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Post by ptc on Feb 17, 2021 15:44:28 GMT
Signal Bridge looks very good, George.
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Post by Country Joe on Feb 18, 2021 0:06:02 GMT
George, the backdrop adds a lot to that scene. It's nowhere near finished but looks good already. I don't know how to read those signals but I'm guessing vertical means clear track ahead and horizontal means stop. If I'm correct the signal on the track with the freight cars should be vertical but the one on the signal bridge should be horizontal.
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Post by g3750 on Feb 18, 2021 15:36:49 GMT
George, the backdrop adds a lot to that scene. It's nowhere near finished but looks good already. I don't know how to read those signals but I'm guessing vertical means clear track ahead and horizontal means stop. If I'm correct the signal on the track with the freight cars should be vertical but the one on the signal bridge should be horizontal. Thanks Joe!
As to signals, in the era I am modeling, the Pennsylvania Railroad used amber position signals. The design was chosen because: - Amber was the most visible color choice and keeping to a single color made the signal readable for color-blind engineers.
- The number of lights made it statistically impossible for a burned out bulb to make the signal unreadable. Originally there were 4 lights in each axis but that proved to be overkill.
They were first introduced in 1915, replacing semaphores. I can recall seeing these as late as 2016 in the Harrisburg area.
Being the Pennsy, each of the signal aspects was governed by a rule. These are complicated, but simply (on model railroads): Once a train has moved past a signal it must change to signal the train following behind it. Here's some correct behavior from a single signal.
On the left, the signal show a vertical line - CLEAR "Proceed. Displayed at the entrance of an interlocking for automatic block, or by a distant signal protecting an isolated facing point switch." (Rule 281).
On the right, with the locomotive already past the signal, it displays a horizontal line - STOP "Stop. Displayed at any point beyond which a train may not proceed, as at the entrance to an interlocking, or at the entrance to an occupied absolute manual block." (Rule 292). This is for any train following the one in the photo.
So, to make a long story short, BOTH signals should be displaying STOP. The one on the right (single mast DZ-1060) for the train following, and the signal bridge so as to prevent any future train from entering the occupied block ahead of it.
Sorry for the long-winded explanation.
George
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Post by Country Joe on Feb 18, 2021 16:28:28 GMT
George, the backdrop adds a lot to that scene. It's nowhere near finished but looks good already. I don't know how to read those signals but I'm guessing vertical means clear track ahead and horizontal means stop. If I'm correct the signal on the track with the freight cars should be vertical but the one on the signal bridge should be horizontal. Thanks Joe!
As to signals, in the era I am modeling, the Pennsylvania Railroad used amber position signals. The design was chosen because: - Amber was the most visible color choice and keeping to a single color made the signal readable for color-blind engineers.
- The number of lights made it statistically impossible for a burned out bulb to make the signal unreadable. Originally there were 4 lights in each axis but that proved to be overkill.
They were first introduced in 1915, replacing semaphores. I can recall seeing these as late as 2016 in the Harrisburg area.
Being the Pennsy, each of the signal aspects was governed by a rule. These are complicated, but simply (on model railroads): Once a train has moved past a signal it must change to signal the train following behind it. Here's some correct behavior from a single signal.
On the left, the signal show a vertical line - CLEAR "Proceed. Displayed at the entrance of an interlocking for automatic block, or by a distant signal protecting an isolated facing point switch." (Rule 281).
On the right, with the locomotive already past the signal, it displays a horizontal line - STOP "Stop. Displayed at any point beyond which a train may not proceed, as at the entrance to an interlocking, or at the entrance to an occupied absolute manual block." (Rule 292). This is for any train following the one in the photo.
So, to make a long story short, BOTH signals should be displaying STOP. The one on the right (single mast DZ-1060) for the train following, and the signal bridge so as to prevent any future train from entering the occupied block ahead of it.
Sorry for the long-winded explanation.
George
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Post by ptc on Feb 18, 2021 21:07:48 GMT
This is a lot of fun to follow, George. Nicely done.
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Post by firewood on Feb 19, 2021 4:15:59 GMT
To celebrate all the progress, I ran a 12 car ore train using the long tender Decapod. That's a great sweeping scene - great job and great project! Successful test runs definitely give you a boost. FW
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Post by g3750 on Feb 19, 2021 20:40:25 GMT
To celebrate all the progress, I ran a 12 car ore train using the long tender Decapod. That's a great sweeping scene - great job and great project! Successful test runs definitely give you a boost. FW
Thank you. There were even a few additional perks! The Decapod's front headlight came back on (no idea why it went out), and I was able to back the train (at medium speed) over the track and into the Staging Area (11 switches?) without incident. I am very pleased about that - the track work is solid!
George
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Post by g3750 on Feb 20, 2021 22:03:45 GMT
Updated 2/20/2021: I've started planning the mountain just west of and behind the Steubenville station. Mockups and spacing are the first steps.
More when I know it.
George
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Post by ptc on Feb 20, 2021 22:56:24 GMT
Mountains and rock formations make a big difference.
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Post by g3750 on Feb 20, 2021 23:48:48 GMT
Mountains and rock formations make a big difference. Agreed. The backdrop is the enabling piece of the puzzle, though. In my opinion, a backdrop makes everything else possible (and more realistic).
George
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Post by g3750 on Feb 24, 2021 3:32:35 GMT
Updated 2/23/2021: - I added a track feeder pair to the track in the fake ("Wile E. Coyote"-style) tunnel at the extreme western end of the Panhandle. This will allow me to park a lighted cabin car in the tunnel as if it is departing for points west (Indianapolis or St. Louis).
- Holes were drilled in the styrofoam and bench work for electrical lighting bus wires. These will power the HO-sized houses along the back wall of the layout behind the station.
- Came to a decision regarding the area just east of the station. Originally, I wanted to fit a highway overpass across the tracks. The reality is there just isn't room for it. Cramming it in there would create the look I really am trying to avoid in this layout - jammed. Here's the original plan:
Here's the new thinking (the drawing isn't perfect):
More when I know it.
George
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Post by g3750 on Mar 7, 2021 4:21:28 GMT
Updated 3/06/2021: I worked on determining the profile and cross-section of Highland Avenue. Here is how the houses will fit against the backdrop (from the top).
This is how I think 2 of the 6 HO houses would appear against the backdrop (from the front). The butcher paper is the profile of Highland Avenue and depicts the elevation of these houses. In reality, about 1.5" of each house will stick out from the backdrop.
Finally, this is a cross-section of the hillside showing the relative positioning of the houses.
More when I know it.
George
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Post by ptc on Mar 7, 2021 13:19:53 GMT
Figure about 5" width for Highland Avenue. That leaves about 3 1/2" for your facade buildings. If you do a sidewalk, tight.
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Post by g3750 on Mar 7, 2021 15:13:02 GMT
Figure about 5" width for Highland Avenue. That leaves about 3 1/2" for your facade buildings. If you do a sidewalk, tight. Thank you, Brian. That was my initial thought as well. However, I am using Leisuretime Products mini-highways No. 202 (HO straight passing zone) for the street. I'll have to paint and weather it, as it depicts brand new black asphalt. It's only 3.5" wide. Since all of this is part of the backdrop and will be at least 5' from any viewer, selective compression is our friend. There will be a sidewalk on only 1 side the street (as per the prototype). The facade buildings are only expected to be 1.5" deep.
George
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Post by Country Joe on Mar 7, 2021 19:16:24 GMT
George, this looks like a very good plan. It will be fun watching it come together.
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