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Railroad Construction In Kleefskill, NY

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  • #1

    Railroad Construction In Kleefskill, NY

    Well, after a very long wait, I have finally started to build the Kleefskill Junction on the Sn3 Catskill & Ramapo. I printed out turnout templates and placed them on the benchtop in order to check the track plan. The track plan software uses turnouts that seem sharper than #6, but I was using the HO tools for lack of Sn3 tools in the software so that might have something to do with it. Here's the final track plan:

    I've already built the 2'x7' shelf and need to add the 3'x4' addition to the right. The two benches will bolt together with the ability to disassemble the layout for moving to a new home if need be. My RR-Line buddy Mark (MAP) will be recruited for carpentry work in the near future as I clean up around the layout area, construct a new model building bench, and build the supports for the bench work. The turnouts will be #6 with broad curves and code 70 rail. I'll be getting pre-fab turnouts and hand laying all of the other track using wood ties. Although it's a small layout, I want to build it as DCC to eliminate block wiring in case I want to move a couple of locos around from one end to the other. I'm also going to use Tortoise switch machines as well. I won't need anything more than the NCE Power Cab for this operation and it should handle everything. I plan on using a panel with push buttons and position lites instead of using the DCC functions for the turnout activation. I like the way the panel looks and it's easier to glance at the board to see turnout positions using colored LED indicators. Anyway, that's the plan. As things move along I'll post some progress shots.

    Russ
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  • #2
    Mark and I got together and built the shelf portion of the layout. I don't want to attach legs to it, but make a frame that the bench will sit on. This way I'll be able to flip the bench up, lean it against the wall, and do all of the wiring without having to crawl underneath. [:-bulb]




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    • #3
      Russ

      Nice, neat and clean benchwork. flipping the layout on it's side for wiring is a back saving idea!

      Peter

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      • #4
        This looks like an interesting project to watch. What kind of prefab turnouts are you going to use?

        George
        With sufficient thrust pigs fly just fine.

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        • #5
          quote:

          Originally posted by George D

          This looks like an interesting project to watch. What kind of prefab turnouts are you going to use?


          Hey, George...

          Railway Engineering offers pre-fab turnouts in all scales and guages with or without ties and weathering. I'm getting the basic unweathered Sn3 turnouts without ties. I didn't want to get the pre-weathered ties and rails and then try to match the weathered coloring. This way I can do my own track weathering and tie staining to achieve consistency. I'm getting rail, PC board ties, wood turnout ties, and standard wood ties along with a railbender from Fast Tracks.

          Russ

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          • #6
            Russ it looks good other than the turnout by the water tower seems to be right on top of the joint between the two benchwork sections.

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            • #7
              Thanks Russ. I’m beginning work on a switching layout (I’m not as far along as you), so I’ll be interested in watching you do your trackwork.

              George
              With sufficient thrust pigs fly just fine.

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              • #8
                quote:

                Originally posted by Tyson Rayles

                Russ it looks good other than the turnout by the water tower seems to be right on top of the joint between the two benchwork sections.

                Yeah, I know. I have to make some adjustments so there's nothing 'cept regular track across the seam. [:-bigmouth]

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                • #9
                  Nice to see you've started the layout, Russ. I totally agree with your idea of building it so as you don't have to crawl under it for wiring or tortoising. This was one of the motivations for my re-design of the Sn3 layout.

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                  • #10
                    The 'track plan' is really just a preliminary diagram that acts as a transition to the real track plan, which I've started to put down on the bench work. This became my 'feasibility study'. It consists of #6 turnout templates printed out to scale and cut to size. When I placed them in their proposed positions, I could see the adjustments that I needed to make, checked the clearances, proposed structure locations, etc. When I glue down the foam (in the background) I'll do this again, but for final positioning. So far, I have the pre-fab turnouts, rail, ties, and rail bender on order. When the materials begin to arrive, I'll get the survey crew out to check all of the track and turnout locations again. In the meantime, I have the bench supports to build. Mark (MAP) from here on RR-Line came over today with some terrific cigars...thanks Mark! We sketched out the bench work support, came up with a plan for a new model building table, too, and we'll get the carpentry work done prior to laying the first rail. [:-dopey]




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                    • #11
                      Russ,

                      There is a good deal of enjoyment to be had in the planning stages - especially in the company of another modeler and a good cigar.
                      Bruce

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                      • #12
                        Russ

                        Nothing like good pre-track laying planning. Of course, I'm the worst offender of thorough planning.

                        Peter

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                        • #13
                          Just caught up on this thread and if not too late.......

                          If the top (in the drawing) track will be a future main line, then you are using it as part of your run around track.

                          You might think about a crossover between the third and fourth tracks down (?).

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                          • #14
                            quote:

                            Originally posted by railmus

                            If the top (in the drawing) track will be a future main line, then you are using it as part of your run around track. You might think about a crossover between the third and fourth tracks down?


                            Good thought, John. With a small railroad like this, compromises have to be made. Prototypical operation and realistic track planning have to be balanced with what a limited space will allow for. The entire layout is 10' long with the main bench being 2' wide. This is the entire layout with no further expansion and I already cut down on the amount of track in the plan because it was getting crowded. Now that I'm laying it out on the bench work, I can see that I have all that I can in this space. If you notice the photo above where I have the turnout templates located, the uppermost track is further from the edge than the plan originally called for, allowing for an additional siding to be put and the whole plan still being balanced. Again, good point though.

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                            • #15
                              Russ,

                              I would leave the top track where it is and use the left end for holding surplus cars or have some flats along the wall.

                              I was thinking that the main ran from the lower left across in front of the depot and exits out the top right track. The next lower right track I would use as a branch line for when you expand to the right.

                              With the exception of the one switch over the joint I wouldn't change anything. For a small switching area I think you have nailed one.
                              Phil Z

                              POR (press on regardless)

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