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Interesting Track Arrangements in North America

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Interesting Track Arrangements in North America
Posted by NWP SWP on Friday, January 20, 2017 1:25 PM

Hi there, I would like to know what interesting and unique track arrangements are in North America. Like Horseshoe Curve, Tehachapi Loop, Spiral Tunnels, Keddie Wye. Any information would be appreciated!

Steve

If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough!

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Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, January 22, 2017 1:32 PM

Rockville Bridge. Just north of Harrisburg PA.  Almost a mile long, double track stone arch bridge.

 

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Posted by gmpullman on Sunday, January 22, 2017 6:21 PM

Maybe not Horseshoe Curve or Tehachapi but, for a modeler, the track layout at the GE Louisville, KY Appliance Park sure has a lot of curves, crossings and turnouts!

You can browse for yourself here:

https://www.google.com/maps/@38.1766052,-85.6522393,782m/data=!3m1!1e3

Have Fun!

Ed

 

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Posted by NWP SWP on Sunday, January 22, 2017 6:40 PM

BMMECNYC

Rockville Bridge. Just north of Harrisburg PA.  Almost a mile long, double track stone arch bridge.

 

 

I think this is more appropriate for my "Interesting Bridges" thread but thanks! 

Steve

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Posted by jlehnert on Monday, January 23, 2017 3:19 AM

Definitely an interesting area to model. The GE plant with two switchers, and then the Ford plant a little further down the line with a boatload of auto carriers. Any idea who serves them? 

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Posted by gmpullman on Monday, January 23, 2017 3:59 AM

jlehnert
Any idea who serves them? 

NS for one...

http://www.nscorp.com/content/nscorp/en/shipping-options/intermodal/terminals-and-schedules/louisville-ky-appliance-park.html

and CSX out of Osborn yard used to be the other. I believe CSX was ripped out in '06 but I'm not exactly sure.

Neat place. Yes it would make for a fun switching operation, especially if you restore all the sidings that have been removed over the years.

Ed

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Posted by rrinker on Monday, January 23, 2017 6:53 AM

cascadenorthernrr
 
BMMECNYC

Rockville Bridge. Just north of Harrisburg PA.  Almost a mile long, double track stone arch bridge.

 

 

 

 

I think this is more appropriate for my "Interesting Bridges" thread but thanks! 

 

The track arrangment on the west shore is quite interesting. These days, even from the train it's hard to see, but the whole thing was in at least one edition of Armstrong's Track Planning for Realistic Operation because of the way the various tracks fly over one another or tunnel underneath others to make the junction there that goes down to Enola Yard on the west side or crosses the bridge to the east side. Wow, is it hard to find a decent picture of what I'm talking about - plenty of PRR/PC/Contrail track charts of the area but an actual picture? Nope.

                              --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, January 23, 2017 4:14 PM

rrinker
 
cascadenorthernrr
 
BMMECNYC

Rockville Bridge. Just north of Harrisburg PA.  Almost a mile long, double track stone arch bridge.

 

 

 

 

I think this is more appropriate for my "Interesting Bridges" thread but thanks! 

 

 

 

The track arrangment on the west shore is quite interesting. These days, even from the train it's hard to see, but the whole thing was in at least one edition of Armstrong's Track Planning for Realistic Operation because of the way the various tracks fly over one another or tunnel underneath others to make the junction there that goes down to Enola Yard on the west side or crosses the bridge to the east side. Wow, is it hard to find a decent picture of what I'm talking about - plenty of PRR/PC/Contrail track charts of the area but an actual picture? Nope.

                              --Randy

 

 

One of my model railroad club members built a model of it.  Including a 8ish arch span across the river. 

Heres google earthmaps view of the real thing:

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.3309307,-76.9174163,731m/data=!3m1!1e3

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Posted by NWP SWP on Monday, January 23, 2017 6:43 PM

Very interesting!

Steve

If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough!

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Posted by rrinker on Tuesday, January 24, 2017 6:44 AM

 That Bridgeview B&B is a popular place for railfans to stay (the owner is one too) since you can sit on the deck adn watch trains cross the bridge.

                   --Randy


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

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Posted by caldreamer on Tuesday, January 24, 2017 11:07 AM

The industrial area and car floats along the Brooklyn waterfront from 20th street to 65th street between the harbor and 2nd avenue.  Includes the Bush Terminal buildings, car floats and many industries.  Lots of tracks and tight curves.

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Posted by NWP SWP on Tuesday, January 24, 2017 12:11 PM

I see, thank you!

Steve

If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough!

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Posted by Lone Wolf and Santa Fe on Tuesday, January 24, 2017 12:45 PM

I always thought it was interesting how the double track mainline through Donner Pass splits at one point becoming two separate lines, one of with has a grade which is steeper than the other. They use the steeper track for the down hill trains (west bound). Originally the line which is part of the transcontinental railroad only had one track but several years later the second track was added. The newer track was designed to be less demanding than the original east bound climb over the mountains. Part of this was due to a 3 mile long tunnel called the Big Hole.

Modeling a fictional version of California set in the 1990s Lone Wolf and Santa Fe Railroad
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Posted by NWP SWP on Tuesday, January 24, 2017 1:06 PM

Very interesting!

Steve

If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough!

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Posted by jlehnert on Thursday, January 26, 2017 11:20 AM

Dug a little deeper, and GE is served by CSX, not NS.  The NS "Appliace Park" is an intermodal yard across the street from GE, and the rails are torn up where they cross the street.

This is really peaking my interest, so I'm going to start another thread so as not to hijack this one.

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Posted by MidlandPacific on Sunday, January 29, 2017 8:18 PM

Mergers and realignments have greatly reduced the number of tortuous mountain passes, but there is still the ex-D&RGW La Veta Pass line, run today as an IPH operation.  Not sure how long it will continue, but the Rio Grande Scenic operates a tourist train over the pass from Alamosa.  Well worth the trip- lots of side hiking in and out of draws on the eastern slope.

http://mprailway.blogspot.com

"The first transition era - wood to steel!"

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Posted by NWP SWP on Tuesday, January 31, 2017 1:01 PM

Very interesting!

Steve

If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough!

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Posted by ruderunner on Saturday, February 4, 2017 7:11 PM
Whiskey island is a quadruple loop of track.. Or was till about 10 years ago. Unique for certain and you get to model Huelett loaders!

Modeling the Cleveland and Pittsburgh during the PennCentral era starting on the Cleveland lakefront and ending in Mingo junction

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Posted by tomikawaTT on Sunday, February 5, 2017 6:05 PM

For real puzzle palaces:

  1. The throat of Grand Central Terminal, in New York, as it was in 1950 or so.
  2. The interlaced triple wyes of the St Louis Union Station, same era.

The first is completely invisible from overhead, and always has been.  It's under Fifth Avenue and the adjacent buildings.

The second is now a very dim shadow of its former glory,  Of course, there's the Anheuser-Busch brewery complex for compensation.

Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)

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Posted by NWP SWP on Sunday, February 5, 2017 8:02 PM

I see.

Steve

If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough!

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