Layout Update - 10-20-15
Moving right along. October progress was a little slower than September's. Getting the three way switches to line up in the coal yards takes longer than regular switches.
The empty side coal yard on the right side is completed. This is where the coal cars will go after they are emptied in the dumper.
The full side coal yard in the middle is completed. This is where the full coal cars will be brought in awaiting to be dumped.
Here's a shot from the aisle side of the two coal yards. The single track in the foreground is where the track leading up to the dumper will eventually go. Its only there now for spacing.
The 'not-so-hidden' hidden loop is partially completed. This loop is only used during open houses to continually loop trains for the general public. When we operate the layout, this track will be mainly used as a switching lead for the Elizabethport yard on the left side. The two tracks that feed the loop on the right side will be hidden by the Jersey City Terminal building.
Happily we went with 2-1/2 inch spacing on the hidden loop tracks. This was a test we did with full size passenger cars on the outer loop, and a 2-8-8-4 and ES-44ac on the inner track. Plenty of room between them.
The tracks on the left are the first three tracks of the Elizabethport yard.
On the left is the beginning of the ladder tracks at the eastern end of the yard. The passenger terminal tracks are on the right side of the picture.
A medium sized view of all the track so far. We are waiting for the rest of our track order to come in to complete the yard area on the left. The right side is complete with the exception of the lead track for the coal dumper.
Here's a unique view of the entire Jersey City section of the layout. I put the camera up against the ceiling at the end of the room. Its funny how small 40 feet of benchwork looks like from this angle. The trains you can barely see at the other end of the layout are the 5 car passenger set from some of the other pictures. There's also a 2-8-8-2, 2-6-6-2, 2-8-8-4 and ES-44ac hidden down there.
