zstripe the only problem,I see,is finding,the nut & bolt,detail..
the only problem,I see,is finding,the nut & bolt,detail..
Details West has Code 83 fish plates.
Rich
Alton Junction
There you go,,,,hopefully,they are not,too expensive,,,12 per crossing,maybe..
Cheers,
Frank
zstripe There you go,,,,hopefully,they are not,too expensive,,,12 per crossing,maybe..
Should be able to purchase a 12-pack of 3-bolt fish plates for around $2.25.
I wonder about butting the tracks up to the crossing and making them dummies..........
Kind of reminds me of a static museum diorama - like the one with the General that was written up here on the Forum some time ago.
With a good Dremel, and rail and the proper soldering iron, you could make your own crossings and keep it all "live" !!!
After all, it is a DREAM layout, so lets do it right!
ENJOY !
Mobilman44
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
richhotrain I think that Option 2 is the way to go,
I think that Option 2 is the way to go,
A lot of it depends on how detailed the crossing need to be and whether you are going to solder all the frogs together.
Personally I would do option #1. The toughest part will be getting all the curves in and parallel. The red tracks are straight lines, they are easy to cut. Plus if you put in the red line last, since its on top you could have a continuous running surface if you liked, but you'll probably want to notch it to get the clickety clack going across the diamonds.
The other way would be to find the commercial crossings that best fit the angles and then trim them up close to the diamonds and connect all the curves with flex track. Might not be as pretty or the angles might differ from the pictures, but would be quicker.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
mobilman44 I wonder about butting the tracks up to the crossing and making them dummies.......... Kind of reminds me of a static museum diorama - like the one with the General that was written up here on the Forum some time ago. With a good Dremel, and rail and the proper soldering iron, you could make your own crossings and keep it all "live" !!! After all, it is a DREAM layout, so lets do it right!
No need to make the "dummy" tracks live because they would lead to nowhere on the Dream Layout.
On that section of the layout, only the red colored tracks would be live wired because that route leads to other parts of the layout whereas the unpowered tracks are simply there to reflect the prototype.
dehusman richhotrain I think that Option 2 is the way to go, A lot of it depends on how detailed the crossing need to be and whether you are going to solder all the frogs together. Personally I would do option #1. The toughest part will be getting all the curves in and parallel. The red tracks are straight lines, they are easy to cut. Plus if you put in the red line last, since its on top you could have a continuous running surface if you liked, but you'll probably want to notch it to get the clickety clack going across the diamonds. The other way would be to find the commercial crossings that best fit the angles and then trim them up close to the diamonds and connect all the curves with flex track. Might not be as pretty or the angles might differ from the pictures, but would be quicker.
You raise good points, Dave.
My one hesitation about Option 1 would be my questioned ability to cut out pieces of rail precisely so I don't cause derailments when passing over the diamonds.
As far as commercial crossings are concerned, I might be able to find something close, but I worry about the cost, considering that I would need 20 of them.
But dummy tracks would not be a proper representation of the real thing! It would be sooo cool to have it all working as the prototype, with trains going thru the diamonds in all 4 directions!
mobilman44 But dummy tracks would not be a proper representation of the real thing! It would be sooo cool to have it all working as the prototype, with trains going thru the diamonds in all 4 directions!
Well, I'll tell you what, Mr. Mobilman.
What say you build a completely operational 20-diamond crossing and take a video or two for us,
richhotrain My one hesitation about Option 1 would be my questioned ability to cut out pieces of rail precisely so I don't cause derailments when passing over the diamonds.
I think you misunderstood Option 1. Except for guardrails the shortest piece of rail you have to use in Option 1 is 3 feet and that's because you can't buy longer rail. You could actually incorporate the guardrails into that and not cut any short pieces (although it wouldn't be as prototypical looking.
Option 2 is the one that uses a gazillion little pieces of rail.
dehusman richhotrain My one hesitation about Option 1 would be my questioned ability to cut out pieces of rail precisely so I don't cause derailments when passing over the diamonds. I think you misunderstood Option 1. Except for guardrails the shortest piece of rail you have to use in Option 1 is 3 feet and that's because you can't buy longer rail. You could actually incorporate the guardrails into that and not cut any short pieces (although it wouldn't be as prototypical looking. Option 2 is the one that uses a gazillion little pieces of rail.
No, what I meant was my ability to perfectly notch the top of the dummy rail and the bottom of the live rail to fit the live rail into the dummy rail. It's just that I think it will require precision to avoid humps or dips on the crossings.
Richhotrain,
The diamonds are in your dream layout, not mine. Given your past accomplishments, I know you could make the proper fully live representation of the prototype. You can do it!!!
Since it's a "dream" layout, it probably doesn't matter, but there's a lot more to making the crossings operational than just building the diamonds. An actual layout design with four or more operating "arms" in multiple directions can be a challenge in terms of aisles and operator paths. That's another good reason why it can make sense to leave some crossing paths as simulated only.
Fred Soop moved well beyond the dream stage in building an impressive multi-deck Chicago area layout in HO featuring passenger operations in- and out of Chicago Union Station in the Amtrak era. He uses some clever methods for cutting down Walthers components for complex areas such as the Harrison Street Interlocking.
These were described in his article on his layout in Layout Design Journal #46 (Spring 2012), published by the Layout Design SIG. His operating scheme is described in the July 2011 issue of the Dispatcher's Office magazine published by the Operations SIG. Back issues of each magazine are available.
Layout Design GalleryLayout Design Special Interest Group
richhotrain mlehman If it was me, I'd give consideration to how it would look with one less set of tracks through it. That would still make a heck of an impression, while limiting the chance they'll have to haul you off to the rubber room. Never! Blasphemy ! Gotta have that 4-track C&WI mainline running through Alton Junction. To do otherwise would be like drinking an Old Fashioned without the cherry. Rich
mlehman If it was me, I'd give consideration to how it would look with one less set of tracks through it. That would still make a heck of an impression, while limiting the chance they'll have to haul you off to the rubber room.
If it was me, I'd give consideration to how it would look with one less set of tracks through it. That would still make a heck of an impression, while limiting the chance they'll have to haul you off to the rubber room.
Never!
Blasphemy !
Gotta have that 4-track C&WI mainline running through Alton Junction.
To do otherwise would be like drinking an Old Fashioned without the cherry.
OK, just checking if you were serious about this.
I've actually been past there on the train and can definitely see the charm. It's too urban for me, but this is about how to build your dream, not mine.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
cuyama Since it's a "dream" layout, it probably doesn't matter, but there's a lot more to making the crossings operational than just building the diamonds. An actual layout design with four or more operating "arms" in multiple directions can be a challenge in terms of aisles and operator paths. That's another good reason why it can make sense to leave some crossing paths as simulated only.
Great point, that is a big part of why I want to only simulate the crossings - - - space.
cuyama Fred Soop moved well beyond the dream stage in building an impressive multi-deck Chicago area layout in HO featuring passenger operations in- and out of Chicago Union Station in the Amtrak era. He uses some clever methods for cutting down Walthers components for complex areas such as the Harrison Street Interlocking. These were described in his article on his layout in Layout Design Journal #46 (Spring 2012), published by the Layout Design SIG. His operating scheme is described in the July 2011 issue of the Dispatcher's Office magazine published by the Operations SIG. Back issues of each magazine are available.
Thanks, cuyama, I will have to get my hands on a copy of that issue. I hope that there are lots of photos.
Rich,
Is this Thread going to be 5 pages long,like the,basic wiring thread?? Just Kidding!!
Frankie
zstripe Rich, Is this Thread going to be 5 pages long,like the,basic wiring thread?? Just Kidding!! Cheers, Frankie
Frankie, without your feckless replies (9 to be exact), this thread would only be on the second page, and all of the information would be helpful and meaningful.
OH!! Youse,,Wanna Play that way Huh?? I will keep that in mind,,,''Buddy'' of the basic wiring thread..
Come on guys............ Lets talk of diaramas and civil war railroading - like the "General"!
Thank you Sir!
Anyway to make that image bigger?
cuyama Since it's a "dream" layout, it probably doesn't matter, but there's a lot more to making the crossings operational than just building the diamonds. An actual layout design with four or more operating "arms" in multiple directions can be a challenge in terms of aisles and operator paths. That's another good reason why it can make sense to leave some crossing paths as simulated only. Fred Soop moved well beyond the dream stage in building an impressive multi-deck Chicago area layout in HO featuring passenger operations in- and out of Chicago Union Station in the Amtrak era. He uses some clever methods for cutting down Walthers components for complex areas such as the Harrison Street Interlocking. These were described in his article on his layout in Layout Design Journal #46 (Spring 2012), published by the Layout Design SIG. His operating scheme is described in the July 2011 issue of the Dispatcher's Office magazine published by the Operations SIG. Back issues of each magazine are available.
chipset35 cuyama Since it's a "dream" layout, it probably doesn't matter, but there's a lot more to making the crossings operational than just building the diamonds. An actual layout design with four or more operating "arms" in multiple directions can be a challenge in terms of aisles and operator paths. That's another good reason why it can make sense to leave some crossing paths as simulated only. Fred Soop moved well beyond the dream stage in building an impressive multi-deck Chicago area layout in HO featuring passenger operations in- and out of Chicago Union Station in the Amtrak era. He uses some clever methods for cutting down Walthers components for complex areas such as the Harrison Street Interlocking. These were described in his article on his layout in Layout Design Journal #46 (Spring 2012), published by the Layout Design SIG. His operating scheme is described in the July 2011 issue of the Dispatcher's Office magazine published by the Operations SIG. Back issues of each magazine are available. Thank you Sir! Anyway to make that image bigger?
For the image cuyama, but any information above and beyond what I already have from what he posted would be appreciated.
At one time, 26 diamonds made up Alton Junction.
chipset35For the image cuyama
I don't know to which image you are referring. Fred Soop's article was in the Layout Design SIG's Layout Design Journal #46 and in the Operations SIG's Dispatchers Office in July 2011. Back issues are available from each organization.
Byron
cuyama Hi Byron, its the image you attached and inserted. chipset35 For the image cuyama I don't know to which image you are referring. Fred Soop's article was in the Layout Design SIG's Layout Design Journal #46 and in the Operations SIG's Dispatchers Office in July 2011. Back issues are available from each organization. Byron
Hi Byron, its the image you attached and inserted.
chipset35 For the image cuyama
chipset & all,
Just an FYI: Your reply text should go AFTER the 2nd bracketed quote - i.e. [/quote]. Otherwise, it gets lost inside the quote boxes. If that's still unclear, just scroll down past ALL the quoted text THEN type in your reply.
FWIW...
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
I'm not sure if this link will work as I intend, but it's what appears to be a view of the present-day Alton Junction:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/S+Stewart+Ave,+Chicago,+IL/@41.8540416,-87.6378816,471m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x880e2ec16871fe61:0x9398a446e0bd737e!8m2!3d41.7917108!4d-87.6355427
Ed
chipset35 cuyama Hi Byron, its the image you attached and inserted. chipset35 For the image cuyama I don't know to which image you are referring. Fred Soop's article was in the Layout Design SIG's Layout Design Journal #46 and in the Operations SIG's Dispatchers Office in July 2011. Back issues are available from each organization. Byron