A Big Upgrade - A Ceiling!

It is fitting that on Conrail's 40th birthday, April 1 2016, that I would have a major upgrade to report to you on the Onondaga Cutoff!

Last night we finished up the installation of a new drop-in ceiling in the basement, covering most of the layout with a shield from dust and at least some sort of barrier for moisture that may come through the old wooden floors of my house (the near-disaster of spilled orange juice in the kitchen, directly over CP 280, comes to mind).   Further, we've added a MUCH tighter appearance to the layout - without all the chaos visible above, the eye travels naturally to the scenery and models.

Here's an opening view, pre-ceiling.  You can see the laser line if you look closely, showing where the finished elevation will be.  This tool helps to 'see' the finished height.

Once the line is set, the contractors built a grid of aluminum framing, and I started to move the lighting from the rafters to the grid (as well as label the grid at critical spots, where valves and junction boxes would be hidden).  I also installed light plastic 'dust jackets' to the layout to aid in clean-up.

Once that was in place, it was time for the contractors to come back the following day and install the tiles - this was like watching an artist.  These cuts have to be perfect.  I was happy to have professionals on board to install the grid and make the tough cuts.

What a difference!  I am amazed at just how different it looks with the ceiling in place.  There are a few adjustments to make, including lighting and such based on operator feedback, but I think I am going to be very happy with the changes in the room.

Here's a comparison for you - the Iroquois area with the grid, and then the Iroquois area with the finished ceiling:

I feel as though the space for the layout went from 'amateur' looking to professional-looking, all in two days' time!  I am hoping this cuts down on track cleaning, and offers some protection to the layout, but also hoping this is a more enjoyable place to spend time with the new clean look.  One thing that is for sure is that it is now time for backdrops to be finalized - I am looking at photo backdrops, but that is a post for the future!

Best wishes into April!

~RGDave

A Final Branch Line

The time has come for the installation of a final branch line on the Onondaga Cutoff, effectively finishing track installation on the 'visible' part of the layout.  This last piece is representing track from the 'Syracuse, Cazenovia & New York' railroad, circa 1880, that would have been in place when the Onondaga Cutoff was constructed.  The OC, on its grade-separated route, would have built and embankment and passed over the SC&NY right of way.  This provides another switching opportunity for crews at Operating Sessions and also will provide visual interest.

Here we see the fiber paper covering the subroadbed cut away where I will make the jigsaw cuts, allowing the new right-of-way to descend from Onondaga Yard so that it can pass below the main line.  This was a dusty process, of course, and quite a bit of clean-up was needed after I snapped the photo!

After the cuts, I used plywood splices and screws to assemble the extension to the new subroadbed, which passes beneath the main line with minimal room to spare!  This track will have a special order with equipment not permitted if it is over a certain height.  Autoracks and double stacks will NOT fit through the underpass!

This branch will extend to a new lower level  in front of Fayetteville, and allow for another customer for local crews to switch.  Its old, less-than-perfect track will also be a nice contrast to the main line above.  

I am enjoying doing some track-laying again, it is a big departure from scenery work or from mechanical maintenance.  Little by little.  This is a nice way to ring in the spring time, and new beginnings!

~RGDave

Scenery Development - Layer 1

As we move towards adding scenery at locations around the Onondaga Cutoff, I find myself referring to photos of the areas where the railroad would have been located to get ideas for how things should appear on the layout.  The area around CP277, just east of Fayetteville, NY, is the current focus.  Much of this area has more open space than buildings, and most of the wood lines appear distant with scrub growth or fields closer to the view points, with some swampy waterways nearby.

The railroad, approaching the summit of the hill into Ram's Gulch, would have a rock cut wall to the north, and swampy river to the south, in the foreground.  So, I added the rocks and some basic greenery along the view block, with the full photo backdrop coming soon too.  Here's the view, looking east, with the 'rock' alone:

After that, I added some greenery as a first layer, with more shades and types to come soon.  I find the clump-foliage to be a good backround material, with lighter shades and super tree bushes adding depth and detail once the background is in.  Green and black paint are obviously temporary, ahead of further layers of scenery and detail.  Ballast will come here too, and that will make a huge difference.

Before I get too far along here, I am seriously considering a photo backdrop for this entire scene.  A photo backdrop showing typical Central New York farmland and countryside would do a lot to add depth to this scene, and I don't want to have to work around finished trees to install it.  Work done as shown here is a good start that helps to get the thoughts moving forward!

~RGDave

Maintenance-of-Way Operations

One of the more enjoyable parts of modeling an operation in a prototypical manner is that there is a natural variety built in, so long as we pay attention to the prototype.  For the Onondaga Cutoff, one of the better ways to do that is through modeling some of the maintenance practices followed by Conrail's track and "B&B" (Bridges & Buildings) gangs.

Here, we have Track Car T-5156 moving down Track 2 between CP282, in the background, and CP280 out of the photo to the right.  This is representing a track inspection, which by the 1990's was carried out in specially designed 'Hi-Rail' vehicles - essentially vehicles with standard frames and cabs, specially fitted bodies, and custom retractable railroad-wheel systems that allow the truck to drive on the rails.  In HO scale, motorized models are made by Bachmann, and one has been detailed and weathered for use during Operating Sessions now and again to represent prototype maintenance practices.

In each case, the driver of the track car will contact the dispatcher to copy a 'Form D' - a document that formally gives control of a segment of track to the driver.  The dispatcher will then mark that track out of service, and must route any trains around the work area.  It adds quite a bit of spice to an operating session!

~RGDave

(Sub) Urban Planning

This hobby allows modelers an opportunity to learn about all sorts of interesting topics.  Certainly there are the basics regarding hand tools, power tools, basic construction, electrical wiring and circuit construction, lighting, radio control, and painting.  Layout construction requires those basics.  Further, to get the point of construction, a modeler has researched all sorts of historical documents as well as prototype history and model availability.

We can take this a step further, learning about operating systems and various planning endeavors.  Currently, I am planning the spacial organization of a significant suburban town, including roadways, buildings, lighting, etc.  I started with a sketch of the available 'real estate' as well as photos from small-town 'downtown' districts in Central New York, and came up with a working diagram of the general set-up of the town.  This doesn't need to be to scale - this sketch serves as a template for ideas, not as an engineering document.

The key here is plausibility - everything about this project needs to result in a scene that will be reminiscent of life in Central New York, an area defined by the winter season, and constructed in an era when Syracuse was the "Salt City" and the Erie Canal was new, exciting, and vastly profitable.  My version of Fayetteville, NY, is considerably more developed than the prototype, because my version has the Onondaga Cutoff which would have added a substantial amount of capital and population as compared to the small town that it actually is.  

Therefore, the next step was to visit and photograph other towns in Central New York that are closer to what my version of Fayetteville would be, towns like Skaneateles, Marcellus, and Cazenovia.  These were towns that had railroads in the era when they were growing, and therefore would be good prototypes for my Fayetteville.  Google Earth is also very helpful here.  Note the architectural features, colors, and layout of these main street commercial rows:

The next steps are to select some kits available on the market to represent a slice of 'downtown' and to paint and detail those kits to suggest a scene like these.   

The railroad becomes almost secondary in projects like this - what we are doing is sub-urban planning, in order to create a supporting scene around the railroad that makes the whole layout more plausible.  How's that for 'Model Railroading?'  This is a hobby where it is very difficult to run out of things to think about.  

~RGDave

On Making Progress...

Last week I was in touch with a fellow blogger who is also working to make progress on a large layout undertaking while married, working, and raising small kids.  It's a neat overview and much of what Greg has learned, I have learned in parallel!

The Balancing Act - Michigan Interstate Railroad

~RGDave

A Sad, and Sudden, Change

Today I am the bearer of bad news - my father Peter W. Abeles passed away suddenly on January 12, 2016.  I am heartbroken and shocked - family comes first, even when that is difficult, and this will be a massive change in my world.  

Dad was in seemingly good health, and was simply walking his & his wife's dog around the block near his home Tuesday 1/12 around 2 pm when he had an apparent massive heart attack.  Very sudden and shocking to us all.  We are in mourning but are working through that darkness so that we can more appreciate all the light and smiles he brought into our world.  He was quite a traveler over his life - my most recent trip with him was actually to Syracuse on a model railroad research & inspiration trip, on which we were able to spend some quality time with family, as well.  Such a privilege!

While not a model railroader, Dad loved watching people do what they loved to do.  He felt that human nature can be coached and guided for the common good, for the positive, when people build community and work to think of others needs before their own.  Therefore, he was a big supporter of the Onondaga Cutoff and the operating sessions we host.  

He was a dedicated, committed father, husband, and friend, and will be dearly missed!

~RGDave