Putting things in perspective

I was thinking about the previous layouts I had started in my current layout room and was wondering how it was that I was able to fit an O Scale layout in this space. That inspired me to take a shot comparing O Scale civil war era equipment to modern equipment. In this shot we see my O Scale 4-4-0 USMRR Haupt compared to an HO scale Sante Fe Dash-9 and a N scale DRGW SD-50. The heft of the O scale equipment is obvious, even though the engine is about the same length as a HO Scale Dash 9. On the other hand the N Scale loco looks tiny!

In going through my old photos, I found a shot of the first layout I started in this space, a double deck depiction of the DRGW line through Soldier Summit in N Scale. I had all the benchwork finished and some track down, when I began to believe that the layout was too complex for me to have a reasonable chance of completing. After several other layout attempts in this space, a couple books and many modules later, I ended up with the USMRR O Scale layout. However, most of the benchwork from that first layout is incorporated into the current layout.

Identity of this ship type?

A question for you sailing experts- What kind of ship is docked in the foreground of this picture taken in Alexandria in the 1860s. (Click image to enlarge) It is a cargo schooner of some type, but with a slab sided, almost barge-like hull. The stern is squared off, and very "boxy". Note the next ship in the background is similar. The bulwarks are tall and solid, with no railings.

These type of ships were common cargo haulers in the Civil War, yet I can't seem to find any information about them. Most of the schooners from that era that I can find out about are either racing yachts, fishing ships or Baltimore Clippers. All have much more graceful hulls than the ship pictured here.

What is it called? Any ideas where I can get a set of plans for one?

Initial research lead me to think it may be a Ram schooner. But this was ruled out as more information became available. This is from Bayou Journal

Ram schooners were an evolutionary sideline, a branch off the long line of schooners in Chesapeake history: the fast slavers, the Baltimore clippers, the big coasters that ranged from New England to the Caribbean, and the sleek pleasure yachts and racers.

Ram schooners were relatively high and “wall-sided” to increase capacity. This, coupled with their relatively shallow draft meant that they would slide sideways when sailing into the wind. While the ram’s design meant that it sailed poorly compared with other schooners, its broad, rectangular midsection was characteristic of most later sail merchant ships—a huge box with maximum cargo space.

The following NPS website has a pretty good history of the Cheasapeake Ram Schooner. http://www.nps.gov/history/maritime/nhl/victory.htm that convinced me that Ram Schooner isn't the right answer. According to this web site, like the Chesapeake Ram Schooner has three masts. But the other attributes, such as bald head gaff rig and boxy hull, seem to match.

The mystery continued until I borrowed a copy of the book "Chesapeake Bay Schooners" by Snediker and Jensen from the LoC. It has all the info I need to build a appropriate model. These were not Chesapeake Rams. A quick read of the book indicates that a two-masted centerboard freight vessel were simply called "Chesapeake Bay Schooners." Mystery solved. I ordered a copy from Amazon.

The design was a development of the Baltimore Clipper, but with a full bodied hull for more cargo. Many had centerboards for operation in shallow water. According to Chapelle, a Chesapeake Bay schooner had a straight keel, an upright, flaring stem, a round tuck, and a square stern with a upper and lower transom. She had a flush deck, a short but unusually sharp convex entrance, and a rather long, fine run. Her midsection was characterized by a floor that had a slight rise, a low round bilge and some tumble home in the topsides and a long exaggerated cutwater. However, Snediker goes on to say that surefire identification was impossible due to many local variations. Fortunately, his book has several plans suitable for model building.

No ifs, ands, or abutments

Time for the home stretch run on the Potomac Creek bridge. I added the stringers and ties to the top deck. I just need to add the nuts and washers to the truss rods and the truss portion of the bridge will be complete.

With the stringers and ties added, I was able to begin work on the abutments. The abutments must be sized to hold the top of the bridge at the proper elevation. Thus you need to have the stringers and ties in place to match the ties of the truss with the ties on the ground.

Likewise, the roadbed at each end of the bridge should be installed to set the final elevation of the track. I had the south bank done, but I needed to add the sub roadbed at the north end. Here is a photo showing the 30 inch curve template and the laser cut (with kerfs) north bank sub roadbed. I used hot glue, yellow carpenter glue and Elmers wood putty to hold and smooth the roadbed section.

Note how the track curve begins on the bridge. The stringers underneath are angled to accommodate this curve. Wooden bridge stringers are almost always straight. Some contemporary bridges use curved steel and cast concrete stringers.









Here is the first substructure for the southern abutment. The near vertical walls will be covered with embossed styrene stone sheeting. The lower bearing surface will be covered with Durham's water putty to represent the bed rock of the out cropping. I will make final height adjustments with wooden shims under the sways backs of the truss.

I am using 1/8th inch soft plywood for the substructure. It is a nice material to use as it is easy to cut and very strong. Hot glue also works well to hold it together, but still allows easy dis-assembly for adjustments etc.







The holes will be filled in with scenery material to represent the natural slopes.

I decided to add a stepped front to the abutment to allow a place for the bridge stringer to rest. I did it by building up a stepped area with wood strips (actually left over stringers from the bridge). Then I covered it with stone plastic sheet. Like my earlier abutment, I filled in the gaps in the corners with CAA and Tamiya Putty. A bit of sculpting with a file and knife and it's almost impossible to find the seam. The rough stone plastic is very forgiving.

The plastic stone sheets are from a UK manufacturer. I got them from a US Supplier:

Railway Models
P.O. Box 871
Edgewood, MD. 21040
http://railwaymodels.tripod.com/

Care and feeding the mechanical beast

Model railroads are temperamental beasts. I recently finished some new freight cars for the railroad. As I was test running them, I experienced derailments at the first turnout into Falmouth. This turnout has worked without problem all the previous year.

Upon checking I found that one of the stub point rails was interfering with the stock rail. Thus it wasn't closing properly. I nipped off about .0.020" and all was well. Even though the basement is heated and air conditioned, and the benchwork well seasoned in that room, I suppose the cold weather caused the benchwork to shrink more than the rail. Thus the rail had closed the gap. Hopefully as the temperature warms up the gap will not grow too wide.

Issues like this reinforce my decision to go for a simplified track plan with as few turnouts as possible to keep maintenance manageable.

On the bright side, the new boxcars do look good running on the layout.

Pilot Model of Alkem Scale Models USMRR Box Car

I will be heading to the Cocoa Beach Railroad Prototype Meet later this week. I was hoping for some warm weather, but it looks like Florida is also suffering a cold spell. If you are going to be there please be sure to say hi.

I will not be selling at the meet but I will display two of the pilot models for future Alkem Scale Models O Scale freight cars kits. The box car is pictured below. I posted photos of the flat car earlier. These are pilot models. Thus several small changes are needed before it is ready for production.

The freight car kits will include the trucks and perhaps the photo-etched link and pin couplers. The trucks will also be available separately.

This is a shot of a prototype box car at Alexandria Yard awaiting repair. The model car is based on details visible in this shot. In examining photos of the USMRR cars ones finds many detail differences from car to car such as roof walks, truss rods, type of truck, door hardware, ladder style etc.