Its a compound ladder, I would have to rip up more that just the two tracks, the entire yard would have to come up to put caboose throws in. I found a photo in the Maine Central Photo Albumm that shows the building on the USGS map is some sort of yard office (several cars parked in the area). Additionally there might be combination team track and what might possibly be a flatcar and an unloading ramp, maybe for flat car deliveries of loads.
Its going to be a pain in the neck to retro install any switch mechanism, the simplest thing to do is to move the caboose and rip track back to the left about an inch or two and install ground throws like your other switches. It will take 20 min to scrape up the old cork and 20 min to glue down the new cork and you're done. You can by a heckuva lot of cork roadbed for the cost of any of the other switch control options.
Making the switch to the front a team track would allow the greatest number of options as far as different loads.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
Steven Otte Put in a loading platform and make it a team track. Low profile, and you can spot almost any cargo there.
Put in a loading platform and make it a team track. Low profile, and you can spot almost any cargo there.
Steve,
It is very possible that it was a team track, as there was a road leading right up to that siding.
--Steven Otte, Model Railroader senior associate editorsotte@kalmbach.com
For the record, the OP's era is the 1940's, before intermodal as we know it, and before it developed in the 1950's - 1960's.
BMMECNYC Kyle You could add a intermodal yard, you just need a track with concert around it a Mi-jack, and a fewcontainer stacks. You could also add a few yard tractors an container chassis to add interesting details to the area. That would work, but Im not sure if it fits the time period (1940s)
Kyle You could add a intermodal yard, you just need a track with concert around it a Mi-jack, and a fewcontainer stacks. You could also add a few yard tractors an container chassis to add interesting details to the area.
You could add a intermodal yard, you just need a track with concert around it a Mi-jack, and a fewcontainer stacks. You could also add a few yard tractors an container chassis to add interesting details to the area.
That would work, but Im not sure if it fits the time period (1940s)
If the time period is before well cars, you could model Trailer On Flat Car (TOFC) service. TOFC is easy to model because all you need for an "industry" is a concert ramp at the end of a spur. You can also model Container On Flat Car (COFC) services. However this wasn't as popular because the equipment used to load these was complicated and didn't work well.
Yes, but its ~3-4 mi RR North from here. Good suggestion on the turnouts.
I don't know the prototype area, so this is a shot in the dark. Is there a passenger station in the area? This could be a setout area for mail cars, or possibly a team track adjacent to the station.
As for operating the turnouts, you might check the R.C. car section of the hobby shop. They have quite a variety of rodding, bell cranks, and similar lever type items that could be useful. Of course, the choke cable suggested above is also a good idea.
Tom
Actually there is a short spur at the north end of the yard, and a small building. I will have to investigate further.
I have seen several references to "remote" throws, manual and powered. Most seemed to use a paino wire running under the adjacent tracks or other scenery, until reaching an area where the throw would fit. Since your track is already in place, pushing a wire through may not be easy, but I would think it would be easier than trying to get something larger in.
As for an industry, a fuel oil dealer need not have high structures, if you are looking for something to fill in the space, yet be easy to reach over.
Good luck,
Richard
CGW121 You may want to look at Hump Yard Purveyance www.humpyard.com I intend on using some of these just have not gotten around to buying them yet.
You may want to look at Hump Yard Purveyance www.humpyard.com I intend on using some of these just have not gotten around to buying them yet.
Those might be a possibility. I have 7 turnouts that cannot be operated with caboose ground throws. Now as for the track that needs the industry.
Im guessing it will end up being a MOW track, since i clearly pointed out the lack of industries in my time period. Thank you for getting me to pull out my USGS quad. It answered my question for me.
Regarding the quesiton on ground throws. Way back years ago, I think on the KR&D, MR had a similar problem and solved it by cutting a trench under the track and using a scrape bit of rail as a pushrod to reach the ground through on the other side. Seems like they had a couple that actually went under two or more tracks to reach a tight spot.
(Edit: Found it. March 1972, page 52)
jim
Yes, but I will refer you to the USGS Prouts Neck Maine Quad from 1950s. That doesnt exist yet. Will upload photo in a minute. I have not yet made the journey to the National Archives to look at the 1918 valuation maps. The BMRRHS might have the one for Rigby, but I havent made it to Lowell, MA yet either.
If you look at your location on Google Maps:
https://maps.google.com/maps?ll=43.610146,-70.301465&spn=0.001103,0.001792&t=h&z=20
There is an industry there that has tank cars spotted for loading/unloading.
I have the right to remain silent. By posting here I have given up that right and accept that anything I say can and will be used as evidence to critique me.
BRAKIE BMMECNYC Its just that the ground throws physically dont fit between the tracks. Are they to wide? You could rig up a push/pull method-maybe by using a car choke cable? http://www.amazon.com/Edelbrock-8013-Universal-Choke-Cable/dp/B0052EPBX0/ref=sr_1_2/188-6154194-8800300?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1406480828&sr=1-2&keywords=choke+cable
BMMECNYC Its just that the ground throws physically dont fit between the tracks.
Are they to wide?
You could rig up a push/pull method-maybe by using a car choke cable?
http://www.amazon.com/Edelbrock-8013-Universal-Choke-Cable/dp/B0052EPBX0/ref=sr_1_2/188-6154194-8800300?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1406480828&sr=1-2&keywords=choke+cable
Yes the ground throws are too wide. Some sort of facia mounted turnout control may work in this situation. I didnt put holes in the subroadbed for that, but that is not an insurmountible task.
Broadway Lion:
The track closest to the yard ladder was meant to be the caboose track, and the one closest to the turntable also serves as a runaround for the yard lead/possible rip track (I labeled photo incorrectly).
The rip track was more of a "hey layout owner this car has a problem" (switch crew can set the cars with issues there and I'll fix between operating session), rather than an actual rip track scene (I have a place for one of those set aside for later installation other than the track off the main line).
Edit: MOW or wreck train sounds like the most likely candidate for the track the leads off of the main line. Car shop/other rail related industries might work too, but in real life that side of the yard was a mirror of the left with the double track main running through the center (a bypass was added around the yard for through freight/passenger service. All back shops were located in the vicinity of the roundhouse/TT. I have selectively compressed the back shops and the double track main out, leaving the bypass track due to insufficient space.
RIP tracks like to be off by themselves somewhere. People need to work all around the cars, they need to come in with equipment to lift stuff, and they want to have all of their "stuff" (er spare parts) right ready at hand. Still, sure, it can be used as a drop off and pick uppoint for the rip crews. A yard crew will stuff a RIP car onto that track, and the RIP crew will come and fetch it with their locomotice when they have a place to put it on their own track. The ground aroun the RIP track work area needs to be level so that workers will not stumble.
LION does not think that industriws belong in a rail yard, but what does belong there are specialized rail shops, the paint shop, the motor shop, a foundry, so yes you could build things like that in you yard because those are railroad industries.
ROARING
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
BMMECNYCIts just that the ground throws physically dont fit between the tracks.
As a add on second thought.
What type of turnouts are you using?
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
BRAKIE BMMECNYC Also some may notice that I made an error when installing the RIP track/ Caboose track (too close to yard ladder) and I don't have room for caboose industries ground throws. Any suggestions on that? I was thinking of using dummy switch stands and an uncoupling stick for the yard ladder turnout throwing. First I don't see why the caboose rip track is to close to the yard ladder-its a very convenient location..
BMMECNYC Also some may notice that I made an error when installing the RIP track/ Caboose track (too close to yard ladder) and I don't have room for caboose industries ground throws. Any suggestions on that? I was thinking of using dummy switch stands and an uncoupling stick for the yard ladder turnout throwing.
First I don't see why the caboose rip track is to close to the yard ladder-its a very convenient location..
It is, and thats why I put it there. Its just that the ground throws physically dont fit between the tracks. And I already have the tracks and cork attached to the foam. I like the location of them. I didnt have ground throws available to install and guesstimated on the space requied (incorrectly). So I am now searching for alternate manual means of operation.
BMMECNYCAlso some may notice that I made an error when installing the RIP track/ Caboose track (too close to yard ladder) and I don't have room for caboose industries ground throws. Any suggestions on that? I was thinking of using dummy switch stands and an uncoupling stick for the yard ladder turnout throwing.
First I don't see why the caboose and rip track is to close to the yard ladder-its a very convenient location..
If the rip track bothers you then place it at that righthand switch instead of a industry or MOW storage track.Use the current RIP track for a short runner track to and from the engine service area
If your engines and cars clears the ground throws then there isn't a problem.
Layout info. This yard is an approximation of Rigby Yard, South Portland, Maine. Photo is looking to the "South". What would be a industry for the turnout installed on the Main line right hand side of the photo? I was thinking MOW equipment storage. I would have to be low building if industry were used.
Also some may notice that I made an error when installing the RIP track/ Caboose track (too close to yard ladder) and I dont have room for caboose industries ground throws. Any suggestions on that? I was thinking of using dummy switch stands and an uncoupling stick for the yard ladder turnout throwing.