What's New on the PRR Panhandle 2.0?

[chuck]

Very impressive. Quite the project! Thanks for sharing.

[G3750]

Very impressive. Quite the project! Thanks for sharing.

Thank you Chuck! Everyone should have an obsession (or two).

I can still hear my father saying "George, your eyes are bigger than your stomach."

George

[gregj410]

Looks great George! I’m beginning to learn the value of taking the time to do mock ups. Card board is a lot cheaper and easier to modify than a structure you build that doesn’t fit

[G3750]

Looks great George! I’m beginning to learn the value of taking the time to do mock ups. Card board is a lot cheaper and easier to modify than a structure you build that doesn’t fit

Thank you!

Yeah, I've learned that lesson as well - the hard way.

Nothing like actually seeing the item / area in question in 3D.

George

[G3750]

Updated 8/5/2021:

I'm trying to keep multiple balls in the air.

Over the past two days, I've been working on a piece of fascia. One photo shows the initial cut to the approximate size and a test fitting on the bench work. Another photo shows the final cut and painted version awaiting installment. Finally, there is a "map" or track plan that will be installed on the fascia for switching or operations purposes. I made it using a screen shot from RR-Track. That was imported into Microsoft Visio, labels were added, and then it was printed onto 11" x 17" paper and trimmed to size. Finally, I had Staples laminate it. Tomorrow, I will install DZ-2502 push buttons in these approximate locations to control the switches and then it will be time to attach the fascia to the bench work.

https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0BJtdOXmGGFaON

George

[G3750]

Updated 8/8/2021:

I am in the process of acquiring a brass yard office / tower for use as the Weirton Steel Yard Tower. The idea of a tower in the yard sort of grew on me. A little research today confirmed the existence of such a yard office. I will also place a sign in the yard advising inbound trains to the Blast Furnaces to report to the office first.

Began the work of installing Switch Bus #2 (Central). That involved:

• Hooking up Power (Red) & Ground (Black) 16 gauge wires to the Power Distribution Board (15 VAC).
• Hooking up the Data Wire Driver (White) 16 gauge wire to the Power Distribution Board (DZ-2001 #2).
• Re-organizing the Atlas 205 slide switch that permits debugging of Switches 3-19 and 33-35.
• Scrapping the idea of having the WSX Run-Around track use 2 switches programmed with identical numbers.
• Scrapping the idea of having the WSX Interchange track use 2 switches programmed with identical numbers.

Photo album shows the Atlas 205 slide switches used by the DZ-2001 Data Wire Driver for the No. 2 Switch Bus. The slide switches have all been labeled correctly. Switches 17, 18, and 19 are furthest away from the board. Switch #34 has received its power & ground leads from the Switch Bus. When we are finished, the conduit will get its cover. The white 22 gauge wire leads to the switch's pushbutton. Switch #33 has also received its power and ground bus wires. The triangular piece of masonite helps hold the access hatch cover in place.

https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0B5M7GFPGgC3GX

George

[G3750]

Updated 8/9/2021:

Switch #33 and #34 have had their power and data wires connected. They now respond to the CAB-1.

The LaserArt HO Albion Catalog Houses are expected tomorrow.

George

[G3750]

Updated 8/12/2021:

I have a lot of things to report today.

First of all, the 3 LaserArt HO Albion Catalog House kits arrived yesterday. Looks like shortly we will be doing some major house construction. For the time being, that is on the back burner.

As you can see in the photos, the new Alco S-2 Western Pacific switcher has arrived. It will be getting a new stack and I still need to determine what Weirton Steel road number it will receive. It's stable mate is #208. This afternoon it got a shake-out run on the Panhandle.

Most of yesterday and today have been spent on installing data wires for Switch Bus #2, which governs Switches 3-19 and 33-35. In the group of photos is a look at the DZ-2001 data wire bus panel. In the pictures, the white wires coming out of the top of the Atlas 205 slide switches go to "gangs" of 2-4 DZ-2500 switch machines. The setup will help with debugging should one of the DZ-2500's get its mind "scrambled" and keep the rest operating correctly in the meantime.

In the last photo is the fascia with the track map on it. The DZ-2502 push buttons have been attached to the map at the switches they control. I still have to put the fascia in place and wire the push buttons.

https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0B52plgjGS1D8M

George

[chuck]

Your wiring work is incredible/impeccable. Nice use of the track plan for the facia/control panels.

On the loco, are the front and rear steps truck or chassis mounted?

[G3750]

Your wiring work is incredible/impeccable. Nice use of the track plan for the facia/control panels.

Thank you. You are very kind.

In my time at the tolling company, I was exposed to technicians and engineers who were extremely good at wiring and component layout. I have tried to emulate them. I also learned what happens if care is not taken. In one of our contracts senior management decided to use a temporary agency to perform wiring and equipment installations (to save $$$). The poor crimps, backwards wiring of components, and general slipshod work resulted in gremlins that still exist 10+ years later and cost the company millions to correct. Of course, he got promoted.

On the loco, are the front and rear steps truck or chassis mounted?

They are chassis mounted, as are the couplers.

George

[chuck]

They are chassis mounted, as are the couplers.

Excellent. I suspected that could be the case given the unusual drive train not often found on three rail O.

I didn't have much exposure to direct wiring for power but I did work closely with our network engineer on installs of data communication equipment/wiring (or whatever you call fiber runs). He had been an electrician on a nuclear sub (attack boat) and he was always careful and conscientious. Great guy, really knows his stuff.

[G3750]

Updated 8/14/2021:

Please refer to the photos.

The Eastern Approach fascia is partially installed. All 5 push-buttons for the affected switches are installed. Four are operational (one needs the actual switch to be installed – a future step). It's attached at the bottom edge.

I have included a photo of the prototype in the vicinity of the stone arch. The backwater is in the foreground.

This same area is replicated in a photo of the model. The plywood area in front of the stone arch is the future pond or backwater. I will use plastic wood or filler to make sure the plywood bottom is water-tight. Then it will get some paint, scenery, wildlife, vegetation, and ultimately some Woodland Scenics Deep Pour (Murky) water. Eventually, trees and undergrowth will be used to blend everything together, hopefully representing the prototype. At that point, the top of the fascia will be attached to the benchwork.

https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0B5NI45MGm956j

George

[G3750]

Updated 8/15/2021:

In the photos, you'll see the area of the prototype I am trying to reproduce. It's a "pond" or some sort of trapped backwater of the Ohio just south of the bridge. It lies at the foot of the stone arch.

On the layout, it's a small (compressed) area that I intend to seal, paint, apply scenic materials, and then pour in some epoxy water. The first step is to seal the rather large gap between the fascia and the plywood bottom (benchwork) of the pond. I used plastic wood filler for this. We'll see how well it dried and sealed the area tomorrow.

https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0B5CmvASJGVJkd

George

[G3750]

Updated 8/17/2021:

Accomplishments:

• Wedged and fastened the top parts of the Eastern Approach fascia almost as far as Standard Slag. Coiled up the push-button wires and mounted them neatly inside the bench-work where they won’t get damaged.
• Began gluing styrofoam pieces onto the bench work in preparation for building scenery.
• I’ve also been thinking about the depth of Standard Slag below the top of the bench work. That is going to be 6” and I have also determined the slope as well as spacing for the components of the slag dump. That depth is driving the placement of the fascia for Standard Slag. The photos contain a look at some steel walls that I made for Panhandle 1 and will reuse here.
• The angle of the slag dump has created a bit more room for the Weirton Junction Yard. I am thinking about expanding it from 5 tracks to 7. This will be accomplished by cutting approximately 2” off the straight leg of each O64 switch. Track centers would end up being around 4.5” apart. There is also a potential improvement to future operations. More freight cars bound for Weirton Steel could be dropped at the yard and then pushed in by the Weirton Steel switchers, as was done in the prototype. That will make for more interesting operations as they will have to be careful not to block the main line for extended periods of time. Should make life more interesting and force engineers to pay attention to the signals (block occupancy). The photos contain before and after versions of the yard.

https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0BGdPblXODJUr

George

[G3750]

Updated 8/26/2021:

I had another experience that reinforced some of the lessons I should have learned. I applied ballast to the two long pieces of styrofoam that will form the landscape below the Eastern Approach. Following the PRR’s maintenance practices in the early 1950s, these called for straight (raked) ballast below the track, with a strip of cinders, and then some slightly uneven green vegetation (turf and or bushes).

I got the ballast placed and thought I was home free. Applying the cinders - Woodland Scenics Fine Ballast #B1376 (Cinders) – did not go well. I got the glue outside the area and messed up the clean dividing line between ballast and cinders. Some tips for doing this better:

• Paint the surface an earth color first. Otherwise you run the risk of pink styrofoam showing through when (not “if”) some earthly material flakes off. At this point I’m going to have to live with that risk.
• Use something with a straight edge, a trowel or sculpting blade, to align with the boundary.
• Use a syringe or eye-dropper to put glue exactly where you want it. A spray bottle (assuming any of them stay unclogged for long enough) is too messy. It can’t be aimed precisely.

I also made some progress on the first Albion Catalog House (HO). It has been cut to show roughly the first 3rd. It will soon get a coat of paint; I've decided to paint it a yellow. I've got lots of Satin Strawflower (the undercoat of the bridge piers) left, might as well use it.

Here are some photos.
https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0BJRveFpGfhOGi

George