Large Scale Central

Cassville Yard on the WV&K NG

On Sunday at the ECLSTS we had a trackplanning session reguarding the move of a 3ft x 16ft yard and additions to it to make it the base of operations for the layout this spring. Cassville Yard as its come to be called is laid on 3/4 PT Plywood that has been on the ground wfor two years with no ill effects, seems that UV is more of a deteriant to PT plywood than anything else. The Yard will be eleveated on a 2x4 frame supported on 4x4 posts this spring, to a nominal 24" or so. This is the Yard to be moved in its current location.

In the drawing above, the two largest blocks are the exisiting yard, which I’ve decided to accomodate on 4x8 foot framework to allow for structures on that side of the layout. The small 2x4 section to the left is theoretical only and is just drawn to show possible support of the threeway turnout at the yard throat. Further design in this area is suspended until The WV&K Shops complete their move across the backyard, and will support a staging area and indoor locomotive storage at this end. The blocks at the far righthand are a 2’x8’ section supporting escape tracks and engine servicing areas, and the far right block is a 2’x4’ basically supporting the TT and leads. The stub ended track down the center of teh 2x8 section is intended as a switcher pocket and a possible deleivery track for service structures, how long it actually ends up remains to be seen. The concept for Cassville Yard is that it is the distant terminus of a larger NG system that also hosts a connection to a branchline. In this incarnation, the rest of the road from Port Lavender to Cassville will be represeted by staging as mentioned earlier that enters from the lefthand side of the plan. Mainline trains terminate here, are broken down, and the locomotives turned and serviced. Mind that this is pretty much a one man band sort of operation. Cars for local deleivery and delivery to the branchline are spotted here, and cars from these traffic sources are picked up for deleivery back to staging. The top track on the plan is a local industry spur. It will host a combination depot for passengers and local freight. a team track and a Farmers Co-op round out the industries on this spur. The next track down is a stoarge track. Cars for the branchline and local delivery can be stored here The Next three tracks down are makeup and breakup tracks for mainline/branchline trains as well as access to engine service and turntable. The bottom track itelf is the lead to the branchline and the branch itself will continue off the bottom left, around the corner of the house to an industrial switching area. Since this is a terminal yard, Branchline locomotives will be based at the far end of the branch where they can be used for local switching, and mainline trains only need turning for a return trip along the main, minimal servicing structures should be required. Turntable and watering facilities are a given. Perhaps a coaling station if space and design allow. Also I have determined that the steam switcher for Cassville is retired with most duties carried out by the Rolling outhouses, thus Shop facilities are no longer required here. The actual layout of staging and storage in Cassville, as well as the branchline will be determined by the final positioning of my 10x 12 outbuilding housing the WV&K Shops, which hopefully will be in the near future. Comments? Suggestions?

So will 2 foot of bench work be about at teh height of the pointed rock leaning against the flower bed? How will you design the approach? What will be the grade?

Well the Yard won;t be on the current site…its will get packed around to the back yard where it will be placed on a framework…no grade and no approches necessary!

I like it!

Is that turn table large enough? It looks to be about 30"?

Will there be a shop nearby?

TT is planned at 36"…The Shop is going to be off to the left of the trackplanwhen its moved, which is what I’m still waiting on…it will have an indoor storage spur for locomotives…and a fiddle yard on the outside for staging, with room for rolling stock totes underneath. There will be no Enginehouse modeled here, because there are no locomotives based here other than the Rolling outhouses, minimal servicing facilities are necessary.

thirty six inches.

Hmm.

How old and stove up are ya?

How much older and stove up do you expect to get?

I would say 40" minimum, preferrably 48".

Just a thought…

Quite right , Dave , I wish I had put mine at the right height to start with .
Mike

Think about the height of your bathroom sink.

How easy is it to navigate?

When we re-did the downstairs bathroom almost 30 years ago, I had the cabinetry custom built to be comfortable for ME.
It is higher than normal, and now, it’s easy to use.

My RR is 1’ to 5’ in height.
The easiest parts to work with are 40" and higher.

Maintenance, uncoupling (and rumour has it Homer’s Kid uses linque and pin), manuallly throwing points, re-railing…

Hell, Bart, if yer gonna raise the damn thing, then RAISE it!

…Yup, Barty…raise the durn thing like the Chief says…just means a few more 4x4 posts, of a longer nature. Remember the heights you experienced here on the IPP&W. Which were easier in the long haul…?

BTW…when designing the supporting structure for the plywood…don’t spare the cross pieces…over 16" centres, just doesn’t cut it, when you think of the weight of the ballast on it. Plywood sags after a while, no-matter how thick it is. That’s why I build a structure just like a deck with 2 X lumber, and even brace it over spans of 3 feet or more, with girders of 2 x 4’s

That will be an interesting pike, when you get it operating.

The IPP&W Design is very much a factor in the design and construction this time around…I’, looking at a minmum of 24" and really, cofortable for me to sit on a 5 gallon bucket and work on track is ideal…plus I want room to stash rolling stock totes under the benchwork. The real limiting factor will be how high The Shop ends up once its moved…I plan to have a run in track in some dead space under the benchs for locomotive storage. They will be up off the floor, but I have to have enough headroom in there to be able to service the batteries and such. The track will be on slide out ‘trays’ so locomotives can be lifteed up onto the benches. Should make running the 4 truck Shay alot easier…

It is subjects like this that make me long for terrain with profile, instead of the flat prairie of Illinois. In my case, I guess some compromise has to be given to the “Yardmaster”, who keeps reminding me that this is a yard and a garden, not tabletop and benchwork in the basement.

Bart, I would suggest you get that shed moved or built and the elevation determined before you go too much farther. It is certainly easier to build to a known entity rather than a proposed location. I guess that is why there are design plans, followed by “As Built” drawings.

Really Ric, I live in the mountain state…but my yard is basically flat with a bit of rise from the back yard to the front…the area where the Shop is pretty much a table top. The Shop moves this evening, and a final decision o height will be made after I see how high the benches end up off the ground…one thing i’m trying to avoid is an UPGRADE from the front yard ground level track work to the elevated yard in the back…Stay tuned…

So is this the same shed you moved before? I hope you aren’t moving it back to the original location. You could loose some friends over that.

No this is the first time its moved…I have been PLANNING to move it for three weeks now…Incidentally it was accomplished at 1900 this evening. I’m almost settled on a 40" height. and since i’m shuffling benches in the Shop anyways, I’m gonna adjust them to about 30 "… comfortable desk height…and have a locomotive track onthe back of the benchtop…just run them in and there they are ready for battery swapping, service adn reapirs if necessary!

OK Boys…Phase I is under way!

Ya talked me into a 40" elevation, so this evening I cobbled up the 1st 4 x8 frame.

Then I lifted the first half of the yard and transplanted it onto its frame. Bear in mind that the concrete feets are not under it yet, not is it perfectly level…but it is on its way! Next Phase will be the approach to the yard ladder that holds the three way turnout, and the turnout that leads to indoor locomotive storage in The Shop!

So, how do you like 40 inches in height?

I wish I had it at that height when I originally laid the yard 3 years ago! I have a stool in the Shop that its at exactly the right height to sit on and do trackwork. Got a few switchstands that errant feet have found, and some maintenance to do on the yard ladder. The three way stub turnout at the yard throat is going to have to be relaid on all new wood. Next phase of this project is installing the 2x roadbead that will support the relaid 3 way, the switch to the indoor locomotive storage and the first switch of the staging yard, I got an 8ft 2x8 earmarked for this project.

So now its time to really start looking at a staging yard design. The area is goning to be a basic fiddle yard so I’m thinking that a pair of stub ended tracks along the side of the Shop will be sufficient, one for incoming and one for outgoing, or perhaps something a tad more complicated?

Was a beautiful weekend inthe Big Sandy Valley…too bad I hadda work! Did get a few things done however, like the connecting link between the yard ladder and The Shop. Standard 2x8 braced at the 4 ft mark with a 4x4 post.

There will be additional support installed as the spur leading to indoor locomotive storage is installed to the left, and the staging tracks are installed along the the Shop wall. Laid some ties and began relaying the 3 way stub turnout for the yard throat.

This past weekend, track extended all teh way into The Shop and the large locomotives have been moved there, too bad all teh batteries were’t topped off, but I foresee a lot more operation occuring this season!

How about a simple 1 x 4 attached across that bare end until the next pahase is ready? 40 inches is a long way to not that soft of ground. I don’t want to see “film at 11”.