Dunton RR

Jack28 Oct 14, 2009

  1. Jack28

    Jack28 TrainBoard Member

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    A fictious rail line set in 1890-1900 or so. Done the super scale perfect stuff. This is for fun and to learn how to seriously do this hobby.

    Dunton was a small town between Dolores and Rico Colorado. Though never served by the DR&G Southwest, it did have a small rail line to provide the needs of the mining and lumber industry. Dunton was actually more of a mining town, but it was a placer gold mine, and when the vein ran out not much survived, but survive it did. In my younger years as an insulation contractor I insulatated buildings being restored to the original exterior position and design. Thus the name..


    Ok, cool beans, I came up with a plan for my fictious RR that fits the space in the picture below. Have not figured out how to show the plan on that. I may have to reprint the track plan without the grid and then scan it in again. Found a free program on the web called XTrackCAD. Got the general idea anyhow and then today just looking thinking what the heck I should do it came in a big rush of OH YEAH!....

    Essentially it is a big double reversing loop, that gains elevation and then returns. Leaves room for a sawmill (I think) a logging area, a mining spur area, some spots for just maintainence, and some town too.

    Are my calculations correct for grade? about 1/4" vertical change for about every 2 feet horizontal distance equals a 1% grade and double that a 2% grade and so on? What is a reasonable grade compromise for On30 size?

    Here we go
     

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  2. Jack28

    Jack28 TrainBoard Member

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    Well it appears ok on this end we will upload and see how it looks here.
     

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  3. DSP&P fan

    DSP&P fan TrainBoard Member

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    I would recommend at least 4" of clearance at the crossovers. Lots of On30 models are 3' gauge prototypes, so the clearance should be the same. Total car heights for 3' gauge cars is usually around 12' above the railhead. 12 feet in O scale is 3", plus an inch for track and roadbed.

    A reasonable grade is varies from person to person, depended upon your rolling stock and desired train lengths. I doubt that the B-man porters can pull much (I've never really played with mine)...but it ought to be able to handle a short string of dump cars on a 4% grade. The bigger engines such as the MMI offerings and the B-man 2-8-0 can pull enough to consider 4%-7.5% grades.

    In the real world, C&S #9 (previously used on the Georgetown Loop), could pull in excess of 30 loaded cars on the easier stretches of the line, but only 3-4 on the roughest parts.

    I'd recommend reversing your high and low line reverse loops. I think the scenery would work better. You might also want to consider a dummy connection or two with the outside world.

    Michael
     
  4. Jack28

    Jack28 TrainBoard Member

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    Heck Michael, not sure how you figured out which was high and which was low, but with the scenery I want to do, it works best with the far right loop as elevation 0 and the other loop is elevation highest (logging and the spur to mine down in the canyon).

    Also the far right has room to expand a little and I may have to do that to make things fit right, and do intend on having the forethought of having places to expand in the future.

    To get the height in the center pod, the lowest pod will have to go into a tunnel in a cliff just after crossing a bridge over a river. This again kind of commits me to as designed.

    I certainly appreciate your feedback. Please do not hesitate to advise.

    Again I ask are my calculations correct for figuring grade percent. 3-4% should be fine on this setup and work well.

    EDIT: Yes, looking at the plan again from a different perspective, I see what you say. Have to think on that. It goofs up the crossover side putting the grade wrong...
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 14, 2009
  5. Wolfgang Dudler

    Wolfgang Dudler Passed away August 25, 2012 TrainBoard Supporter In Memoriam

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    A friend of mine has steep grades. He runs two or even three engines if the train is too heavy. That's the good with narrow gauge, you have short trains. I think 4% are no deal for the usual train.Of course if you can stay with less grade - better.

    Wolfgang
     
  6. DSP&P fan

    DSP&P fan TrainBoard Member

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    The back bottom ate an early attempt at replying...

    rise/run*100%...so a 4% grade will raise the track 4" vertically in 100" of running. The best way to figure out what is acceptable to you is to set up a test track: take a 2"x4" and mount some flex track to it. Elevate one end. A 2x4 is close to 96" long, so raising it 4" is approx a 4% grade. Take each locomotive and see how many cars it can handle. If you like it, then it is fine with you. Raise or lower the elevated end to see the performance on various grades.

    As an additional note, not all 4% grades are created equal. There is the issue of compensated grades. Pulling a long train through a series of tight curves on a 4% grade is much harder than straight track on a 4% grade. Hence a compensated 4% grade isn't actually 4%, but rather it is less and the curves cause it to act like a 4% grade.

    Another issue is with car weights and tight curves. If you have underweight cars, long cars in particular, at the head end of a heavy train, they may roll over on curves. My brother and I, growing up, had many accidents in which our nice Rivarossi passenger cars took tumbles when we were too lazy to put them on the rear of the train. My cars are actually quite heavy...they are at the NMRA recommend weights, a bit heavier than many people use...upon picking up my 26' flatcar, most people respond with "ew" as it weighs close to a half pound.

    Michael
     
  7. Jack28

    Jack28 TrainBoard Member

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    Ok, That is significant. It allows a bunch.


    Got the center lines laid out today.
     
  8. Jack28

    Jack28 TrainBoard Member

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    Been much going on, tried to take some pictures, but flat is essentially boring. About half of the basic track elevations got temporarily located today. Interesting, it is important to not fasten yet to the supports so that it has a chance to move around as you elevate the sections.

    Using masonite and 1/2 inch foam. Pretty flexible at supports every 2 feet, think I need to cut that in half.

    Also learned using hot glue gun stuff is fast, easy, sufficient ( but I still back up with a couple of finishing brads from the air tool). I even managed to get hot glue on the fingers, and I can certainly advise you that is not a fun thing to do and you really want to avoid it if at all possible. Even works well for temporary supports.

    When I get all the elevations, I will take a few pictures. Today the walls became blue. Learned if you kind of whisk over, or rub with paper towels it makes pretty cool cirrus clouds. Took several stores to find "mismatch" blue paint. Was worth it, got a gallon for $3.50.

    Off to run interference between wife and son............Maybe I will have pictures when I get back
     
  9. Jack28

    Jack28 TrainBoard Member

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    Got the elevation set today and glued down. Rethinking some of the wiring, for future reference, making at least 2 blocks. Anyway the depth is 25 feet here, difficult to photo this.
     

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  10. DSP&P fan

    DSP&P fan TrainBoard Member

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    Holy cow! That's shaping up fast! Great work!
     
  11. Jack28

    Jack28 TrainBoard Member

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    Well doesn't look like much is done, but the first reversing loop is working. That is about all the track that is laid at this point. Today I just had to try to make a spruce tree.

    Well actually yesterday I started, but some stuff had to cure/dry/become as one. Hope to be getting some track laid soon.
    Jack
     

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  12. JCater

    JCater TrainBoard Member

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    Jack...this is looking really good! And boy do I know where Dunton is...spent a lot of time at the hot springs there years ago! Keep us updated often ;)
     
  13. Jack28

    Jack28 TrainBoard Member

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    The springs at Dunton or the Pardise spring? Did you know Tom Champ?
     
  14. Jack28

    Jack28 TrainBoard Member

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    Dang me. I find my track underlayment is not adequate and with just a few months of play (and a few new locos for Xmas) most of my locos are not happy with 18" radii. I also made the grades way too steep and they look awful.....

    So, went and got some homasote and ply yesterday. Also thinking on lowering the height. I like to play with it on a rolling stool, along with I am short and leaning hurts my bad arthritic back quite a bit.

    I think I want to add some other layout stuff as well, time to pause and think.

    Is there a good source for ON30 track plans. My area is 22x8
     
  15. Treewizard648

    Treewizard648 TrainBoard Member

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    I want to make a fictitious Hon3 turn of the century American based R.R. that starts in a southwestern American town and it traverses across the border into a Mexican Railroad town. I might call it something sporty like "Baez internacional" with my own coat of arms and everything! (Hence "Baez" is my last name) However I am currently living with my folks while I am attending college, most likely I won't start anything until I graduate and I start getting some money.

    What I am working on are prototype Hon3 R.R. equipment that I will use such as 3000 series Boxcars used on the D&RGW. I will post the drawings of my cars soon along with my R.R. coat of arms.
     
  16. Jack28

    Jack28 TrainBoard Member

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    sounds cool

    I did manage to get a start on replacement of track. The curves are going to be 22 inch min, which really messes with some of the layout and things will have to be modified. But the first test 8' section doesn't derail at the issue spot anymore.

    Did mark all the risers for the shallower grade. Actually, maybe doing this in sections like this is going to be much better. Just a real drag to rewire so much stuff.
    Jack
     
  17. Jack28

    Jack28 TrainBoard Member

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    Well yesterday I managed to get the main track all laid and operational. Homasote is so much better than foam for hand laid.

    Hoping my Bullfrog Snot gets here today so I can see if the locos will handle the two steep grades better....else I need to change the grade from 4%.

    Therefore I am kinda in limbo now. Just attaching and setting up the turtles and DS64s while I wait. If all goes well I might be able to do a little hard shell soon.
     
  18. Jack28

    Jack28 TrainBoard Member

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    Got a few pictures, not much to see, a lot to capture in just a photo.
     

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  19. Mattun

    Mattun TrainBoard Member

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    Nice going Jack, looks very promising!
     
  20. DSP&P fan

    DSP&P fan TrainBoard Member

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    Your rate of progress is quite impressive! Some of the grades look really nasty...er, perfect for shays!

    Michael
     

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