Blog
This blog is limited to articles; random photos or quick updates are posted to the FaceBook page.
Blog entries from August 2017 and earlier have been migrated from a former site and many of the images are incorrectly linked. These may be repaired over time.
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- Category: Engineering Blog
The crew of the PRR Middle Division in HO Scale has been busy and has already completed all of the goals for the quarter.
Above is the west end of Burnham, Pa. In addition to a sand plant, it is home to both a passenger and a freight station. Passenger service ceased in 1941 and, at some point, the freight operation moved to the passenger station and the freight station was razed. Freight operations continued in the former passenger station until it was razed sometime in the 1970s. The team track by the freight station will see a lot of action. That's LEWIS interlocking and the Granville Bridge showing on the main level below Burnham.
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The chief engineer is please to report that the main line of the PRR Middle Division has been completed!
Quality assurance is currently underway. Track one has been declared fit for service and revenue freight has commenced. A video is available on the railroad's YouTube channel. Tracks two thru four have developed a washout on the Granville bridge, causing a slight dip, which is being addressed post haste.
Looking forward, the second quarter shall see the completion of Menzies and west Burnham on the Milroy Secondary, as well as Mill Creek on the Pennsylvania Midland. An excess of man hours should be available to expand the capacity of Harrisburg/Enola and Altoona yards.
The complete quarterly report of the chief engineer may be reviewed here.
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- Category: Engineering Blog
This evening the track gang completed work on LEWIS interlocking and it is now operational!
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I previously shared my challenge to power turnouts on the deck of the Granville Bridge, just west of Lewistown. Three crossovers of LEWIS interlocking are on the deck itself.
I customized Tortoise Remote Mounts to meet my needs. Time will tell if they are "battle worthy", but I have created a YouTube video showing what I did...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYbFf_-5m70&list=UUZQKTd6b-oB4Jx9MEpOx0GQ
To my delight, the first crossover worked perfectly right out of the gate! One down, two to go, and the main line is complete!
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Construction on the Pennsylvania Railroad Middle Division in HO scale, continues on schedule.
This quarter saw the Ryde section achieve operational status and the first public open house was held in November as part of National Model Railroad Month.
All surveying (benchwork) for LEWIS interlocking has been completed, as was the surveying for west Burnham on the Milroy Secondary.
The three crossovers for the east half of LEWIS interlocking have been installed, though not yet powered, putting this project slightly ahead of schedule. Special design considerations are being implemented with regard to the three remaining crossovers which will be located on the deck of the Granville Bridge. The schedule projects LEWIS being completed in Q1 2015.
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The main line through Ryde has been declared operational. To the west (left) lies JACKS interlocking and Altoona staging. To the east (right) lies the Granville Bridge and LEWIS interlocking.
Ryde, per the prototype, will feature an overhead water bridge.
The spur is the remnant of the old main line. In the early 20th century, the PRR bypassed all of the local towns. Though no longer a through track, the Pennsy still uses the track for occasional storage.
Above Ryde, on the upper level, will be the Milroy Secondary. Specifically, the area of Kishocoquillas Park, between Menzies and Burnham.
LEWIS interlocking -- the last ten feet of main line to be completed -- is next on the agenda.
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As an employee of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, I enjoy Veteran's Day as a holiday... used as a "training day". Last month I had framed out most of the benchwork to complete the remaining 24 feet of main line. I made significant progress towards that end today.
ABOVE: Looking eastward from Granville Bridge past LEWIS tower and interlocking. The yard entrance is visible at distant left. Track on the bridge is in a "mockup" state.
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I am please to report that the PRR Middle Division in HO scale continued its progress during the third quarter. The overal project remains on schedule.
JACKS interlocking is completed and fully operational per schedule. Altoona staging is operational, with 20% of trackage in place. The four (of twenty) staging tracks that are operational in Altoona correspond to the same tracks in Harrisburg/Enola and provide run-through capability.
Granville Bridge construction continues on the workbench and will be a "drop in" module for LEWIS interlocking.
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JACKS interlocking is now operational. Doesn't look like JACKS, just west of Mt. Union? Be reminded of a much earlier post, where I explained that JACKS is the interlocking immediately west of LEWIS. On the model railroad, this is the control point immediately west of LEWIS. As such, I call it JACKS. It is actually the entrance to Altoona staging.