The Atlantic and Southern Build, Part 1

[ACL1504]

Very nice Tom. That's some solid progress on the "heart" of the new layout


John

John,

Thanks for checking in on the progress. The heart of the layout has to be perfect for the rest of the layout to run flawlessly! I'm keeping my fingers and all tools crossed for the process.

Tom

[ACL1504]

Oh my, that photo looks like a drawing I once saw!        

Greg,

I think we've seen enough of these drawings to last us a lifetime. Da'Judge and I were commenting yesterday during the work session that none of this would be possible without your CAD drawings! And who knew, just five years ago you only wanted to know how to paint a small diesel!

Tom

[Erieman]

HOLY COW, You are making a lot of progress on the railroad. boy, am I looking forward to following along. This is going to be a big project but lots of fun. Keep up the wonderful work and remember to keep posting progress pictures.

Frank / Erieman

[gnatshop]

Boy, you've been makin' a lot of sawdust lately!
If you were a really nice guy, you'd package it up and send it to Doug for bedding for his rat! 

[BandOGuy]

Sawdust is also useful in lieu of talcum powder on wet cats.

[gnatshop]

Sawdust is also useful in lieu of talcum powder on wet cats.    

Guess whose car seats he's gonna wallow around on!   

[ACL1504]

HOLY COW, You are making a lot of progress on the railroad. boy, am I looking forward to following along. This is going to be a big project but lots of fun. Keep up the wonderful work and remember to keep posting progress pictures.

Frank / Erieman

Frank,

Thank you for following along on the adventure. Building the ovalix is a daunting task but as you say will be lots of fun.  I have more photos of the progress to share later after I answer these posts.

Tom

[ACL1504]

Boy, you've been makin' a lot of sawdust lately!
If you were a really nice guy, you'd package it up and send it to Doug for bedding for his rat! 

Gman,

Thanks for stopping by. Yes, lots of sawdust - it's in my hair, eyes, pockets and a few other places.   I think Doug has plenty of his own laser cut sawdust. I guess this mjeans I'm not a nice guy!

Tom

[ACL1504]

Sawdust is also useful in lieu of talcum powder on wet cats.

I thought the sawdust was used to stuff the cat! You know, dry it from the inside out!

Tom

[BandOGuy]

Sawdust is also useful in lieu of talcum powder on wet cats.

I thought the sawdust was used to stuff the cat! You know, dry it from the inside out!
Tom

!

[ACL1504]

Today I got much more completed on the ovalix area. I did get the runaround track down along with the turn outs. For your convenience, here is the track plan for the lower level or bottom of the ovalix.



And here is the track in place.



I guess I should give you a cleaner version so the track can be seen more easily.



Continued in a few.

[ACL1504]

Continuing -







Continued in a few.

[ACL1504]

The photo below is one I just showed but I want you to see it here without having to go back up to look. You can see on the left side of the photo and coming off the top turnout the track that will become the swing leg of the ovalix. This track enters the ovalix base and begins to climb at about half way in the first quarter of the circle.



As I mentioned earlier in the thread the rise is 1/8" for every 12"/1ft. in length. This is a rise of 1.20% which is very subtle and perfect for steam engines on the ovalix.





Continued in a few.

[bparrish]

Tom...

Good start..............

You had me nervous for a while when you tore out all the old stuff......... I wasn't sure how much down time you were going to claim before you started again.

Very cool

Bob

[ACL1504]

It goes without saying that the first leg of the helix/ovalix is extremely important. It is critical that the first loop is correctly built and level. If you make a mistake it won't show up in the first loop. However; as you go higher, your mistakes will become more obvious. The ovalix pad (the part the track sits on), really called roadbed, must be absolutely level from side to side. If not, you will notice your helix/ovalix cantering to the inside or outside whatever the case may be.

Now is the time for all good railroad modelers to be patient and diligent in this task. Note the level on my ovalix roadbed!



The roadbed is level and in the photo below you can see this equates to level track on the roadbed.



1.20% incline/grade - easy peasy!



Thanks for following along and as always comments are always welcome, even critical ones.

Tom