Abandoned trackage (a ferroequinarchaeologist's delight)

[FJ and G]

Since I was born, nearly 50 years ago, approximately half of all trackage in the U.S. has been abandoned, unfortunately.

To reflect this mostly wanton destruction, I have devoted half of my new layout to this abandoned trackage. I started the layout 3 weeks ago and haven't yet put in the trees but you can see some of the blight here.

The wood of all of the abandoned trestles, except for the steel, was ripped with a table saw, as were the ties, and stained with locomotive black-colored latex. I got the clumps of weeds to get that way by setting the colored sawdust (in 3 colors) down while it was still damp and clingy.

This is the first of 4 levels to the layout, which rides on 4 inch caster wheels. I'll get more photos this weekend and go into greater detail and show the 5-track yard I scratchbuilt.

Rails are 027. This lower level, BTW, is the diorama level, thusly the 2 rails.

[daan]

That's indeed an interesting subject to model. It can also be used when you don't have the space for a big trackplan. Simply model abandoned track on the other side of a station and the illusion is there that the railway you are modelling was much bigger once. Also a nice thing to build to give small corners an interesting theme.
The pictures look very nice, the second one really is an interesting part for the ones knowing how such an abandoned part looks like after a few years.

[Jumijo]

Awesome job, Dave. Great work (and fast) and excelent photos.

Jim

[Dr. John]

Here's a little inspiration from Prattville . . .


The remains of pilings from a trestle crossing Autauga Creek leading to the Continental Eagle Mill. The old spur track was constructed in the 1880s and abandoned in the 1960s.


Rails in the street from the same abandoned spur.


Anandoned house tracks behind old GM&O depot.

[cnw1995]

Neat, David. Reminds me of the NoTrack modules in an April Model Railroader of a few years back. [;)] Lots of abandoned sidings along the RoW on my daily commute via Metra into Chicago - almost more than can be imagined - rails still in the ground - old warehouses with these funny doors in the middle of the wall in the back of the building, etc. The 'Main St.' siding in Crystal Lake stretch south and turn into a bike path following the old C&NW RoW south past Elgin and Aurora. There are tracks, telegraph poles with the insulators still on them, and even a signal pole hidden in the brush next to the bike path. I must have taken dozens of photos of all this on the old Sony ImageStation website - search it for my name or let's see if this link works: http://www.imagestation.com/album/index.html?id=4294168387

[Odd-d]

Great idea, Dave!!! And just think how it will simlify your wiring.....abandoned track won't need wiring. This would be a perfect spot for your derilect boxcar from last spring. And scratchbuilding and or kitbashing locomotives will be a snap without motors, smoke units, command control etc. All you need to do is paint your engines to look like rusty old hulks and you will have a prize winning pike that operates flawlessly. You go, Dave!

Seriously though, I did incorporate several inches of paved over streetcar track near my trolley line to suggest that the system was once larger......of course my model busses also imply that the trolley line is on its last gasp. Odd-d

[cnw1995]

Odd-d - great to see you on this forum. I'd like to hear more about your layout someday at your convenience.

[FJ and G]

Here's another shot.

This week I'll try to put up some photos of real abandoned tracks near my work.

In the far distance in this picture is my 5 track yard plus junction, which I'll try to get better photos of

[fievel]

Nice shots of abandoned trackage, both real and modeled. I just completed
an abandoned Milwaukee Road tunnel beneath my active BN line . [:)][:P]

[lionelsoni]

Dave, why didn't the thief take all three rails from that abandoned bridge?

[FJ and G]

Bob,

In my wanderings for exploring abandoned RRs (I've probably hiked hundreds of miles on these), on most bridges that are still intact, the rails are still there.

OTOH, with regards to some trestles, railroads often completely tear them down to avoid liable issues, since they often own the rights of way even sans track.

[CSX FAN]

Dave

I'm heading down to Denton, MD. in a couple weeks. My last trip I discovered an old tressle going across a pond. I was real cool until I almost stepped on a Copper head Snake about 1/2 way acrossed it.

This year I won't forget my camera. It is just frozen in time. I think there are 2 old mills near it.

Where is the center rail on your bridge?

Jamie

[palallin]

I don't have enough room for all the track I need; I can't afford to lay some and not use it [;)]

[andregg1]

Congratulation David!
You are a real craftman.
Did you the trestle or is buyed?
About the abandonedv tracks we have many at Delray. When looks those rail some time feel sad.(nostalgia)
Andre.

[wrmcclellan]

Dave,

Is this your outdoor layout or a new indoor layout? Did you move as you were discussing several weeks ago?

BTW - very nice!

Regards,
Roy

[FJ and G]

Hi Andre,

I built the wood parts of both trestles with a table saw and for the round parts I used tree limbs. I painted with latex paint.

Roy,

My main project will be the garden RR. However, i want to start running trains right away and I really cannot do it without first building a small (8 ft X 40 in) indoor, 4 level mobile train layout. Why?

B/c the garden RR will require some major construction using blocks cement, various fabrics, plumbing, wiring, etc to build a pond, 30 foot real waterfalls and upper pond. And that's not even laying the track!

I'm doing 2 things at once now. I'm reading up on garden railroading and on pond and waterfalls building while at the same time building my small indoor layout.

Here's the whole indoor layout (8'x40") with BB the beagle doing a track inspection.

The first level, the diorama, is basically done (3 weeks) except for some trees I'm adding tonight.

The 2nd level will be a toy train lover's paradise built in a similar style to Malcolm Furlow's Mexican Hat Canyon RR (but not nearly as good as his). It will be 3 rail tubes and grimy industrial scenes that will knock your socks off. I'm starting that level already as you can see from the 2x4s which I ripped in half with my table saw. Laying on top of that masonite and scenery will be lightweight foam and tinplate structures.

3rd level will be a 2 loop 038 and 031 (non connected) hi-rail mainline track going thru some spectacular desert scenery using my custom-made center wire track.

The 4th and highest (48 inches tall) level will be forest and stream hi-rail type layout.

I used steel uprights from Home Depot, rounded the sharp corners with my grinder.

There are bolts underneath the wood frame, connected to the upright steel beams so that all load bearing elements of the layout are in the vertical plane. I added an extra foot of wood to the base so that the steel uprights are solid and have absolutely no sway.

All screws go thru predrilled holes using my corded drill :-)

The whole thing sets on 4 inch wheels, so can be moved all around my spacious basement, which I finished myself as well (took about 18 months to do the plumbing, electric, ductwork, tiling drywall, etc.

Anyway, that's the long of it.

[FJ and G]

Abandoned tracks are almost an art form. During lunch today I walked over to Charles and Ball Street in Arlington, VA and shot the abandoned RF&P spur that used to run to the Pentagon and thru Crystal City. The location of these shots is adjacent to the Pentagon, separated only by I-395.

Enjoy.