scene)
– C&O Sub 2 main “beginning” (MP 1)
– Harbour dividing coal loading dock and C&O Yard per prototype
– overhead unloading gantry crane on coal loading dock (modelling later period when there was only one crane in operation)
– Alexander Leslie lake freighter (retired pre-Chessie era but considering the name and connection, and bending the time frame a bit to include Erieau at all, we’re including it)
– Sub 2 main and yard leads boulevard Ross Lane and Mariner’s Road per prototype

C&O-CASO Fargo (modelled scene)
– junction of C&O Sub 2 main and CASO main
– small interchange yard to the east off the CASO per prototype
– key structures (crew shack, call box, etc) modelled
– connection between C&O and CASO modelled in north west quadrant of diamond (which didn’t exist until 1986 and was installed for the CNR’s access to Windsor via CASO from Fargo off C&O Sub 2 from CNR Chatham Sub).

CASO Comber (modelled scene)
– Co-op elevator & back track
– Comber station to scale
– End of Leamington Branch – set off of Leamington Branch traffic for WX2 local pickup

C&O Leamington (modelled scene)
– C&O Sub 1 main & “Team Track”
– Pyramid Canners & Dibbrell Bros buildings and siding
– Erie Street crossing
– Erie and Ivan Street corner for depth and added scene context
– Leamington station to scale plus parking lot space
– station loading ramp & siding on west side of depot
– Late period Leamington Produce building and siding behind Leamington station
– row of customers along team track on north side of mainline (Howard James, Supertest, SA King, Erie Produce)
– Hazelton Street crossing
– Bennie Lumber siding
– Elliott Street crossing
– C&O-CASO Leamington Branch diamond junction

CASO Leamington (modelled scene)
– junction with C&O Sub 1
– Talbot Street crossing
– CASO Leamington station to scale
– CASO Leamington Yard
– Oak & Sherk Street infamous “Crazy Crossing”
– HJ Heinz scene on corner of Oak & Sherk with vinegar vats facing Oak Street (CASO dead ending here – siding behind vinegar vats modelled)

CASO Essex (modelled scene)
– Essex station (to scale, although modifications might be made to cut it into place here)
– Co-op grain elevators
– CASO Amherstburg Branch connection (A-burg branch trains go up helix to Level 3 into partially modelled staging scene outside of Room 2)
– Lumber siding

Both C&O Sub 1 and CASO mains join up to enter the helix to climb to Level 3 (if heading westbound).

ROOM 2
C&O Sub 2 Staging Tracks (Eberts, Ennett & Darrell, Dresden, Tupperville, Port Lambton, Courtright and Sarnia Industries) (not modelled)
– these tracks will all be able to be switched by whatever local is assigned the job, enabling routing of freight cars to and from customers in these locations which were active in the Chessie era of the mid to late 70’s / early 80’s.    They will also be able to be switched in geographical order (a southbound train switches Sarnia first, then Courtright, then Port Lambton, etc).  This will enable more realistic blocking of the traffic in the trains modelled.

C&O Wallaceburg (modelled scene)
– Wallaceburg Station to scale
– Wallaceburg Freight Shed to scale
– Hawken Milling facilities and siding
– Wallace Street crossing
– heavily condensed version of C&D Sugar / Quaker Oats Canada
– Maple Leaf Mills
– C&O swing girder bridge over Sydenham River
– Dominion Glass (condensed but still substantial in size to model the foundry building and tower)
– Dufferin Avenue crossing
– “Libby’s Lead” track w/ Wally Enterprises and Libby Canners facilities
– Glass Street crossing
– Chinook Chemical off Sub 2 main

C&O Sarnia – Port Huron, MI car ferry dock staging tracks (not modelled)
– 4 track yard to switch lift and drop cars routed to and from Port Huron, MI
– all C&O high and wide cars went across the ferry here in the Chessie era, including all auto rack traffic

C&O Sub 2 trains terminate in Sarnia – either in Sarnia staging tracks of the Sarnia-Port Huron staging tracks.

A Sub 2 train heading north off Sub 1 at Blenheim Junction would have to cross the CASO at Fargo, circle back into Room 2 into the staging yard onto the staging bypass track, back into Room 1 to enter the helix to go down to Level 1.  Once at Level 1 (see link for Level 1 overview and drawing), it would exit the helix onto the helix bypass track, into Room 2 through Chatham Yard staging, past the C&O Chatham engine facilities and CNR and CPR Junctions, over the Thames River bridge window box display, back onto the helix bypass track, back into the helix climbing up to Level 2, exit the helix onto the Room 2 staging yard bypass track and then into Wallaceburg, across the swing bridge, past Chinook Chemical, over the Room 2 swinging door and into Sarnia staging trackage in Room 2’s staging yard.  If need be, it can back cars onto the Sarnia-Port Huron ferry staging trackage once into the Sarnia staging tracks.

This greatly extends the run time of many of the C&O Local jobs and fully utilizes the helix and it’s different connections on each level.

In the next instalment, we’ll look at Level 3 of the plans, which include locations for C&O Sub 1 (Ruthven, Kingsville, Harrow, Pelton and Walkerville), CASO (Pelton, Windsor, Windsor-Detroit tunnel, Amherstburg Branch), Essex Terminal (CASO tunnel entrance overpass bridge, Walkerville Junction with C&O, Walkerville switching and interchange) and Canadian Pacific (Windsor Yard staging).

The staging yard can also act as a loop to loop trains around the room if so desired.

Special Xmas Update: Santa’s Big Gift

A Merry Christmas to our readers, Happy Holidays, Happy New Year and all the etceteras involved.   It is a magical time of the year when some nice surprises pop up.  And, in advance of our next instalment covering the track layout on Level 2 in our C&O Canadian District reconfiguration of the model railroad design, we have a nice surprise to present to help prime Level 2.

Level 2 features possibly the most key and significant operational location on the C&O in Canada – Blenheim, Ontario.  At its prime, combined with Blenheim Junction to the immediate west of town, Blenheim was a central point on the Canadian lines as it was the connection and interchange between Sub 1 and Sub 2.  Erieau coal was brought to Blenheim to be re-routed accordingly, Local 1 (Chatham – Walkerville) switched, dropped and lifted cars out of Blenheim and ST98 and SA99 (St Thomas – Sarnia and the return) did the same.  Blenheim also saw whatever through manifest freights were scheduled, in the later Chessie days mainly just NI42 and DT41 but before that a few others, plus extras as required.  Blenheim itself was busy with some major grain business – Kent County Co-op, WG Thompson’s and Warwick Seeds were all big rail customers plus others such as Standard Tube.   If it was volume you wanted to see on the C&O in Canada in one spot, then you needed to be in Blenheim.  The station also survived into the mid 1990’s, home to C&O’s and later CSXT’s Canadian District Bridges & Buildings Department.

So we were pretty happy to find Santa Claus came zipping along today and dropped off a nice model of the Blenheim station, to scale.  Ho ho ho!  We felt rather jolly about it so we set it up approximately where it will be placed on the layout, stuck some track into position, put some models on the tracks and took some pictures to share with everyone.
Let’s have a look:

Looking west down the main of Sub 1.

In this view when this scene is finished, there would be a row of wooden grain elevators for WG Thompson’s alongside the station, along with some taller concrete ones behind it.

 

The pedestrian side of the depot (view to north).

Behind the freight cars in this view would be Kent County Co-op.

Looking northeast to the west side of the depot. The WG Thompson back track is behind the station, the yard in front.

 

View to the 5730 from the platform.

5730 looking sharp beside the new depot.

Looking over the space where Blenheim will be modelled, standing where Blenheim Junction will be. With the scale model of the station in place, it gives a better sense of the size, scope and possibilities the new Level 2 Blenheim section will have.

Thanks, Santa!

We’ll be seeing more of the Blenheim depot in future updates.  Until then, Happy Holidays to everyone and we’ll be back soon with the Level 2 overview.

 

Part 2 of the Layout Reconfiguration: Canadian C&O plans, Level 1 (Room 1 & 2)

As promised, here is the 2nd instalment of the update to the revised layout plans we announced here previously on the blog.  In this posting we will look at the digital drawings for the reconfigured layout for Level 1 in both Room 1 and Room 2.  I will go over the changes and how scheduled trains will operate on each level.  The drawings for Level 2, Level 3 and what we’re calling “3.5” and “4” (although not really full “levels” by any stretch) will be posted in the next few blog updates, which will be followed by a summary of scheduled trains on the C&O, CASO and other associated operations. 

If you’re thinking of grabbing something cold or hot to drink, you might want to do it now.  This isn’t going to be a short posting.

But first – the new drawing for Level 1:

Digital scale drawing for Level 1 (Rooms 1 & 2).
Click for a larger view

Room 1 (right hand side) contains C&O St Thomas Talbot Yard, C&O Kettle Creek Bridge, C&O St Thomas engine facilities, C&O-L&PS/CNR interchange yard, CASO Kettle Creek Bridge, CASO St Thomas station (to scale), CASO St Thomas Yard, both CASO shop buildings (original and 1913 building), CASO transfer table, CASO-CPR Freight Shed (to scale) and a small CPR interchange with the CASO.  

Room 2 (left hand side) contains C&O Buffalo/Niagara staging, CASO Buffalo/Niagara staging, CASO Hagersville & Montrose staging, C&O Sub 2 Chatham Yard staging, C&O-CNR Chatham Junction, C&O Chatham Engine facilities, C&O MacGregor Creek bridge, C&O Chatham Station, C&O-CPR Chatham Junction, C&O Colbourne Street Mill Spur, C&O Thames River bridge, RFS engine facilities.  Just outside of the room is small staging sidings for “east end” C&O Sub 1 Ridgetown, Muirkirk, Rodney, West Lorne, Dutton and Middlemarch.

Both rooms connect to the helix box from four different directions, two of them using swinging doors in Room 1 and Room 2.

The swinging door that was built in Room 1 for the previous design showed quite clearly that the stable construction made the concept a worry-free one that could be depended upon for smooth operations.  When working on drawings for this reconfiguration, I included a new swinging door outside of the doorway entrance to Room 2 for Levels 1, 2 and 3 as I was confident in that design feature now that we had proven the design on our first swinging door was a bullet proof one.  In doing so, it freed up all kinds of possibilities for better use of the space in Room 2.

An overview of the new Level 1 design (parenthesis will indicated if a scene is going to be modelled with scenery, structures, etc or will not be modelled and left as simply staging trackage):

ROOM 1

C&O Talbot Yard (modelled scene)
– Some adjustments will be made to the track plan in the drawing still, depending on a few things when we’re actually laying it out.  Currently the middle of this is cut out to model what was going to be 2′ of Kettle Creek valley with the CASO and C&O bridges over it.  It will be filled in and Talbot Yard will be modelled in full, minus a couple of tracks.  The overall layout though is a mirror reverse image of the real Talbot Yard.  The main line should be on the north side of the yard, on ours it is on the south side for space reasons and to be able to include a longer Kettle Creek bridge – a worth sacrifice.  
– Talbot Yard car shops are represented but not modelled in full.  They are also “in reverse” – they should be on the Kettle Creek bridge end of the yard, but we are using the already constructed buttress on the Level 1 shelf (made originally to accommodate the turntable, which is now located elsewhere) to house some representation of the car shop shacks and facilities in Talbot Yard.
– despite the “reversing” of the track plan, we still want to retain some key features of the track plan of Talbot Yard, which includes the long lead track to the local traffic switch out tracks for Sub 1 and Sub 2.
– includes Lyle Road crossing (west end) and Bush Line (east end).  Bush Line may depend on how things are laid out in the final configuration of Talbot Yard, so it is not depicted in the track plan above yet, but should be easy enough to implement.

C&O Kettle Creek Bridge (modelled scene)
– the new design allows for a much longer Kettle Creek bridge (both C&O and CASO) and for a bigger valley scene to model.  The entire corner of the room will be cut out, leaving a large space (and much larger and deeper than the previous design) to model Kettle Creek valley, which will also include the CASO Kettle Creek Bridge (see below).
– we plan to work with Micro Engineering’s steel testle kits to make the bridge.  They are convincingly close to the actual bridge, which was constructed by the Canadian Bridge Co. in Walkerville, Ontario.  We have a C&O friend who has already done a good job with a Micro Engineering trestle kit to make a good representation of the C&O Kettle Creek bridge.

C&O St Thomas Engine Facilities (modelled scene)
– While condensed and not entirely accurate in terms of the track plan, the general configuration is the same and we will be able to model the turntable (using the Walthers 90′ DCC turntable) and an eight stall roundhouse (same amount as the prototype). 
– tracks represented will be the Main Line, Engine Ready tracks 1 & 2, a caboose track. two stub ended tracks for fuel and sand (the former leading onto the turntable), the bunk track for MW equipment, and the South Shop Lead, which will lead to the L&PS-CNR interchange instead of the back shops, which (unfortunately) won’t be represented on the layout (can’t have it all!).  In choosing to have an interchange with the L&PS-CNR, even through a small little yard, gave the St Thomas yard crew a switch job and some more traffic to sort in Talbot Yard to feed the rest of the C&O trains in all directions.  We felt it is better to include more traffic to represent the C&O rather than model the back shops which wouldn’t serve any real operating purpose.
– Wilson Ave crossing is represented as well as the Wilson Ave C&O office building.
– this area will have to be built out from the current shelf space a bit to fit in the turntable and roundhouse.  The back corner will be cut out for an access hole and a background building of Victor Gasket Company will cover the access hole (and be detachable for back track access if needed).

C&O eastbounds will continue onto the CASO, onto the helix bypass track and into the C&O Buffalo/Niagara Staging track in the Staging / Fiddle Yard in Room 2, where the train will be removed into appropriate storage by the Fiddle Yard master.
C&O westbounds originate on the same track and follow the same route back into Room 1, off the CASO into the C&O engine facility area, over the C&O Kettle Creek Bridge and past Talbot Yard.  SA99 (St Thomas to Sarnia local which services the “east end” customers between St Thomas and Blenheim) will stop to back up and switch the… 

C&O “East End” Staging (not modelled)
– located outside of Room 2, operated by backing across the Room 2 swinging door to make drops and lifts out of tracks designated to hold traffic for Middlemarch, Dutton, West Lorne, Rodney, Muirkirk and Ridgetown (the east end locations with active customers in the Chessie System era we’re focusing on).  After making the necessary switch moves, SA99 would continue around the helix bypass track around to enter the helix and go up to Level 2.

CASO Kettle Creek Bridge (modelled)
– as mentioned above, the scene will be modelled in a new larger and deeper space.
– the larger area will allow us to model the Sunset Drive and Talbot Street intersections under the CASO trestle.
– The CASO trestle will be modelled using molds we will have to custom make for the abutments and Micro Engineering bridge parts for the girders.

CASO St Thomas Yard (modelled)
– we’re missing the actual L&PS for the C&O to connect to (and cross over), so we have the CASO connection direct off the C&O.  Another compromise.  But in doing so, we get a large expanse to model some key and iconic CASO structures in St Thomas, including the St Thomas CASO station to scale (which is made to scale by Imagine That! in a beautiful laser cut wood kit that I’ve had the great pleasure of seeing as a completed HO model in person myself – seeing is definitely believing!).  The new design’s first and foremost rule of thumb was the representations of C&O trackage came first, CASO second and everything else third.  If compromises need to be made, it was better to make it on non-C&O trackage as much as possible. 
– CASO Yard trackage has the main more in the middle of it and the passing track that the C&O used all the way out to Ball / east end of the yard is on the north side by default.  
– CASO St Thomas Station will be modelled to scale and the MCRR-CPR Freight Shed as close to scale as possible.  
– CASO shop buildings (original and 1913 building) are represented as background buildings, although a couple stalls on the 1913 shop buildings will be able to house locomotives.
– CASO transfer table will be between the two buildings, using the stock Walthers turntable model.
– CPR-CASO interchange connection occurs in front of the Freight House building. 
– the CASO mainline reverts back to a single main at the end of the currently installed 3-way switch which will stay in place.  We will use what was originally built to be the Windsor side of the Windsor-Detroit tunnel trackage for the CASO main to access to and from locations to the east of St Thomas.  The main goes down a grade, underneath the CPR interchange staging yard, onto the Room 1 staging door and off it onto a new connection to the helix bypass trackage.  This trackage takes CASO and C&O trains to the staging fiddle yard in Room 2.

CASO & C&O Buffalo/Niagara staging trackage (Room 2, not modelled)
– Where the C&O has a single track for Buffalo/Niagara staging and the CASO has two (one eastbound and one westbound).  A westbound CASO train will leave from the westbound track, make its way around the room on the CASO and reenter the staging from the CASO Kettle Creek Bridge on the track it started out on, which will be empty.  It then takes the helix bypass trackage around the helix and then enters the helix to climb up to Level 2.

C&O Sub 2 Chatham Yard Staging / Fiddle Yard (not modelled)
– two tracks in the staging / fiddle yard area on Level 1 in Room 2 will serve as Chatham Yard staging.  
– C&O Sub 2 mainline runs alongside the two Yard staging tracks and can also be used as a runaround track and staging for CNR interchanges to the C&O.
– northbound trains on the C&O Sub 2 continue around Room 2 and enter the helix to climb to Level 2 (Wallaceburg and other staged locations including Sarnia).
– southbound trains on the C&O Sub 2 continue around the helix bypass track and into the helix up to Level 2 to Fargo, Blenheim Junction and Erieau.

RFS Facilities (modelled)
– the fictional RFS facilities remain in the new design and are now based on the end of Bob’s workbench.  The facilities will feature a shop building, an office building, a turntable, storage tracks and fuel and sand facilities.
– the RFS yard lead connects to the C&O Sub 2 at the Chatham Yard staging area.  Any leased locomotives coming from the RFS facilities for any railroad (C&O, CASO, CNR, N&W, CPR or distant customers beyond the layout via Detroit, Buffalo or north into Canada) will have to follow the layout’s geography to be properly interchanged at points throughout the layout via the C&O Sub 2 Chatham starting point.

C&O Sub 2 Chatham Engine Facilities (modelled) 
– includes the C&O-CNR junction behind the roundhouse, although the CNR will only be able to interchange with the C&O in the wye tracks northwest of the engine house.
– engine house will be modelled to scale, along with other Chatham engine facilities structures
– the trackage is simplified and condensed but the major points are all represented.  The sand bond track is cut and short wye and long wye tracks are combined with the CIL siding and old RIP track.

C&O MacGregor Creek Bridge (modelled)
– a condensed version of the bridge will be modelled to separate the engine facilities and the station / CPR junction area.

C&O CPR Junction & Interchange (modelled)
– the C&O Chatham Station will be modelled to scale along with the freight shed
– The CPR-C&O junction tower will be modelled to scale

C&O Colbourne Street Mill Spur (modelled)
– a condensed version of the interesting spur will be modeled, although, like our Talbot Yard, in “mirror reverse” – it leaves the Sub 2 main to the east when in reality it went west, paralleling the CPR Windsor Sub mainline for a short distance before diverting to follow Colbourne Street through to William Street and ending at the bank of the McGregor Creek.
– will include the freight shed building, which is the old Erie & Huron Chatham station (moved to that location in the early 20th Century).
– Taylor Mills elevators and Williams Street buildings will be modelled.  
– Cash & Carry Lumber will also be modelled

C&O Thames River Bridge (modelled)
– Thames River bridge will be modelled as a lift out window-box diorama in the furnace access hole opening to our crawl space underneath the layout area.  

From there the C&O Sub 2 continues north via the helix.  It accesses the helix by crossing over the new Room 2 swinging door, around the helix bypass track and into the helix, going up to Level 2.

C&O Sub 2 trains (north or southbound) will exit the helix on Level 2 into Room 2.

We’ll look at Level 2 in the next update on the blog, which will look at modelled locations for Blenheim, Blenheim Junction and Leamington on C&O Sub 1, Erieau, Blenheim Junction, Fargo and Wallaceburg on C&O Sub 2.  CASO modelled locations on Level 2 include Fargo, Comber, Leamington and Essex.  C&O staged locations include Darrell, Eberts, Ennett, Dresden, Tupperville, Port Lambton, Courtright, Sarnia and the Sarnia-Port Huron car ferry.  

Construction Update! Holes, paint and the first GP7

It has been awhile since the last construction update, but finally time permits to pass along the latest info on the layout project’s progress.

Depsite the track shortage mentioned here in a previous post, some prep work has continued on the layout.

A fine tuning of the Level 1 swing door crossing has taken place.  The 24″ radius was adjusted as well as the crossing over to the swinging door bridge to get to the helix.  Tests have been run using multiple (unweighted and un-standardized) auto racks, the longest cars that will run over the rails (even though the ‘racks were ferried over the Detroit River – we’re still allowing for them on Level 1 for free-for-all guest running nights).

Holes have been cut in the walls for several different in/outs on each Level.  On Level 1, there are holes for Fargo and the new Canadian Pacific staging access (also doubling as the Level 1 / Room 2 Staging Yard “cheater” access track to Level 1 / Room 1).  Level 2 has had holes cut for the New York Central / C&O Grand Rapids Division staging access in Room 2, the power plant coal track (which will have loaded coal hoppers backed into the plant to a track on Level 2 / Room 2 staging for magnetic unloading) and one other hole for the C&O Saginaw Division entry / exit.  Level 3 now has holes for the Coal Mine Run #1 (based in Room 2, Level 3), Coal Tipple #2 (based in Room 1 with sidings for magnetic loading of coal loads in Room 2), C&O Saginaw Division Staging Access (which will be hidden as it proceeds to and from Level 2) and a hole for the Level 3 Loop Track Access.  More holes to come!

The undersides of Level 3 and Level 2 have been painted semi-gloss white for reflective purposes in advance of the installation of the lights.

Plans have been nearly finalized for all levels. This view of the plans on their respective levels was taken before the holes were cut.

Also now underway – a Canadian GP7 project!

Bob has begun work on our first Canadian C&O GP7.  Starting using a Bachmann (Atlas mold) GP7 (originally a B&O model – sorry Paul!), Bob has begun stripping down the loco to the basics for application of a C&O Phase 3 “Donuts” paint scheme and super detailing (to fit the majority of our targeted “era”, the Chessie era 1973 – 1986.  The Canadian units, in operation until 1983, spent the majority of that time period in C&O “Donuts” paint).  The unit will also have a QSI Titan-U decoder installed.

A view of Bob’s work bench with the GP7 project underway.

We’ll be looking at updating that project as it progresses right here on the blog.  Look for more Construction updates soon, finally!

Pick ‘Em Draw #2 & new Construction Update with Level 1 plan drawing

PICK ‘EM DRAW #2

Tickets are now on sale for the Pick ‘Em Draw #2 at Action Hobbies Kingsville.  Tickets are $10 for this Pick ‘Em, with higher stakes to be had. The Pick ‘Ems:

Proto 2000 F3 A & B set New York Central stripes paint scheme, DCC Ready. Rare, out of production and hard to find. $289.99 sticker price.

MTH SD70M-2 w/DCC & sound, Canadian National single stripe paint scheme PLUS 1x Athearn RTR 50' Canadian National Insulated boxcar (as seen frequently on the Comber - Leamington CASO branch line for over 3 decades!). Loco valued at $269.99, boxcar $19.99.

Tickets are limited to 33 total.  Multiple tickets purchases are allowed.  Credit card purchases can be made over the phone (519-733-2619), but you must buy at least two tickets with a credit card purchase.  All entries must provide their home phone number to be eligible. Draw will be completed once tickets have sold out.

Three different items in two picks that cover the CASO’s extended history.  The NYC F units represent it’s transition era heyday / peak period, the CNR 50′ Insulated boxcar the modern period of service to Heinz (Penn Central, Conrail and CNR operations from the early 1970’s to the early 2000’s) and the SD70M-2 the end of the CASO, when it was just a Chatham Sub detour spur from Fargo to Windsor.  Either way you pick ’em, you win some quality locos and a bit of local railroading history.

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APRIL 15 CONSTRUCTION UPDATE 

I’m glad to report that it appears the internet connection issues with the iPhone are now resolved.  Which now means I can get back to posting updates on the layout construction on a more consistent basis.

Our update this week sees a vital component of the entire railroad now in place.

John and Bob installed the latches to hold the swinging door firmly in place today. Pictured here is the door in the locked position. There is absolutely no wiggle, give or sway to this door at all - solid as a boulder. Perfect for running trains across.

A look at where the latches were installed. The bottom latch fits into a hole drilled into the bottom of Level 1, visible upon close inspection of this photo (click for a larger view).

A view from the "inside" of the Detroit/Windsor CASO tunnel, look back to Windsor. We used a Woodland Scenics foam incline to finish the 2" drop from the off point of the helix down to the bare wood bottom of Level 1 where the tunnel will be embedded.

A look down the tracks from "Pelton" into the 4% grade in and out of where the tunnel will be. The tunnel entrance itself will be further down the line, before the 24" radius curve to the left. The Essex Terminal will cross over the CASO tunnel entrance track where it will reach the added 2" foam level for operations on top of the imbedded tunnel.

The tunnel tracks reach back to level (2" foam) here at Pelton, but to make for a smoother transition, the foam was sanded down form a more subtle transition to level running. In the back ground is one of the 4% Woodland Scenics foam inclines that will be used for both the Essex Terminal and the C&O to rise up 2" along side where the CASO drops 2". Reaching level, the ETR switches representations of La Salle and Amherstburg industries while the C&O will switch a condensed version of a few industries in Walkerville.

And finally, a look at the rough drawing for the Level 1 track plan:

Nearly finalized to-scale drawing of Level 1, both Room 1 and Room 2.

Above is a photo of the track plan I’ve been working on for Level 1.  Done in the old fashioned paper / pencil / glue / cut-out switches way, the drawing has taken a few weeks to complete and while certainly not finalized yet, it is much closer to that point.  Click on it for a higher resolution version.  Plenty of folks have been asking to see this, so here it is.  While I plan on putting up a “publishable” version with detailed views of each town / section, this will at least aid in the understanding of the references to where everything is on the layout.  The following is a break down of the plan:

The top of the drawing is the north end of the room, the bottom (with the helix box) is the south.  On the east wall of Room 1 is the C&O St Thomas yard and engine facility (combined into one, minus the Kettle Creek bridge for space reasons).  The St Thomas Talbot Yard track plan is based on the actual track plan of the yard circa mid 1970’s, minus 2 tracks and the little car shops to the south of the yard.  The CASO runs alongside it before they part in the north part of the room. The C&O yard immediately transitions into our Blenheim model while the CASO crosses over the C&O Sub 2 at Fargo.  Next on the C&O is Leamington, then Kingsville, then Harrow.  Each has at least one representation of the freight services in each town. The CASO has Comber, Essex (with a 16 car, 3 loco, 1 caboose passing track).  The C&O joins and crosses the CASO at Pelton. The C&O continues on to a switching puzzle in Walkerville along with a switch for General Motors at the bottom of the incline.  The CASO drops down 2″ on a 4% grade into the Windsor/Detroit tunnel, turns on a 24″ radius once inside and heads for the helix to go up to Level 2 (Detroit).

The Essex Terminal runs along the west wall of Room 1 with a mainline, a set-out track for interchange with both the C&O and CASO and several industries along the west wall (tentatively planned to be representations of General Motors, Hearns, Ford Engine Plant and one other industry). The ETR has the engine shops and a second smaller runaround track at the northwest end of Room 1. To the south end of Room 1, it crosses over the C&O, rises up 2″ and reaches level to cross over the tunnel entrance tracks on a bridge, then has a small switching puzzle for representations of La Salle and Amherstburg (General Chemical, ADM, etc).

Level 1 Room 2 has the Buffalo staging yard alongside the west wall. There are two “cheater” switches to get either onto the C&O Sub 2 or the CASO in Room 1.  The CASO cheater access is tentative and still being refined.  The Sub 2 cheater track joins the C&O after it makes a 24″ curve from Fargo, run across where a large window space is (and in front of / in level height with the top of Bob’s work desk), then into Chatham Yard (passing track plus 2 tracks) which curves south along the east wall, crosses the CNR (fake line for modeling purposes) and into the Chatham engine facility (a condensed version based on the actual track plan – 2 stall engine house, sand track and a caboose track plus the passing siding continuing). It then curves west again alongside the furnace closet to arrive in Sarnia (Imperial Oil, Dupont, 2 track yard, a passing track, the station, 2 tracks for the SW1, one GP7 and a caboose). The passing track leads into a representation of Wallaceburg (C&D Sugar, Dominion Glass Co.), which will also have a model of the C&O swing bridge (seperated from Chatham by use of photo backdrop).  The Sarnia staging track runs into the furnace closet, around and exits the closet on the south side, where it ends beside the staircase into the main house.  The Sarnia staging track will represent the ferry service for autoracks and high cars that couldn’t fit through the CASO Windsor/Detroit tunnel, as well as CNR and CPR interchanges.  The Sarnia staging track will be able to hold 3 locos, 15 – 17 cars (depending on the size – our track capacities are based on 50′ boxcars although the autoracks that traveled through Sarnia will negate that in this case) plus one caboose.

With this plan we should be able to run representations of every through freight and local run on the C&O Sub 1 and Sub 2 in the Chessie System era of the mid-70’s to mid 1980’s.   This portion of the layout represents the most switching portion of the layout and condensed version of the prototype.  Level 2 Room 1 will feature the CASO / NYC only along the east wall and will have Rougemere Yard along the west wall, as well as a few typical Detroit industries. Level 2 Room 2 will feature RFS engine facilities and the Harrow & Colchester Southern branchline (both ficitional).  Level 3 will be a classification yard in the Appalachians and a straight run up a grade with the only switching in Room 1 coming from the coal tipple into Room 2 and the interchange with a branchline running out of Room 2. We’ll have those plans posted when they’re ready.  In the meantime, feel free to dissect the above plans for Level 1 – we’re only a few steps away from laying track for this now, so any suggestions, criticisms or concerns would be appreciated.

Construction Update: February 7 – 13, helix & Room 2

Another week in the books and plenty more progress to show for it.  Drywall / primer / painting work has been completed in Room 2 and the lumber portion of the helix is completed.

All three staging yard helix access tables are in place, leading into Room 2.

A view of all three staging yard tables in Room 2.

If you're taller than a Swaddling, watch your head in the doorway entrance to Room 1 - the access track table is in place. This is the highest point of the layout.

A view from inside Room 1 of the new doorway Level 3 access track.

 

To the right / west of the doorway, a look at where the mountain grade will meet the doorway overpass.

The highest point of the helix box complex, a view to the left / east of the doorway, where the track enters / exits the helix.

Bob's old desk is now in place in Room 2.

The corner by the old closet space is now completed the drywall / paint work.

Additional drywall mudding and sanding, followed by primer and painting, will be required outside of Room 2 and the helix.  That work will continue to completion this week.

Look for more updates soon.

Construction Update: Feb 2 – 6, helix & Room 2 prep

Work continued throughout the weekend on both Room 2 and the helix.

The helix’s last turn was cut and the lining up of the work required to connect it to the overhead door pass to Level 3’s mountain grade is being set.

A look at the helix levels at and above Level 3 in Room 1.

Lining up the overhead doorway passage to Level 3's mountain grade. This will not be a swing out as on Levels 1 & 2, but a duck under for anyone taller than a Swaddling.

A view inside the helix with all the incline curves now completed.

A recent revision to the helix was the Level 3 staging yard track access.  With a 4% grade being confirmed for Room 1’s Level 3 mountain grade, the added 1% grade height made the equal decline on the staging yard track access coming off the doorway overpass too high to get back down to the staging yard level in time.  We decided the staging yard should connect off the lower part of Level 3 and switched where trains coming from Detroit / Michigan would enter Level 3 (now on the higher mountain grade west side of the room, “Level 3.5” as we call it).  The staging yard turnout proved troublesome, as it widened the helix entry to the Level 3 tracks considerable, which ate up all the space planned for the “loop level” track that would’ve gone around the helix from the outside and re-entered on the lower portion of Level 3 on the east side of Room 1.  As a result, we will use the Level 3 staging yard lead that connects to the helix outside of the room as the loop track by adding a switching and having the access come through the wall.

Meanwhile, prep work continued to near completion on Room 2.  Brandon and Myles completed the majority of the drywall and primer work and added a fresh coat of blue paint to the walls.

A view of the west staging yards wall, looking north.

The northwest corner of Room 2, where a large hole will be constructed to connect the two rooms.

Work continues on the light fixture and rounding off of the north side of the old closet space.

With the helix levels now complete and the helix itself on the home stretch of it’s construction, it helps to put things in perspective.  Here is where we were on November 14th, 2011 – less than 3 months ago:

Before the helix space was cut out of the wall.

The helix space - November 14th, 2011

Same view today, February 5th, 2012

This posting is our 25th on the blog and it contains our 100th photo (102 photos total to this point).  We’re happy to be living up to the C&O’s “for progress” slogan.  Thanks to John, Brandon and Myles for all their help.

Look for more updates this week as work continues.

Construction Update: Room 2 prep progress

Drywall work continues in Room 2 this week.  Sanding is nearly complete, as is most of the primer work.  There should be paint on the walls by Monday.

A look at the west wall in Room 2, where the staging yards will be.

A look at the doorway, looking south.

The closet space has been fully removed. A rewiring of the light box will start later this week. Drywall will be applied afterwards.

Looking at the northeast corner.

Detailed planning has started with some preliminary outlines taking shape on a scale drawing of the helix and the two rooms.  Additional looks at this will be made next week.

Rough draft of the scaled outline of the helix and room spaces.

We’re also working on finalizing some artwork for some Harrow Colchester & Southern freight cars and locomotives through the ages.  The H&CS was Jim Murray’s ficitional railroad that never truly got a finalized look, but he always wanted a C&O-esque look.  The H&CS will have a small spur line on Level 2 in Room 2. We’ll debut the designs in the next few days.  Look here for more updates!

Construction Update: January 24 – 28 | Level 3 Helix and Room 2 prep

Another week is coming to a close and we’re looking at February already.  Time flies!

John and Bob continued work on the helix, as track has been laid up to Level 3 and work has begun to get the last portion done (up to “Level 3.5”).

A view of the helix from above Level 3.

A look at the first turn up from L3 to L3.5. The line on the white door frame marks where it will peak at.

Track work is incomplete.  Additional work is required to finalize the entry and exit on Level 3.  We’ll be looking at that problem and it’s planned solution later next week in an update.

Meanwhile, prep work on Room 2 is well underway.  The closet has been removed and drywall application has commenced.  Myles and Brandon have been working on sanding and mudding jobs.  Bob is currently working on moving another light box and re-routing the wiring.

Myles and Bob review additional re-wiring construction ideas in Room 2.

 

A look at the west and north walls in Room 2. Getting close to primer and paint time.

A view of the east wall in Room 2, now drywalled.

Primer and paint should be applied and completed in Room 2 by Sunday evening.

Detailed track plans have begun to take shape on paper.  We’ll post updates on how we’re planning on making those designs at a later date.

Things are back up to speed at the Action Hobbies Railroad.  Look for additional construction updates soon.