Track plan has been updated but most of the work has been on selected detailed sections of towns and industries. In some cases specific "building locations" and track purpose have been identified. The previous track plans [the three "overview" plans below] were 1/2 " [two blocks] = 12". The detailed sections are 1" [four blocks] = 12".
Additionally, a short [around two walls] track was added at the upper level to go to sawmill with the power to be geared locomotives.
Another addition has been added to provide for continuous operation at the lowest level with the addition of a removable track bridging the doorway. This connection would not be in place for operating sessions but is designed to provide ease of re-staging, brake-in running and, if appropriate, demonstration running.
FIRST, AN OVERVIEW OF THE LAYOUT
Going from top to bottom, trains going down travel in the clockwise direction [except for the track going behind Ozone - number "2"].
AND HERE ARE THE MORE DETAILED TOWNS AND INDUSTRIES [again, a train going down would be going clockwise - except the track leading off behind OZONE which goes up about 6%].
The lowest level and all industries and towns are level. The grade between Hagerstown and Ozone and then from the other end of Ozone and Saltville is 1.4%. The grade between Satlville and Elza Gate is 2.8% [note: beyond Gate City yard is a turntable at the bottom of this grade and at the top of this portion of the grade there is a "Y" at Salville]. Bimstone and LaFollette are neither industries nor towns but are interchange points for holding staged trains and are on the 1.4% grade. There will have to be at least one "car/train holder" on the main line, certainly for switching Devonia. Elza Gate is at 46", Saltville at 58", Ozone at 63 1/2" and Rockwood at 65 1/2". Grade transitions to be about 1 1/2' to 2' long.
For the detailed drawings, a commercial template was used for curves and switches. The switch template used was #6 and parallel track spacing was chosen to be 2 1/2" minimum spacing to assure enough space had been allotted and what was drawn could be built AND operated successfully. In a couple of cases, pieces of tracks were laid out and measured and found to have up to 20% more space than the drawing was showing. Certainly, details of specific towns and industries may change but the detailed drawing shows a workable layout suitable for operation. By necessity, the down side for this much track and maintaining a 3 1/2' aisle is that buildings will have to be essentially two dimensional. Light lines represent the edge of benchwork for the given level and, in some cases, for levels below.
The plan is that major switching areas have little or nothing above or below them. The three track sawmill is above the two track coal mine [Devonia] which above the two track ore mine in the area of Elza Gate but not much time would be spent at any of these locations. No switching is under Ozone, no switching is above Morley nor Piney River and very little switching is under Saltville. Piney River is a bit off set from Saltville which should [like that word!] separate those two operators. Brimstone and LaFollette are only holding tracks for interchange, no switching is done there in the closet leaving the yard operation and engine servicing to the two operators in the closet.
OK, looks like there are three levels to this layout and Hagerstown staging is number one and the highest point on the railroad. Am I good so far? Then the next level is the "no lix" level? Then the "main level" is the bottom or lowest level. Correct? Then there is the sawmill branch of 6% up above Devonia, somewhat making a fourth level of sorts. Don't know why I have so much trouble "seeing" this layout in "3D" in my head. Too much sawdust I suppose. Keep up the progress and thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteMike,
ReplyDeleteYou are correct since you are calling the "no-lex" a level. But, because of your comment, the posting has been updated to provide an additional paragraph of information after the first four photos and before the 1" = 12" detail plan photos. Briefly, the "no-lex" has two different grades and all towns and industries are level. I don't know if another email will be automatically sent out for the update as happens for the posting.