When my railroad was initially built, all of my rolling stock was 1:22.5/1:24/1:29. As I expanded and rebuilt sections I did so with 1:20.3 equipment in mind, however older sections weren’t upgraded. I’ve begun to acquire some 1:20.3 engines which immediately point out clearance issues around the track. My first, a Bachman Dizzy was able to get around the railroad OK and only has a close clearance issue with my exit portal from the inside. Later a Bachman Connie was added and I began to notice problems at track level where the rod action would hit things along the roadbed. My most recent addition, an Accuctraft live steam Shay, made repairing the problems imperative. Whne running the Shay boiler first up-grade the counterweights would bash into the edging on a long raised roadbed section. When I initially built the raised section I wanted something to hold ballast. I found J-Channel for vinyl siding at Home Depot that when painted black did the trick nicely. [url=lsc.cvsry.com/JChan001-1024.JPG]
[/url][color=blue]Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color] In the photo above a short section of the original J-Channel still remains. My installation method put the top edge of the channel at just above rail height. This was too close for the Shay so the J-Channel had to go. It was nice today, in the 40’s, but not nice enough to pull up track and remove the J-Channel completely. A quick fix was to just cut it loose with a utility knife. [url=lsc.cvsry.com/JChan002-1024.JPG]
[/url][color=blue]Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color] [url=lsc.cvsry.com/JChan003-1024.JPG]
[/url][color=blue]Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color] [url=lsc.cvsry.com/JChan004-1024.JPG]
[/url][color=blue]Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color] Come spring this section will get re-worked, but for now the clearance problem is gone and the Shay can run boiler first up-grade. Jon
