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crabster
Engine Wiper
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 Posted - 12/20/2009 : 4:14:33 PM
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Hi folks,
It's been quite awhile since I had torn down my freelanced modern-day based switching layout. Since then I have toiled around with track planning and after finally crawling out of that rut, I was able to settle on an interim layout. Interim because future plans call (or called) for an attic conversion for a 100% train room.
One of the things I was looking for was a prototype to model or at least base it on a prototype. Layout size kinda doomed me to what I could or could not do and after much research I stumbled upon Erie Railroads 28th street yard. This in turn lead to Dave Ramos and Vince Lee who also modeled 28th street. Daves website is www.nyhrr.com here is a website with loads of 28th street information http://members.trainweb.com/bedt/indloco/err28.html
After studying 28th street a bit (actually since the Spring time) I realized it would not only fit my size constraints but that it would be nearly scale in size! The prototype was about 200' wide by 750' long. I did have to use some modelers license though. The way layout fits in the room I basically had to hold a mirror up to the prototype plan and draw it out "opposite". I also had to curve the tracks to the pier and carfloat down onto the short shelf instead of straight out like the prototype. I do retain the full flavor of switching operations at 28th street.
I've also run into another conundrum; the Pennsylvania warehouse was 4 stories high. I could fudge that and Kitbash the Walthers REA warehouse and keep them at 3 stories high. The problem though is reaching into the yard to couple/uncouple cars and operate the ladder turnouts. I suppose an option for the turnouts is to use either bluepoints or tortoises. The option for the warehouse might be to switch it with the 29th street warehouse which is only 1 story tall. In the model railroad world taller building should be in back and shorter up front but I'm not so sure how adversely this would affect things if I do the flip-flop. Looking forward to peoples thoughts on that one.
Anyhow, I have started tracklaying. The ladder is in and wired using all Peco electrofrog switches. 28th street had a unique 3-way switch and I was able to use Peco's to get that feel. I am using 14ga for the bus and 20ga for feeders. Today I was working on the inbound yard and glued in the tail track. Now regarding the tracks; I am using ME code 70. For an experiment I took the tail track and cut out every 6th tie and then re-spaced the ties. I thought it looked pretty darn good. I guess the questions is; should I do the same for the other yard tracks? 28th street was a very busy place back in the day-would they have used spacing like that?
Here are some pictures;
Prototype plan
My trackplan
DCC power area
Wiring
Inbound yard
Ladder
I'll be sure to give updates when I can.
Have a great Christmas everyone!
Anton
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Country: USA
| Posts: 312 |
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Neil M
Fireman
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Posted - 12/20/2009 : 6:02:22 PM
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I like the look of what you have done so far. I like all the pocket sized terminals that were on Manhattan and around NYC and i think you have a great concept.
Keep up the good work 
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| Modelling New York City in Kilkenny, Ireland http://www.railroad-line.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=22161 |
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Country: Ireland
| Posts: 1184 |
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hunter48820
Fireman
Premium Member
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 Posted - 12/20/2009 : 6:30:00 PM
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Hi Anton,
It looks like a very nicely designed layout and you are doing a very nice job of construction. I look forward to updates!
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Best,
Andy Keeney
Dewitt, MI
You can see the Nashville Road Railimages Album at:
http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/showgallery.php/cat/500/ppuser/3019
Always look out for #1, but don't step in #2!!
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Peterpools
Engineer
Premium Member
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Posted - 12/20/2009 : 6:57:14 PM
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Anton
Well thought out and researched. Should be an exciting thread to follow.
Peter
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Country: USA
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MarkF
Fireman
Premium Member
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Posted - 12/20/2009 : 10:09:50 PM
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I like it Anton!!! It looks like you are off to a great start. It will be fun to build and operate. I'll be watching your progress.
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Mark
Visit my Northern Division Homepage at http://home.comcast.net/~prrndiv/ |
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Country: USA
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crabster
Engine Wiper
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Posted - 12/20/2009 : 10:38:00 PM
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Thanks for the kind words and encouragement guys, I really appreciate it!
Neil-I never saw the thread on your layout. WOW that is pretty cool. You captured the era perfectly.
I had to use a little ingenuity; I put switch motors and a accessory switch on the 3-way turnout to keep the polarity correct with the frogs. I was going to put push buttons on the fascia holding the EasyDCC panel. I drilled the holes and then discovered to my horror that the pushbuttons were too short. Ugh.
I didn't have any material on hand so what I did was go to Lowes to see what the might have. I ended up using a .89 cent nailing plate. I just enlarged the wholes a tad the the buttons fit perfectly. Maybe later on down the road I'll make up a proper panel.
You can see the plate here in this picture as well as the holes in the fascia.
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shortliner
Engine Wiper
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Posted - 12/21/2009 : 06:43:37 AM
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Can I just add that this is very nice indeed. Please excuse the piggy-backing onto your thread. I, too, am going for a model of an Erie RR yard, but mine is a little smaller at 46" x 33" in HO - I'm modelling the 149th street yard which was tiny, but I've had to loose a couple of tracks. The carfloat will be off stage and simulated by a pair of double-length Peco Loco-lifts. The reason for the size is that is the biggest I can squeeze into my compact car
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Edited by - shortliner on 12/21/2009 07:24:56 AM |
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Country: United Kingdom
| Posts: 335 |
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slimrails
Moderator
Premium Member
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Posted - 12/21/2009 : 08:01:25 AM
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Hey, Anton...
I like the way that you selected a prototype operation to fit the space that you have. I grew up with the Erie in northern NJ, but am not familiar with the NYC yard. I take it that the Erie brought cars over from Jersey to this yard for further transfer? What locos are you going to use? Getting ready for DCC wiring myself, I'm taking notes. Keep us posted!
Russ 
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Country: USA
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Grubes
Engine Wiper
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Posted - 12/21/2009 : 08:01:38 AM
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Anton,
Great start to what looks like a switching layout that will provide a lot of fun operations. I look forward to following your progress.
Dave
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Country: USA
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crabster
Engine Wiper
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Posted - 12/21/2009 : 10:32:18 AM
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Hi Jack-no worries about hi-jacking. I've been a fan of your work for quite some time. I looked at 149th street too but decided 28th street fit my room better. I am thinking of using some modelers license and taking an idea from that yard. Coal pps by the Erie were at 149th, there were none at 28th. Since 28th has Team tracks, I might designate a spot for a coal dealer as I have a real soft spot for the small 2-bay coal hoppers.
Anton
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Country: USA
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crabster
Engine Wiper
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Posted - 12/21/2009 : 11:07:13 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by slimrails
Hey, Anton...
I like the way that you selected a prototype operation to fit the space that you have. I grew up with the Erie in northern NJ, but am not familiar with the NYC yard. I take it that the Erie brought cars over from Jersey to this yard for further transfer? What locos are you going to use? Getting ready for DCC wiring myself, I'm taking notes. Keep us posted!
Russ
Hi Russ,
Cars were brought over by carfloat from Jersey City. At 28th street there were two warehouses; the Pennsylvania warehouse (28th side) which received inbound freight and housed numerous customers, and the Lifshultz warehouse (29th side) which sent out outbound freight. It too featured 2-3 customers in the building and sent out LCL amongst other freight. There were also team tracks. Traffic was mostly boxcars and reefers. There were some gons which were unloaded at the team tracks under the gantry. The other Team tracks received the reefers as did Terminal stores.
In addition to the two warehouses, Erie also served the Terminal Stores building which was located next to the 28th st warehouse. Terminal stores was also served by the NYC and LV. Unfortunately I did not have room to model that do have a spur with a car spot to at least simulate it but wow that would have offered some really intense switching.
There were some key carfloat connections; outbounds had to be timed with trains 87 and 99 and trains 100 and NY74 were timed for the inbound floats.
Power wise I am using a P2K S1 Erie #308 and a Walthers SW1 that I need to paint into Erie #360. I have Erie Boxcab #19 but she was used more at 149th street. Boxcab #20 was the main engine at 28th. Steamnut is currently trying to put a Tsunami in #308. Hopefully the conversion didn't make him an alcoholic. 
Anton
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Country: USA
| Posts: 312 |
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Neil M
Fireman
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Posted - 12/21/2009 : 11:42:49 AM
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Thanks for the compliment Anton. I would have loved to do something like your layout but I don't have space. Team tracks are great as a universal customer.
Jack, your 149th street yard looks good. Are you going to start a thread about it?
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| Modelling New York City in Kilkenny, Ireland http://www.railroad-line.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=22161 |
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Country: Ireland
| Posts: 1184 |
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nhguy
Fireman
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Posted - 12/22/2009 : 01:40:53 AM
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Hi Anton,
What a great concept. Operations should be fun and give hours of enjoyment. There are endless possibilities with terminal operations. And the car float pier makes for some great staging. Looks like it's coming together quite nicely. Keep posting the photos. It looks good.
Bill
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"Weather or no, Go New Haven"
Bill Shanaman
Superintendent, New Haven RR in the 1948 to 1953 era
NMRA Division 17 Superintendent, PMRA President 2010, OpSIG Member
See my layout photos here:http://rides.webshots.com/album/145199856bFDImR |
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Country: USA
| Posts: 1959 |
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shortliner
Engine Wiper
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Posted - 12/22/2009 : 06:25:15 AM
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Anton - thanks for letting me in, and your kind comment
Neil - Yes, when I get started on building - I need to build the baseboard for a start, and up here in the Scottish Highlands with about a foot of snow on the ground, it is too cold to work in the Garage ATM. I have the track, Peco Locolifts and turnouts, a couple of boxcabs that have never been run, several more shells, and some 44-tonners, and some cars (40' and 50' - it will be DC powered. Need some kadee fitted, 40' cars to go with it - I have a few, but all those on ebay currently seem to be about 2-3 times as much for postage as actual cost, which is a pain in the fundament - no doubt it will sort itself out over time. I believe I have sourced a gantry crane and need to think about scratch-building a goods-shed, which I believe was a single storey affair, (but I havent found a good photo of it). I'm actually building it as an entry for a 2010 challenge on the RMweb Forum.
Oh, and the February 2010 Continental Modeller (due out 21st January 2010) will apparently have an article about an exhibition model of the Fulton Terminal for those who are interested.
And again, for those who haven't seen it, there is another NYH layout in progress here http://www.the-gauge.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=2277
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Edited by - shortliner on 12/22/2009 07:02:21 AM |
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Country: United Kingdom
| Posts: 335 |
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Harsco
Crew Chief
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Posted - 12/22/2009 : 12:08:06 PM
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Nice job, Anton...I like the concept a lot, especially for those of us who may be considering the dreaded "55 and older community" style house. Lots of movement and operational challenges in a relatively small area...PLUS an opportunity to really superdetail the landscaping and structures.
For what it's worth, I would recommend re-spacing the ties on one track to see what you think before nailing/gluing everything down, an approach which I failed to do on my layout. I guess a peek or two at a prototype picture might also assist in the decision-making process, but if the ties are entirely covered in dirt, ballast and/or weeds (as they are in many yards), then it's kind of a moot point.
Keep us posted....
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Country: USA
| Posts: 661 |
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crabster
Engine Wiper
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Posted - 12/27/2009 : 8:08:21 PM
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Small update.
All track is in for the inbound yard and I started laying track for the outbound yard. However a MAJOR snag has developed. There is not enough room on the short shelf to model the float bridge and car float. That shelf has been a major pain since I built the bench work on the original layout. It is too short and it ends at the doorway. I could lay the car float into the doorway like a duck under, but a duck under it is not and one bump with someones head would destroy it. Shortening the car float is an option but to make it fit would mean to shorten to the point of useless.
The car float is very important to this layout as that is where the cars come/go. It is my staging and the link from 28th street to the rest of the country.
Not sure now which direction to take. Frustrated to say the least. Will keep you guys posted.
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Country: USA
| Posts: 312 |
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