Building Abandoned Spurs...

[Anonymous]

One of the strangest things that I ever came across happened when I was working on cleaning a lot that had been over grown. As I weeded and cut grass, I came across the remains of a railroad spur from a distant time.

I was told that there was a time in South Texas when railroad comapnies would metaphorically build a line to a person's house. I was in Corpus Christi, Texas when I found this one behind a radio station.

Does anyone have an abandoned lines on their layout?

I have thought of buring some ties or making an abandoned spur.

What say you?

[Train 284]

Well thats a pretty cool thing to find. I don't know any line around there thoug. I dont have an abandoned line on my rr either.

[Curmudgeon]

Yes.
We built a logging line when Bachmann announced the Shay.
10% grade.
We could use rod locos in dry weather, but not in wet.
So, we ripped out the logging spurs, yard and loading docks and relocated it.
Then Bachmann released the Shay.

Anyway, the track we used was worthless Hughes Rail, gave it to one of the operators for an abandoned line on HIS railroad, and laid Bachmann track on the grade and under a rockslide at the bottom.

Quite an attention getter.

TOC

[Marty Cozad]

Capt, i have an old wood bridge this is truely abandoned. on the RR. As for ties, they must be nailed down or rain washes them out , i tried once. I have many stacks of old ties but they are brad nailed in piles to look like stacks and so the wind does not blow them away.

[CandCRR]

I have an "abandoned" line on my layout that is made out of leftover short peices of track.. I bought 2 switches (used) put them in with the idea of eventually making a reversing loop. But now they are 2 spurs facing each other about 10 feet apart with enough track to hold one 40 foot boxcar on each.
Between old RR lines and old trolly lines there are a bunch of abandoned track in my area. It seemed like every little town wanted a link to the big cities before the car came along. Plus the towns are a lot closer together here than what I have seen in Texas.

[John Busby]

Hi captain carrales
I have been exploring in the area the wood lines used to be around my home town
All I can find is rows of depresions where sleepers used to be the odd fishplate left where it was and maybe the odd dog spike sometimes although we know the line
was here some where have not been able to find any trace.
My sugestion would be to build the road bed get some oiled wooden ties mix a weak cement soil mix spread it and make depresions in it, and push a couple of steel spikes in the surface and mabe a steel model fish plate leave the whole lot to dry and leave the spikes and plate to rust.
Just a thought.
regards John

[markn]

When it goes above 95 deg/95% humidity here, they are all abandoned (temporarily)

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the replies...i want to build some spurs that are not in the best of shape. Maybe some derelect structures. It give the line, in my opinion, a since of history.

By the way...on a cool unrealted note...there is some type of railroad construction project going on in Robstown, Texas. Look like some type of spur...for what, I don't know. But it is pretty cool to see ties in place with rails waiting. Its something I have never seen...a new section of track being laid from scratch!!!

[John Busby]

Hi captain Carrales
Have fun you will find decreped buildings are actualy harder to do
than well maintaned in use structures
regards John

[bman36]

Hey Capt.
When we were at Marty's house last summer I got to see his abandoned line first hand. The old bridge looks really good in the setting. In his case I believe the abandoned line actually was in use at one time. Truly realistic! None on my line here. No plans either. Maybe the next one. [:D] Later eh...Brian.

[Anonymous]

I've been kicking around the idea of having an abandoned line leading in to a collapsed tunnel, with the portal intact with rock and timber showing...

[Anonymous]

I have two dead end lines but they are not abandoned they are there for my next expansion.

1/ behind the pumphouse it is the upper section of a double decker tunnel. and will connect area 3 up to area 1 with an elevated railway over area 2.

2/ runs off the other end of area 3 and will connect to the proposed area 4.


rgds ian

[Anonymous]

I have been considering this for a one or two years, however just running out of space, most likely I will just place down a pice of 5 foot straight track with a short curve that will be seen from a distance with and abandoned freight car on the rails.

mikadousrp

[ttrigg]

On my Rosebud Falls RR I currently have 5 "unused" (abandoned) sidings. 2 will be used to make the long run out through Rosebud Flats (~80 ft run along back fence weaving through the wife's mini roses) and then make the turn to Green Apple Orchard (~40 ft run along side fence under dwarf apple trees). (construction phase 4) One "abandoned siding" will become the Rosebud Falls Yards (using 2 "3-way" switches) (construction phase 3) with a main line running from the yards across a bridge into an existing garden shed to a "storage rack" system (phase 5). The other two "abandoned sidings" will lead to the Lighthouse (phase 2) ,and the other will climb the mountainside for a scenic tourist ride up to the falls, and the TIMBER TRESTLE BRIDGE I have wanted to build for YEARS!!!!!! (phase, 6,7,&8). These "abandoned sidings" have been setting out in the weather, uncleaned, unbalasted, unused for over a year. Mother nature has done some "balasting" and a lot of weathering, some ground wood mulch covering the rails and ties does look ABANDONED. These sidings may be "abandoned" for the next year or three, but will eventually connect to somewhere. But I'm considering designing and building an abandoned line half way out the trip through Rosebud Flats, making a turn through Strawberry Flats. maybe leave the ties and parts of the rails from a defective switch and a few pieces of missing rail along the way. (that will probably be something like construction phase 55!

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ttrigg

On my Rosebud Falls RR I currently have 5 "unused" (abandoned) sidings. 2 will be used to make the long run out through Rosebud Flats (~80 ft run along back fence weaving through the wife's mini roses) and then make the turn to Green Apple Orchard (~40 ft run along side fence under dwarf apple trees). (construction phase 4) One "abandoned siding" will become the Rosebud Falls Yards (using 2 "3-way" switches) (construction phase 3) with a main line running from the yards across a bridge into an existing garden shed to a "storage rack" system (phase 5). The other two "abandoned sidings" will lead to the Lighthouse (phase 2) ,and the other will climb the mountainside for a scenic tourist ride up to the falls, and the TIMBER TRESTLE BRIDGE I have wanted to build for YEARS!!!!!! (phase, 6,7,&8). These "abandoned sidings" have been setting out in the weather, uncleaned, unbalasted, unused for over a year. Mother nature has done some "balasting" and a lot of weathering, some ground wood mulch covering the rails and ties does look ABANDONED. These sidings may be "abandoned" for the next year or three, but will eventually connect to somewhere. But I'm considering designing and building an abandoned line half way out the trip through Rosebud Flats, making a turn through Strawberry Flats. maybe leave the ties and parts of the rails from a defective switch and a few pieces of missing rail along the way. (that will probably be something like construction phase 55!

I think that abandodned spurs (where as yoy say, nature has done the ballasting and ties are covered) and sidings give a layout character!

Capt Carrales

[ttrigg]

This line was NOT inteded to be abandoned, but this is what happens when you spend a few weeks tied up with a dislocated shoulder.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ttrigg



This line was NOT inteded to be abandoned, but this is what happens when you spend a few weeks tied up with a dislocated shoulder.

That's what I'm talkin' 'bout. Something like that that can serve as a conversation piece. Sorry 'bout the sholder...hope you have recovered well!!!

Capt Carrales

[ttrigg]

Well enough now that I'm going to have to "dig out my Main Line. "

You know things have gon to h[censored] and back when people can confuse your Main Line with an abandoned line!!!!!!!!!!!

[underworld]

I haven't ever modelled one but that does sound like a really cool idea! There are a LOT of abandoned lines in NW Ohio and SE Michigan. Lots of spurs and even mainlines, quite a few bridges too. I'll have to go out and get some pics to post here.

[:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]

underworld

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by underworld

I haven't ever modelled one but that does sound like a really cool idea! There are a LOT of abandoned lines in NW Ohio and SE Michigan. Lots of spurs and even mainlines, quite a few bridges too. I'll have to go out and get some pics to post here.

[:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]

underworld

Sounds good...I enjoy looking at that sort of pic. There are a few folks working on the East Board Top where these is some rehibiliation of some due guage track...











I think we could do alot with this sort of thing, ,aybe just mke it out to be abandoned, but have it where it could be run if necessary.

[underworld]

Capt Carrales Great pics! There isn't any dual gauge around here that I am aware of. There is, or was some industrial narrow gauge in a few places. I might have to do a little unauthorized recon to find those though! [:p]

underworld

[:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]

[FJ and G]

Here's my thriving Santa Fe indoor layout, built on handmade 3-rail track using a Romex grounding wire for center rail.

Next photo shows it's abandonment.

Why?

Loss of revenue for one.

For the other reason, the layout is moving outdoors, likely on Atlas 3-rail track. I'm planning a real pond and stream first.

Also, planning an actual abandoned branchline (off my operating mainline) outside using my handmade track. That way I can watch it rust.

[underworld]

DaveWhat gauge wire did you use for the three rail? Was it bare or did you have to strip it? I need to do something like that for Gauge 1....I'm thinking I might do an outside third rail.

underworld

[:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]

[FJ and G]

Underworld.

It's 14 gauge Romex grounding wire. Just run a razor lengthwise and pull out the grounding cable. The paper around it slides right off and the stuff is cheap at Home depot or Lowe's. As a bonus, you have some extra wires.

For G scale, I'd go with 12 gauge at least.

To hold the wire in place, I cut my own "nails" out of the same 14-gauge brass wire. Using pliers, I poked them in the ties and soldered the 3rd rail to the tip.

I would go about one "nail" every 2 ties and it's very very firm and won't sag or break. You could go every 3 ties but you'll get a bit of sag.

I'm not sure about G scale. Maybe use copper roofing nails.

[underworld]

Dave Sounds great! I'm going to build a section with center rail and another with outside third rail. I'm also going to try a section with center studs like Marklin HO. For the price I got on the two rail track, I think it will be worth the effort to convert it to three rail.

Thanks

underworld

[:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]

[FJ and G]

Good luck UW. I've gotten studs to work but takes a lot of work to build the sliders and studs.

This weekend, I advanced an entire layout that is an abadoned harbor layout. It's in 2-rail O and I'll post pictures when my fiancee returns from Korea in 2 weeks. A ferroequinarchaeologists delight!

[underworld]

DaveThe harbor idea sounds great. I am working on a design for a car ferry in gauge 1. I think I have to scale it down in length. Even in 1/32 it will be quite large.

underworld

[:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]