The Home and
Design of the RGW....
This Page Currently Under
Construction (Literally)
Train Room (Shell) -
Train Room (Interior) -
Layout Design
Layout Construction:
(click on pictures for full view)
With the foundation of the benchwork
complete through the NE blob, it was time to return to the lower staging yard
and finalizing the trackplan for that area. We then began installing the subroadbed
and track from staging to the visible portion of the layout. If you are
familiar with how we have been planning this railroad, the staging yards
at both ends of the point to point will be working yards and represent specific
yards that exist here in the Northwest. As such, when we refer to
"visible" portions of the railroad, we do not mean that the staging yards will
be hidden or non-functioning, but merely involve less scenery than other parts
of the pike.
The new lower staging trackplan will be
published in our next update, but we have settled on a small container operation.
In addition, there will be three static staging tracks that will be used for
preparation of operating sessions. The pictures below will address
the construction of the main tracks entering into staging. Picture one is
the yard itself. We first put down a series of pre-cut sheets of 1/2"
homasote. We used cadrail to determine the best use of the 4x8 sheets and
the cut them out with a jigsaw, fine tuning the cuts once the sheets we put in
place. We used plenty of glue, screws (with washers) and clamps to hold it
down. Once dried, we removed the screws. In the second picture, we
installed the wye from our old layout. This will give us the ability to
turn trains, but also an added feature of a quick return to the opposite staging
yard by running along the south wall. Once that was in place, we
constructed the subroad all the way to the staging yard. The static
staging tracks start just after the wye, but are not yet visible in these
pictures.
The next quartet of pictures starts with
Chief Engineer Wain Miller checking the transition from the subroadbed to the
homasote in the staging yard. This was a tricky area and we were concerned about
potential derail problems if this area were not smooth and track level.
After much fine tuning and sanding, we believe the transition is solid.
The next picture is the subroad heading up the grade toward the wye. In
later updates you will note the static staging tracks just to the right of this
mainline. Picture three is the same view only now we have installed the
Homabed. Our method of installation is glue and brads from a brad nailer.
We then spread our favorite non shrinking gap filler and once dried, sand it
smooth before installing our track. The final pic is a second look at the
lower wye, this time with the Homabed in place up to it and the passing track
beginning to take its shape.
In our next edition of the update, we
will have the new staging track plan on-line as well as views of the track we
have in place. We are also trying to get the Lenz system out of mothballs
and get something running. Looking forward to that red letter day on the
RGW. Til next time....
Other Updates:
2008
2007
2006
2005
