Large Scale Central

Actually starting the expansion?

Track and Trestles
#81

Still no trains running or new track growing, but some roadbed started to sprout this evening :smiley: I really like whats going on with all the curves in this area. Between the walkway border, two wye legs and the new track, it really looks kind of cool. Iā€™m getting anxious to start landscaping. This is a spot that never was finished. [url=lsc.cvsry.com/NewSw-40-1200.jpg]

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/NewSw-40-720.jpg)

[/url][color=blue]First ladder roadbed on the CVSRy- FF: Click to Enlarge - IE: Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color] [url=lsc.cvsry.com/NewSw-41-1200.jpg]

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/NewSw-41-720.jpg)

[/url][color=blue]Switches and main-line in place on the new pad - FF: Click to Enlarge - IE: Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color] Iā€™ve got to go pick up a few more clamps so I can assemble the roadbed. The weather forecast is looking wet again for the next 3-4 days, so itā€™s going to be a while. [url=lsc.cvsry.com/NewSw-42-1200.jpg]

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/NewSw-42-720.jpg)

[/url][color=blue]Looking toward the new diamond from Indian Hill Junction - FF: Click to Enlarge - IE: Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color]

#82

Jon, the work is looking goodā€¦ Keep us updated on the progressā€¦

#83

Thanks Andy. I feel like Iā€™m moving at a snailā€™s pace when I compare it to what you get done in the same time frame. But then I remember you have the advantage of retirement and heavy machinery :smiley:

#84
Jon Radder said:
Thanks Andy. I feel like I'm moving at a snail's pace when I compare it to what you get done in the same time frame. But then I remember you have the advantage of retirement and heavy machinery :D
Jon, there's times I feel like i'm moving at a snails pace, myself.... IF you ask Jane, she'll definitely say I am..... And, yes, heavy machinery does help out, greatly... :)
#85

Since the last update over a week ago on the 17th, there hasnā€™t been a dry weekend day or evening where I didnā€™t have something else I had to do. That pretty white PVC was completely covered with mud splash when I got out there tonight.

I managed to get it cleaned up, cut to proper length, assembled and painted after work tonight. This is the first time Iā€™ve fully assembled any ladder roadbed. Itā€™s very neat how well it holds the curves once screwed together :smiley:

I no longer have an extra free day on Fridays, so itā€™s going to be slow going from here. With all the delays Iā€™ve had to scale back my plan and will not connect the loop this year, unless it gets done as a fall project. It will be nice to have a couple of sidings though :smiley:

#86

Lost my extra day off on Friday too.
I miss the timeā€¦but can use the cash.
Ralph

#87

Glad to hear that Ralph. I know lots of people are hurting, but for an awful lot of people itā€™s business as usual. At Disney in April there were no signs of cutting back. People were spending plenty and the place was crowded. Tuesday we went into the Apple Store to look at laptops. We had no idea they just launched a new iPhone last weekend. The store was crawling with people and we had to wait two hours to talk with a sales person :o No sign of a tough economy there.

Where I do see it is on the local railroad in the reduced number of lumber loads coming in and at the car dealers who are letting their inventory dwindle to the point where the lots are starting to look empty.

I miss the day off too, but Marilyn works in the schools and has no paycheck in the summer. It would have been disastrous for us if I was down a day at the same time she was off work completely.

#88

Funny you mention sidings and decreased railroad traffic. Every siding around this area of Western NY has empties parked on it. When I go by the local yards the only things I see moved are the non revenue cars. Quite a colelction of plows and such gathering in that yard and yesterday there was an old Livonia Avon & Lakeville passenger car in the yard.

#89
W. Chas. Ronolder IV said:
Funny you mention sidings and decreased railroad traffic. Every siding around this area of Western NY has empties parked on it. When I go by the local yards the only things I see moved are the non revenue cars. Quite a colelction of plows and such gathering in that yard and yesterday there was an old Livonia Avon & Lakeville passenger car in the yard.
Chas... did you get a photo?
#90

Jonā€¦ I went looking for that white pvc stuff at HD yesterday, but couldnā€™t find anything. What is it called again?

#91

Out here on the East Coast they call it Tuff Board. Not easy to find. They stock it vertically in about a 6 foot section tucked in with all kinds of other stuff.

#92
Steve Featherkile said:
Jon... I went looking for that white pvc stuff at HD yesterday, but couldn't find anything. What is it called again?
Here at the local Lowe's it's located in the 'Moldings" section. They carry both the "TrimPlank" and the 'Tuffboard".
#93

Thanks, I found it.

#94

Updates are still slow. Too many other projects taking up the precious dry weather time. I did manage to finish the roadbed across the diamond over the weekendā€¦ [url=lsc.cvsry.com/NewSw-43-1200.jpg]

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/NewSw-43-720.jpg)

[/url][color=blue]Completed ladder roadbed - FF: Click to Enlarge - IE: Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color] When cleaning up the garage last year, I found a nice supply of thick wall aluminum conduit. I put it aside for use as the supports for the ladder. I experimented with it on the short siding beyond the diamondā€¦

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/NewSw-44-720.jpg)

[color=blue]Close-Up of aluminum conduit support[/color] Itā€™s too thick to drive a deck screw into. I didnā€™t try self-tapping screw since I didnā€™t have any stainless ones in stock, so I drilled a clear hole for a bolt and a pilot hole for a deck screw and matching clear holes in the roadbed. I then drove a 14 inch section into the ground with a 4 lb. hammer. Aligning the pilot holes turned out to be a bit of work. I ended up using the clear hole as a grab point to rotate the tube to align the pilot holes. This turned out to be too much work, so the conduit will be relegated to other uses. I cut some PT 2x2 for the balance of the uprights. [url=lsc.cvsry.com/NewSw-45-1200.jpg]

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/NewSw-45-720.jpg)

[/url][color=blue]Looking down the roadbed toward the new diamond from Indian Hill Junction - FF: Click to Enlarge - IE: Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color] The grade between Indian Hill and the diamond is a fraction over 4%. When this photo was taken, I aligned the roadbed to an even climb to the diamond. I realized as soon as that was done that it would not work. I couldnā€™t transition from the 4% to the dead flat crossing without a significant bump. Tonight I went back and increased the grade at the Indian Hill end to just over 5% which matches the mainline in this spot. I gradually reduced it to just under 2% at the last support before the crossing. This looks like a workable solution. The short siding after the diamond was set just a hair down-grade toward end-of-track to keep cars spotted from rolling out across the main. Since these photos were taken I got the track down on the short siding and landscaped a new trans-load facility (a team track with docks) in that spot. Iā€™ll start a new post on the first industry on the outdoor division. That spot needs a name. Iā€™m still working on that. Is Walk Landing too nautical?

#95

very nice work,I like what you have done.

jn

#96

looking good, Jonā€¦

#97

ā€œWalk Landingā€ certainly sounds functional. I sure like the busy look of all those tracks and routes. Looks like a great photo location.

#98
Ric Golding said:
[i][/i]Looks like a great photo location.
Once I move the trailer :D
#99

Had to go back to look, didnā€™t notice the trailer. :wink:

#100
Jon Radder said:
Thanks David - The Cigar store is waiting for you to build it.
I did and my son helped as well :lol: Gotta make the best outta the 9yrs I got left with him as he's 1/2 way there! ;)