Guess how many Sugar beets in the jar?

In taking the beet rack train out of service, I was amazed to see just how many anise seeds were in 50 Intermountain sugar beet cars.  This train is a bit out of place since I eliminated the other side of Klamath Falls from the RR, but it is still a kick to have a train with live loads running on the layout.  This train will return once operations with staging are dialed in, but it is a hog in yard space... so for now I will be reviving a couple TOFC moves, bringing the total number of different Train IDs that roll across the Cascade Sub to 20.

Benchwork Progress

Thanks, to Craig and the use of his "woodshop" over the weeks so that we were able to make decent progress in getting all this wood cut.  Ray came over and helped to align the plywood and square up the benchwork last weekend.  Still have to add the plywood on the front corners by the workbench for structure support, and a few other loose ends, but looking pretty good at this point.
Now have to start hunting for more organizers to fit along the back of the workbench...  Then already having a hard time finding the track I need so looks like that could be a stalling point - I'm slowly coming to expect this kind of delay with the Micro Production Run Mentality of today   :(

Here's the latest:

Phase II Taking Shape

Didn't really have much to take any pictures of, so another long dry spell for posting to the blog, but been busy working on the new benchwork at a steady pace.  Phase I was construction of the workbench that integrates into the new expansion.  Phase II is the staging yard deck.  Then Phase III will include a siding above the staging area, with possible Phase IV adding yet another siding into the mix on a top level....
All the modules for staging have been assembled, and most of the plywood top sections have been cut.  Finished assembling all the modules together today that make up the new expansion, but still have some fine tuning to do...  Pics of where construction is at this point:

 

Pretty cool to see it all go from XtrakCad drawings that Ray made for me, to actual benchwork in the layout room where I can see it all first hand.  I think we crossed the line so now we can call the layout a "G" shape configuration instead of the old "C".  Still kind of on the fence reagarding occupancy rate of operators in the room since loosing a fair amount of square footage, but I think we should be OK with the four foot isles on three sides, as long as we hold back to the original number of crews.  

With the new construction taking place, I revised the sketches of the trackplan to help visualize what is taking place. 

Trains headed "East" out of Irving (Eugene Yd) will go into the helix and make a 180 deg turn to send them into Portland Yd Staging.  From there they will get stored in the staging yard until the next run where they will then originate out of Klamath Falls at the other end of staging.  From KF trains head back up the helix toward Summit where they then make their way back down the "East" side of the Cascades.  A new siding Hampton will be added for the track section between Natron and Oakridge that will find a home above the staging.  The upper deck will be notched around each staging yard throat to allow operators to see their trains enter and exit staging.  By comparing the upper and lower decks one can get an idea of how this will appear.  Once we progress further along with the project it will be easier to see if a second siding can be added for the stretch from KF to Summit....
Coming next will be the install of the modular plywood tops, then it will be time to lay the 10 tracks that make up the staging, minus the transitions that connect staging to the helix...  the later will be one of the last steps when commissioning the staging.

Operations Format

I added a new page (under "Espee Oregon Division Pages" on the right column) titled, "Insight on Operations".  Here's a quick link:  Insight on operations
This page is designed to give outsiders a look at how the railroad operates, as well as preparing new crews for what awaits them when they get their first crew call.
This is still a work in progress, and I am actively looking for better ways to do the paperwork as well as improving how the railroad runs, but it's a start.  The railroad was originally designed to operate with three road crews and a yard crew on DC throttles.  Today we are running with as many as 11 participants to make it all come together, so the layout has endured some growing pains along the way to say the least.  Eugene Yard is the main yard on the layout and has only been in full service for about six months now, but ironing out the bugs more and more with each ops session... so improvements are taking place at a pretty good rate.  The completion of the staging yard is expected to add still more diversity to the layout and its operations soon.  If you have any suggestions how to improve what we have going so far, open to suggestions, but so far this seems to work pretty good!

Peninsula Addition Breaks Ground

The new peninsula will connect to the Helix, and preliminary drawings have it all configured with a built in workbench underneath a staging yard, and two sidings incorporated above the staging yard.  The two sidings are not yet completed in the drawing phase, but will be located between current layout deck levels.  Staging will be a 10 track double ended yard, with through track design.  The layout's termination points will be at opposing ends of staging with Klamath Falls on the West, and Portland on the East.

Over the weekend got the first phase of this project under way with the workbench getting built, and placed in approximate position.  This being the starting point, I will follow up with basic open grid framework to connect the workbench to the existing layout for the additional levels.  The work surface is about the same size as my old workbench on saw horses was (2' X 4'), but now I have an additional 1' of storage space in the rear for material organizers / storage (3' X 4').

The workbench slides back in for ops sessions to clear the isle.  Pics show it in both positions.  The framework pictured above the workbench is a part of what the staging horseshoe will sit on.  The main focus here is to get staging in to open up operations more.  Existing parts of the layout are crying for more scenery, so see how this all plays out once staging appears.  I'll try to update the trackplan here soon to help show what is taking place.  Special thanks to Ray and Craig for helping on this project!   

Switchlocks Completed!

Not anywhere as intimidating as one might first think...
Below is a pic of typical location used by the switch crews.
It's only the turnout connecting to the main with the protection, all others are conventional configuration.
In a location like this the proto uses a timed circuit with the key activation to protect the mainline, but here it seemed more prudent to eliminate that element so as not to be too much of an impediment. 

 So that project is done and off to the multiple of others...  finishing sleeper ties, working on signals, building the last three turnouts for Pope and Talbot lumber mill, or maybe the expansion project....  it's going to be hard to decide which project while I trip over the pile of douglas fir and cabinet grade ply that suddenly appeared in the layout room over the weekend....

Upper Deck Switchlocks Almost Complete

Slow progress as of late with other business getting in the way of the layout, but been pushing forward slowly with the Sleeper Tie Project in Eugene Yd since I can put in a few minutes here and there... 

Expansion / Staging project has not broken ground yet, but the next open weekend I get where I can dedicate a block of time to it and blow through uninterrupted, it will commence.  We have a plan to where construction can progress and each phase will get cut in at the end of completion, thereby allowing the railroad to still stay in operation as I move forward.

The Switchlocks are in at Oakridge, Oakridge Yd, and Summit (one last install and all will be completed on the upper level).  This upgrade pulls us a bit closer to prototype operations, but won't change anything for our operators that handle the thru freights.  The only crews that will typically interface with them are the helper crews and switch crews.  We have already been calling the dispatcher to make special movements in CTC (so only minor changes there), but now we actually have locks that control the power to the turnouts in CTC sections.   I will edit existing procedures in the General Rules and on related Train Orders to reflect the upgrades regarding the handling of turnouts for our next ops.
...and a pic of one of the completed OS sections with key in lock:

 

Typically a dual controlled switch as above is only controlled by the DS as has always been.  Crews will not need to interface with these out on the road.  It will only be the switch crews using spurs and industrial track leads (that are connected to the main) where any changes are noticed.