Progress on my PRR Layout
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- čas přidán 8. 01. 2024
- "Progress on my PRR Layout" was presented to the Philadelphia Chapter membership, guests and on-line Zoom viewers on March 5, 2022.
Philadelphia Chapter member and "High Line" editor, Tim Garner, discusses why he scrapped his 22-year-old proto-freelanced PRR layout to start over modeling real places, his goals, the research, the compromises and lessons, and the next steps. Lots of photos & illustrations.
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Very fascinating presentation of your layout, concept, operation theme, scenery, backdrop painting and structure building. I was very much influenced by John Armstrong when I modeled in HO scale for years. I am now adapting it somewhat to gauge one live steam in the garden My layout in Ardèche, France which was featured in the Keystone . But I am really impressed by the tremendous energy that you put out. I once modeled the Ouest region mainliine from Montparnasse through Chartres towards Brittany in a layout whose concept was very close to the one you are deploying now and agree with most of the solutions you came up to. (Notably no more underground staging eareas for instance). very much a fan of what you do.
Cheers, Simon from France (member of the PRRT&HS)
Wow, that is a complicated Line to model with the electrified units...much respect.
Thank you. Tim is a great modeler. Hope we can share more on his progress in a future presentation or High Line.
More than any other American railroad, PRR was the most distinctive. You only need to find a keystone-shaped whistle post or an abandoned position light signal to know you're on the path of the old Pennsy.
Agree. PRR was an incredible operation in its day!
Great presentation.
Thank you kindly!
How do you do the catenary support in the tunnel?
As per Tim Garner: Within the tunnel, the side walls are made of 1/4" MDF glued to the sub-roadbed. Every few inches, there are 1/8" deep slots to hold 1/8" wide brass tubing across the tracks. The contact wire is soldered to the underside of the brass tubing over each track. I test each soldered connection for alignment and smoothness to prevent pantographs from snagging and adjust, file, and sand as appropriate.
Got ask how in world he find a way mount catenary wires in tunnel? Or what's the best way to do overhead catenary in tunnel? That's incredibly difficult to do.
Happy to explain...
PRR typically did not use traditional catenary structures in tunnels. The tunnels pre-dated electrification and there wasn't sufficient clearance above the trains when catenary was installed in the 1930s. Instead, PRR typically anchored closely spaced, short, insulated hangers to the tunnel ceiling. Attached to them was catenary made of a messenger wire on top and a contact wire on the bottom clipped close together with no sag like traditional catenary.
I did something similar with one contact wire instead of two inside the tunnels. To support cross pieces at a constant height, I glued pieces of 1" x 2" clear pine to the sub-roadbed on either side of the track(s), on end, every six to eight inches. The blocks have a 1/8' slot in the top. I cemented 1/8" x 1/8' square brass tubing into the slots. Centered over the track, I made and soldered 0.020" diameter phosphor bronze wire catenary hangers - the type shaped like a "V" with a "tail" on the bottom. To the underside of the tails, I soldered a 0.020" phosphor bronze contact wire. I tested pantograph contact with different types of engines, tweaking the position of the contact wire as required. A tunnel lining hides the pine blocks. A removable tunnel roof supports the scenery, but allows easy access to remove derailments and make repairs.
Tim
@@TimGarner-tv2ok I see! I also scratched build ho scale prr catenary bridges with transmission towers exactly like in prototype photos or in real life of my own. I ordered some ho scale prr catenaries either from Shapeways Steven Smith design of making catenaries Shapeways company produceor model memories which Don produces of making pieces of catenaries. Those mast end transmission towers that u scratched build urself that be front of Union Tunnel where transmission towers end at tunnel of power lines go through white tube under ground of city didn't want transmission towers run on top which train runs through tunnel I heard I myself will be making those exact transmission towers poles that be front end of Union tunnel in future. Many years I used to live in city close to Broadway street of prr/Amtrak northeast corridor mainline in that area but move out of city now which I ride with my dad or aunts seeing those those mast end transmission towers end at Union tunnel of something like that I want make scratched those things at time when I was kid but as grown man now which in future I will make those exact stuff too there. Thank you for explaining it to me how you went about putting in catenary overhead support contact wire with wood blocks before actually make Union tunnel leads to Penn Station soundbound. I also do custom scratched build model railroading making ho scale prr style catenaries with transmission towers. Anyway keep up good work and wish you best of ur layout being completed when it's all set and done there!
@@TimGarner-tv2okNice! And other question the 2 transmission towers masts real close together of power transmission towers mast ends by union Portal tunnel which power lines electricfy underground due city didn't want transmission towers above ground in neighborhoods while train runs through tunnel what materials you use to make that incredibly special transmission towers mast that end power lines by union Portal tunnel along with what materials to get of making those exact 2 transmission towers very close together where power lines ends at Portal tunnel of going underground? Reason why I ask is I'm planning on making those exact transmission towers masts where power lines ends too. Is there a link maybe you can send me of how exactly make those structural support pieces that holds for 2 transmission towers in place where power lines ends by union Portal tunnel that would be great!
Special Shapes made the brass H beams and L-shaped strips. Unfortunately another company acquired the company a few years ago and stopped making these brass shapes. Model Memories makes H towers using another method.
@@TimothyGarner-w6l What was cause of reason special shapes went out of business there? With 1/8 h Column Brass length of 3' you can have luxury get whole lot of them. But now with that company gone the limit is only a foot which u can barely find those anymore which is difficult. I'll start sticking with getting many more from model memories there. And thanks! Keep us updated how you making progress on your prr catenary layout in Baltimore City area there! Wish u success on that layout.
Its time between Planes Trains & Automobiles well Blown funny cars & 1000HP 4cyl rice rockets its what keeps me young well BLK.RIFLE ☕️ hrlps too Jimmy 😂