The Atlantic and Southern Build, Part 1

[John B]

Just for fun; how many times did you hit your head on the fascia above your workbench?

[GPdemayo]

Hey Gnat, where were you and the Ledbetters when we needed some muscle? 

[gnatshop]

Hey Gnat, where were you and the Ledbetters when we needed some muscle?     

Me and the Ledbetters all came down with bad case of the 'Saggin' A**'!

[S&S RR]

I have one more set of concept drawings for the new layout from Frank Baker, Erieman! Frank has been a great source of ideas. With this last set, I told him I had plenty of ideas to draw on.

Thank You Frank! Your assistance has been invaluable.

Note also with these plans Frank went so far as to include a stat sheet with the track plan. The word "stat" isn't what I wanted to use but I couldn't think of the correct terminology.









Continued in a few.

Tom

Your Pullman car test has now been added to the Superior & Seattle track testing procedures.  It will be called "Tom's AS Pullman Car Test (TAPCT).  I was reading your thread last night and realized I hadn't tested the new track with the long Pullman cars.  So today we ran the test with 6 - 40' passenger cars and 3 - 85' Pullman cars.  I posted a couple pictures on my build thread. I found three areas that need some work in the backup test. Thanks for the help!

[bparrish]

David

Did you catch that while you were in Saginaw?

see ya
Bob

[ACL1504]

Enough of my ideas! Your giving me a big head. Your turn, what are you going to do?!!! Inquiring minds want to know. We are all on pins and needles waiting for you to show us what you have in mind. Glad I could be of some help and hope that some of the ideas get incorporated into the new layout. I'll be watching. Now don't spill any paint on that new carpet!!!

Frank / Erieman

Ah, come on Frank, you know you love the attention! Besides, I'm just giving credit where it is due and wanted to make very sure nobody thought it was coming from me.

I guess I'm dragging it out a little as some decisions have been made while others have not!

I'm sure I'll be the first to spill paint or something else that will leave a lasting stain. I found one of my little dogs sniffing around the wall last night so I told the Babe that the "new man cave" is off limits to the hounds.

Tom

[ACL1504]

Me I'm drooling at all those yellow boxes on the table . Well maybe one day ........ one will make to my workbench

Ken,

I appreciate you stopping by for a look see. The yellow boxes are nice and I've thinned out the number over the past few years. At one time I had all the yellow boxes but either traded them and have built a few through the years.

Tom

[ACL1504]

Just for fun; how many times did you hit your head on the fascia above your workbench?

John B,

Actually I have that number for you! The total is ten! Six were just bumps, three were just bumps with a red mark and one was the one that helped me make the decision to redo the entire layout and workbench area. That one drew blood and pealed some skin back!

I think the distance from the workbench top and the fascia was only 18 inches. Looking back I wonder how I ever got anything built at all.

Tom

[ACL1504]

John S.,

I'm happy I could help even by accident. I'll wear the TAPCT pin with pride my friend.

I'm off to check your thread after I finish answering the posts here. Then I'll be back to post one little update.

Tom

[ACL1504]

Okay, for a little of my own track planning now. After pouring over all that Frank did in the track planning, (actually Frank did very little on the track planning - they were all my ideas and he just put them on paper for me) I came up with a brilliant idea.

However, it did come from some of Frank's drawings. Sorry Frank for giving you more credit even though deserved! Anyway, Frank had two helix going one for up and one for down. This did solve the double track issue on the helix and looking again at the drawing below you can see where the helixes (sic) take up the entire bump out space.

In using the double helix theory, I think I would have to have a 3% grade and that is unacceptable for the new layout.



My plan is for the helix to be 1.5% grade or less with a 34 inch radius. I came up with the idea of making the entire bump out one oval helix. I now call my helix, the OVALIX! Below, I show it in the CAD drawing my good friend Greg DeMayo did for me. Greg has been wonderful in putting these plans in CAD as it lets me know exactly how much room I'll need.

Anyway, I'll have a 36 inch radius for the outside track and the train will pass through a #6 turnout into the ovalix. The distance the train will travel to the next level will be between 24-26 ft. This will give me a grade of around 1%! In the ovalix the train will enter a short portion of straight track thus lessening the pulling or strain on the loco and cars.

The below CAD track plan is for the third or upper level. It's about 98% chipped in stone as far as the track locations are concerned. I have just a little more tweeking to do which I'll share in a few days.

My ovalix is shown below and I'll let ya'll think on it for a few days!



Continued in a few days.

[gnatshop]

David
Did you catch that while you were in Saginaw?
see ya   Bob 

Eewww - that's two of 'em today!
How did he ever get approved as a senior officer in the Riff Raff Club? 

[GPdemayo]

In Gnat speak.....aw shucks, tweren't nothin' man..... 

[Erieman]

Good Morning Tom,

You have been busy, my friend. Things are progressing nicely. Thank you for all your comments and glad I could be of some help. My doodles were only ideas and I look forward to seeing how the layout develops.

My use of the helix in the corner was as follows: the loop on the left is a return loop. you would have one on the top level and one on the bottom level; while the double loop on the right was to get trains up and down between the next level. Basically, I was trying to create a giant dog bone design to give you even longer run times. As far as the grade, you can change that based on the height of each level. Call me if you have any questions.

Keep up the great work and I look forward to seeing the start of benchwork.

Enough of my ramblings. I need to finish burying the wiring for the night lighting outdoors. The backyard project is almost done. Need to complete it before it gets really hot.

Frank / Erieman

[Twist67]

Hi Tom,
nice to see your layout developing...hope to see some benchwork done,soon 

Regards,Chris

[ACL1504]

Good Morning Tom,

You have been busy, my friend. Things are progressing nicely. Thank you for all your comments and glad I could be of some help. My doodles were only ideas and I look forward to seeing how the layout develops.

My use of the helix in the corner was as follows: the loop on the left is a return loop. you would have one on the top level and one on the bottom level; while the double loop on the right was to get trains up and down between the next level. Basically, I was trying to create a giant dog bone design to give you even longer run times. As far as the grade, you can change that based on the height of each level. Call me if you have any questions.

Keep up the great work and I look forward to seeing the start of benchwork.

Enough of my ramblings. I need to finish burying the wiring for the night lighting outdoors. The backyard project is almost done. Need to complete it before it gets really hot.

Frank / Erieman

Frank,

Thank you for all the help. Your vision is wonderful. I look forward to seeing how you design the double helix.

It was great speaking with you this afternoon, as it always is!

Tom