What's New on the PRR Panhandle 2.0?

[rogruth]

But George, there are 22 hours that you didn't use.

[MurphOnMillerAve]

I hope you've gotten some rest, George, lots of it.

[G3750]

I hope you've gotten some rest, George, lots of it.

Soon. The memorial service for a friend and mentor was held today in Frederick, MD. I just got back (4 hours each way).

Tonight.

Tomorrow is our NMRA Divisions annual picnic. I have no work on the layout planned. Maybe on Monday.

George

[G3750]

Updated 8/21/2018:

The big accomplishment today was the use of the laser level and shims to adjust the height of the WV side of the bridge. Last week the effort to obtain the correct difference between the River Route and height of the bridge resulted in some adjustment of the main bench work.

First thing we did was to bolt together tables 7 & 17.

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Then we detached the tables from the wall.

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Next we shimmed the table to the correct height.

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Finally, we checked the height with the laser.

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George

[G3750]

Updated 8/22/2018:

Installed the legs on Table 16 and then I attached it to the wall and Table 15.

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George

[MurphOnMillerAve]

You're going to miss all that creativity and problem-solving when you are "done."

[G3750]

You're going to miss all that creativity and problem-solving when you are "done."

Uh, maybe.

But that's quite a long time in the future.

George

[G3750]

Updated 8/23/2018:

I ordered the 4100K dimmable BR30 LED bulbs for both the workshop and layout. Including spares, that is a total of 34 bulbs. It's time to get those installed before more tables make that difficult.

I am working on one of the areas (Table 16) where table height will determine the look of the terrain. The RR-Track diagram shows the parallel tracks that approach the bridge (to the left). Those tracks reside on a Pennsy fill (3:2 ratio). They will sit on a piece of cookie-cutter sub-roadbed 9.5” wide on risers. Right now I am measuring and determining the exact dimensions and placement of the risers and cookie-cutter sub-roadbed.

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In front, from right to left:

• The black / dark gray area is Standard Slag, a large pit lined with rusty steel reinforced walls.
• As we move left (west) towards the river, the terrain will have 1-2 drainage culverts running perpendicular to the track.
• Farther right, the track will move onto the stone arch and then onto the bridge itself.

At the back of the layout against the backdrop from right to left:

• Right above the two circles (RR-Track block separators), I will place a culvert.
• A drainage ditch will occupy the center of that narrow area between the track and backdrop.
• Line poles (Panhandle line poles typically had 5 cross-arms) will populate the upper slope of the ditch.

See the diagram (VERY PRELIMINARY) below for a cross-section of the area.

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Thoughts on construction:

• A length of 1/8” masonite on either side of the riser will be used to create the base of the fill.
• Ballast (not shown) will cover the tracks and Vinylbed roadbed. It will be Pennsy mainline limestone (white / gray).
• Weaver / Atlas line poles will march towards the bridge; I expect to need 3 or 4.
• I may be looking for a much smaller culvert as it seems a bit oversized for the area.

Murph - tons of creative-problem solving remain.

George

[healey36]

Not sure if I should continue reading or just wait for the book, lol.

Excellent cross-section of the roadbed!

[G3750]

Not sure if I should continue reading or just wait for the book, lol.

Excellent cross-section of the roadbed!

Book? I don't think anyone's interested. And no one's approached me about the screenplay, either.

George

[G3750]

Not sure if I should continue reading or just wait for the book, lol.

Excellent cross-section of the roadbed!

Book? I don't think anyone's interested. And no one's approached me about the screenplay, either.

George

The cross-section is based on a Pennsy document detailing the construction of a 4 track mainline with variations for slopes (away & towards) and parallel industrial tracks dated 1912. The document was part of an NMRA Clinic given by my friend Neal Schorr at NMRA Division 2 Model Railroad Jamboree this past April. The timing was exactly right and I took lots of notes.

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George

[G3750]

Updated 8/25/2018:

I decided it was a good time to try test fitting the bridge onto the layout.

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The bridge sections are held together with screws whose heads accommodate 3/32” hex keys. I have an entire storage bin full of old allen wrenches. But do you think I had one that fit? So it was time for a detour to Harbor Freight for that and for an LED headlamp (my old one is corroded).

To support the bridge on the piers, I realized that I needed all my bridge shoes. For Panhandle 1.0 (when the bridge was smaller), I only needed 4 bridge shoes. But with the prototypical approaches in place, that number became 18. That turns out to be 2 at the western abutment, 4 at the pocket-pier, 2 at the mid-river span, 2 at the other mid-river span, 4 at the pocket pier, 2 at the “shorty” pier, and finally 2 at the eastern abutment (stone arch). I had the parts cut awhile ago, but never put them together. Here are some of them in the paint booth.

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And here they all are after getting a coat of flat black.

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George

[rogruth]

George,
Could you give a better description of the "headlamp" you use?
That souds like something I could use.

[G3750]

George,
Could you give a better description of the "headlamp" you use?
That souds like something I could use.

Hope this helps. I don't even have it out of the package yet.

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George

[rogruth]

Thank you.