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The Virginian Build Thread

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  • Member since
    July 2012
  • 152 posts
Posted by sjhenry on Thursday, March 28, 2013 2:55 PM

MikeB16,

First my disclaimer. I profess no expertise in track design......

I am however wondering if you should ditch the extra mainline and build the basic track plan on a 9 * 5 allowing a lager radii on the curves instead of the original 18" and 22" with maybe an extra siding into something. This would allow more space for industries, extra space behind the yard for something interesting etc. That said, I repeat my disclaimer...

As to what to watch for. If you have built a layout before, probably not much unless you have not done cookie cutter before. Its one shot, get it right .... 

Cheers,

Steve

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Posted by sjhenry on Thursday, March 28, 2013 2:41 PM

Rebelrailroad,

Since you didn't cut down the mine you will need to feed in three tracks to it. Depending on how you do the hill behind it, you should be able to make it fit. I've just finished the scenery around my mine so here's a couple of photos with the cut down version.

Cheers,

Steve

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Posted by MikeB16 on Wednesday, March 27, 2013 11:38 PM

Hi, I am new to this community thing and this is my first post so I hope I have got this 'new post' v 'reply' thing right.

I have read your thread with interest as I have decided to rebuild my 9x5 HO US layout as a version of the Virginian calling it the Norfolk and Western. I have stripped back the old layout and developed a track plan.

I will be using Code 100 track as that is what I have used in the past and am able to recycle some points and flex track. I plan to lay a 4x8 sheet of ply on my existing base and using the cookie cutter method for the inclines and using Woodland Scenics Subterrain to blend that with the 6" surround to blend in the 24" radius extra mainline.

I would be interested in what the members think are the top 3 things that I need to take into account as I build this layout.

  • Member since
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  • From: Alabama
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Posted by RebelRailRoad on Wednesday, March 27, 2013 7:07 PM

I know you all have already been here long ago, but for the sake of keeping some photos going, I thought I would post these. Waiting on cork, and turnouts for layout, so I thought I would get started on the mine.

 

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  • From: Lexington, KY
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Posted by RogerThat on Wednesday, March 27, 2013 6:14 PM

Airborne,

After getting the dimensions from you of the dumps and scratch building them, I created two concrete slabs, from foam, for the bents to rest on. I calculated how high these slabs would need to be for the dump to clear the biggest railcar that would pass under them. I was then able to calculate how high the plateau of land should be that the dumps operated from. I used a piece of 3/4" foam to create the flat terrain and placed foam legs under it to achieve that height. Make sure the flat section sits far enough back from the track so that the end of the dump will rest over the coal hopper. I then did your basic cardboard web and plaster cloth to shape the hill leading up to the plateau and then used sculptamold over the plaster cloth to simulate rocky terrain.

I can take pictures of the back of this area showing the cross section if you wish.

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Posted by sjhenry on Wednesday, March 27, 2013 5:40 PM

Airborne,

I have to think back......

OK... I laid some 1 inch foam in for the dumps and 3 1 inch foams behind. Then I build the dumps. I trimmed the foam to make a basic fit with some leeway for terra-forming. Once I had a basic fit, I used sculpt-mold to make the terrain around the dumps and on the top (while still dry fitting the dumps), I then scratch built the walls below the dumps from Balsa. Installed the walls and adjusted everything so the dumps fitted and finally used sculpta-mold to finish the details around the dumps. The whole process took me about a week, doing a bit every night.

  • Member since
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  • From: Parker, Colorado
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Posted by airborne101 on Wednesday, March 27, 2013 5:01 PM

Steve and Roger,

Can you both explain how you built the "truck dumps" area? Getting ready to start on that last section, and need some tips.....thanks!

  • Member since
    February 2013
  • From: Alabama
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Posted by RebelRailRoad on Monday, March 25, 2013 5:05 PM

Thanks everyone for the compliments, I am months behind on my layout, but this is something I have needed, taking it a little slower these days, and I'm really enjoying this, but I really can't wait to start the scenery. thats the part I think I'll enjoy the most, every one of you have done an awsome job on your layouts, and have really inspired me. Thanks for all the help on the grades, and bridge work, I am using all recommendations.

Robert

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Posted by sjhenry on Monday, March 25, 2013 5:00 PM

So.... your already to start on your next layout?

don't know. I like running it, but to be honest I like building it more... I've made a lot of progress over the last few weeks and will probably have it completed except for some detailing in the next few weeks. Detailing may take me a month or so, I have 3 buildings left to complete and then....

I am waiting to see the thin branch when the video starts up, so will either do that or attempt something on a larger scale that still has a coal theme integrated into it. Whatever it is probably won't start till fall. The snow is just starting to melt here so I will be taking advantage of the weather until then. 

  • Member since
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  • From: Lexington, KY
  • 165 posts
Posted by RogerThat on Monday, March 25, 2013 4:09 PM

Steve,

I did not make any modifications to any of the turnouts. I used two Walthers code 83 curved turnouts, 3 atlas snap switches, and all the rest were Atlas number 4 turnouts. Working with flex track makes laying it out a lot easier. I really didn't use the elevation feature of the software because that was already in the MRR track plan. Once I had the plywood cut, I just tinkered with the risers until I was satified.

Anyrail includes templates for just about every piece of every brand of track, so you should be able to find the right turnouts for your needs.

So.... your already to start on your next layout? Big Smile

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Posted by sjhenry on Monday, March 25, 2013 3:42 PM

Your progress looks good. I also used Anyrail when planning the layout and you can see a picture of the plan at the beginning of this thread.  I didn't hit the 50 piece limit because I used flex track. The flex track also allowed me to use easements into all of the curves.

Roger,

How did Anyrail work for the modifications needed on the Atlas snap track, the 22" turnouts (maybe you didn't need to do that if you used flex track) and lining up the code 100 Peco switches. or... did it allow you to substitute different turnouts to achieve the same track plan. Also how did it work for the change in elevations ? I am tempted to use this for either my next layout or any extensions as it was a challenge trying to lay this out from the plans.

  • Member since
    September 2011
  • From: Lexington, KY
  • 165 posts
Posted by RogerThat on Monday, March 25, 2013 2:34 PM

Robert,

I kept the height at the top of Green Hill at 4".  I do not have any clearance issues with the trains, however, the tunnel portal coming out from under Green Hill going up to the mine shows a little bit of the plywood at the top. I somewhat fixed this by putting sculptamold on the ply wood to make it appear as rocks.

My height at the top end of the bridge is 3.5" causing an uphill grade for the sidings. Most of my cars will stay put on that grade but a few want to roll down it. I will have to use some kind of plants/weeds to prevent runaway cars. I don't know what the height at the bottom of the bridge was because there is sculptamold around the base that prevents me from measuring it.

Your progress looks good. I also used Anyrail when planning the layout and you can see a picture of the plan at the beginning of this thread.  I didn't hit the 50 piece limit because I used flex track. The flex track also allowed me to use easements into all of the curves.

Good luck and keep the pictures coming.

  • Member since
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  • From: Parker, Colorado
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Posted by airborne101 on Sunday, March 24, 2013 9:07 PM

Robert,

Work and pictures look good, and look to be right on the money. Take a look at my early pictures here as well as I was building the risers. My height at the top of "Green Hill" is also at 4 1/4 inches.....

  • Member since
    February 2013
  • From: Alabama
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Posted by RebelRailRoad on Sunday, March 24, 2013 7:32 PM

Thanks everybody, the post that did not have pictures in it, I did use the IMG tag, but nothing came up, I will try again on my next pictures, @ Steve, I am right in line with your dimensions, and I'll take your advice on the bridge. I really appreciate all the help from everybody, I have a long way to go, but I'll get there.

Thanks, Robert

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    July 2012
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Posted by sjhenry on Sunday, March 24, 2013 6:21 PM

Rebelrailroad,

I can see you pics now (use Jeffrey's advice and use the Image tag rather than the URL tag and it imbeds the pictures).

You have done the rise to Green hill exactly how I did it. To get the bridge in you are going to have to lay the cork, and put in the track at least from the turnout to bigger mine up to green hill, then build the bridge underneath it as I described in a previous post. i.e let the track determine the grade, the elevation, and the curve, then customize the bridge to fit.

Cheers,

Steve

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  • From: Orig: Tyler Texas. Lived in seven countries, now live in Sundown, Louisiana
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Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Sunday, March 24, 2013 6:13 PM

RebelRailRoad: Why don't you just use the IMG code tag? It's right below the HTML tag.

Running Bear, Sundown, Louisiana
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Posted by sjhenry on Sunday, March 24, 2013 6:08 PM

RebelRailroad,

If you were posting pictures they didn't come through. The top of my bridge is 3 3/8 and the bottom is 3 3/16

I tried to get it to about 4 1/4 at the top of green hill. I believe the original spec was for 4 inches, but this seemed a little bit to tight for the tunnels underneath it. I didn't have a fancy tool to do the grade so used a small level and tried to eyeball and keep a constant grade from exiting the tunnel under green hill (3/4 elevation) to 4  1/4 elevation at the start of the same tunnel when you are on top of green hill..

  • Member since
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  • From: Alabama
  • 9 posts
Posted by RebelRailRoad on Sunday, March 24, 2013 5:53 PM

Ok pics didn't come through, I'll try again.

 

 

  • Member since
    February 2013
  • From: Alabama
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Posted by RebelRailRoad on Sunday, March 24, 2013 4:21 PM

 Hope these came through, but here is my almost completed layout. I am still unsure about the elevations. What is everybody averaging at the bridge, and the top of green hill?

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Posted by sjhenry on Sunday, March 24, 2013 3:13 PM

Steve what is the length of your bridge, and if you don't mind my asking, what brand is it, or is it scratch built? I can't seem to find a curved bridge.

Its a micro engineering 75514 steel viaduct that was kit-bashed to specifications listed in the magazine and on the videos. The track on the bridge is 18" radius Atlas 532 . The roadbed is taken from a Walthers Shinohara bridge track 948-866. Its about a foot long.

If you are building it you just need to leave roughly a foot of space then:

a) Cut the ties off the 18" radius track and install (you'll have to solder it). This gives you the grade and the radii to form the rest.

b) Build the three spans of the viaduct. Leave them straight for now.

c) Remove the track from the Shinohara bridge track and smooth the surface. All you want is the road bed. Cut this into roughly 3 equal pieces and then cut at an angle so that it forms to the track curve and glue together. This basically is now the bridge part you see directly under the rails.

d) Cut the viaduct spans at an angle so that it fits under the roadbed and glue together. I got it roughly right then sanded it,

e) Cut the abutments that hold the viaduct to fit the grade and install the viaduct

f) Lastly , build the supports to roughly the height you need. You don't need to get it exact. Just make sure its within about 1/4 inch and install the horizontal girder about 1/3 - 1/2 inch from the bottom. Trim the bottom as you fit, its snug. 

I then did the scenery and installed the supports last. This was the first kit I built. It took me about a week as I figured out the order above. If I did it again, it would probably take me about 2 evenings. I originally also had about 14 inches of space so I had to put in one inch spacers of ply on each side to support the approach to the bridge. Its better the leave the gap at about 12 inches and trim back if necessary.

#edited for more complete instructions#

If you are going to go ahead with this, let me know and I can give detailed measurements dig out the videos and magazine issues that explain the above.

Cheers,

Steve

  • Member since
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  • From: Parker, Colorado
  • 214 posts
Posted by airborne101 on Sunday, March 24, 2013 2:14 PM

I didn't use the bridge on my layout, but just remember, your grade there at the bridge should be going a bit uphill, so you'd have to cut your bridge supports (legs so to speak) to accommodate this....

  • Member since
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Posted by dexterdog on Sunday, March 24, 2013 10:54 AM

Micro Engineering viaduct kits can be built straight or on a curve. Just follow the instructions, it's fairly straightforward.  It just requires a bit of trimming to the girders, the amount varying according to the actual curve radius.

  • Member since
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  • From: Alabama
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Posted by RebelRailRoad on Sunday, March 24, 2013 10:03 AM

sjhenry

I have "mostly" finished the bridge. Just a bit of weathering on the supports to do. Here are a few pictures.

Cheers,

Steve

Steve what is the length of your bridge, and if you don't mind my asking, what brand is it, or is it scratch built? I can't seem to find a curved bridge.

Thanks, Robert

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Posted by dexterdog on Saturday, March 23, 2013 3:36 PM

I can't recommend Anyrail enough. It really has a minimal learning curve compared to other programs out there. I used it to design an N scale version of the Virginian layout for an 4 x 8 foot space, and it turned out really well. I think that having a precise track plan worked out in advance of beginning any construction is crucial.

In the past I would design on the fly and it's no wonder that those layouts NEVER reached anything which was close to completion. Hopefully my N scale slice of Appalachia inspired by the Virginian will provide me with many years of modeling satisfaction.

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  • 166 posts
Posted by matthewd5 on Saturday, March 23, 2013 2:46 PM

airborne101

Roger,

Good progress so far, and looks good! I am also building the layout, but it will be based on the ex NYC/PC Hi top branch in WVa, that started near Dickinson yard, which is where in NYC days the Virginian interchanged with the NYC. As you can tell, I model NYC and PC.  My switch to the staging yard and the Baxter creek area will become Blue Creek, where the NYC and PC jumped over to the B&O tracks to gain access to their end of branch, so the staging yard will simulate the B&O interchange.

I built my layout with cabinet grade plywood ripped into the lumber I needed, and built the layout with lockable casters. I plan however to use all Walther's and Peco turnouts, Walther's #4's and Peco # 5's so as not to have to chop up and modify the snap switches. All my track is ME code 83 weathered track. My radii and table cuts have been laid out on my tabletop so far, but winter has been playing havoc here with as quick of progress as I'd like. I don't however have my switches laid out on my top, so if you could, please explain the "AnyRail software", what it is, what cost, and if it's easy to use, etc. It would be much appreciated!

My layout will be wired with the NCE powecab system, as MR did, and will use the "puffball" trees and the rubber rocks from Mountains in Minutes as MR also used. I will keep posting further updates as well here. If you have a FaceBook account, I have a closed group for progress and operation of the layout, but I ask that you "friend" me first. Good luck on your project!

the casters IMHO are a great idea, that's the route I've taken, I'm lucky to have a rather large basement with a lot of free space 

I love any rail, there is a bit of a learning curve but I think it's a LOT easier to learn than the much more cad like programs are out there

its free until you use more than 50 pieces of track

i don't know how I would have designed my layout without it!

Matthew

  • Member since
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  • From: Parker, Colorado
  • 214 posts
Posted by airborne101 on Saturday, March 23, 2013 1:45 PM

Thanks Robert for the compliments, and looking forward to some photos.....Smile

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  • From: Alabama
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Posted by RebelRailRoad on Saturday, March 23, 2013 9:32 AM

Airborne, your layout is looking awsome, I like the way that your making it your own, with your own personal touches, I like your version of Hilltop much better than the original, I also am planning on following the layout closely to the original, but going to do my own version of the scenery. I did purchase the mine today from ebay, but every other structure will be different.  I will be starting to add pictures this weekend.

Keep up the great work!

Robert

  • Member since
    January 2011
  • From: Parker, Colorado
  • 214 posts
Posted by airborne101 on Friday, March 22, 2013 9:20 AM

Finally in this update, a Classic Metal Works "Sohio" fuel tank truck is sitting where a Walther's diesel fuel facility will sit:

  • Member since
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  • From: Parker, Colorado
  • 214 posts
Posted by airborne101 on Friday, March 22, 2013 9:17 AM

Overhead view of same area:

  • Member since
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  • From: Parker, Colorado
  • 214 posts
Posted by airborne101 on Friday, March 22, 2013 9:15 AM

A bit dark, but hopefully this shows a little detail. This is the road leading into Hitop, WVa. Mainline now is ballasted. Siding to left will be finished soon with Arizona Rock and Mineral "yard mix" ballast. Mainline tunnel portal is just off to the right. Drop off on dirt road will be handled with installation next of a guard rail from PikeStuff. Last tree in foreground "planted" yesterday...

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