Followers

LDE: Van Wyck

Posted by Jamie in Lilburn, Georgia, USA Tuesday, September 22, 2009 3 comments

Figure 1 Catawba River Bridge - ca. 1989
John D. Jones
Van Wyck is an unincorporated community just on the South Carolina side of the border with North Carolina. Like most other communities in this area, the town got its start when the Seaboard Air Line came through in the 1880s. However, unlike Catawba to the south and Waxhaw to the north, Van Wyck did not get its name from the Indian territory that the railroad passed through. Originally called Little Waxhaw, the name was changed to Van Wyck by an agent of the railroad (the family name of the agent's wife was Van Wyck) to avoid confusion with the "other" Waxhaw to the north. In its early years, Van Wyck was the home to a depot (which is long gone) and a brick plant (which is still going strong today.) The original Ashe Brick Company of 1906 is today part of the Boral Bricks brand and still receives rail service from CSX. The most prominent railroad feature in the area has to be the four-span truss bridge over the Catawba River (Figure 1). This bridge will be the signature scene of the entire lower level of the layout.

» Track Plan



» Catawba River Bridge

Figure 2 Catawba River Bridge - August 2009
James Guffey/Zenfolio.com
The Catawba River flows 220 miles from the Appalachians in North Carolina into the Wateree River in central South Carolina. It has been the lifeblood for agricultural and commercial development in the region for centuries. The SAL bridged the Catawba by constructing a four-span truss bridge set upon cut stone piers. S.C. state highway 5 crosses the river on an adjacent bridge, but I will only model the railroad crossing to avoid cluttering the scene. Even with the nearby highway bridge, the lack of sidewalks makes profile photos of the railroad bridge quite difficult to come by. However, views from the north can be captured from the highway overpass (Figure 2). A few notable details can be observed from the two bridge photos. The cut stone piers can be seen supporting the individual deck spans, as can the abutment that supports the north end of the bridge. The telephone poles, though not in service, have a distinctive look and will add character to the scene. Also, notice how the long trains disappear into the curve in the background; this same track geometry will be present on the model. Finally, notice the difference in the overall color of the bridge spans. In the 1980s photo, the bridge appears to be a nice shade of dark gray; most likely following a recent paint job. In the 2009 photo, however, the bridge is almost completely covered by rust, with just traces of the gray color showing through here and there. This will allow flexibility when choosing an actual color for the model.

» Paper Mill

Figure 3 Paper Mill near Catawba, SC - July 1968
There is a massive paper mill between the town of Catawba and the Catawba River. Today, this mill is operated by Abitibi-Bowater, although this multinational corporation was obviously not the owner in the Seaboard era. A bit of additional research will be required to identify the lineage of this mill. The paper mill at Catawba is a traditional sprawling complex that is commonplace among the paper industry in the southeastern United States. There is a large pulp yard (pulp wood is received via truck in 2009), chippers, a digester, production building and various warehouses. As expected, spur tracks seem to go everywhere. Rail service is provided by both CSX and Norfolk Southern (SAL and SOU in 1966), and there is a large yard adjacent to the plant as can be seen on a topo map from 1968 (Figure 3). This paper mill is the type of industry that could be modeled as a standalone switching layout. I have reserved a 10' long wall in an adjacent room for the mill to be modeled as a future expansion. For now, the lead track will terminate at the backdrop and will be long enough to allow a few cars to be switched by local trains.

» Brick Plant

Figure 4 Van Wyck, SC - June 2009
George Holt/Flickr.com
The brick plant in Van Wyck is a large production facility with multiple buildings for production and warehousing, as well as a large brick yard and piles of clay, sand and other raw materials used in the brick making process. There is a rail spur with a loading dock where box car loads of finished bricks are shipped out and a storage track across the mainline from the plant. However, to insure that I do not overcrowd the area around the Catawba River Bridge, I will model a simplified version of the brick yard along with one or two of the ancient buildings that dot the former "downtown" area of Van Wyck (Figure 4).
 

LDE: Catawba

Posted by Jamie in Lilburn, Georgia, USA Sunday, September 20, 2009 0 comments

Figure 1 Catawba Depot (SCL) - 1974
Like Harmony, our previous stop on the layout tour, Catawba, SC is not so much a town as it is a rural area with a post office and a handful of residences and businesses. Catawba gets its name from the tribe of Native Americans that settled this area in the 17th century. When the Seaboard Air Line came through this area in the 1880s, they decided to name all of their stations after the Indian lands they passed through. Thus, Catawba was born. In the modern CSX era, Catawba is little more than a control point for the north end of the Catawba passing siding, although there is a trailer that serves as the "depot" for crews working the nearby Bowater Paper mill. However, in the SAL era, Catawba played a much more prominent role. First of all, there was a real depot (Figure 1), an active interchange with the Southern Railway, and the Catawba Valley Branch split from the mainline. Also, the Southern crossed the SAL on a short deck girder bridge.

» Track Plan



» Catawba Depot

Figure 2 Catawba Depot - October 1961
The photo to the left shows just how much was going on at Catawba in the 1960s (Figure 2). To the left, you can see the depot in the distance and a motorcar shed in the foreground. The man in the photograph, presumably a Seaboard employee, is standing between the mainline to the left and the siding to the right. The siding merges with the main track just before ducking under the Southern Railway in the distance. To the right, you can see the interchange track rising up and curving away to meet the SOU mainline around the bend. The interchange track will end at the background and will be switched like a regular industry spur. There is also a house track where a local switcher was stationed, although in this photo the house track is vacant and we can see Seaboard Alco RSC-2 #1527 sitting on the interchange track awaiting its next assignment. All of the other details such as the train order semaphore signal, the pole lines and the telltales complete this classic railroad scene.

Figure 3 Catawba Depot area - 1968
The overall layout of the Catawba depot area can be observed on a USGS topographic map from 1968 (Figure 3). The Seaboard mainline (by this time the SAL had merged into the SCL) goes from west to east, while the Southern line angles down from the northwest to southeast. The interchange tracks are clearly indicated to the southwest of the crossing, although the photo from 1961 only shows a single interchange track while the map shows two. Southern had a depot at Catawba as well; it was located where the interchange tracks joined the SOU mainline. Space limitations will not allow this structure to be modeled on the layout. Also, just out of view to the right is the large yard for the nearby paper mill that was served by both railroads.

» Southern Railway

Figure 4 CSX at Catawba, SC - 2007
Brian Woodruff/RRPictureArchives.com
The Southern Railway line from Rock Hill, SC to Kingville, SC (currently the Norfolk southern SB line), crossed the SAL on a short deck bridge just north of the Catawba depot. While the bridge itself is unremarkable, the tiny opening that the SAL mainline has to squeeze through will leave you thinking there is no way a train could ever fit through. However, CSX doublestack trains pass through this tight opening daily without issue (Figure 4).

» Catawba Valley Branch

Figure 5 Catawba Valley Branch - 1968
The Catawba Valley Branch was a 22 mile branchline from Catawba to Great Falls, SC completed in 1909. The branch joined the mainline at a wye just east of the U.S. 21 overpass (Figure 5). There were two significant customers on this branchline: the Lancaster & Chester Railway, which was served via an interchange track at Fort Lawn, SC, and the Republic Cotton Mill in Great Falls. Passenger service existed at one time, but this was long gone by 1966. I plan on modeling the Catawba Valley Branch by having each leg of the wye end at the backdrop. I do plan on modeling an extended lead track to the branch that will allow through trains to exchange cars with the branch without fouling the passing siding. This will allow the branch be an active part of local switching operations, even though the actual branch is not modeled. I may also extend one of the wye tracks into the adjacent family room to allow for staging of branchline trains. The Catawaba Valley Branch was abandoned in the late 1960s and the rails were pulled up in the 1970s.

I would like to extend credit and a special thanks to Conrad Cheatham for his valuable information regarding the Catawba Valley Branch.
 

LDE: Harmony

Posted by Jamie in Lilburn, Georgia, USA Friday, September 18, 2009 0 comments

The Seaboard Abbeville Subdivision (part of today's CSX Monroe Subdivision) stretches 135 miles west to east from Abbeville, SC to Monroe, NC. Today, this line is CTC single track with passing sidings and hosts about 25 trains each day. The modeled version will adhere to this same method of operation, since the progressive SAL installed CTC on the Abbeville Sub in the early 1960s. Eastbound trains exiting the south staging yard ill enter the layout at Harmony, the westernmost visible area of the layout. This tiny burg is located in a rural area of the South Carolina Piedmont between Columbia and Charlotte, NC. While there is not much in the way of an actual town, Harmony does offer a few scenic and operational features. However, this will mostly be an isolated area that is a great place to watch trains roll through the surrounding scenery. Lots of trees to model in this area!

» Track Plan



» Harmony Defect Detector

Figure 1 Seaboard Defect Detector - Athens, GA
Nikos Kavoori/AthensRails.com
A high car detector exists on the modern day CSX at Harmony. This detector protects the Catawba River bridge to the north from cars with excessive height, even though the bridge has adequate clearance for today's modern double stack cars. When an overheight car breaks the trip wire strung at the maximum safe clearance height over the tracks, the detector is activated and an alert message is broadcast over the radio channel monitored by the train crew. The crew must then stop the train and perform a visual inspection; overheight cars are setout at the next available storage track. The cars are then repaired in place and picked up by a later through or local train.

Rather than model the bland high car detector, I will be modeling an older Seaboard-style hot box and dragging equipment detector. This style detector fits both eras nicely, as several are still in service between Atlanta and Hamlet (Figure 1). The distinctive block building is a small detail that adds considerable charm to the overall layout. I also plan on making all detectors on the layout operational (eventually) so that an audio alert message is randomly triggered every so often by passing trains. As on the prototype, the train crew will need to locate the offending car and place it in the next available setout track. This adds yet another operational wrinkle that crews must contend with.

» Harmony Team Track

Figure 2 Team Track - Athens, GA
Harmony Road crossed the SAL mainline at grade at milepost G333.2. I decided to model a team track at this location, even though I never had any evidence indicating one ever existed in this area. A team track is a short spur track that is used for loading/unloading by railroad customers that do not have direct rail access. The term "team" originates from the days when teams of horses would lead wagons of merchandise to and from the railroad. I got the idea to model a team track when I discovered one in the middle of nowhere while railfanning near Athens, GA (Figure 2). I think the team track does a good job of preserving the "out in the sticks" feel I want for this part of the layout while still providing a local switching opportunity. A turnout, a short stretch of run down track and a simple concrete loading ramp is all it will take to create this realistic mini-scene.

I recently came across a 1948 SAL employee timetable that showed a 5-car capacity spur track at milepost G333.1, or just one-tenth of a mile from the Harmony Road grade crossing. It looks like there actually was a team track at this location after all!

» South Catawba

The SAL Abbeville Subdivision was a single track mainline with centralized traffic control (CTC) installed in the early half of the 1960s. The Catawba passing siding extended from Harmony northward to Catawba. This passing siding was (and is today) a controlled siding rather than a controlled siding.

A controlled siding has power switches and signals protecting the entrances to the siding, but the siding track is not connected to the signal system. Therefore, a train given a signal indication into the siding can only be assured that the route is cleared into the siding, but there may be equipment on the actual siding track. This is why the maximum authorized speed into a controlled siding is typically very low, usually 10 mph or restricted speed, which means the train must be able to stop in one half of the crew's range of vision.

On the other hand, the siding track in a signaled siding is bonded (connected electrically) to the signal system. This means that a train getting a clear route into the siding can be assured that the route is cleared into the siding and the siding track is not occupied by any other equipment. This allows signalled sidings to have higher speeds than controlled sidings, typically around 25-30 mph or medium speed. The speed of a siding will almost always be lower than the main track because the siding is built and maintained to lower standards, which is not a problem since trains using the siding will almost always be stopping in the siding.

Although the Catawba siding on the SAL (and still today on CSX) is a controlled siding, I will be modeling all sidings on the layout as signalled sidings. This is because I want to have block detection on all main tracks and passing tracks to support any future computerized automation I may develop. The south end of the passing siding will be protected by a set of Seaboard-style D-type mast signals.

» Neelys Creek

Figure 3 Lance Mindheim's N-Scale Monon
Both tracks cross Neelys Creek at Harmony. This crossing is at a location inaccessible to railfans, so I am not sure what type of crossing was/is in place during either the SAL or CSX eras. However, my vision for this part of the layout is similar to the signature scene on Lance Mindheim's N-scale Monon layout (now dismantled). The scene where the Monon crosses Clear Creek on bridge E-8 (Figure 3) is one of the most believable scenes--if not the most believable scene--I have ever seen on any model railroad. As I write this post, I am leaning towards some type of wood trestle, although I do not want the bridge to be a dominating feature by any means. The design of the Neelys Creek bridge and farm scene will most likely evolve as the layout progresses.
 

About

Posted by Jamie in Lilburn, Georgia, USA Sunday, September 13, 2009 0 comments

Catawba, SC - October 1961
This blog contains information for the research, design, construction and operation of the Seaboard 1966 model railroad. This model railroad is an N-scale layout that depicts a section of the Seaboard Air Line Railroad in the Piedmont region of the Carolinas on September 13, 1966, which just happens to be my birthday. I chose the Seaboard as my prototype railroad because I currently live along the CSX Abbeville Subdivision in Lilburn, GA, which was formerly part of the Seaboard's Silver Comet route between Hamlet, NC and Atlanta, GA. As I began to research the local CSX lines in my area for a possible model railroad, I learned of the historical Seaboard and developed a growing interest. When I saw the first photographs of the beautiful green and cream colors on Seaboard locomotives, the deal was sealed! I also want to model a railroad in the deep south because this is the region I call home and there seems to be a real shortage of model railroads that use this area as their subject.

Catawba, SC - September 2005
The Seaboard 1966 layout is the continuation of my CSX Dixie Line layout that I started building during the summer of 2008. The Dixie Line was an N-scale depiction of the modern CSX from Atlanta through Chattanooga to Nashville. However, after about a year of construction, I had become very dissatisfied with the progress of my track plan and decided to switch locales. I settled on the CSX Monroe Sub from Catawba, SC to Hamlet, NC after I was inspired by a collection of aerial photos of the line that was published on the Carolina Rails Yahoo! group. Unlike the previous design, the new track plan came together perfectly and I decided to make the switch to the Carolinas. Shortly thereafter, I realized that I could backdate the layout and capture some of the magic from the Seaboard era such as first- and second-generation diesels and passenger operations. I chose September 13, 1966 as the target date not only because it was my birthday, but also because 1966 was the final year of independant operation for the SAL before merging with the Atlantic Coast Line to form the Seaboard Coast Line on July 1, 1967. Of course, I still have a passion for the modern era as well, so this will be a dual era layout with CSX intermodal trains riding the rails one day and passenger trains led by Seaboard citrus units the next. This blog details the operations of the earlier era; although at some point I will begin to detail the modern ops as well.
 

| edit post

Links

Posted by Jamie in Lilburn, Georgia, USA 1 comments

» Inspirational Layouts

The following layouts have been instrumental in allowing me to realize my vision for the Seaboard 1966 layout. I am truly thankful that the builders of these miniature empires have shared their ideas and techniques to allow others such as myself to realize our own dreams.

Joe Fugate's HO Scale Siskiyou Line
I purchased one of Joe Fugate's DVDs last year at a model railroad show, and more than any other single event, this started me on my way to finally designing and building a real layout. This DVD was both inspirational and educational. Inspirational: Joe's layout layout captures the look and feel of the real thing so well that there are times when you are not sure if you are looking at pictures of the layout or historical photos of the real Southern Pacific as it winds it way from central Oregon through the Siskiyou Mountains to the Pacific coast. Educational: The research, construction and scenery techniques displayed on the DVD series are presented so clearly and with such simplicity, it really promoted the confidence boost I needed to embark on my layout venture. I consider Joe's layout and his DVD series to be a fountain of model railroading knowledge that I rely upon to realize my vision.

CSXT Shenandoah Division
I came across Bruce Faulkner's layout in 2007 while researching the web for ideas on construction techniques that I could use. Not only is the CSXT Shenandoah Division a superb proto-freelanced N-scale empire, but the website detailing the design and construction that began in 2002 is simply off the charts! This railroad shaped my own design in many ways, such as long narrow shelves, long mainline runs, prototypical modern operations, and--most importantly--simple around-the-walls benchwork construction using ripped plywood framing members. You will notice that I have employed very similar benchwork construction in my layout, adapted as needed to fit my available space. Quite simply, I could not have built this benchwork without first seeing how it came together on the CSXT Shenandoah Division. The layout website is also expertly designed and contains a wealth of information that I have relied upon (and still do!) to bring my own layout to reality.

Southern Pacific Coast Line in N Scale
A model railroad layout in N scale (1:160 proportion) representing a portion of the Southern Pacific Coast Line in Central California between Callender and Surf, including Guadalupe yard, set in the early 1970s. The layout is focused on realistic operations.


SPSF Owens Valley Subdivision
The Owens Valley Subdivision is a double deck N scale layout depicting what could have happened if the merger between the Southern Pacific Railroad and the Santa Fe Railway was approved. It also is a "proto free lanced" railroad, where the prototype SP and SF have been put in a setting that never had a standard gauge railroad.

» Forums & Discussion Groups

TrainBoard.com
Great collection of model railroading and railfanning forums, including the best N-scale model railroading forum on the planet. The information exchanged on this forum, such as how-to, examples and layout tours, has helped me out every time I have got into a jam on my layout. Also an excellent source for model railroad and prototype photography.

Carolina Rails
Because So Much Is Riding On Your Carolina Rails. Carolina Rails is dedicated to covering railroad action in ALL of the Carolinas from the mountains to the coast line, as well as slipping over into Georgia, Tennesee and Virginia. Whether you're interested in the various and historic shortlines in the area such as the Great Walton, Carolina Southen or the Lancaster and Chester or the Class 1 Carriers, CSX and Norfolk Southern, or their ancestors such as the Seaboard and the Southern, this is the list for you.

In addition, we discuss the goings on at the North Carolina Transportation Museum in Spencer as well as the South Carolina Railroad Museum in Winnsboro. We also like train spottings that involve foreign units or lease power on lead or anything that is rare on Carolina Rails. But most of all, we're about railroading and railfanning in and around the Carolinas.

» Search Engines & Directories

Model Railroads.Net


RailServe.com: Railroad Travel, Hobby & Industry

 

What's New

Posted by Jamie in Lilburn, Georgia, USA 0 comments

This post shows all updates that have been made to the blog.


 

| edit post

Track Plan

Posted by Jamie in Lilburn, Georgia, USA 0 comments

» The layout at a glance

Name: Seaboard 1966
Scale: N (1:160)
Size: 18 x 9 feet
Prototype: Seaboard Air Line Railroad
Locale: Piedmont region of the Carolinas
Period: September 13, 1966
Layout style: Multi-deck shelf with peninsula
Layout height: 42" and 57"
Benchwork: L-brackets ripped from Birch plywood
Roadbed: Laminated hardboard spline
Track: Micro Engineering code 55
Turnouts: Atlas code 55, no. 10 minimum frog on mainline; no. 7 in yards and spurs
Minimum curve radii: 18" visible, 15" hidden
Maximum grade: Visible - none; 2% in helix
Scenery: Plaster over cardboard strips
Backdrop: Painted on 1/8" hardboard, curved corners
Control: Digitrax DCC

The remainder of this page is currently under construction.
 

Layout Tour

Posted by Jamie in Lilburn, Georgia, USA 0 comments

Seaboard Air Line Depot Hamlet, NC - 1915
This page shows all of the layout design elements (LDEs) included on the Seaboard 1966 track plan. An LDE is a scene featuring a specific location on a model railroad; multiple LDEs are placed adjacent to each other to create a complete layout. You can click the links below to go to a page describing all of the details of that particular LDE. Take note that all of the LDEs shown on this page are included in the same south-to-north order that they appear on the actual prototype. One of the main reasons I selected this area to be modeled is because of the way everything fits nicely together as it does in the real world.

» Layout Design Elements

 

Construction Log

Posted by Jamie in Lilburn, Georgia, USA 0 comments

This page is currently under construction.

.

About Me

My photo
I am a professional website developer who loves to spend my free time hanging out with the family and playing with trains in the basement.

Labels