First Run - Train UN-2

After getting a chance to run some mock trains with Bruce last weekend, and a couple of friends commenting on my Facebook posts of the progress on the layout, I decided to focus a little more this weekend on operations. The trains are running pretty smoothly on the mainline and most of the dust has been cleaned off the sidings. The first train of the day, on the PRR Irwin District Timetable No. 4, is UN-2 known as the Uniontown Trick*.

First 2 eastbound trains on the timetable

This train only has 2 jobs - pull the cars from Dailey Coal & Fuel in Uniontown, to free the spur for a delivery later in the day, and work Tracks 1 and 4 at WCC Mine No. 4 in Herminie. Since the switch leading into Uniontown is only about 12" (85 HO scale feet) from the Irwin Yard, I decided the way to "stretch" the layout is to run the train around the layout twice between servicing towns. So, UN-2 pulled out of the Irwin Yard and passed through some of the towns on the line before slowing in Uniontown. The engine uncouples and heads into the lead track to pick up the first car.

UN-2 engine 8604 stops at G.G.S. Cabinets as the switchman throws the switch to the Dailey track

Dailey's typically use 2 hoppers and 1 tank car on this daily run, so the engine pulls the empty tank car (MTY) before coming back to get the two empty hoppers. There are two reasons for two trips instead of pulling all 3 cars at once. First, the track lead can only hold the loco and 2 cars. Second, PRR safety rules note that there must always be a car between a tank car and either the engine or the cabin car when running on the main.

Enginer 8604 comes back for the two hopper cars

Once the train is reconnected and brake lines cleared, the train pulls out of Uniontown with 2 hopper cars, the tank car, and the empty hopper cars destined for WCC Mine No. 4. A couple of loops around the layout to cover the "distance" between Uniontown and Herminie.

Simulating distance, UN-2 runs around the layout twice before pulling into Herminie

In Herminie, the engine pulls the loaded hoppers from Track 1 as well as the empty boxcar from Track 4 before pushing a new boxcar of supplies on Track 4 and the empty hoppers from the Irwin Yard on Track 1. While this sounds quick and simple, it takes a few moves to clear the tracks, put the right cars on the correct tracks and ensure the safety rule holds - idler cars between the engine, tank car and cabin car - before the train can depart Herminie and run a couple times around to return to the Irwin Yard where the engine is cut off and sent to the Engine track. Switcher 9238 then breaks the train down for the next operating session.

Placing the supply boxcar on Track 4

Overall, I was very happy with how this initial operating run performed. I did encounter a couple of hopper cars with problems - ironically, two of the newest ones I built.

A few more test runs for the other trains on the schedule and I will start holding operating sessions for my buddies. I think the layout will keep 2-3 people busy and hope there will be enough room for us to move around each other. Otherwise - awesome!

*I am still working on the train designations so some of these may change over time.

Little Steps

I had hoped for a good weekend working on the layout and it ended up being a great weekend! Friday night and late Saturday morning, I spent some time tweaking a few projects preparing for Bruce to come over and work on the train. I made signs for Camp Bruce and G.G.S. Cabinets and added people inside the factory. I installed some telephone poles along Rt 993 into Uniontown and finished making a large batch of trees for Bruce and I to work on the hills.

Uniontown Hill with campers and Camp Bruce sign

Bruce was excited about the progress I had made so far and we set about working on the two hills. I could only go so far because I have a structure I need to build and place before I put anymore trees around. Bruce did a great job on the scenery for the hill in Herminie and he decided that the tunnels needed some weathering showing years of steam engines passing through the portals - very realistic.

Work Bruce did on the hill in Herminie

We pulled down some of the buildings I have up on the shelf - most are only partially built or custom cut for the previous layout and started talking about how some of them could still be incorporated into the layout. One of the buildings, a switch tower my Dad made out of cardstock probably years before I was born received a paint job and now sits next to the East Yard in Irwin.

My dad built the switchtower out of cardstock and balsa wood strips

We did get a chance to run the trains - and they ran quite well - so I had Bruce do a couple of switching assignments and learning how to handle the car cards (waybills will come later on - I still have to set them up!) Before he left, he took a couple of photos from some new angles that look really, really good.

The track lead in Uniiontown,with G.G.S/ Cabinets to the right

Under WCC Mine No. 4

West entrance to the Irwin Yard

Looking the other way from the West Yard towards Vic's Bait & Tackle

Finally, he wanted a picture of the owner. Layout looks good...the owner so-so!

Trees And Stuff

Over the Labor Day weekend, I wanted to get a few projects completed in anticipation of Bruce coming over next weekend to work on the train. Trains are running fairly well on the mainlines but I think I need to do some serious cleaning once I get my Woodland Scenics track cleaning tool - hopefully tomorrow!
First thing Bruce and I will need are trees - and lots of them. After ordering a package of Woodland Scenic trees I was digging through my scenery drawer and discovered 2 (!!) packages of deciduous trees and one of ready to plant pines. Nice. Dumb that I forgot I had them, but nice. So I started making trees...

All the materials for making trees

...and I remembered that I hate making trees. There is always that feeling that I lack the creative, artistic skill to make realistic trees but its also messy and frustrating. Basically, twist the tree armatures (easy), cover the limbs with tacky white glue (messy but easy) and dip it in the bag of clump foliage. I always get a tree with one or two pieces of foliage, not where I want them, and have to press and preen to get it right. What you see in the photo is about 2 hours of work. Ugh! 

Bruce may have to make his own trees! 

Hillside in Uniontown with a couple of pines to start

I've been working on the mountain in Uniontown and I have some exciting ideas but I don't want to spoil them. Bruce has been working on the hill to the left of the photo which is in Herminie. I tried staining the rocks this weekend to get what I was hoping would be a sandstone/shale look. Nope. Gonna have to work on that.

Bridge pier and abutment weathered

I also weathered the new bridge abutment and pier using my typical "alcohol with a few drops of india ink" wash.At least that turned out pretty well.

PPG loading docks

Finally, I started building one of the two building flats in the Irwin yard. As you can see in the photo, I took a series of DPM walls, glued them together and used two-sided tape to hold it to the wall. It needs a little more work and weathering and I should be able to mount the Heinz building before the weekend.
Lots of fun!

While I Was Gone

When I have to travel for work, I try to spend some time in the evenings planning what I would like to do the next time I can be in the train room. Sometimes I work on an operating plan or just think about the list of to do projects and determine if I have the right materials to start (or more hopefully finish!) a particular project. Over the last couple of weeks, I can up with a list of supplies for several of the started projects. Of course, this was a fairly specific list. I checked the hobby store in Mooresville NC where I was working and did not find much. Last weekend, Lisa, Nicholas, Adam and I made a tour of the local shops (The Hobby Shop, Hobby Lobby and Smitty's) and believe it or not, I came up with almost nothing - I did get a couple of jars of paint.
I had looked at my usual mail order places but could not find what I needed. Lisa suggested I try Amazon because she has had a lot of success using them and with our Prime membership, shipping is usually free. Monday evening I went "shopping" and had to restrain myself a little when I realized the shopping cart had over $180 of "needed" supplies.
OK, so some of the items were more "wanted" than "needed" so I paired it back and placed the order. When I got home Thursday night, my first two (of five) shipments arrived with some tree materials (finally get to cover the hills on the layout!) and the bridge pier and abutment for the truss bridge. Nice!

New bridge supports

The bridge is important because it marks the end of East McKeesport and partially hides the outer mainline disappearing behind the city's skyline into the two staging tracks. I was a little concerned that the abutment would not fit between the wall and the edge of the track but it's perfect.
A little weathering and I can cement then in and build the girder track that is supposed to look a little like the bridge that parallels Rt 22 across the Ohio river between Steubenville OH and Wierton WA.

Sketching An Operations Plan

This week, while I could not work in the train room, I spent some time working on ideas for operating the train.I have been thinking about some of the limits of a circular track plan and at fist I thought this would be much more difficult than the last layout which was linear and staging on either end. But soon I realized it would be pretty straightforward.
First I determined the track capacity.I used a 40' boxcar as the a standard measure since all other cars (hoppers, gondolas, and ore cars) are smaller than this. I also determined what cars would be routed on the spurs. For example the mine tracks will only have hopper cars (H) while the industries in East McKeesport will only have boxcars (XM or XF). I use a rather simple AAR car code designation which I will describe in a later post.

Track capacity of the yard, all spurs and 2 hidden tracks

Next I considered each town on the layout - Irwin, Uniontown, Herminie and East McKeesport and how to best work the spurs whether from eastbound or westbound traffic. Once I had given it some thought, I realized that both Uniontown and Herminie should be worked by eastbound trains and East McKeesport would be served westbound. This follows the map geography as well. I had considered making one of the spurs on the left side Greensburg (LAS Fabrics) but as I worked through things I realized this would not fit.

Trackplan with the cities noted

Next step was to set up an alternating eastbound and westbound plan. Initially I do not intend to run completely under TT&TO (timetable and train orders) but I wanted something that would keep 2-3 operators busy for 2 or so hours. So I started working through the options. Herminie is too constrained to pull cars and drop off new so I would need to have a train do a pickup (p/u) and a second actually do the setouts. Hermanie was pretty easy as there is plenty of lead track except there are a lot of cars to move so at least 2 coal trains and a separate one for the P&LE Interchange.

Initial train list and their duties

Once  I saw I had 4 trains eastbound and only 2 westbound, I decided instead of having the city represent Greensburg in the east and East McKeesport to the west, it would just be East McKeesport with traffic going from Irwin Yard westbound with 2 trains, one servicing LAS Fabrics on the northside (back of the tracks) and 1 train servicing the south tracks on front of the layout.
Add 2 trains coming out of staging and I have a start. Hoping to have some time this weekend to actually go through the paces and see how it works. Wish me luck!

Weekend Notes

This past weekend, I had a little more free time than usual and wisely spent it working on the train. I did not accomplish much in the way of "major" changes but niched away at a few items that have been hanging around.

Daily Coal & Fuel Oil gets a little scenery

• Completed the scenery between the West Yard and the wall from the end of the layout to the PPG/Heinz spur.
• Added the remaining I beams to the underside of the Rt. 30 bridge.
• Added a roof to GGS Cabinets, unique on the layout as I spray painted it black, sprinkled on some sand and added another layer of painted.
• Finished the scenery around the Dailey Coal & Fuel Oil spur.
• Tested a mockup building flat for the PPG building on the spur.

Finished the scene from the rails to the wall in Irwin Yard

All in all, not a lot of changes but each little thing moves the layout forward. Soon, I will have the most development layout of the 5 or so I have built!

C;lancy's Tavern

Recently, I was able to finish Clancy's Tavern. This is the Kelly's Saloon DPM kit which I had decided was the perfect fit for this spot on the layout. I happened to be working in Harrisburg when I decided this and found a local hobby shop that was mostly RC but they had some train items - including a single building kit. Kelly's Saloon!

Clancy's Tavern on the right

Generally, I like the DPM kits except they are a little on the rough side. I had to sand the edges of the side walls to get the kit square. I printed some colored signs (white on black background) for the Clancy's name on the front door - a favorite Dayton restaurant that I always take Lisa and the kids to. Actually, it's a running joke. "Where do you want to eat, Dad?" "How about Clancy's?" Great chicken wings.
Anyway, I wanted to put some life on the upper floor (eventually there will be interior lighting) and the DPM kit showed a dance studio, so I created a sign for Dinah's Dance Studio. The prototype is Dinah Mason's School Of Performing Dance, in Irwin PA, run by my cousin. I thought it was perfect for the second floor space.
The building on the left is another DPM kit and I am thinking it will have a Kay's Bookstore (for Mom) on the first floor, AK Public Relations (for Angie) and an apartment on the 3rd floor. Still mulling that.

Nearly finished corner scene

Once I had these two buildings in place, I just added a couple of sidewalks, a parking lot and started concentrating on adding the scenery for the hill supporting Rt 30 behind them. As you can see, the scene looks pretty nice. This took a little while to pull together but gives me hope that I can get the rest of the layout scenery down...eventually!