Large Scale Central

C.V.S.Ry. Rockhill Shop Division

In the 90s here, I’m only able to work on my project either early in the morning or late afternoon early evening. I have a window AC unit, I need to see if its possible to install thru the garage wall :thinking:

Some progress today. Weather was good enough to cut outside. My Home Depot order was delayed so I can’t do much more. About half the framing is up…

Jury is still out if I will create room for 3 tracks on the back wall under the fiddle yard shelves. Most likely I will.

@VicSmith If the body is 14.5" or less wide it should be easy. I have one for my front window when the time comes.

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The framing for the shelf section is done for now. Under the “fiddle yard” storage. This may get expanded to three tracks wide before I deck it…

Exiting the 90° curve…

Entering the curve. The roughly 3’x12’ bench is at the left…

I’m still trying to work out the plywood cut for the corner. I want two tracks and all I have in sectional curves are 8’ diamater. I don’t care that they can’t be parallel, but I’m struggling trying to lay them out so the straights at both ends are parallel with 7" on center spacing. I might have some loose 10’ diameter stainless. I need to dig! If I find my bender that’s another option.

I really miss Andy’s advice on track planning. He was a guru.

The very tentative track plan…

The area at left is above my big toolbox. It will be R1 territory and accessible only via the back track which is a ramp raising 8" between the switches.

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Suh Weet!


Today I cut all the decking to max width and actual length. Only the corner is screwed down. The rest will get trimmed once I have the track alignment figured out. I will need to cut some track to make 3 sidings and a run around switch fit on the right section under the storage…

The updated track plan for the fiddle yard (right side)…

So far, everything has been built with leftover lumber and drops from the walls and ceiling.

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Can I suggest a transfer table on the leftside yard instead of the runaround/escape turnouts? I made mine with drawer slides. Saves space for turnouts and gives a different operational aspect. You could make it 2, e or even 4 tracks wide with removable sections when not in use.

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That might be pretty cool, thanks.

The track plan on the left has not really been thought out much. It will be the industrial area. A switching puzzle might end up being part of it. I don’t remember what indoor buildings I kept so I need to open that box soon.

The top most track will be a steep ramp up to the R1 industries. Other than that, the rest is very much in flux. I’ve played around with the yard at the right. I may move the run around up to give it a longer tail at the expense of the outside siding.

Craig, I would like to nod knowingly. What are you describing?

A transfer table in EBT country …the horror of the thought…but I like the idea!

A device to change tracks in-line rather than circular like a turntable…

Which reminds me, I need some type of engine turning facility. In CT I had a balloon track indoors. Someday this may evolve to a loop, but that would still need a turning facility. One of the table edge designs originally seen (by me) in Canada at Fred’s IPP&W and later at Bob’s. Al P. recently built an interesting one on his RGS of NH.

I had some very nice heavy framed aluminum sign panels that would be perfect. but I think they went to the metal scrapper when we moved :frowning:

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Now that would be the ultimate design combo a transfer table and turntable on the same piece.

:laughing:

Or just cut a hole in the wall and make a wye outside. That seems like the much easier and practical solution.:stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

Eventually that may happen!

I unpacked my pair of mobile clearance gauges. The 6.5" center spacing on the outside siding is tight, but works…

My crossover alignment needs to be moved as I can only fit one diesel and one car on the tail. That will shorten the outside siding.

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Jon,
Not sure you would need both, as you have the fiddle yard essentially in overhead car storage. when i was in Hon3 many moons ago i had fiddle yards at both ends that were big turntables 4" long. and that was the mandated train length. then the whole train was turned. More customers to park cars at sounds like the best solution.

Al P.

I think the South wall bench alignment is decided. I’ve run some tests and everything works for 30ft Fn3 cars and my widest engines. Track spacing is tight but works…

Fortunately the sign and light I hung before building the bench don’t interfere…

That track center is spaced 4" from the wall. . The center track is set to 7" on center. It’s 6.5 to the outside track The crossover switch creates a pretty tight S curve. My 40 footers get through it. I’m sure my Fn3 coaches will not. I had a similar situation in CT at McCown Freight Forwarding. I just need to go slow and watch light cars.

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Or, putting Craig’s two ideas together, transfer table and a hole in the wall…

image

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I vote for punch a hole in the wall and make an outdoor wye! Consider it part of winter operations if you must.

Then I can bring some of my friends over and we can camp out behind your shed while waiting to see a train working the wye.

Thats why I am so judicious about the size of stuff that goes on my layout. I’m often measuring clearances in mm.

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I have one more test to run, but I haven’t located the cars. My Bachmann Murphy Roof box cars are the tallest and widest cars I own, and a bit longer than the diesels. Before I cut plywood and screw down track I need to be sure the curve ends are not too close to the wall.

I’m a little concerned with that third siding right at the edge of the plywood. But it’s not much worse than a lot of my track was in CT and I never had an incident.

After several hours of test running and switching around a single car, I decided that having the run around entirely on a curve world make it difficult to use, so I moved the switches a few feet beyond the curve.

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That will happen, right in the corner I think. The switch located there on the track plan is an industry for now, but will probably be the escape to outdoors. I don’t think any outdoor construction will begin before fall.

It took me a while to realize that the grey square on the left side is a switching puzzle. :smiley: