Hi folks,
I found this to be interesting if for no other reason than how close the camera is to the action:
Cheers!!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Very fun to watch. Thanks for posting, Dave.
I assumed Ethan was throwing the switch while he was bent over fiddling in that hole, but I never saw the points move and they were clearly visible the whole time. Then the train backed up and it was somehow on the other track. How did the switcher switch tracks without the switch switcher switching the switch?
Mystified,
-Matt
Returning to model railroading after 40 years and taking unconscionable liberties with the SP&S, Northern Pacific and Great Northern roads in the '40s and '50s.
That tight corner and curved wall (into a brewery no less!) instantly reminded me of MR's Beer Line layout. Thanks for posting this Dave!
Mike
crossthedogHow did the switcher switch tracks without the switch switcher switching the switch?
Thanks Mike. Don't know what a glad hand is (I'll look it up), but I did see the point nearest Ethan move. I didn't see anything move on the other rail. Very cool. We have some street running in Ballard here, a neighborhood of Seattle -- Ballard Terminal serves a few customers, maybe only one now -- but I don't know when they do their switching and I think it's at night, so I've never seen any action. I think they have an old Alco and a caboose locked up behind a fence between two streets. I'd love to find out if and when they use it.
Oh. I totally see now why they call it a gladhand. It looks like two hands shaking, like a politician gladhanding.
How many car lengths beyond the backdrop does that track extend?
maxman How many car lengths beyond the backdrop does that track extend?
Well, at least four covered hoppers and a locomotive. It actually goes through the backdrop and out the other side. The hoppers are unloaded in open air behind the building in the video.
A few things that caught my eye. First, they clearly didn't solder the rail joints on the curve, look at the kinks in the joiners! Second, the groundthrow and swich mechanism must be well greased, didn't seem to take much effort to throw. And finally, the crossing tower in the background.
AEP528A few things that caught my eye... finally, the crossing tower in the background.
Dave totally derailed my workday this morning. After watching his video, I went crazy on NETR aerials and Google and Bing map tools to follow the streetrunning tracks -- because streetrunning is always where the fun is -- and I bumped into this lovely crossing tower. There's the remnant of a wye turnout there, which led me to suspect a spur had gone off to the west. The existing track curves off east to join the mainline. Sure enough, I found that the block across the street has elements suggesting a historic curve. I didn't know anything about Utica before today, but I now suspect this spur followed west (along what was once the Erie Canal [wow!] and is now Oriskany Street) to serve some industries there, one of which might have been a giant match factory.
But seeing this crossing tower was the highlight of my morning.
That's a single point switch, frequently used in street trackage and trolley lines.
crossthedog Oh. I totally see now why they call it a gladhand. It looks like two hands shaking, like a politician gladhanding.
This video is quite informative for folks who are interested in prototypical operations on a model railroad. It shows why it takes forever to do a simple pick-up and set-out, even at a trailing-point switch. Good way to extend your operating session, even on a small switching layout.