Construction Update #11 - More Locomotive, A Company Town & Upper Level Staging

Roster Additions

Five locomotives were added to the fleet over the last week or so. C&O #8774 is a Atlas Master Series B30-7.  It got the standard upgrades to include a Tsunami2 sound decoder, a TCS Keep Alive, Kadee #58 scale couplers and some moderate weathering.  CSX #7224 is a Atlas Master Series U-30C that got the same treatment but it has yet to be weathered.

Chessie #4340 and CSX #3103 are Both late run Atlas Master Series locomotives  Both got the standard upgrades; Tsunami2 sound decoders, TCS Keep Alives, and Kadee #58 Couplers.  #4340 got light weathering and #3103 has yet to be weathered.  Both locomotive we set up for and got 21 pin Tsunami2 decoders; a first for me.  The keep alive leads were soldered directly to the Atlas mother boards per instructions provided by Soundtraxx.  Soldering the keep alives to the mother board turned out to be much easier than I originally thought.  The GP40-2 also got upgraded with "Natural Light" LED's from Evans Design.  The Evans Design LED's come in several sizes ranging from tiny to small and are pre-wired with resistors/rectifiers for use with 7-19 volts.  I protected the leads where they attach to the LED with clear fingernail polish.  The tiny leads are lacquer coated and should be handled with care.  

The fifth locomotive added to the fleet was another Atlas Master Series U-30C.  Chessie #3305 got the standard upgrades and is another locomotive waiting to be weathered.

For those of you who are interested, here is a copy of the photograph sent to me by Josh Levine at Soundtraxx.  I suspect, but have not verified, these solder points will work on any 21 pin motherboard regardless of who manufactured the model or the decoder.

 

 

 

Grundy - A company town

As I have mentioned in previous updates, the Union Mining Company tipple and company town of Grundy are planned for the area directly above the helix.  I finally got back to Lowe's for a couple of sheets of plywood so I decided to start working on this area even though I was short a turnout.   I used part of a sheet for the upper level return loop and the rest at Grundy.  The upper section of the helix will wind around the left side Grundy and duck into a tunnel above the c-clamp on the left hand side.

The tipple will be located at the end of a box canyon with the company town located on a hillside to the right.  That/s the Coalmont Branch on wall and extending to the right above the door in the background.  The branch will terminate in the corner to the right of the door.

All the track work and electrical installed.  Currently, I planning on two locals working this area.  The first will originate here at Grundy, collect loads from the local tipples and load outs, and run down the hill to Preston Miller Yard in Bowling Green.  On the way back it will work Grundy and continue up the Coalmont Branch.  The second local will work the same locations only in reverse.  It will originate in Coalmont, work its way down the hill to Preston Miller Yard in Bowling Green and return to and terminate in Grundy.  The Union Mining Company tipple will ship about 8-12 cars a day.  The house track holding the power for the Mountain Local.  The spur is equipped with an on-off switch to kill the power.

The Upper Level Staging Yard

 

The upper level staging yard is situated just beyond the summit at Crockett. The upper level staging consists of a large reverse loop with 4 long double ended staging tracks.  The train shown in the photo is on the westbound main.  The eastbound main is on the far side of the tracks.  The tracks here will run down a shallow valley before slipping behind a low ridge line and into staging.  The train is located at the current end of track.

Peco code 83 track and #8 turnouts are being used for the upper staging tracks.  The eastbound main and staging yard throat are up against the wall.  The west bound main is in the right foreground.

Here's what the throat looks like from the underside

Here's another view of the upper level staging yard throat.  The yard will extend to the left, across the top of the garage door and into the dispatchers office.  The lower level stub end staging yard will be on the lower level.  These tracks will hold about 25 cars, three locomotives, and a caboose.

Here's a photo of the dispatchers office.  The bench work for the lower level staging yard is on the left.  The upper level staging and reverse loop will run along the perimeter of the room about 80" above the floor.  This room is about 6' x 8', just large enough for the reverse loop's turn back curve.

And finally, here's a photo of  my spray booth.  It's been sitting on the floor, out of use, for the last 19 years.  It is equipped with lights and a explosion proof fan that vents to the outside.