John Miller's fantastic Kanawha & Lake Erie is featured in an article in the January edition of Model Railroad Hobbyist magazine. Follow this link to read the article: http://mrhpub.com/2015-01-jan/land/#94. There are also two bonus feature articles on the layout- one on the Newport Steel mill complex and another on how John created some history for the railroad via different paint schemes. Follow this link to find these articles: http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/magazine/mrh-2015-01-jan/bonus-extras. You have to be a subscriber to view the bonus extras, but the magazine is free.
The pole barn for the new version of the K&LE is rapidly coming together. It appears there will be a need for a bunch of layout monkeys in the not-too-distant future to help with the benchwork. Of course, that's after we get finished tearing out the rest of the old layout...
Saturday, January 24, 2015
Monday, January 19, 2015
Some New Scenery
After the last operating session in November, I decided to make a push to get the scenery around the Laurel Ridge Prep Plant finished. Over the holidays, I got the scenery planted in most of the area and made a good start on some structures that will be needed here.
Here's how the area looked before the rock facing was added around the tunnel portal at Summit Springs.
Here's an overview of the area now that the scenery is finished. Note that the crew of the Summit Springs Shifter spotted all of the empties up above the prep plant so that they can be rolled downgrade as they are loaded.
There is still a lot of detail to be added to the scene including barrels, old equipment, junk piles and the like. There's also a 550 Pay Loader in the paint shop ready to be weathered that will eventually be in this scene. But it's good to have the basic scenery finally finished.
There's also some new motive power on the railroad as can be seen in the photo below. Stay tuned for a post on this special unit!
Here's how the area looked before the rock facing was added around the tunnel portal at Summit Springs.
Here's an overview of the area now that the scenery is finished. Note that the crew of the Summit Springs Shifter spotted all of the empties up above the prep plant so that they can be rolled downgrade as they are loaded.
There is still a lot of detail to be added to the scene including barrels, old equipment, junk piles and the like. There's also a 550 Pay Loader in the paint shop ready to be weathered that will eventually be in this scene. But it's good to have the basic scenery finally finished.
There's also some new motive power on the railroad as can be seen in the photo below. Stay tuned for a post on this special unit!
Saturday, January 10, 2015
Pennsylvania & Western Blog
Bob Bartizek has set up a blog for his beautiful Pennsylvania & Western Railroad. Here's the link: http://pennwestrr.blogspot.com/. The layout was featured in the March 2014 edition of Model Railroad Hobbyist magazine and is also featured on a segment of TrainMasters TV. Bob intends to use the blog instead of his website to update folks on progress on the Pennsylvania and Western.
The Pennsylvania & Western really is an amazing layout and there are some significant changes coming. Check out the blog to find out more about what's coming in the next several months.
The Pennsylvania & Western really is an amazing layout and there are some significant changes coming. Check out the blog to find out more about what's coming in the next several months.
Sunday, January 4, 2015
Signals- Part 2
In the last post, the local made it into the clear on the passing siding at Big Chimney and the dispatcher lined the switch for normal at the east end of Big Chimney. The approaching way freight now has a clear signal.
Next, we see the eastbound signals at the west end of Big Chimney change as the dispatcher lines the route through Big Chimney on the main. Note the signal at the west end of Big Chimney initially displays Approach. The turnout here is lined for the main and the turnout at the east end is lined for the siding. The Approach signal tells any eastbound movement that the next signal will be Stop. Once the dispatcher lines the east end turnout for the main, the west end signal displays Clear for the main as does the east end signal. As the eastbound freight heads toward Big Chimney, the eastbound signals drop to Stop.
Next we see the way freight moving past the local in the hole at Big Chimney. Note that the westbound home signal for Big Chimney on the hill drops from Approach to Stop as soon as the eastbound freight enters the block at the west end of Big Chimney.
Once the eastbound has cleared the west end of Big Chimney, the dispatcher lines the turnout for the siding and the westbound local receives an Approach Medium. The crew of the local know that they have at least two clear blocks ahead.
As soon as the local hits the block with the turnout west out of the siding, the signal at PN Cabin drops from Approach to Stop.
Note that once the local passes the west end signal for Big Chimney it changes to Approach. The turnout at the west end is still lined for the siding and it is unoccupied and the east end turnout is still lined for the main. An approaching eastbound would know that the next signal it encounters would be Stop.
In some future post, I'll detail the preparation and planning that took place in order to get the signal system to this point. But for now it's back to making resistor wheel sets... for every car on the layout.
Next, we see the eastbound signals at the west end of Big Chimney change as the dispatcher lines the route through Big Chimney on the main. Note the signal at the west end of Big Chimney initially displays Approach. The turnout here is lined for the main and the turnout at the east end is lined for the siding. The Approach signal tells any eastbound movement that the next signal will be Stop. Once the dispatcher lines the east end turnout for the main, the west end signal displays Clear for the main as does the east end signal. As the eastbound freight heads toward Big Chimney, the eastbound signals drop to Stop.
Next we see the way freight moving past the local in the hole at Big Chimney. Note that the westbound home signal for Big Chimney on the hill drops from Approach to Stop as soon as the eastbound freight enters the block at the west end of Big Chimney.
Once the eastbound has cleared the west end of Big Chimney, the dispatcher lines the turnout for the siding and the westbound local receives an Approach Medium. The crew of the local know that they have at least two clear blocks ahead.
As soon as the local hits the block with the turnout west out of the siding, the signal at PN Cabin drops from Approach to Stop.
Note that once the local passes the west end signal for Big Chimney it changes to Approach. The turnout at the west end is still lined for the siding and it is unoccupied and the east end turnout is still lined for the main. An approaching eastbound would know that the next signal it encounters would be Stop.
In some future post, I'll detail the preparation and planning that took place in order to get the signal system to this point. But for now it's back to making resistor wheel sets... for every car on the layout.
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