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Post by atsda on Jan 12, 2023 1:46:19 GMT
George, I read, for the first time, the introductory link that you had to kick off the thread. I know the area to a limited extent. My son went to Franciscan University in Steubenville, and we traveled around the area to sightsee. My other son has some property near I believe Wells, WV near Cross Creek? (not sure of the names) Alfred
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Post by g3750 on Jan 12, 2023 3:26:22 GMT
George, I read, for the first time, the introductory link that you had to kick off the thread. I know the area to a limited extent. My son went to Franciscan University in Steubenville, and we traveled around the area to sightsee. My other son has some property near I believe Wells, WV near Cross Creek? (not sure of the names) Alfred Franciscan University, aka "Steubie U".
You are referring to Wellsburg, WV. This is just south of Follansbee, WV on WV Route 2. From north to south, Weirton, Follansbee, Wellsburg and eventually Wheeling.
George
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Post by g3750 on Jan 16, 2023 3:34:58 GMT
Updated 1/15/2023: Today, as part of the January NMRA Division meeting, I hosted the first open house (layout tour) for the PRR Panhandle. I am pleased to report that there were about 40 visitors in the space of 4 hours and they were very generous with their compliments. A friend visited and delivered these beautifully 3D printed teeming ladles for my Open Hearth.
Eventually, I will paint and weather them and assemble stands to hold them, but they are gorgeous!
More when I know it.
George
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Post by g3750 on Jan 23, 2023 4:27:16 GMT
Updated 1/22/2023: Last Sunday, I held the first layout tour (open house) for the Panhandle. This was part of our NMRA division meeting. Watching people in the trainroom next to the partially built layout got me thinking about how it all might work when finished. I also learned, as part of a discussion of Lionel's Decapods (offered in the 2023 Vol 1 catalog) that my own 3rd Rail / Sunset Decapods will happily navigate O63 curves. After a bit of thought, I decided to see if I could expand the aisle at the front of the layout by shrinking the curves on the yet unbuilt Weirton peninsula.
Here's the original plan.
And here's what I came up with by changing the O72 curves to O64.
Today, I took a more detailed look at the changes and decided I am going to make them. Here they are: Switches 11, 12, 34, 43, 44 are eliminated Switches 10, 35, 36 are replaced with RH O64s Switch 9 - replaced with standard RH 11 degree Switch 14 - replaced with LH O64 Weirton Junction Yard loses 2 freight car tracks but becomes slightly longer. The aisle at the front (running along the bottom of drawing) picks up 1 extra foot in width along most of its length. This is the most significant gain and to my mind trumps all other advantages and disadvantages. George |
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Post by Traindiesel! on Jan 23, 2023 5:44:04 GMT
George, that sounds like a lot of work to gain one foot of aisle width. Will you really need that small of space to give up the cool operation and wider curves? I think also in the long run you’re playing with fire with the I1 on O63. But that’s just me.
Love watching your progress!
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Post by g3750 on Jan 23, 2023 15:00:58 GMT
George, that sounds like a lot of work to gain one foot of aisle width. Will you really need that small of space to give up the cool operation and wider curves? I think also in the long run you’re playing with fire with the I1 on O63. But that’s just me. Love watching your progress! Brian,
Thank you for weighing in on this; it is useful to have different takes on the subject. I do value that.
It might appear this will take a big effort, but except for the removal of Switch #34 and the replacement of Switch #36 there's actually no rework involved. This peninsula doesn't exist yet. I've spoken to people who have 3rd Rail Decapods (one individual has 9 and he confirms that O64 is just fine with the short tender even capable of using O54) so I don't really anticipate an issue.
It took seeing all those people in the layout room to bring home to me what a little extra aisle space might mean. You don't want to be so cramped people don't want to stay in the room.
Please, keep watching this space and keep commenting.
George
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Post by Country Joe on Jan 23, 2023 16:55:44 GMT
Your changes make sense to me, George, as long as you will never buy engines that require O72 curves. Having more room for visitors is very important if you plan on having visitors. When I designed my layout having room for visitors was very important. Whenever I have visitors I'm glad I planned the layout the way I did.
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Post by atsda on Jan 24, 2023 0:32:56 GMT
George, Always eager to hear of your plans and progress. Glad to hear about you showing the layout, and getting well-deserved compliments. Fromm what I gather from your description, your not sacrificing functionality for aisle space. Alfred
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Post by g3750 on Jan 24, 2023 2:35:06 GMT
Your changes make sense to me, George, as long as you will never buy engines that require O72 curves. Having more room for visitors is very important if you plan on having visitors. When I designed my layout having room for visitors was very important. Whenever I have visitors I'm glad I planned the layout the way I did. Thanks Joe. I really don't anticipate buying engines that are larger. I am more interested in the workhorses of the Pennsy - the K4, I1, L1, M1 - all of which need O64 or smaller. Visitors are important to me as they are to you. Ultimately, I want to host operating sessions.
George
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Post by g3750 on Jan 24, 2023 2:42:07 GMT
George, Always eager to hear of your plans and progress. Glad to hear about you showing the layout, and getting well-deserved compliments. Fromm what I gather from your description, your not sacrificing functionality for aisle space. Alfred Alfred,
Yeah, I really don't see a downside to this change. The city of North Weirton may get a touch compressed, but it won't be very noticeable. And I'm actually happy about the track work just west of Weirton Steel becoming much less complex. I eliminated 2 of the north-south tracks but kept all the functionality. Win-win!
I included the buildings and roads in view below. The thick green line running west to east is a scenic divider. North of the divider is Weirton Junction. South of the divider is North Weirton.
George
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Post by Traindiesel! on Jan 24, 2023 3:51:34 GMT
George, that sounds like a lot of work to gain one foot of aisle width. Will you really need that small of space to give up the cool operation and wider curves? I think also in the long run you’re playing with fire with the I1 on O63. But that’s just me. Love watching your progress! Brian,
Thank you for weighing in on this; it is useful to different takes on the subject. I do value that.
It might appear this will take a big effort, but except for the removal of Switch #34 and the replacement of Switch #36 there's actually no rework involved. This peninsula doesn't exist yet. I've spoken to people who have 3rd Rail Decapods (one individual has 9 and he confirms that O64 is just fine with the short tender even capable of using O54) so I don't really anticipate an issue.
It took seeing all those people in the layout room to bring home to me what a little extra aisle space might mean. You don't want to be so cramped people don't want to stay in the room.
Please, keep watching this space and keep commenting.
George
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Post by g3750 on Jan 24, 2023 17:13:55 GMT
Brian,
Thank you for weighing in on this; it is useful to different takes on the subject. I do value that.
It might appear this will take a big effort, but except for the removal of Switch #34 and the replacement of Switch #36 there's actually no rework involved. This peninsula doesn't exist yet. I've spoken to people who have 3rd Rail Decapods (one individual has 9 and he confirms that O64 is just fine with the short tender even capable of using O54) so I don't really anticipate an issue.
It took seeing all those people in the layout room to bring home to me what a little extra aisle space might mean. You don't want to be so cramped people don't want to stay in the room.
Please, keep watching this space and keep commenting.
George
Being able to (at least) partially visualize the final situation is a help and is driving this decision. Unfortunately, the shape of the layout room is good but not perfect. In a perfect world I would have had 47' x 20'. As it is, the workshop will probably double as the overflow / crew lounge when the layout is completed.
And yes, I too am looking forward to double-headed Hippos dragging coal and ore trains across the bridge. 
George
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Post by g3750 on Feb 21, 2023 3:17:18 GMT
Updated 2/20/2023:
A friend 3D printed some teeming ladles for me. Here is a photo of all the different types ladles parked behind Furnace No. 11 in the Open Hearth.
Left: This is a transfer ladle and is designed to pour hot metal (iron) into an open hearth oven through one of the charging doors. It has the pouring spout where you would expect it to be - 90 degrees to the bailer.
Center: This is a teeming ladle. It fills ingot buggies from a hole in its bottom; flow is controlled by a stopper activated by a lever-like apparatus - similar to the way icing might be put on a cake. The spout on that ladle allows slag, which is lighter than molten steel, to run off into its own slag ladle.
Right: Positioned under the spout on the teeming ladle is the conically shaped slag ladle. That ladle eventually ends up on a slag car, which is moved to the slag dump.
George
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Post by papa3rail on Feb 21, 2023 11:43:22 GMT
George,
I'm about a page and a half behind on this thread as Christmas consumes most of my free time in Nov.,Dec.and Jan. I have to say that in the latest image, the two ladles you have painted so far look fantastic, your attention to detail is truly amazing. I would fall inline with Brian as to giving up the O72 curves, but that is just personal preference only you know what you need to be happy with the overall form and function of your layout. Always impressed with your work and looking forward to the next installment to this great thread. Dave
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Post by atsda on Feb 21, 2023 14:47:24 GMT
George, I am truly impressed with the level of detail you put into your work. I appreciate the detailed info you give. Alfred
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