Cedar City Branch Module

Hi all,

Needed to clean the shop now that Spring has Sprung here in Oregon. We have a short window of opportunity to work outside, so I decided to get started on a module I've wanted to do for some time. I know it's not SP, but this UP layout will feature both roads to begin with and offers some interesting operations.

Here is the rough drawing showing the Door it will be built on, the bridge unit and the module insert. This offers a nice detour off the main line for passenger and freight. In this drawing the 2x2 module is about twice the size it will be...not sure why I drew it that big.



This is based on map and great article in a back issue of Streamliner. The site is dead flat and wide open, with only the two passenger tracks at the top of the drawing just off the main loop dropping down below grade. There's a path from the station across the tracks, down some steps to the passenger well. Kinda cool little detail.

Here is a shot out of the mag:



And here is the MTL Snap track laid out on the door for sizing:



The spur outside the loop is a caboose track for future, I hope, MTL Cabeese. )

I'm trying not to do any more research than I have now so I don't get bogged down as I have been with the Dunsmuir module. I have photo's and plots of most of the company buildings, and the rest I can fill in with Fanno Creek and other free standing business and residential kits. I want to capture the spirit of the site as it was in the 1940's where there was a lot of space between everything and lots of manicured lawns. The station also had a bus station for the National Parks in the area...those buses in Z Track Mag will fit the bill nicely.

Anyway, stay tuned...Loren and Steve will be dogging me nightly for progress updates.

Pretty excited to finally get some track down!

Cheers

Joe

 

Great idea! I suspect you are a bit optimistic about using the standard 2X2 module for the T. lay it out with MTL track and turnouts to see how BIG it really gets!

 

Ah, Spring time and new modules. I can just smell the freshly cut lumber and melting foam. Can you smell ours from here ?
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must be my aftershave ) I love Oregon, wouldn't want to live anywhere, but the Winters here are hard on shop work. Back East, folks are set up for foul weather, there seems to be this unwillingness on our parts to admit that 8 months out of the year, we are covered in layers of clothes and generally have a rain slicker on top of that too!

I've been chomping at the bits, watching Steve and Loren lay rail (that meant something different in High School) Now that I got all the junk out of the garage and have room to move, I'm feeling the love.

And yes, the 2x2 is going to be different. I think I will come off the lower inner track and do a 90-degree crossing at the upper two tracks. this way I can put a crossing shanty and some other out buildings and make that transition a bit easier. Inspired by Loren's End Modules where the train never comes out of the tunnel you think it will, I like the idea of doing the unexpected.

As for a switching module? I can do some with this. The single track is a Caboose track, the two inside the main line is the passenger track and the other two are for the Freight House. I can do some with this layout. I am also planning a Southern California module that will be alonge the lines of the Pacific Electric in downtown LA. Bob Samaus did a really nice switching layout in HO scale showing Urban operations in 1950's LA that I think I will do. You get a good mix of Electric and Diesel with overhead wires. Need to start drinking some of that go juice to keep the project going!

Joe

 

Thats cool, that is the first prototype reverse loop I have ever seen! What is the interface module, Z track? Foam rail?

 

Standard Z Modular construction. The bridge unit in the center will probably be 4-6' long to get the Cedar City module out a ways from the rest of the layout. I was planning on doing a long Deck Girder bridge over two forks of a wash. Again keeping it simple for handling.

 

not bad :thumbs_up:, why not?

 

Any updates Joe?

 

I'll be cutting and nailing this weekend. Loren and Steve have been mocking me so I have to finish it now!

Joe

 

Great! Can't wait to see the updates.