What's New on the PRR Panhandle 2.0?

Updated 7/9/2020:

Physical work on the layout has ground to a halt while we try to help children move to a new apartment.  However, my mind has been active.

I have been contemplating some changes to the track work around the Steubenville PRR station.  Market Street will be moved about 6" left (west) as indicated by the black arrows.  The green arrows indicate proposed new track, including a passenger siding capable of holding 3-4 passenger cars or head-end cars (baggage, express mail, reefers) and an engine pocket.




The jury is still out on this, but it does look tempting.

George

You asked an interesting and thought provoking question.  Thank you! 

Initially, I thought moving passenger siding would buy me some additional space for it, but that's not really the case, is it?  The length of that spur is determined by the position of the mainline curve and the turnout on it.  And that's immovable.  So that part of the proposal will get a re-think.

Seems like I might actually get a bit more room by moving the 6th Street overpass a few more inches to the east (right).  I will consider that change.

Something else I will look at is the shortening the straight part of the spur's switch so as to position the tracks closer together.  A passenger platform will go between these two tracks along with the stairs exiting from a "subway".  That's per the prototype.

Thanks again!

George

George, I'm wondering if the street you are moving to the left is an elevated highway? If it's at grade level it looks like it will cross the tracks at the points of the two switches in the upper left. An elevated highway might make a very interesting scene. The new tracks will create some interesting passenger train switching, an operation not usually included on model railroads.

If you change the arc will a passenger platform and stairs still fit in the proposed area?
Need an updated drawing ... Lol

Updated 7/21/2020:

• Placed my orders for the 2 new switches discussed above.
  
• Acquired bus logos (P&W Bus Company) for the two Corgi GM old-style vehicles currently being painted in the correct color scheme.  These will be turned into water slide decals.
• 
• As part of the planned re-alignment of Market & 4th Streets and the additional tracks at the station, I'm planning an experiment with my MTH PRR signal bridge, a DZ-2500 equipped turnout, and a DZ-1008 relay.  I want to see if I can possibly use the switch to activate the signal head on the bridge.  It's one of the cheaper alternatives, if it works.
• I am still working on details for the bridge piers and bridge.
• And I bought some brass rods for use in hanging a conduit on part of the bridge.

Updated 8/5/2020:



As I begin on the track work west of the bridge (the Steubenville PRR station area), the time has come to set up my switch testing / TMCC programming test bed. Panhandle 2.0 has 42 switches (41 are TMCC driven, 1 is a dummy). A standard and reliable process for testing, programming TMCC and pushbutton operations, and labeling them throughout the build is essential. Below is my set up - a K-Line PowerChief 120F (using the 15VAC taps) for power, TMCC Command Base, a DZ-2001 Data Wire Driver, and a CAB-1 remote.





Every switch gets a label identifying its number, make/model, size and "handedness". The switch number corresponds to identification on the RR-Track plan. Otherwise, I'd lose what little is left of my mind. 


BTW, Switch #41 is located just west of the Steubenville station and gives access to the passenger car siding. The curved (diverging) path is the mainline, hence the green light. Switch 41 abuts the wye (Switch #37) which is a manual dummy. It will be permanently set to the left branch (direction of travel below is right to left). The right branch will enter a tunnel and ultimately dead-ends.




More when I know it.  

George