Over on the Summer Run Photo thread, @Eric_Mueller commented and I responded that I’d post some long shots to give a better feel how the railroad looks when not shooting low and tight.
We just got back from 3 weeks in Colorado and I took no time to straighten up, weed or pick up storm debris. Today I ran a few trains and took some long shots. I’ll follow the railroad from the basement to the outdoor with photos at most locations. I don’t have a recent track plan, but I’ll start with the schematics. This one is for the indoor Willow Hill expansion…
Photos start at the lower right of the schematic at WEST Willow Hill…
A passenger train was called to give a tour of the railroad starting at WEST which is in the corner of my basement where the McGillicuddy Supply siding dips under the stairs and the Brunt Coal delivery trestle raises the track above ground level…
Approaching SWIL (South Willow Hill) the track hides behind the wall and emerges from BOX Tunnel…
Here the main line splits with a passing siding in the foreground and the South Willow Hill sidings in the background. Rounding the curve the industries of Willow Hill come into view on the left against the back wall…
In this view WILO and SWIL are visible. The main is the second track from the left…
Turning the camera 180 degrees, we see the storage tracks above, the WILO junction with the balloon track of the main and a portion of the Tyrone yard sticking through the wall at left…
Moving back now into the main part of the basement and on to the next schematic…
Here the train is seen coming through the wall just RR East of the NOOK Trans-Load siding.
Above, from Left to Right the tracks are: Main Line, Kistler Locomotive Service, Tyrone Yard and the balloon track portion of the main line.
Panning left we see the train about to exit to the Outdoor Division on the lift up East Es-Cap` Canyon Bridge…
Here is the Outdoor Division schematic which begins at the West Es-Cap`e Bridge at the left of the drawing…
Our first picture outdoors is of the train on the bridge beginning the steep climb to the front yard…
And passing the back porch and the new planter that hides an ugly lumber roadbed/trestle…
As we pass over the walkway stairs the train passes WALL and enters Coal Dump Curve…
Climbing through the curve from two angles…
Now crossing Indian Hill Bridge approaching the junction…
At Indian Hill Junction…
Tracks in the above view, from foreground to background are the Northville Spur (West leg of wye), the Walk Landing Trans-load siding, the main line and the House Lead. Continuing up the main, here is a different angle…
Tracks in the above view, from foreground to background are the East leg of the wye with the Walk Trans-load siding crossing it, the main line and just barely visible at the back is the House lead. Turning the camera to the left and stepping into the railroad, the same tracks are in view as well as the tunnel at Deep Cut…
The train is now backing down the East leg through the diamond and about to cross the sidewalk at WALK Junction heading toward Northville…
Having cleared the wye switch, the train has reached Northville and is ready to change direction to turn around on the wye…
Crossing the sidewalk again heading down the Northville Spur (East leg of the wye) back toward Indian Hill Junction…
Back at Indian Hill Junction…
And crossing Indian Hill Bridge heading home…
It’s pretty obvious from these photos that I need to start over with my weeding campaign and clean up a bunch 