Poured concrete footers for water columns this morning. Took No9 out for test runs. Had derailment problems on the straight leading into the interchange. After fiddling with the track a bit, I finally determined that the problem was with No9. Her drawbar between the tank and locomotive was too short and didn’t have enough play in it. Also I think I need to loosen the screw in the rear truck to give it a little more travel as well as put a little more weight into it.
Gonna go ahead and pull up the old trees and rocks in the area designated for the coaling station, relay the coal dock switch, opening the way to reballast all the way to Cedar Summit.
1930
Test ran No7 today as well, find that she is still a reliable and powerful locomotive. Was gonna run No8 , but lacked a charged battery for it. No7 however made it allthe way to the end of track without a problem. Got plantings done around the front porch and cut the dead cedars along the line. Also cleared the space for the coal dock, just need to rebuild the turnout so I can fix the main up. Thinking I’ll spend the evening finishing up a hopper.
2300
Got the latches finished done on the 40 series hopper. Wasn;t as hard as Ithought it would be. All that’s left is to apply the detail castings and paint it. I may reduce the fleet to 8 instead of 10 and skip a few numbers so that it appears a couple were removed from the roster. Sposed to rain hard all day tomorrow so I may start yet another hopper after I get 42 done.
Sunday, May 2, 2004, 0930
Rain as advertised on the WCNG. So much for doing any sort of trackwork, still its nice to be able to sit on the porch and dream about it!
Discovered last night that it wasn;t a problem with the batteries being low on No8, a wire had come loose from he throttle, now maybe she can get some proper running in.
Still lack a 3rd tail car and I definitely want another passenger car. Caboose 03 had tracking problems related to its 4 wheel configuration, may try to work that out while carknocking. 40 series hopper No42 will be done this morning and painted, still got to make a coal load for it as well
Guess I could rebuild the two turnouts on the bench as well, then I’d be ready to hit it good first thing in the morning. Wonder if I have enough brass for ground throws?
1445
Outshopped hopper 42 and started to realy the switch to the coal dock. Instead of an extensive fill leading up to the dock itself, I think I’ll take a shot at trestling.
Monday, May 3, 2004, 2100
Didn’t get much accomplished today. Mainly did updates to the webpage that have been neglected for darn near a year! Pulled out the rolling stocke and took pictures as appropriate for the roster page.
Ran No8 some, finally got tired of messing with it and converted it to a 2-8-0 by removing the rear truck
Tuesday, May 4, 2004, 0830
The more I think about it, the more I like the idea of No8 as a 2-8-0. I will have turning facilities at both ends of the line so that won’t really be a problem. I’ve been tinkering with the idea of doing some work on the domes anyways. Perhaps the rear dome was part of the specs because it was forseen that she may have been intended for mine switching as well as mainline service. The firebox is still close over the rear driver in any respect. Its been suggested to add some weight to the rear truck which I might well do before I completely abandon the idea.
Thinking about building No10 as a “deckless” 2-8-2 might make more sense in the long run. Move the Firebox back a bit more over the rear truck. I think that mebbe the drawbar swing might be interfering with the rear truck a little. Will have to look into that possibility.
Wednesday, May 5, 2004 1330
With the yards soon to be operational, time to start looking at the other portions of the line. Going to give a full afternoon/evening to installing the coal dock switch and resurfacing the mainline up to that point. Tiny bit of trackwork to be done in the storage spurs in the main yard, but nothing terribly complicated. Should be able to do some operations on Saturday if all goes well!
Somehow, everything I have devised as of late has required a lefthand switch. Currently there is a RH swith at Cedar Summit diverging to the staging yard. I’m wondering if that might be too much of an S curve for mainline trains to traverse. Also thinking of replacing the RH switch with the 3 way and using the RH at the other end of Cedar Summit to create a passing siding.
1800
I t has come to me that I should adjust my thinking. The line up to the mines should be treated as the mainline, while staging will be the branchline, even though the branch would be busier and generate more traffic. Train scheduling should reflect this and would justify a siding at Cedar Summit. For purposes of limited operations, Train 1 could originate at Anns creek, working as far as Cedar Summit as the mail train and be staged on Cedar Summmit Siding
Once Train 1 is in Cassville, Extra 7 North can take the
main all the way to Cedar Siding, and be staged on the main.
No8 can be turned and servicedAnd readied to take out a branchline mixed
trainNo2 going North and No3 going south. The afternoon mail train
can be No 4 terminating at Anns Creek for the night. For staging
purposes the mixed train can be fiddled out at Cedar Summit allowing Extra
7 south to be cleared into the yard. A stretch of the the branchline
being laid could be most helpful.
Thursday, May 6 2004, 0500
Early morning hours are condusive to RR thinking for some reason. This afternoon I intend on cutting the coal dock switch in, tidying up the yard and doing what tinkering needs to be done on the Main Yard turnouts to get ready for a Saturday afternoon operating session. I think I’ll run No6 (she’s the only one that’s not been out of her case this year) and Caboose 03 as a test train. I shimmed up 03’s running gear, and hopefully this along with the added weight down low should have solved its tracking problems. Ballasting, or at least surfacing should be completed to at least Summit Curve by tomorrow evening.
I definitely like the idea of a passing siding at Cedar Summit , I’ve often thought that this area needed one. In the earliest days of the RR when cars were short and trains frequent this would have been an ideal place to stage a meet. With the establishment of the branchline the train order station would have gotten a new purpose in life. The three way turnout seems to be in pretty good shape and I should be able to get it situated back in the alignment with very little problem. I might even be able to install the Harp Switchstand in it this time since its protected by a rock border.
Since the far terminal will have engine faclilites , but Anns Creek will not, , the morning Mail train #1 will originate on the branchline and move down to Cassville. It will have to perform a reverse move at Cedar Summit to make its station stop there. Should a coal drag coming up the mountain have superiority over the mail train and hold it there? Convention says not, since it is a scheduled train, but perhaps if its late getting to the Summit, rather than hold the first Extra North for it. Ideally 1st Extra North would be the morning Miners Accomodation (they can ride a boxcar or flat cut into the consist until I can get another combine built.
I think that combine RPO 07 needs to be the next major project undertaken, then assign the 02 to the Miners Accomodation. I’m reserving 07,08,09 for passenger equipment and 04 for a new caboose. Eventually 03 will get assigned to work trains or the rock train once quarry runs are established.
Some thoughts on easing construction of the new
steel hoppers as well as adding weight to them. These won’t be operational
units like the Series 40 hoppers, so I can take some liberties with regards
to the construction of the hopper floors. I’ll use a single fabricated
beam running the length of the car for the basis of the frame made from
plex. The carsides will be fabricated from styrene, with the end
panels slop sheets and car floors made from plex as well. I’ll make
the ‘ridge’ in the center out of a 1x2 ripped at the proper angle the same
way I do on the 40 series hoppers. Will prolly insert some steel
rod in the center of the beam to give the car a bit more weight.
For the bays on the bottom I think an appropriately milled piece
of wood secured to the bottom of the car will suffice.
I can put a styrene plate with a few details on the outside ends to disguise
this with a piece of angle running transversely. The hoppers will
have a coal load applied or when empty, the interior will be painted black
So I don’t think anyone will notice the illusion.
Need to finish the CAD drawings for the trucks,
I have the brass on hand to build 6 pairs of trucks. Need to see
if this is going to be as hard as I think it might . Perhaps I should
look into some sort of ‘cast steel’ truck. Resin sideframes screwed
to a wooden bolster with a spring casting hiding the screwhead. Might
be an option worth investigating. Only question would be if the resin I’m
currently using would be strong and durable enough or do I need something
like Alumilite for strength?. Under the hoppers and flats I don’t
forsee a proplem, but what about under a heavy boxcar?
Friday, May 7, 2004, 0800
Web search had revealed I can get Alumilite for a $42 kit. This is a more durable resin than what I have been using, so I think it might be worth an experiment. Still going to build up some arch bars since I got the brass on hand. Make them sorta the transition trucks or something.
Finished mulching the interchange area yesterday evening and ballasted the hoipper track and the TT lead. I cut the coal dock switch into the main and began lining and surfacing it. Looks like the UV has really taken its toll on it, gonna have to replace some ties particularly at the rail joints , if not relay the whole shootin match. Will prolly have to replace some ties and battens from Cedar Summit onwards, but I’ll look harder at that when I get there. If I can get the track in shape at least as far as Cedar Summit so’s I can use it as a staging track.
Can Extra 7 make a turn in the time it takes to get #2 ready to go? Currently that’s how its gonna have to work until theres enough of the branchline is place to hold a mixed train.
Going to set the rolling stock out this evening and work on the Yard Ladder in the Main Yard. Will ballast and repair some some of the mainline as time allows . Plan on having an operating session with Andrea on Saturday, she is really excited about it.
1420
Went ahead an ordered a batch of Alumilite today. Will fabricate a master and make a mold this weekend. Tonight I’m gonna tinker on the yard ladder and get ballast in at least past the coal dock switch so I can use it as a fiddle track.
2340
Finished ballasting all the way to Summit Curve and cut the coal dock switch into the mainline. Then I ran trains for awhile, the 20 and 30 series hoppers did better than I expected, but trucks need loosened and some weight added to them, they are way too light. Tried to run No6, but she seems to have several problems that need fixing. No2 can handle the switching for now. Need to do a little work on the yard ladder in the morning.
Saturday May 8, 2004, 1100
Up and out bright and early, (well as bright and early as one gets being out til 0230 on EMS calls) and working on the yard ladder. A little tinkering turned into a rebuild. Pilled all the rails and the wood, both switches work pretty darn good now!
Think I’m gonna put some rocks in the 20 /30 series hoppers
to see if that improves their tracking any. Need run all 8 of them
through the shops for a once over anyways.
