Dorchester and Dixiana Branch

Here are some photos from layout construction. Eventually, I will have some photos of completed scenes, but first I have to complete some scenes!

	At the end of the Dorchester coke track, I tried to make it look like the track had been cut short. I drilled holes in the rails to simulate where the joiner once was and laid some nasty looking ties beyond the rails. I used a small file, an ME micro spike and some pliers to make the ties look like they once had rail. - Jun 09
The Dorchester Tipple will eventually live here. To add interest to the switching, I'll use the old coke track in the foreground for spotting covered hoppers of ammonium nitrate, flatcars with mine equipment, etc. - Jun 09	Immediately after crossing the Interstate mainline, the Dorchester Branch crosses a gully on a timber trestle. The model was scratchbuilt from basswood. It's prototypical height and about 1/3 of the actual length. - Jun 09	The trackwork at Dorchester Jct. is nearly complete. The foreground tracks are the L&N mainline (middle) and interchange tracks. The middle three tracks are the Interstate trackage connecting the Interstate with the L&N and the Dorchester Branch. The mainline (rear) crosses the Dorchester Branch on a set of diamonds. - Jun 09
The mainline from Dorchester Jct. through Norton will go above Miller Yard staging. To facilitate this, Stu Thayer and I built a mini-benchwork deck on top of the primary benchwork using cantilevered 1x2s. It's plenty strong to hold the track and scenery and allows easy access to staging. - Jun 09	Looking down the aisle from Andover toward Dorchester Jct. The switch control knobs are at different heights because I will eventually add a track diagram with white lines where the switch controls match the track diagram. - Jun 09	Andover staging in Jun 09 with fascia stained and lighing installed. The primary lighting is 25W incandescent bulbs in cheap fixtures. Additional lighting effects (night, sunrise, etc.) will be provided by the rows of colored Christmas lights.
Switch throw style #2. This will be used for most of the turnouts on the sceniced portion of the layout. The small wire is hooked to the DPDT switch and runs through a pivot loop just above the large hole to provide leverage for the throwbar above. Once the fascia is attatched, I'll run the metal rod from the wooden ball to the switch. The entire mechanism costs about 70 cents. - Feb 08	Switch throw style #1. I'm using this version for all my staging turnouts. The DPDT switch is hooked to one end of a bell crank that is connected to the throwbar on top of the ties. The metal rod goes to the wooden ball on the fascia. - Feb 08	Prototype of the fascia mounted switch throws I will use for all turnouts. It is hooked to a cheap DPDT slide switch that provides power routing to the frog, control of LED indicators on the fascia, and the physical leverage to throw the switch. The switch can also be used to control power to slow-motion switch machines for hard-to-reach switches. - Feb 08
Here's my technique for subroadbed. I cut large sheets of luan and lay them out over the benchwork. I then mark a few key track locations based on the trackplans. Then I use a piece of flextrack and tacks to lay in the track arrangements and switch positions by tracing around the edges of the track. Finally, I cut around the outside and use the luan as a template for the plywood that will go underneath.	An overall view of the layout from the entry into the back layout room. The tracks in the foreground are staging tracks representing the Interstate's connection with the Clinchfield at Miller Yard. The Interstate ran long trains down to this yard, so each staging track is about 20 feet long--enough for 35-car trains.	This is the start of staging representing the Interstate's Andover Yard (right) and Appalachia for the L&N (left). The two stub tracks in the foreground are part of Dorchester Jct. - Dec 07
Another overall view of the layout room shot from the entrance to the bathroom in the corner. The workbench is out of view to the left, and I'm standing about where the tracks will connect Dorchester Jct. (out of view on the right) to Dorchester (benchwork against left wall). The large opening divides the main layout room from the office/crew lounge. - Jan 08	Here's a shot that shows the difference between how I'm laying the mainline versus sidings. The track in the back is the L&N main, and I've used closely spaced 3/32" height ties and code 83 rail. The two siding tracks in the foreground have sloppily laid 1/16" high ties and code 70 rail. The difference will be even more apparent when the limestone and cinder ballast goes in.	Some of the first tracks in the sceniced area. This is the middle of Dorchester Jct., the Interstate's busy connection with the L&N. The L&N is in the foreground. The subroadbed in the background is for the Interstate main, and the switch in the center is the connection between the two. - Dec 07
The same area after staining the ties and putting fascia on. The tunnel goes about 3 feet into a closet to allow recycling of power during an ops session (prototypical).	Mostly finished staging in Andover. I handlaid the switches in staging to get a more compact and complex arrangement, but the straightaways are all Atlas Code 83 flex. Incidentally, the rail for these switches was pulled from Atlas flextrack (it was cheaper). - Oct 06	First ties and tracks for Andover Yard (staging). I cut my ties from 3/32 basswood sheets and glue them directly to a sheet of luan over plywood. - Apr 07
Here's my workbench tucked under the benchwork for the N&W Norton yard and Dorchester tipple. The hole in the wall goes to the utility area where the helix will sit. The doorway goes to a bathroom, but it will still be accessible via the utility room once the tracks are in place.	My first handlaid switch - Miller Yard staging - Aug 06	The first piece of benchwork goes in. My layout is being built in basement that was finished by the previous owners. While it cuts down on usable layout space, it's nice to have walls and carpet. - May 2006