PRR Panhandle 2.0

Thanks Mark.  The height of the bench work is 50".  To get to the access holes, I am planning on using a roll-around stool.  Near the access holes in the Staging Area, I plan to put a 2-step ladder.  That will allow me to get up on the bench work (if need be) to open or close the window.  The exhaust fan is activated by the wall switch.

George

Excellent!!

Updated 5/24/2020:

I completed installation of the remaining Glenn Snyder display shelves in the Staging Area.

That's all for the Staging Area for the near future.  The immediate areas of focus are:

1. Finish super-detailing the bridge
2. Permanently place the bridge back onto its piers and abutments
3. Install all the approach track and connect track feeders to the bridge's electrical buses (eastbound, westbound)
4. Complete the scenery areas near the backwater, between Pier 1 and the Stone Arch, and at the front of the Eastern Approach.

More when I know it.  

George

Updated 5/26/2020:

I have a divider between the layout and the Staging Area.  When I originally installed the backdrop up on the divider, my intention was to extend it all the way to the ceiling.  I prepared the area to receive a backdrop extension.  All that got pushed to the back burner as I tried to get the bridge area ready for the NMRA Mid-Central Regional Convention at the end of May (which was, of course, cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic). 

So now, with some time on my hands awaiting parts, I started looking at this again.  I was about to pull out some 10' sections of blue sky backdrop (from the original order to RailroadBackdrops.com), when my better half decided to inspect the area.  She had a brilliant idea - just paint the area above the Weirton Steel backdrop the color of the wall.  It would match the rest of the area and there would be no reason to do this extra work.  So that's what I did!




It will get two coats of paint and then I'll pull the protective masking off and declare victory!

George

Excellent suggestion!

@Mark Boyce posted:

Excellent suggestion!

Yeah, she's a keeper!  

George

George,

Good advice is always appreciated! Nice progress.

Tom

Updated 5/26/2020:

The finished product.  I think it turned out pretty well.  The paint matched (should have) properly.

More when I know it.  

George

Updated 6/15/2020:

While work continues on the scenery in the Ohio River valley and on the bridge, some electrical work has also been conducted ("nyuk, nyuk, nyuk").

Awhile ago, I acquired a second 12V DC power supply.  Today I re-arranged some of the other supplies and mounted them all vertically so as to get more air flowing around them.  I also decided that I will move 3VDC "wall warts" to remote power strips located at the ends of the layout.  These will power street lights (my lighted telephone poles) and traffic signals.  Here's the new transformer cart diagram.  Changes were made primarily to the lower level of the cart.

Here's a shot of the work (in progress).  Left to right - the new 12VDC supply, the existing 12VDC supply, and the 5VDC supply.  The barrel connector to the extreme left is the 3VDC supply which is yet to be moved.

More when I know it.  

George

Looks like a good plan, George!

@Mark Boyce posted:

Looks like a good plan, George!

Thanks Mark!  Plan the work; work the plan.  

George

Updated 7/10/2020:

Physical work on the layout has ground to a halt while we try to help our children move to a new apartment.  However, my mind has been active.

I have been contemplating some changes to the track work around the Steubenville PRR station.  Market Street will be moved about 6" left (west) as indicated by the black arrows.  The green arrows indicate proposed new track, including a passenger siding capable of holding 3-4 passenger cars or head-end cars (baggage, express mail, reefers) and an engine pocket.  It might be possible to hold a switcher and a reefer car there (to work with the Armour Packing siding).  I'm thinking 6th Street might be extended to intersect with Market.

The jury is still out on making this change, but it looks tempting.  Plenty of more pressing work, but...

More when I know it.  

George

Updated 7/10/2020 PM:

After some reworking, I am leaning towards changes that would:

• Move Market Street 6" to the west (left)
• Move the 4th Street overpass about 12" to the east
• Extend the passenger siding to 72", enough for four 18" passenger cars, i.e. the entire "Spirit of St. Louis".
• Lengthen the engine pocket to 34", perhaps enough for both a switcher and a reefer

Here's a look at the revised area.

More when I know it.  

George

Looks like a good plan, George!  I hope you get time to work on it soon.

Updated 7/14/2020:

Thanks Mark, I'm trying.  

As the saying goes, "When the map and the terrain differ, believe the terrain."  I have put things on paper, thought they were OK and then watched them fail.  I like RR-Track and it is a decent planning tool, but you've got to be careful when you consider 3-D aspects (e.g. elevation of hills).  That's important in this situation, as the retaining wall behind the passenger siding is where the scenery will slope up to the backdrop.  To get a practical and workable slope, you've got to leave a bit more room than you think is necessary.  Particularly on Panhandle 1, I recall planning an elevated track and then having to back off because it was impractical.  An inch of clearance takes on the appearance (with zooming in / out) of 6".  Sometimes, I've convinced myself that an impossible clearance is going to work.  

The newly modified area around the station is particularly tight - close tolerances.  That's why I have some track and 18" cars out on the bench work playing with the physical fit of the components.  The leftmost track (nearest the backdrop) holds the K-Line 18" streamlined observation car from the Spirit of St. Louis 4-car set.  To the right, on the right hand side of the turnout, are two K-Line 18" heavyweight passenger cars (PRR Broadway Limited).   These sit on the mainline.  The track is roughly in the correct position.  The two curved sections of track (O80, O72) flanking the mainline are not part of the layout;  they're just laying there.  The green styrofoam beyond the passenger cars is part of the hillside and will be extended toward the viewer, exact dimensions TBD.

More when I know it.  

George

Yes, believe the terrain!  I find it hard to come up with the three dimensions on a design.  I have to do it on the layout.

Updated 7/21/2020:

• Placed my orders with Ross Custom Switches for the 2 new switches discussed above.
• Acquired bus logos (P&W Bus Company) for the two Corgi GM old-style vehicles currently being painted in the correct color scheme.  These will be turned into water slide decals.
• 
• As part of the planned re-alignment of Market & 4th Streets and the additional tracks at the station, I'm planning an experiment with my MTH PRR signal bridge, a DZ-2500 equipped turnout, and a DZ-1008 relay.  I want to see if I can possibly use the switch to activate the signal head on the bridge.  It's one of the cheaper alternatives, if it works.
• I am still working on details for the bridge piers and bridge.
• And I bought some brass rods for use in hanging a conduit on part of the bridge.

Lots of motion, not nearly enough forward progress.  Or so it seems.   

More when I know it.  

Thats a nice decal for the busses!  

Looks good George. I like some of the old cars, buses and trucks you can find out there in the world. Just takes a bit of looking. A few years back I bought a trailer and truck from Brooklyn Models(in the UK IIRC), they are really nice, but expensive. I wanted to keep in line with being around 1949, and I think the two were supposed to be 1948. Some other stuff I have bought are older in the mid to late 30's or early 40's, but it wasn't uncommon to see such older vehicles back then in certain areas of the country.

Hey George, that really cool decal brings back some memories of being in the bus rolling down the long hill to the bottom of pennsylvania avenue.  Where did u find it.