Convergence

Several of you have noted that I have not made much progress on the Aquia Line lately. Yes, it is true that other projects have bumped it back, but I do intend to finish it. Keep reading to see why.

I recently started working on my next book for Kalmbach. That book will include a couple projects including a brand new layout. That layout will be based on a modern harbor, probably based on Beaumont, TX.

I selected Beaumont for several reasons, first I wanted a topic  that was manageable in that I could build it less than a year. Beaumont is a major port, but it is composed of many discrete elements.  Picking a piece to model was not easy, but it was fun. Second, I wanted a port that shipped military vehicles. Beaumont is a major destination for US Army military shipments. This will allow me to use the DODX cars I am developing in an actual layout.  Since those are HO cars,  it has to be an HO layout. That ties in with my plan to develop more HO kits for Alkem Scale Models, so this layout provides a test bed for developing new products.  Finally, I want the layout to provide some interesting operations. Looking at the prototype plan you see some very interesting track work.

The track work in between the transit sheds at Harbor Island includes four diamond crossovers.

The yard throat to the grain elevator would rival
Chicago (OK, not really) but it does have a double crossover
and at least one double slip switch.

Last weekend I had a chance to operate on Paul Dolkos's new Baltimore Harbor Layout. I worked the B&O Carroll Street job. That job operates over an area about 1.5 by 12 feet long. There was plenty of thought provoking switching operation in just that area.  That reinforced my belief that a small harbor switching layout in a similar footprint could be fun to operate.

Here is a draft track plan I envision of the project layout. It uses the recycled benchwork from McCook's Landing, along with a new extension on the left wall.  Under this extension will be new bookshelves.

The Phase 2 oil terminal will be built later, as it is not needed for the book, but does add an interesting industry to operate. It can also be made removable, even as a  FREMO module.

I call this layout Chase Marine Terminal 3, since it is freelanced, but it is based on selectively compressed areas the Harbor Island and Carroll Street sections of Beaumont. This will be the third iteration of Chase Marine Terminal. The first two were N Scale.


For now, I will not discuss this layout plan much except to ask that any readers that know about this area, please let me know your thoughts or comments. I would like to learn a little more about how the railroads work this area.  I will also tap my network for suggestions on DCC, rolling stock etc. This is a first major foray into an HO scale layout and I am very excited about it. But, I am not that familiar with all the HO stuff available.

I plan to include discussion of the port layout on this blog, since I did not feel the extra work of a second blog was worth the effort. It will focus on aspects that will not be in the book. Things like DCC installs, loco repaint, etc.

So what does this have to do with Aquia Line except provide more distractions? As part of this next book, I also intend to complete the wharf at Aquia Landing as project. So I will be working on that too (among other projects).  See - Convergence.

Cast Metal Trucks and Detail Parts

I had a chance to fire up the vulcanizer and spin caster this evening to try making some metal parts.

A few years ago, Eric Cox, of Panamint Models,  made some O scale truck parts for me in Shapeways. Our idea was to try using the 3D printed parts as masters in my vulcanizing mold machine. The first attempt was somewhat successful, but some adjustments were necessary.

So Eric redrew the parts and set me a revised set. In the meantime, I figured out that the silicone rubber mold material I had was beyond its shelf life. Thus the rubber would not vulcanize properly. So I ordered a new set of rubber mold blanks. This time I ordered a low temperature silicone rubber that cures at 190F. These are intended for molding 3D printed masters and other low temperature materials. The drawback is that the silicone rubber is not as strong as higher temperature rubber.

I put the revised trucks in the mold. I also put some of my 3D printed DODX brake detail parts in the mold. Shapeways has been somewhat unreliable lately. The have been shipping the parts after months delay or outright canceling my orders. So I though it would be prudent to make metal copies of the brake details.

The low temp rubber worked well with the 3D parts. The molds looked good. I cut the gates in the parts and started spin casting. As normal, the first couple pours did not work too well. But as the mold warmed up and I added some gates and vents, I got a pretty good yield. After about 25 pours the mold started to deteriorate.

The brake details came out very well. The truck parts had a lower yield, but I still got a pretty good set of parts with which to experiment. The rubber mold material in the axle holes and some other spots that had undercuts had problems with tearing after a few pours.

I assembled a truck using some of the new castings. The revised design has very close tolerances. That combined with some deteriorated axle holes, meant that I had to do some grinding and filing to get the parts to fit without interfering. The wheel sets seemed to spin smoothly, but in testing on the track I noticed some sparking due to shorts. I added some 0.010 inch styrene shims to  insulate the wheels from the side frames and that worked to remove the electrical shorts.

The cast metal trucks don't have working brakes. But they do have some nice detail. The cast trucks add weight down low, so they should help the cars track better.

Given I have to fiddle with them to get them to work well, there isn't too much labor saving. So the jury is still out on if I want to do the rest of my cars with cast metal trucks.

Unexpected bonus

The remnants of the foam layer of the layer makes a relatively small pile.

As I was taking the foam pieces to the trash, I noticed that I could pop some of the track sections intact from the foam scenery. I used 1/8 inch plywood sub roadbed glued to the foam.

I was able to salvage three turnouts from McCooks, a double crossover and a single turnout. Since I only need 9 more turnouts to finish my home layout, these will come in handy.

Three turnouts salvaged from McCook's Landing.

I came in like a wrecking ball....

There is a perverse pleasure in taking a wrecking bar to your layout.

Good thing I'm not a surgeon, look what I found under the foam layer!

A nasty snowstorm followed by icy rain was a good reason to stay home this afternoon. As I was doing some chores, I noticed one of the switch stands on McCook's Landing had a broken solder joint.  Instead of fixing it, I reached for my wrecking bar!

Catalyzed by the broken part, I started the recycling process for McCook's Landing. Several months ago I had decided to recycle its benchwork into a different layout. While I don't have my new design figured out yet, I went ahead with demolition.



Having thought about this for quite some time, it was very satisfying to actually being the work. Yes, I did feel a little like Sherman as he left Atlanta.

Please note that I am NOT dismantling my home layout, The USMRR AQUIA LINE, only the portable display layout called McCook's Landing. 

The shipyard got scrapped.

I did save as much as possible, so Haupt will not be upset.  As I removed the details, switch stands and most of the structures, I went around my home layout and looked for places where they might work. I think I can use just about all the structures. The figures will also come in handy. I did not bother saving any track. The turntable pit was solidly glued in and could not be removed. Unfortunately, the ship yard with the marine ways can not be used on my home layout. I was able to save the major assemblies, but the ship yard got scrapped.

I also removed the lighting valance. Since this will not be an exhibition layout, the valance wasn't needed. It also interfered with many good photo angles. So I took it down. But the LEDs were a big success and I would consider using them again.

I intend to raise the revised layout about 6 inches. This means the legs will be folded up, or maybe even removed.  I have not decided what to do about the backdrop. It took some damage during the demolition process. Instead of fixing the damaged spots, it  might be easier to  replace it with two 8 foot sections.

Some things I noted during demolition. It took longer them I expected as I plan to reuse the benchwork. So I had to remove glue globs, etc. The Liquid nails glue pulled up fairly easily. Carpenter's yellow glue was much harder to remove. By the most difficult stuff to remove was the polyurethane water surface, especially where there was sand at the shoreline.

I started mocking up potential next layouts. This is an HO mock up using some of my military vehicles. I am not sure what the final layout will be yet. 

Alexandria's Witness to War and Reunion Lecture Series

Things have been hectic here in Alexandria. While work on the layout has been on hold, many other projects are moving forward. I will post an update later. In the meantime, I wanted to mention that the Lyceum lecture series on the Civil War continues.

As the 150th commemoration of the Civil War comes to a close, The Lyceum: Alexandria’s History Museum explores the end of the war and its aftermath through a series of lectures.

March 4: Iron Confederacies: Southern Railways, Klan Violence and Reconstruction, by Scott Nelson, The College of William & Mary

April 30: The Meaning of Freedom in the Aftermath of Slavery, 1865-1867, by Leslie Rowland, The University of Maryland

May 21: The Art of Memorializing the Civil War by Susan Cumbey, Director of Fort Ward Museum and Historic Site

June 11: Remembering the Civil War, by Caroline Janney, Purdue University

 Tickets for each individual lecture can also be purchased for $5 each. You can get tickets at this link