Back in April I posted about our impending move, and the moving on to a new iteration of the track plan for Liberty Village, by virtue of having a whole bedroom to work with, the same industrial neighbourhood can be modeled more faithfully and without some of the compromises that Version 1 which was designed to fit into our apartment had. I semi-presented the new trackplan in April, but now I’m ready to give some details.
So, without further ado, the new trackplan for my layout:
Liberty Village Version 2.0 as of May 21, 2018, larger PDF Here
So big changes!! The massive compromise of flipping the industries that are now on the peninsula on Version 1 so they were north of the tracks is gone, I have the room for a more or less U-shaped layout on two walls of the room and into the full width walk in closet, with a peninsula. In the bottom left of the room you can see the future home of my new workbench. I apologize for my drawings being all crazy colours, It’s how I draw things so I can tell things apart. The important ones are grey benchwork and light gray track. Hopefully it makes some sense regardless of the colours.
Liberty Village V1.5 as of November 2017, lots of compromise and forcing things into the space.
One of the biggest changes have a dedicated room, is the staging. Instead of two removable staging cassettes, I now have two fixed transfer table/sector plates with four tracks on each. They will also provide some extra tracks for storing infrequently used rolling stock, and escape tracks to allow for running around trains, or re-positioning a locomotive from a pull of cars to a push of cars. The drawings attached to this post still need to be updated to show the benchwork and all these tail tracks, but they will be there!
I’ve been discussing construction techniques with a friend, and am very much leaning towards the KISS model, “Keep it Simple Stupid”. Fortunately, the townhouse we have bought was built with wood framing, this means it will be easy to mount supports for the benchwork to the walls. At present, as there is no topography on the layout, the plan is to use shelf brackets (the parts along the walls range between 12″ and 14″) to support a plywood surface (leaning to 5/8″). A 3-4″ fascia panel will be screwed onto the front edge to provide screening for wiring and undermount switch machines (still don’t know what type I’m going to use). On top of the plywood, will be a layer of foam sheet. As there isn’t much topography, this layer is to help with making it easier to plant trees/structures to than straight plywood. The entire surface area and bases for the traversers can be cut out of two 4’x8′ sheets of plywood by being smart and economical with the materials. Given I am relying on the kindness of others for access to table saws and the like for this, anything that can be done to simplify and reduce the amount of time I have to take at someone elses before bringing the benchwork home and installing it in the layout room.
Schematic Drawing of planned construction. Hope it makes sense, I’m not a graphic artist, so it’s the best I could muddle up. Clearly not to scale!
No, it’s not “traditional” L-girder, or box-girder benchwork, but it’s simple to construct, simple to install, and will meet my needs. There isn’t structure being built for the sake of having it with this technique, and it provides open access beneath for installing switch machines, wiring for track power, wiring for building lighting, etc. I expect some to question this decision, but after a lengthy chat with a friend whose current layout has been in place for 8 years with effectively this design, I think it will work for me. It also has the advantage of being quick to build and get in place. The most complicated construction will be the two traversers, and making sure that they to be mounted to the walls with the top surface properly height adjusted to the rest of the layout.
The peninsula will be designed to mount into the shelf fascia using dowels, and have legs for support at the end at least. I need to discuss whether it needs 4 legs, or if it will have enough support from the shelf to just have two at the end of the peninsula.
One thing that people may think I’m crazy for, is my intended layout height. The surface of the foam will be between 60″-62″ above the floor. The reason for this is the need to clear several bookcases that will be in the room that are 55″ to the top. Based on this, the layout will be set so it is above them. I actually like bringing the trains and buildings closer to eye level. It means that the buildings (something I really enjoy constructing) are more visible. I know it means for some it will be potentially too high to reach in for uncoupling depending on where buildings are located. It just means I will have to think through the building locations/heights/operating positions as i go. the height does however, in my mind at least, minimize to an extent the importance of the backdrop, as you aren’t looking from an angle where the horizon is as dominant, the background is just going to be there between buildings, hopefully with a neutral colour and a bit of trickery it will look like the buildings/streets extend. The one spot the backdrop will have some work to do is the Mercer Reformatory (the Toronto Women’s prison) where the building is set back from the street, so the backdrop will be an outline or image of the building in the distance, as the area closest to Liberty Street was the exercise yards and gardens for growing food based on the images I have of the prison. It’s a building that as it’s long gone, is on my list of “need to research more” buildings.
Rear of the Mercer Reformatory (looking north from Liberty Street), 1948 – Toronto Star via Toronto Public Library
So, with that, back to the packing in preparation for our move in June and the designing and preparing for layout building come the summer. After the move, the next steps are to do a detailed measurement of the room, and locate the studs in the wall so I can cross reference the track plan and make sure no switches are located where the benchwork will need to be supported from. Then, once any design adjustments are made, onwards to construction!!
A tired looking Canadian Pacific GE AC4400CW Number 8564 leads the eastbound “Expressway” Trailer on Flatcar service from Toronto (Milton) to Montreal on May 1, 2018. This Friday (June 1, 2018), assuming the impending strike by CPR workers doesn’t change things, the final 6:30pm eastbound departure of this service will run as the CPR is cancelling it. The service, originally billed as the “Iron Highway” ran between Montreal, Toronto and Detroit starting in 1996, and was rebranded as the Expressway in 2000. The service was eventually reduced to just the Toronto-Montreal leg. This is the last trailer on flatcar service running in Canada, a type of service that has existed in some form since the 1950’s.
The End? Will we see a return of this kind of service to try and reduce the number of trucks on the highway, or has rail truly become un-competitive with roads for this kind of traffic?
The Memorial Cup Trophy, 100 Years Young!
My moment in the sun with the team I cheer for in 2003. Hoisting the Memorial Cup at the Kitchener Rangers after-party at the Colisee in Quebec City, literally hours after the team had won the title on the ice. Over my shoulder on the left of the photo is the Rangers (now San Jose Sharks) head coach Peter DeBoer, and half blocked to the right is David Clarkson who went on to a lengthy NHL Career. I look happy, but I’m actually in terror, as I hoisted it up, the different wood levels swung in different directions and I was literally praying that the trophy wouldn’t fall apart in my hands in the centre of the party as fans passed it around!!
There’s a hole in my office…not for long, soon to be filled up with boxes and tubs of stuff packed for moving!!
Musings on my Model Railroading Addiction 