2010 October 10

2010 October 10 (to 12)  (Page 20 of 35)

Its time to finish the Helix!

Roger's Helix is on the go once again. I never had the heart to finish it. Roger had done such a great job starting it off, and I was uncertain how to finish it and so it sat waiting his return.
Not sure what he is thinking here, but perhaps that is just as well  

The first thing to do was add 6 extra supports. The ply board was sagging a little. The extra supports did the job nicely.

9 1/2 hours on and we are starting the top level.  Roger setting up and gluing the track, whilst I select track clean it up, adjust sleepers and solder droppers to each piece laid.

 

 Nearly a day later and the job is finished, Site clean up in progress.

S306 and T385 with 21 bogies equal to 42 weighs 1365 tonnes departs Wanganella with Driver Lloyd in charge forms the first train into the Helix helps to bed the new track down. Roger took the train to the top at a steady 50 KPH and the track passed testing with flying colours. The train later reversed all the way to the bottom, under the watchful eyes of the construction crew, before being commissioned as suitable for Class 1 Main line by the Company.

 Finally the level change has been completed. Roger's Helix is an excellent addition to the Railway..

 S306 at the summit crossing over the line as it enters the main line at the grain siding.

 The S bend once more.

 At 2049 hours Roger brings the first train to a stand at the baulks, for the first time.
Excellent two day session, and the Company is gratified to have his expertise and company these last few days.

Is that a happy and satisfied man or not?
 Thanks mate I really appreciate your help. Don't think I could have put that monster together without you, I know I couldn't have!  :D

Cheers All
Now I have to link the BG track to the branch, hopefully that will be the easy bit :)

Rod

 2010 November 9

notch8 wrote:

wow - that is sweet! Hey Rod when you say 21 cars = 42 cars earlier in the thread what do you actually mean?

Cheers
notch8.

The Victorian Railways system (and at least NSW too I think) way back in the old days started to use the number of carriages as a measurement.
So a road in a yard would fit 24 wagons..... (4 wheelers)
The train would depart with 55 wagons. It was limited to an engine and 65 wagons... (4 wheelers)

It was limited because a crossing station ahead it could only fit that many wagons plus an engine......

However these wagons were only 4 wheelers. When the Railways started building longer wagons, they generally put bogies under them, and the wagons were... equal to two (4 wheelers)

Much later the new rolling stock was even longer and became equal to three (4 wheelers)

So modern trains would be written up like this...
G'Day driver. we have 40 vehicles equal to 66 (4 wheelers) weight 1245 tons

And the driver knew that his engine could manage the load, and if he could fit in the loops or not, to cross another train.
Simplified but you should be able to see what it means now
Cheers
Rod

  2010 November 9 (continues)

Did a little work today. I started to re-arrange the track at the bottom of the Helix.
We could see a problem with points actually under the helix. And one Peco point lost its blade today. So I am re arranging the track to swing around the Helix. Unfortunately that has created a sharper radius than I like. Still thinking on it
Cheers
Rod

2010 December 11    Monday,

Blaady Hell!!
two weeks to Christmas
What with, my son in law borrowing the wood working tools, the compressor and the nail guns, the saw bench and using up most of my timber stored for layout construction.....

Things have almost ground to a halt here!
Anyway the extensions over the road are complete and the tools are slowly being returned, so my excuses are running out.
Purchases? Not much, however I did get some dense styrofoam delivered a month ago, and all I need is a hot wire cutter to enable me to lay out some hills, as I move the track towards Bullarto and connect up the BG. I have done some track joins, and only need to find where I hid the gas torch (Dremel) so I can repair some frogs and get the points operational. I am not buying any N Class, and so I will save my money for the 422's due end of 2011.
Hopefully I will get some track alterations completed very soon. I may have mentioned it before, but I have three points built under track in the helix. When one gave trouble I decided to remove two of them, and install them out from under the helix. So far so good! One point fitted, one to go.
This caused a 36 inch curve to be built, my smallest radius so far.
The storage road around the back of the Helix now departs two Rd in Wanganella and arrives back into three road. (Not how I wanted it, but I cannot see another way at the moment)
Anyway, enough waffle
Cheers
Rod

 

2011 January 8     Saturday

Well today is 32 C and very hot after such a cool wet start to the summer. I woke this morning feeling a lot better than I have for some time
My family is away down at Bemm River for three weeks, so my 20 month old Grand Daughter is not taking up my time, and I miss her and her brothers already
The air conditioner recently installed seems to be doing very well, and the shed is cool.
The Doctor thinks that I have a little Depression and wants me to take some pills. However I resisted his advice and instead took some vitamins and minerals for older folk, and took charge of an irritable bowl by taking a glass of Metamusil each day. Seems to be doing the trick and already I am feeling a lot better.
So maybe I can get the Helix wired in the next day or two, and get some trains running once again.
Anyway time will tell. Pretty pleased with today's work  

 

  (click on pictures to enlarge)

 

Mud map. What do I want to do? get those points out from under the Helix!
Can I gain anything else? yes longer loops on both new tracks owing to extensions outside the helix.
What do I lose? 3 Rd at Wanganella becomes less useful for storage and requires clearing for some moves on the storage siding.

 R707 arrives at Wanganella with a short goods. The middle of the train is crossing the newly installed large radius curved points and the engine is about to enter the through road. This is the first train to use the upgraded track, and is still under the authority of the Pilot man, until all electrics are completed in the near future (I hope)

 A similar view but this time showing the modified storage roads. New points were also installed here and the borrowed van is just in clear of them.
Because of serious space considerations it has been found necessary to use 3 Road to enter the two storage roads. This will cause some complications in the yard, however the Yard pilot works three shifts 6 days a week, and Management feel that the problems can be overcome. Trying to use a three way point on the loop would have been a bigger problem. Now trains can be stored away by running down the through (No2 Rd) entering one Loop or Two Loop and exiting via No3 Rd, when clear.

 Y131 with a short rake was operated through all points and crossings to ensure everything was in roadworthy condition.
A shortage of stock saw a request sent up to Wodonga for long wheelbase bogie stock. Bogie Exchange did a quick swap on the stored Etamogah box vans, however the MHG van appearing on BG bogies is certainly perplexing  

The NSW stock is sitting on the tightest Class 2 main line we envisage operating over. That is 36" for a short distance opening out to 42"
It does not look too bad in this photo.
The 4 wheelers were recently released from the re-manufacturing facility at Swan Hill. They look pretty neat as they arrive off the Helix, and track through the large radius Shinohara RH curved point. The point allows entry into a 7 m storage loop on the first level of the helix.

 Without trains you can see how we rationalised the yard. The points on the Helix and the hidden yard loop, are now out from under the helix and arranged in a far better way, hoping to prevent derailments, and over running of points.

 This view shows the hidden storage roads running out splitting into two, and returning on the other side before joining back into one line for yard entry / departure.
The curved point allows entry into either BG road on the bottom level of the helix (This will be used to hide a passenger or goods train to allow for longer runs particularly during time table sessions.
Above the curved point is the SG track which approaches from the wall of the building passes over the main line and enters the Helix at level 2. This allows the SG to stay on the wall side when it exits the Helix on the top level. 

 Not a bad looking point, modified for DCC with cuts to track, and extra wiring to frog and blades. This point is 40 years old!!

Well lets see what tomorrow brings?
Cheers and Happy New Year all

Rod Young