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July 15th, 2007
With the Helix complete, I now turned my attention to figuring out where all the yard trackage will be located. I wanted at least one arrival/departure track, and as many yard tracks as I could fit in the 16" wide space available. Since Bishop (and it's yard) is located at the base of a pretty long grade up to Bridgeport, I wanted a place for the helper engines to sit at, so some sort of engine servie area, along with a small RIP track, was needed. The yard I had in mind was not going to be a huge, division sized yard, just a smaller yard for handling all the local traffic that will need to be set out and picked up. During this time, I was also thinking about having some sort of branch line running off the layout, or into some sort of staging somewhere. While I contemplated this, I handlaid some turnouts.
For help in handlaying my turnouts, I built a tie jig out of MDF big enough to hold at least two #6 turnouts. For the rail, I just grab a piece of Atlas flextrack, and strip it of it's ties. That way, the turnouts and flextrack are the same rail. Once I figure out where the track will go, I'll draw the centerline, then run a bead of Liquid Nails adhesive, smooth it out, and stick the track down. I'll use a paper template if I'm building a straight turnout, or with a curved turnout, I'll draw the centerlines till they meet each other. For most of the yard trackage, I'll be using the paper templates, as I can move them around untill I get an arrangement that I like.
Ok, enough of this writing, lets get to the pics!
Let the handlaying begin! This turnout, about a #10, will lead to the arrival/departue tracks. It is located on the Passing Siding. The track to the right is the Main Line.
This plate girder bridge side was cut from a cheap Atlas girder bridge. When finished, it will be a deck girder bridge, with the ballast put down on top of it. The autoracks are sitting on the yard lead. Oh, and I love autoracks!
Here it is, the first turnout is finally done.
The ties that are glued down are for the turnouts for the arrival/departure tracks, and the tie-in to the yard lead. I decided that I would have 2 A/D tracks instead of just one. Under the box cutter is the proposed engine terminal turnouts, and in the far left side of the pic is the yard throat.
The turnouts for the A/D tracks and yard lead tie-in track are done! The boxcars are sitting on the yard lead.
Another view. These are #8 frogs.
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