What's New on the PRR Panhandle 2.0?

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healey36
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Re: What's New on the PRR Panhandle 2.0?

Postby healey36 » Sun Jul 25, 2021 5:00 pm

Very good progress, and I stand by my original statement. The backdrop is great. It's unusual to see one that seems to work from all viewing angles. Things typically begin to look rather compressed as you move to one side or the other, but yours looks good at 90 degrees, and seems to look just as nice sighting from the side, i.e. down the track running along the base of the backdrop (at least in the shots I've seen). That's no small feat.

When it comes to building a "scale" model of a railroad or a chunk of a railroad, my interest lies heavily in art/design, mostly the scenery. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of your "Pour Me a River" series in OST. I've tried that a few times and have never been happy with the results, so I'm hoping to learn a thing or two.

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rogruth
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Re: What's New on the PRR Panhandle 2.0?

Postby rogruth » Sun Jul 25, 2021 9:06 pm

I agree, the backdrop really comes off.I remember that you had a photographer and then maker of the backdrop.
They did a great job but it also took your installation to make it come off as well as Healey and I think we see.
roger

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G3750
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Re: What's New on the PRR Panhandle 2.0?

Postby G3750 » Mon Jul 26, 2021 7:34 am

healey36 wrote:Very good progress, and I stand by my original statement. The backdrop is great. It's unusual to see one that seems to work from all viewing angles. Things typically begin to look rather compressed as you move to one side or the other, but yours looks good at 90 degrees, and seems to look just as nice sighting from the side, i.e. down the track running along the base of the backdrop (at least in the shots I've seen). That's no small feat.

When it comes to building a "scale" model of a railroad or a chunk of a railroad, my interest lies heavily in art/design, mostly the scenery. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of your "Pour Me a River" series in OST. I've tried that a few times and have never been happy with the results, so I'm hoping to learn a thing or two.


I'm sorry. I thought you were chiding me for not having photos in the last post. :oops: :lol:

Yes, the backdrop is a gift that keeps on giving. So far, I would say it is the best feature of the layout and has certainly proved to be worth the cost and effort.

I hope the article does prove useful to you and of course, feel free to ask questions about anything that is unclear. Pouring the river was a long process - longer than I expected or hoped. And like painting a room, preparation is everything.

George
What is a 'Conservative'? "Someone who wants society and policy to recognize objective reality- economic, biological, and historical."

—Katy Faust

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G3750
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Re: What's New on the PRR Panhandle 2.0?

Postby G3750 » Mon Jul 26, 2021 7:40 am

rogruth wrote:I agree, the backdrop really comes off.I remember that you had a photographer and then maker of the backdrop.
They did a great job but it also took your installation to make it come off as well as Healey and I think we see.


The backdrop was photographed and processed by RailroadBackdrops.com. They aren't cheap, but their work speaks for itself. Worth every penny!

The installation was all Judy! :!: Over the course of our 33 year marriage, she's done all the wall paper hanging in our houses (5 over the years). She is excellent and possesses a patience with the stuff that I lack. And she put up with me during this process (there's a teamwork event that will test your marriage! :wink: ).

Without a doubt, the backdrop would not have happened without her.

George
What is a 'Conservative'? "Someone who wants society and policy to recognize objective reality- economic, biological, and historical."

—Katy Faust

Rufus T. Firefly
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Re: What's New on the PRR Panhandle 2.0?

Postby Rufus T. Firefly » Mon Jul 26, 2021 7:51 am

healey36 wrote:I'm looking forward to reading the rest of your "Pour Me a River" series in OST.


Next installment is off to the printer......
Conservatism: The intense fear that somewhere, somehow, someone you think is inferior is being treated as your equal.

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G3750
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Re: What's New on the PRR Panhandle 2.0?

Postby G3750 » Fri Jul 30, 2021 12:20 pm

Updated 7/28/2021:

Bunch of stuff to report:
  • All PRR handrails have been installed on the approach spans for the bridge
  • Interlocking signals circuit is now working
  • Cut a new access hatch near Weirton Steel
  • Tested 2 new (to me) Z-Stuff DZ-1060 PRR signals - they work
  • Ordered a board for the Arduino slag dump project

George
What is a 'Conservative'? "Someone who wants society and policy to recognize objective reality- economic, biological, and historical."

—Katy Faust

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G3750
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Re: What's New on the PRR Panhandle 2.0?

Postby G3750 » Sun Aug 01, 2021 7:36 am

Updated 7/31/2021:

Activities yesterday weren't very glamorous but they were necessary.
  • Measured the next section of fascia (Eastern Approach) and marked it for cutting. We'll check it again tomorrow and make the terrain profile cuts.
  • Got the paint for the fascia, a deep, rich Behr color called Moroccan Henna, re-shaken in anticipation of treating the fascia.
  • Put a number of small parts and items into labeled shop drawers (tedious, but vital to finding them later).
  • Pulled all the tools, parts, and junk off the Weirton Steel mill and yard area in anticipation of cutting a few access hatches and laying track. Not only that, I used the shop vac to get the table top clean. :shock:
  • Covered the tracks on the bridge with paper in anticipation of making a lot of dirt and sawdust. I'll do the same for all exposed track in the Weirton Steel area.

While sitting on the benchwork, I also got some photos of the train room looking west. That's a view not likely to be repeated any time soon.

https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0BGRMtznHWHoF

George
What is a 'Conservative'? "Someone who wants society and policy to recognize objective reality- economic, biological, and historical."

—Katy Faust

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chuck
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Re: What's New on the PRR Panhandle 2.0?

Postby chuck » Sun Aug 01, 2021 10:31 am

Impressive work. That backdrop is amazing. Did you move the benchwork out of the way for Steubenville on the west end or am I just imagining it was there?
Once I built a railroad, I made it run,
Made it race against time.
Once I built a railroad, now it's done --
Brother, can you spare a dime?

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G3750
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Re: What's New on the PRR Panhandle 2.0?

Postby G3750 » Sun Aug 01, 2021 12:23 pm

chuck wrote:Impressive work. That backdrop is amazing. Did you move the benchwork out of the way for Steubenville on the west end or am I just imagining it was there?


Hi Chuck!

Thank you. Yes, the backdrop is pretty impressive and remains one of my best decisions to date. I'm not sure I'm following you in reference to the Steubenville benchwork. None of that has moved. It is only partly built and about 30" deep. As we move away from the backdrop, the benchwork will slope downwards ever so slightly to mimic the gradual downhill run of Steubenville towards the river. That section has yet to be constructed.

George
What is a 'Conservative'? "Someone who wants society and policy to recognize objective reality- economic, biological, and historical."

—Katy Faust

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chuck
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Re: What's New on the PRR Panhandle 2.0?

Postby chuck » Sun Aug 01, 2021 1:05 pm

I must have jumped to conclusions. I guess what I actually saw was the area around the station and then mentally filled in the rest of loop/town! :lol:
Once I built a railroad, I made it run,
Made it race against time.
Once I built a railroad, now it's done --
Brother, can you spare a dime?

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G3750
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Re: What's New on the PRR Panhandle 2.0?

Postby G3750 » Sun Aug 01, 2021 1:44 pm

chuck wrote:I must have jumped to conclusions. I guess what I actually saw was the area around the station and then mentally filled in the rest of loop/town! :lol:


No problem. I often hallucinate about this layout. :lol: :lol:
What is a 'Conservative'? "Someone who wants society and policy to recognize objective reality- economic, biological, and historical."

—Katy Faust

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chuck
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Re: What's New on the PRR Panhandle 2.0?

Postby chuck » Sun Aug 01, 2021 1:54 pm

No problem. I often hallucinate about this layout. :lol: :lol:


Yeah, but in your cases it's more like dreams! :D
Once I built a railroad, I made it run,
Made it race against time.
Once I built a railroad, now it's done --
Brother, can you spare a dime?

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G3750
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Re: What's New on the PRR Panhandle 2.0?

Postby G3750 » Mon Aug 02, 2021 7:16 am

Updated 8/2/2021:

Last night I got motivated and made some correctly sized mock-ups for the Weirton Steel buildings. It's one thing to look at a 2D plan, another to get a feel for the visual impact of these very large structures. I will move them around to determine final building sizes, positions, and places for access holes.

https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0BGdIshaO6uNR

George
What is a 'Conservative'? "Someone who wants society and policy to recognize objective reality- economic, biological, and historical."

—Katy Faust

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chuck
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Re: What's New on the PRR Panhandle 2.0?

Postby chuck » Mon Aug 02, 2021 8:49 am

Cool!!!!
Once I built a railroad, I made it run,
Made it race against time.
Once I built a railroad, now it's done --
Brother, can you spare a dime?

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G3750
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Re: What's New on the PRR Panhandle 2.0?

Postby G3750 » Mon Aug 02, 2021 10:14 pm

Updated 8/2/2021:

I spent some more time today carefully measuring the locations of the various mills in the Weirton Steel complex relative to the divider. Then I cut out a full-size floor template of the Open Hearth, climbed up onto the bench work, and moved it around until it was correctly positioned. Then I moved Crawford's Crossing (the highway overpass) next to it (that's using modeler's license) and established the location of the Blooming Mill (on the other side of overpass). Using more ML, I positioned the Strip Steel next to the Open Hearth. And next to it will be a foamcore building that I will use to hide the entry to the Staging Area and disguise as a power house.

(Refer to the photos) - that flat footprint area sticking out of the left front of the Open Hearth represents part of the structure called the cracker. I believe it's an enclosed area where cranes would drop "skulls" (slag or dross that hardened as a mass inside ladles) to break it up.

At the rear of the building, the floor template extends much farther towards the divider than can be seen. That mill's footprint is 37" w x 50" long with the cracker adding another 12.5" out front. Inside the album is a photo of the prototype that shows where the cracker extends from the front of the Open Hearth.

Finally one of the photos shows the approximate height of Crawford's Crossing as it passes between the buildings.

https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0BGQOeMmBxFuH

George
What is a 'Conservative'? "Someone who wants society and policy to recognize objective reality- economic, biological, and historical."

—Katy Faust


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