The Rock 2.0 - Planning for the Future

No progress today, but I have been pondering some construction issues that I will face soon.  Thanks to Allen in Nebraska for helping hash out some of these ideas.

Basic Benchwork:
I will create 1x4 boxes supported by 2x4 legs.  At Ottawa Yard, Ottawa Silica/LOF Peninsula and Utica I will use ½” plywood and build up hills and bluffs with Styrofoam.

Between the aforementioned locations, I will have open grid work with ½” plywood subroadbed supported on 1x4 risers.

I will connect the feeder wires to the bus wires using suitcase connectors.  I’ve heard about these in the past and would like to try them this time.  They are neater and involve less burning flesh from soldering up above your head.  

Rail height on the benchwork will be between 50"- 52".  I'm 5'8" for reference.

Trackwork:

I will use cork roadbed on the double track mainline only.  All yard and industrial track will be glued direct to the subroadbed.

I will used Micro Engineering Code 55 Flex track along with custom built turnouts using Atlas Code 55 rail.

I will handlay the gauntlet tracks for both scale tracks at Ottawa Silica and Belrose Silica.

Dispatching/Operations

Signals will control the interlocking of the Rock Island and Burlington Northern at Ottawa.

The mainline will be governed by Track Warrant Control.  

The Rock 1.0 - Track Removal Continues 06.12.13

Tonight, I had an unexpected chance to work on the layout.  All unballasted track except for a few pieces in Blue Island and approximately seven feet of double track or so in Bureau has been removed.  We're knee deep in destruction now.

The Rock 1.0 - Removal of Track - 06.11.13

I didn't have much time last night, but I did remove the track between Ottawa and the west end of Utica as well as the staging yard at West Silvis.

Since Monday night, I have been pondering turnouts.  Once I started pulling up the turnouts on 1.0, I was thinking, this turnout is bad (known issues, not because it was damaged when being pulled up).  I pull up another....ugh...  I need to find a better solution.  With the Atlas Turnouts being in such high demand due to the Chinese shortage, I should be able to move them easily on eBay.

I had a discussion with fellow RI modeler Allen Heimsoth this evening about turnouts.  I plan on using either Peco Code 55 or handlaid turnouts.  I will research both over the next few weeks to decide which route to go.  Thanks Allen for your input.

The Rock 1.0 - Removal of Fascia

This evening, I worked with my little helper Sarah (i.e. Wreck-it Ralph), on destruction of version 1.0.  I removed one piece of fascia.  It pulled off pretty easy with no tools.  I had used 1" finishing nails to install originally.  I then commenced in removing all the fascia for the entire layout.  It went really fast.  Sarah worked on gathering up trees, bushes, signs, fencing, etc.  She has been a big help.  I failed to mentioned yesterday, I was training Sarah on how to use the drill.  She may be young, but she can learn.  She was using the mentality of all or nothing with the trigger.  I taught her to use control and ease the screws out of the fascia.  She has done really well with it.

I also removed some track from West Ottawa this evening.

Here are some photos of the carnage...

The preserved fascia boards after removal.

The graffiti has once again been exposed.

The ROCK 1.0 - Destruction Continues...

Destruction continues on v.1.0.  Today, my daughter and I worked on removing items from the layout. We removed all the trees, gathered most buildings in one section, removed all items screwed to the layout (throttle holders, throttle jacks, car card boxes, etc), and removed all street signs from the layout. It was pretty productive for how little time we spent working on it.

Joliet is looking abandoned.

Rock Island

Franklin Farms

Gathering vehicles at the former site of Heartland Coop Grain.

The top level is a staging area for buildings.