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The Rangeley staging yard was the first project dad and
I took on. This image shows the basic 12" wide staging yard
mounting on shelving brackets. The turntable is at the rear. 5
tracks will end at the turntable. The turntable is powered by
a Berkshire Junction power unit (less than 1 RMP). The two push
buttons control direction. They are DPDT on-(on) buttons.
For the past 6 months (since June/July 2004), my father
has been my work crew. He has graciously agreed to help me get ready
for the National NMRA Convention here in July 2005. That is no small
order, as I have grand plans to host operating sessions. It is his
fault that I'm in this hobby, so it is only fitting that he help me.
He is a live steamer and has several locos built by my Grandfather.
If you look closely, you'll see one of them in the photos below....
Our first project was to work on the Rangeley staging
yard. No short order, as it includes a turntable (the first of 6 I
require).
Here is the drive unit under the turntable.
The approach to the staging yard crosses the rear door
to the basement. We built this drop down section to cross over the
doorway. My wife and I never use the door. It will only be
opened for maintenance. The track to the right goes through
the backdrop and into Readington. Sadly I did not add the masonite
sides to the drop down, so it has warped. I need to straighten out
the warp and add the sides to keep it stiff.
Latches were used to hold the drop down in place.
Tack will be aligned and go through the whole. On the right are the
contacts which will conduct track power to the staging yard. 3
contacts are used. The 3rd contact is used to power the track
leading onto the drop down. The idea being that the lead tracks will
be dead if the drop down is down.
Here is an overall view of the staging yard, Phillips is
in the right foreground and Reading is the pink foam behind.
The first free-mo mini-mo sections under
constructions. 3/4" MDF on the ends and 3/16" luan plywood
laminated to 1/8" masonite for the sides. Section is
10x20".
In late November and December 2004, the
Sn2_Trains list members initiated the definition of Sn2 Free-Mo module
standards (http://www.narrowtracks.com/Sn2/Free-Mo/links.htm). The
standards are still in progress, but I've initiated the construction of
modules, as I want to include specific scenes into my layout. I've
started construction on two mini-mo modules, one to be the Baker Stream
covered deck bridge and the other to be a 3-span trestle on the Kingfield
flat. Dad is helping me work on the sections. We have actually done
much of the work at his house because he has a nice space to work in and
because he has a radial arm saw.
Closeup image of the joints on the modules.
I've been working with my dad on these
modules. It's been nice, as it has been a project he and I can do at
his house.
More clamping. Dad has these great metal angles
used for milling. Great for keeping a square joint.
4 inches of foam was cut to slide into each
module. The foam was cut on the radial arm saw, ensuring a accurate
dimensions, which fit tightly into the module frame. Adding the foam
took the bow out of the sides.
This is the bottom of the Baker Stream module
(10x24"). It is nearly structurally complete. I still
need to add a few cross members (to provide a routing for wiring) and
3/4" quarter (ensure support for foam).
The bottom of the Baker stream module is on the right
and the top of the Kingfield Flat module is on the right.
Jim Stewart came over one weekend to help me install the
Free-Mo sections. Here is the Kingfield Flat section installed into
the layout. The plywood is fixed end-plate in the layout. The
module slides in between the two end-plates. The white styrene
sticking up, is a .060 spacer, ensuring that there will be a bit of space,
so that the module will slide freely in and out of the layout. The
wholes in the ends are for bolts and pins to lock the module in place.
I completed laying the rail to the Starbirds Mill
spur. It is a double ended spur.
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