Wednesday 27 August 2014

Electrical Engineers arrive in North Creek

More wiring and tortoise machines.

After the successful completion of the track work in Corinth and North Creek, the D&H Electrical department arrived in the twin towns and commenced work in powering up the track and installing the 8 tortoise machines.

This work was completed fairly quickly and then before long the first train arrived at Corinth and North Creek and switching was completed.

Below are a few pictures of the event.




The next job will be to complete the turnout control panel as well as the track work at the paper mill at Corinth. At present the turnouts for the paper mill are just sitting there in order to plan the track layout there..

Thanks for checking in.

Monday 25 August 2014

Track gang arrives in Corinth and North Creek

Last bit of track work on the D&H

The end of track work on the D&H is now in sight.
Over the last weekend I completed the cork install, construction of the last remaining 4 hand laid turnouts and the track work up from Saratoga Springs to Corinth and through to North Creek.

Per the pictures, the track work for the branch line is now completed as well as all the major track work in Corinth and North Creek.

The only remaining task in terms of track work is to complete the Corinth Paper mill. The only issue there is that I ran out of Atlas Code 55 flex again and need to go see my supplier one more time.!

During this week I will install the 12 remaining tortoise machines and the track feeders to the town.

Then work will start on the fascia's

Here are the pictures..











Thanks for checking in...

Sunday 17 August 2014

Ft Edward track work and Track power completed

Last Main line town completed.

Over this weekend, after visiting my track supplier (Thanks John Colliver) I managed to complete the final 5 spur tracks at Ft Edward and then power up those tracks.

It was a relatively small task that then enabled some test switching to be completed.

See the pictures below.










The next task is to update the turnout panels at Ft Edward and Saratoga Springs to enable the turnouts to be thrown from the panel.

Then it will be onto the North Creek branch line.

Thanks for checking in.

Thursday 14 August 2014

Track gangs hard at work adding timber ties

Filling all the gaps with new timber ties.

Over the last day or so, while waiting for more flex track supplies, I have been busy filling all the gaps in the main line track and around the turnouts with wooden ties.

As I am using Atlas insulating joiners rather than cutting the rail to form the block ends or gaps, the plastic ties that are part of the flex track tend to make the rail sit high due to the thickness of the plastic joiners. As such, when the rail was installed I cut the plastic ties out with the few to fill in later.

Well, later is now here and I have been busy filling all the gaps in the main line as well as around my hand laid turnouts.

The wooden ties are just sitting there under the rail and will be glued down either by the ballast or by the light dusting of rail tie brown when I come to paint the track and roadbed.

Here are a few pictures..






Thanks for checking in.

Tuesday 12 August 2014

Electrical works at Ft Edward Underway

Block detection and Turnout control

Over the last day or so, as I have run out of Atlas Code 55 flex, I decided that I would proceed with the install of the Tortoise machines and track power in Ft Edward for the track work that is completed.

As the remaining track is just industry spur's, the track power for those is straight forward.

I have now completed the 5 tortoise machine installs and also the block detection for the house track at Ft Edward. I then ran a test train into Ft Edward to check the frog polarity and also guard rail gauge.

After one minor adjustment the house track was commissioned for use.

I hope to complete the track laying in Ft Edward this weekend once I have been to the John Colliver track bank.

Stay tuned for updates.

Sunday 10 August 2014

Track Gangs found in Ft Edward

More track work

This afternoon I managed to steel away for a few more hours in the Railway Room.

I managed to install 5 more turnouts and completed the house track at Ft Edward before the supply of Atlas Code 55 flex track ran out. Luckily, I have a local supplier that is very reliable and more is on order.

Here are a few quick pictures of the work that has been completed at Ft Edward.






I also managed to start preparing the tortoise machines for installation.

Till next time..

D&H Electrical Department arrives in Saratoga Springs

Saratoga Springs Electrical work complete.

Today the D&H electrical department arrived in Saratoga Springs to commission the turnouts, block detection and track power for the house track, Corinth branch and spur tracks.

There were 9 turnouts to install tortoise machines and power plus numerous spur tracks.

After a solid days work yesterday and the remaining work completed today, the first train with cars for Saratoga springs arrived in town and before long all industries were being serviced by the Railroad.

Some minor tweaking of a few check rails was required on some hand built turnouts.

See below for a few pictures of the work completed. (Not that you can see the electrical work).





I managed to spend a good how switching the town as there are a few run arounds needed to get cars into the right location.

Next stop Ft Edward track work.

Stay tuned.

Sunday 3 August 2014

Track gang hard at work in Saratoga Springs

More track work

Now that I have enough turnouts built to enable the construction of Saratoga Springs and Ft Edward, I decided Saratoga Springs was to be the next town to be completed.

I was able to get out into the shed for a few hours yesterday (Saturday) to install more cork in the relevant locations for both Saratoga Springs and Ft Edward.

Then today I set about the construction of Saratoga Springs.
As it is quite cold outside as it is the middle of winter, a small heater was needed for an hour or so to bring the room up to temperature.

After a solid few hours this morning and then a few more this afternoon, the track work in Saratoga Springs is now completed.

I have installed 9 turnouts and approx spur tracks for industries.

Here are a few pictures of the completed town.









Now that the track work is completed the next step is to install and power the 9 tortoise machines and also power up the track work. The mainline and the passing siding are already completed in terms of track power and turnout machines.

Thanks for checking in.