blackburn49
1st Class Member
Copper Center, south central Alaska
Engineer
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 | | 05/11/2008 5:48 PM |
| | Very slow going today. As I install the track I keep finding places that require time-consuming customization. In more than one case I have also had to adjust the track bed slightly because I found it to be out of kilter in a couple of spots. I expect to have the new main line connected today, but then I have to go back, check and adjust other track that leads toward the NX-Cicely model before I can run any consists over it. The winds are gusting today, which has also created a problem. Overall, though progress is still being made and I am still slightly ahead of schedule with the track-laying process. | |
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blackburn49
1st Class Member
Copper Center, south central Alaska
Engineer
Posts:1646
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| | 05/11/2008 5:50 PM |
| Posted By Torby on 05/11/2008 4:53 PM
I have to get to Alaska someday.
Regrettably, the days of relatively cheap travel to Alaska or elsewhere via any mode of transportation appear to be coming to a rapid end. | |
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Torby
1st Class Member
North Chicago 'burbs.
Engineer
Posts:1217
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| | 05/12/2008 7:21 AM |
| | Travel across town is getting to be a strain on the budget. | |
 
Chicago Marathon You don't have to train or run, I'm taking care of that for you. | |
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blackburn49
1st Class Member
Copper Center, south central Alaska
Engineer
Posts:1646
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| | 05/12/2008 11:39 AM |
| While I was able to connect up the new west loop main line, which is a 90+ foot tangent, I found that on the NX-Cicely model town end, I am going to have to rearrange the track connections.
I could have stuck with the original plan and had the track all in place by now, but I determined that I needed two long sidings in order to move two of the consists to the side to enable free flow through the model. My original plan for one of those sidings was not practical and there was no provision at all for that second siding. So today I am working on a revised plan.
I don't suppose this sort of thing (last minute alteration to an apparently well-conceived track plan) ever happens to the rest of you . . . | |
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blackburn49
1st Class Member
Copper Center, south central Alaska
Engineer
Posts:1646
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| | 05/12/2008 11:22 PM |
| | Due to frequent high wind gusts I have been unable to put in the hours I want to in order to complete this segment of my ALCANEX Railway. It has been frustratingly slow going and not exactly inexpensive since everything has to be supported seven feet off the ground. Today I picked up another load of treated wood and an additional can of paint. It looks like I have just enough track remaining to finish the revisions. Then I still need to go back and install guard rails along the new tangent before I can finally run the trains. As it turns out, with all this wind, I could not have safely operated the trains in any case. | |
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kormsen
in the middle of the westparaguayan semi desert
Foreman
Posts:426
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| | 05/13/2008 12:32 AM |
| I don't suppose this sort of thing (last minute alteration to an apparently well-conceived track plan) ever happens to the rest of you . . .
i don't know about all the rest of us, but to me that happens allways. | |
LGB RR = Low Going Budget RailRoad | |
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ThinkerT
Alaska
Foreman
Posts:166
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| | 05/13/2008 2:07 AM |
| I don't suppose this sort of thing (last minute alteration to an apparently well-conceived track plan) ever happens to the rest of you . . .
Only all the time. Even now, with the track supposedly 'down' for the lower level, I find myself contemplating two minor alterations (exact locations of sidings) and one major one (a mainline extension). | | | |
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blackburn49
1st Class Member
Copper Center, south central Alaska
Engineer
Posts:1646
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| | 05/13/2008 11:24 AM |
| Aside from the high-wind warning which raises our fire-danger status, this is playing havoc with my outdoor model railway project. It has been going on for days now. Yesterday was the worst so far.
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blackburn49
1st Class Member
Copper Center, south central Alaska
Engineer
Posts:1646
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| | 05/13/2008 11:29 AM |
| Posted By ThinkerT on 05/13/2008 2:07 AM I don't suppose this sort of thing (last minute alteration to an apparently well-conceived track plan) ever happens to the rest of you . . . Only all the time. Even now, with the track supposedly 'down' for the lower level, I find myself contemplating two minor alterations (exact locations of sidings) and one major one (a mainline extension).
My problem was the realization that I had not allowed enough trackage for parking the various consists that will exist for this project. They have to go somewhere ! Because the entire track system is built well above the ground, any revisions to the track plan often mean considerable re-building of the superstructure, which is occurring now. Every time I look at the project I am still a week away from running the trains. That is still the case. | |
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blackburn49
1st Class Member
Copper Center, south central Alaska
Engineer
Posts:1646
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| | 05/13/2008 12:42 PM |
| The west loop segment, minus the guardrails, is nearly completed.
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blackburn49
1st Class Member
Copper Center, south central Alaska
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Posts:1646
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| | 05/13/2008 1:10 PM |
| The disconnected rail to the left was a mainline leading into the NX-Cicely town model. The west loop now serves this purpose. This disconnected line will now become another siding. I have several passenger consists to park, including a GN passenger, GN freight, NP passenger (on hand but not for this year), Amtrak passenger (also OH, but not this year), Santa Fe Passenger, CP Aristo heavyweight passenger (the only heavyweight consist on this list), and AKRR/Milwaukee Road combined passenger consist.
The loop on the left is a passenger siding. The dead-end siding on the right will be eventually be connected on this end. It is for a maintenance-of-way / bridge repair / rotary consist.
As you can see I have both brass and aluminum track. The brass segments are salvaged from the Phase I project. I am using every spare piece of track I have to complete this layout. The Phase II project is consuming a lot of track and large amounts of building material as well. BUT the track is nearly complete for Phase II.
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ThinkerT
Alaska
Foreman
Posts:166
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| | 05/13/2008 3:06 PM |
| ...any revisions to the track plan often mean considerable re-building of the superstructure, which is occurring now. Every time I look at the project I am still a week away from running the trains.
Been there, done that...rebuilt my benchwork several times to accomodate new and revised ideas. But, the lower level at least is only three foot high.
BUT the track is nearly complete for Phase II.
I see you tell yourself that too. | | | |
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blackburn49
1st Class Member
Copper Center, south central Alaska
Engineer
Posts:1646
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| | 05/13/2008 6:40 PM |
| Posted By ThinkerT on 05/13/2008 3:06 PM ...any revisions to the track plan often mean considerable re-building of the superstructure, which is occurring now. Every time I look at the project I am still a week away from running the trains. Been there, done that...rebuilt my benchwork several times to accomodate new and revised ideas. But, the lower level at least is only three foot high. BUT the track is nearly complete for Phase II. I see you tell yourself that too.
I have to tell myself that--every time.
Today I tore up the remaining deck approach, west end, pulling out all the track to start that section over. Now I have a new painted deck and I can begin re-installing track when conditions permit. The deck will be dry tomorrow. It was not possible to work out there until mid-afternoon due to high winds and unusually cold temperatures. Yesterday the winds nearly blew me off the deck/platform. | |
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blackburn49
1st Class Member
Copper Center, south central Alaska
Engineer
Posts:1646
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| | 05/14/2008 10:47 AM |
| | All the track is now secured in place. It was completed with almost nothing to spare, but it is done as of late yesterday afternoon. Now I am ready to add the guardrails and do a final check of the track in preparation for running the new line. | |
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ThinkerT
Alaska
Foreman
Posts:166
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| | 05/14/2008 2:26 PM |
| | Have the feline track/roadbed inspectors given their 'meow' of approval yet? | | | |
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blackburn49
1st Class Member
Copper Center, south central Alaska
Engineer
Posts:1646
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| | 05/14/2008 2:31 PM |
| Posted By ThinkerT on 05/14/2008 2:26 PM
Have the feline track/roadbed inspectors given their 'meow' of approval yet?
Are you kidding? They love all that extra elevated track. I can't keep them off it.
I don't anticipated accomplishing much out there today. Thanks to global warming it is now all of 38 degrees out there and it feels miserable ! I still have not been able to bring out the seasonal plants for my garden railway. They are all in pots or baskets inside. Last night it was well below freezing out there. | |
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blackburn49
1st Class Member
Copper Center, south central Alaska
Engineer
Posts:1646
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| | 05/14/2008 7:09 PM |
| Posted By kormsen on 05/13/2008 12:32 AM I don't suppose this sort of thing (last minute alteration to an apparently well-conceived track plan) ever happens to the rest of you . . . i don't know about all the rest of us, but to me that happens allways.
(Please refer to above)
I re-did a section of my track again today.
Then I added the longest of the two guard rail sections--approximately 100 feet. I was able to accomplish this once the sun came out, bringing temperatures up to 49 degrees from 38.  | |
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tmejia
1st Class Member
Southern California
Foreman
Posts:116
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| | 05/14/2008 8:17 PM |
| Ron,
Wow, you seem so close to running trains. I think I can hear them already.
I anxiously await to see pictures of trains running on the new expansion.
Tommy
Rio Gracie | | | |
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blackburn49
1st Class Member
Copper Center, south central Alaska
Engineer
Posts:1646
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| | 05/14/2008 9:29 PM |
| Posted By tmejia on 05/14/2008 8:17 PM
Ron, Wow, you seem so close to running trains. I think I can hear them already. I anxiously await to see pictures of trains running on the new expansion.   --Tommy Rio Gracie
I have cleared the first 60 feet of the new segment as now being ready for train travel. The section closest to us still needs some guard rails set on the left side. Most of the rest of it is now ready.
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blackburn49
1st Class Member
Copper Center, south central Alaska
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Posts:1646
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