What's New on the PRR Panhandle 2.0?

[rogruth]

Yup! Everybody over to George's place --- big party!

Sounds like a plan!

Are you all going to help put up the backdrop or wait till it's done to come over?

NO! I'm management. I'll be there just to provide unhelpful direction and comments throughout the entire operation all whilst seated under an umbrella drinking an adult libation.

Rufus,
Sounds as if you have had some experience in the past with that type of management.
Were you the giver or the getter?

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Sounds like a plan!

Are you all going to help put up the backdrop or wait till it's done to come over?

NO! I'm management. I'll be there just to provide unhelpful direction and comments throughout the entire operation all whilst seated under an umbrella drinking an adult libation.

Rufus,
Sounds as if you have had some experience in the past with that type of management.
Were you the giver or the getter?

I worked for the US Gov't for 33 years........

[rogruth]

NO! I'm management. I'll be there just to provide unhelpful direction and comments throughout the entire operation all whilst seated under an umbrella drinking an adult libation.

Rufus,
Sounds as if you have had some experience in the past with that type of management.
Were you the giver or the getter?

I worked for the US Gov't for 33 years........

Understood. Nuff said.

[healey36]

Thread has me thinking about benchwork...I was watching an old TM video over the weekend and one of the guys said he used "L-girder" construction. What is "L-girder" construction? I tried googling it but you get a number of different answers.

Healey

[rogruth]

I used that but don't think I can describe it very well.
Kalmbach has a book on layout benchwork that is good.

[G3750]

I used that but don't think I can describe it very well.
Kalmbach has a book on layout benchwork that is good.

I've looked at "L girder" as well, but they don't seem to resonate very well with me. "L girder" is also called "lattice framing".

The L girders support joists (attached from below). The joists are variably positioned to support cookie-cutter subroadbed or scenery that dips below track level; they can be easily moved.

I have Linn Westcott's book "How to Build Model Railroad Benchwork", which I like. It's good as well.

George

[G3750]

Updated 2/21/2018:

We had a record high temperature of 78 degrees F here yesterday. I took advantage of the balmy weather to open the garage door and stain all the benchwork legs (18). These will support the perimeter of the layout.

I have also been giving some thought to the Steubenville, the most undifferentiated portion of the layout. In Panhandle 1.0, I envisioned some generic buildings and a coal mine. Steubenville actually did have a coal mine near the top of Market Street; it was said to pass under the Ohio River and emerge in Wellsburg, WV.

However, after taking those photos of Steubenville from atop McKims Ridge, I am thinking about changing it up. See figure below.

Steubenville Urban Planning3.jpg (224.07 KiB) Viewed 3164 times

I will keep the mountain in the left rear corner of the layout, but I'm thinking about changing:

• The sidings. There was a large paper box(?) factory along the river. I am going to flip the siding with the mainline and place the mainline inland. The new mainline is shown in RED.
• The coal mine. I'm thinking of eliminating the mine and its spurs and going for a more urban look. Steubenville has a lot of interesting architectural features. I'm thinking about including The Hub department store on 4th and Commercial streets. This photo appears to have been taken near the intersection of Market & 7th Street. You can see the railroad crossing, as well as the Grand Theatre and The Hub on the left side of Market.
  

  

  1950 Steubenville.jpg (113.81 KiB) Viewed 3164 times

  

  Grand Theatre.jpg (66.89 KiB) Viewed 3164 times

  

  The Hub Department Store - drawing.jpg (76.02 KiB) Viewed 3164 times

• I want to get the intersections of Market & 4th, Market & 5th, and maybe even Market & 6th onto the layout in a more prototypical fashion.
  

  

  431-445 Market Street - The Hub.jpg (366.81 KiB) Viewed 3164 times

• With the mainline changed, I can create a seedier part of town in the southwest corner of the layout.

So while I work on benchwork today, I am giving some thought (and research effort) towards the appearance of Steubenville.

George

[G3750]

Updated 2/21/2018:

I managed to take advantage of today's good weather and make some progress on the Staging Area's bench work.

This is the plan for benchwork tables.

Table7-Page 2.jpg (125.95 KiB) Viewed 3154 times

Originally, I planned to drill holes in sides and end ribs for both wiring and for bolting tables together. The plan was to clamp the adjacent sides (or ends) together and drill aligned holes through both pieces. I thought my Sears bench top drill press would be the perfect tool for this work. I was wrong. Whether it was me or the depth of holes or the depth of drill bit needed, it just didn't work. I couldn't adjust the thing to do the job. I ended up clamping pieces together an using a hand drill. I also decided that I would only drill holes for bolting tables together. Wiring will be carried by zip ties with screw holes.

IMG_1420.JPG (711.51 KiB) Viewed 3154 times

Stained wood. These are some of the "nice" legs that will go on the perimeter of the layout (facing visitors).

IMG_1419.JPG (689.54 KiB) Viewed 3154 times

Varnished wood - long side pieces.

IMG_1418.JPG (666.2 KiB) Viewed 3154 times

Some stained and many more varnished legs.

IMG_1417.JPG (787.68 KiB) Viewed 3154 times

Two sides that I already drilled. They are sitting on some finished (stained) legs.

IMG_1416.JPG (732.37 KiB) Viewed 3154 times

In the foreground is my set up for drilling holes. In the background is my useless (for this purpose) drill press.

IMG_1415.JPG (799.03 KiB) Viewed 3154 times

George

[rogruth]

George,
I used zip ties for holding wiring also.
If you inserted the tie "backwards" they can be easily re-opened and wires added or removed.
I stapled them to the underside and have NEVER had any slide apeart and drop the wires by accident.

[chuck]

If you need to re-open the ties repeatedly consider Velcro cable ties or Velcro One Wrap Tape. They are available with and without grommets. They are more expensive but they are also re-usable. Tape is available in multiple colors if color coding is needed.

[rogruth]

If you need to re-open the ties repeatedly consider Velcro cable ties or Velcro One Wrap Tape. They are available with and without grommets. They are more expensive but they are also re-usable. Tape is available in multiple colors if color coding is needed.

Chuck,
Where do you get these? Never heard of them. I don't do much internet shopping.

[G3750]

Roger,

What do you think of the revised / expanded / elaborated Steubenville plans?

George

[chuck]

Where do you get these? Never heard of them. I don't do much internet shopping.

They are available at local hardware stores (if there any around) and at the big box stores. These are over in the electrical section but by the telecommunications/home entertainment areas. We started getting shipments of server equipment with these about five years ago. Cable ties are great for semi-permanent installs but not so hot where you need to move/reroute. Velcro is also less likely to pinch and you won't be risking cutting cables or fingers trying to remove a zip tie that needs to go.

[rogruth]

Roger,

What do you think of the revised / expanded / elaborated Steubenville plans?

George

YES! I hope you can model a basic idea of the downtown so peop;e can look and remember.

[chuck]

Squares are 1'x1'? This makes the downtown area about 11'x12'? Are the tracks all on "street" level or are some "underground" like Chicago/NY or are some hidden behind flats?

Can you scale the dept store down in terms of footprint while retaining the height?

Can you cheat the actual auditorium of the theater into the back ground while making the lobby the main focus? The last of the original "big" theaters in Ann Arbor is arranged with the main auditorium running parallel to the street and the lobby/entrance are perpendicular to the street. There is a two story row of shops/apartments that are between the theater and the street.