Building the KY&N: Planning, Prep & Benchwork

GP30 Mar 27, 2020

  1. gjslsffan

    gjslsffan Staff Member

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    Great to see your progress photos Pat! Looks like it coming together nicely.
     
  2. GP30

    GP30 TrainBoard Member

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    With the HVAC replacement set for this week, it is a good morning to finish up old projects on the Kanawha, Youngstown & Northern Railroad

    This car as an Accurail offering as a Georgia & Florida RR car. This was was repainted weeks ago and now getting decals this morning. KY&N 1996 is a 40’ outside braced wood box car with steel ends and under frame. Now in captive service, this car usually ends up busy hauling feed and corn in the peak harvest season in Eastern OH and Western PA.

    [​IMG]


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  3. gjslsffan

    gjslsffan Staff Member

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  4. GP30

    GP30 TrainBoard Member

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    Finally, progress!

    All new heat pump and air mover installed in new location and duct work changes completed. Time for more benchwork!

    [​IMG]

    Staging benchwork has now been extended along the side wall and around behind the air mover. Just a few more feet and then the lower staging benchwork will be done.

    [​IMG]


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  5. GP30

    GP30 TrainBoard Member

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    Through the corner

    Staging benchwork is complete! The last section of benchwork for the lower staging level is completed with the installation of the 8” shelf to the left. Here, the main will continue to climb up to the lower level, then veer to the left to a peninsula and gaining elevation to a height of 39” from the floor. Also, the stone bridge to the south of the classification yard also rests on the low, narrow shelf.

    All three levels will require the main track to “tunnel through” the corner prominently shown in this picture.

    Onward and upward![​IMG]


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  6. gjslsffan

    gjslsffan Staff Member

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    On ward and upward indeed Sir. Good job!
     
  7. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Nice work! Good to see progress.
     
  8. GP30

    GP30 TrainBoard Member

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    Over the weekend, I completed the four “short” tracks of the lower staging yard yards. These tracks were placed for the two mine shifter jobs that run south of Charleston as well as spillover southbound traffic. Two tracks hold 13 cars, the other two can hold 15 cars.

    The other 10 tracks of staging are designed for 20 cars minimum.

    Also, not shown, two more sections of lower main level benchwork were constructed and installed.
    [​IMG]

    Ex CC&CI S4 #435 holds the main track with another cut of hoppers for the Aarons Fork Shifter later.


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  9. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Nice staging area! Plenty of capacity.
     
  10. GP30

    GP30 TrainBoard Member

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    Total of fourteen tracks on this end, there will be 14 on the other end, but that will be a long ways off and above the upper level….. eventually…..


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  11. GP30

    GP30 TrainBoard Member

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    I only managed to assemble and place one piece of the lower level benchwork. I intentionally stopped at one so I could work on the staging level and get the track down first. This is a corner piece that also supports a lift out behind the HVAC (for maintenance) to the left.

    [​IMG]



    I also got the subroadbed for the staging level in place and through the wall corner. These are 36” radius curves on a 1.5% climb from right to left. Just to the left, the track will remain hidden behind the stone arch viaduct, which is close to the height of the lower level.
    [​IMG]


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  12. GP30

    GP30 TrainBoard Member

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    First train through the wall! The beefy little Atlas S4 took the first train to the end of the current progress. It took 22 cars up the 1.5% grade with no trouble.

    [​IMG]

    Saturday night, I installed the lower level benchwork over staging level to the left of the HVAC. If you refer back to the track plans, the ends of the four coal yard tracks will peek out from behind the HVAC blower by a foot or two. There is room for another industry to the left, but I may leave this alone to be a scenic area.

    [​IMG]


    Lower level benchwork is now complete in a counter clockwise direction from the classification yard, engine service tracks and coal yard. Benchwork progress for the lower level is highlighted here. The next part will be to raise the stone viaduct up about 5-1/2 inches to meet the benchwork height.

    [​IMG]


    Speaking of the stone viaduct, it has been temporarily set in place again to determine the height difference. The main track to/from staging is now in place behind it, which will be hidden beneath the Elk River.

    [​IMG]


    Beyond raising the viaduct, I’m going to have to decide whether to start building the false wall for the peninsula or start on putting plywood down on the lower level benchwork and lay track in the classification yard.


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  13. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Nice to see trains run on new benchwork!
     
  14. GP30

    GP30 TrainBoard Member

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    Built all of this peninsula benchwork in three hours Saturday morning. Upper level will be built with T-style method through the vertical 1x4’s with cross bracing as needed.

    Benchwork isn’t sexy, but the trains can’t run without it! (Also, I got lucky and had two old sections of benchwork fit perfectly in vertical position. You’ll never see it behind the backdrop!)

    [​IMG]

    Staging benchwork is officially complete. Continued the layout and installation of the subroadbed from staging to the first level. The plywood was previously cut for a 36” radius helix, but it will be a long time before we get to that point, why not use what is already available?

    Technically, the first level begins as the track comes out of the center wall of the peninsula. Since this is being viewed from behind, this will be hidden below the first level and will come out in the open on the other side of the peninsula wall.

    [​IMG]


    Monday morning wrapped up with lower staging track work completed and a false backdrop installed to hide the staging track that will be behind the stone arch bridge on the lower main level.

    I don’t expect to accomplish much this week, but Landon and I may venture to Charleston Thursday evening for an operating session.

    [​IMG]


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  15. GP30

    GP30 TrainBoard Member

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    Friday night, I cut 1x4’s for the loops at the end of the peninsula. Saturday morning, the radial benchwork was assembled, fine tuned and supported with 1x3’s at a 45 degree angle. At this particular location on both lower and upper levels, the track will ascend from right to left at a 1% incline on a 32” radius. These will be the sharpest curves on the layout.
    [​IMG]


    I also discovered that the right of way through the false wall was placed at the wrong angle and was redone to stay true to the track plan. If I hadn’t corrected this, then it would have severely compressed the space for Weinheimer Chemical on the other side of the wall. [​IMG]


    Going back to Thursday night, my son and I spent the evening at an operating session on Bob’s layout. The enjoyable evening was a nice way to keep focused on moving forward with our layout. [​IMG]


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  16. GP30

    GP30 TrainBoard Member

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    Made more progress over the 3-day weekend:

    [​IMG]
    I started by extending the subroadbed around the end of the peninsula on the lower level to the other side and is now directly over top the track below. Then cork roadbed was glued down and sanded.

    [​IMG]
    Finally installed the switch to the chemical plant plus 9 feet of track part way around the end of the peninsula.

    [​IMG]

    I also installed the first six joint bars working upgrade behind the track laying progress. These are Details West 6-hole joint bars.
    [​IMG]

    It is time to start getting serious about the backdrop and lighting! I picked up some paint color chips at Ace Hardware to start comparing backdrop colors. I’m going to stick with the dead winter theme I’ve modeled in the past. I’m leaning towards Benjamin Moore 1592 for the base and 1598 for blending into the lighter color while wet for highlights and storm clouds.


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  17. GP30

    GP30 TrainBoard Member

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    Kanawha Electra-Steel

    Track laying progress has now reached the location of the the EAF and Rolling Mill on the west side of Charleston. The south lead switch for the facility and passing siding is also in place.

    The rolling mill will be able to hold up to 12 gondolas and coil cars and will be modified from three Walthers Rolling Mill kits or scratch built if necessary. The EAF will be built from two Walthers Electric Furnace kits and will hold about 5 car loads of scrap at a time.

    This has the potential to generate enough traffic to be it’s own job for a local crew based out of Charleston.

    So if anyone has some Rolling Mill or Electric Furnace kits they want to part with, I’ll probably be interested.

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]


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  18. VinceP

    VinceP TrainBoard Member

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    Looks great
     
  19. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Good to see track laying! The Campbell's Local is a nice touch...:p
     
  20. VinceP

    VinceP TrainBoard Member

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    :sneaky::sneaky::sneaky::sneaky:Campbell's local looks to be getting more track time than trains
     

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