25 Yards, Sidings and More Track

Posting to this blog was very sparse during 2010.  It wasn't because there was no progress on the ATSG Railroad.  The activities of the year consisted primarily of building infrastructure -- that is, track.  At the Open House in January the main line was in place allowing us to run trains on the railroad.  However there were only two passing three passing sidings on the railroad -- one at Ascape, one at Tennsion, and one at Echo Jct.  This allowed trains to run from Ascape to Echo and then reverse and return.  The passing sidings allowed another train to return from either location and for them to be able to pass one another at Tennsion.  It was fun for visitors but not very interesting for operation.  The next big task was to lay track -- lots of track.  This blog describes some of the major track laying activities.  I apologize in advance for the depth of field in the photos.  I'm learning.

Park City Yard

Park City.   The picture at the left shows the small yard at Park City.  This is the home of the Silver King Ore Tipple which will be the foreground of the picture straddling the two tracks containing gondolas.  The track to the left is the main entrance to the yard and contains a locomotive pocket that allows the locomotive to run around the cars to push them into the sidings.  The turnouts for the run around track can be seen left of the second gondola and toward the top of the picture at the beginning of the ladder track.  The turnout in the distance serves the small turntable and engine house at Park City.  A brass shay and brass climax  at the engine house await service in hauling ore from the tipple (use your imagination please).  In the future you will see this scene finished. 

Technical details:  track is code 83 flex track.  Turnouts are from a variety of manufactures. Uncoupling ramps are included in all stub end sidings but not on through tracks.Turnout control is with Caboose Hobbies hand throws.  Park City is a bit difficult to reach so these will probably be replaced by Tortoise machines in the future. 

Ascape Engine Terminal

Engine Terminal.  The Ascape engine terminal is the primary servicing location on the railroad.  It is accessed directly from the mail line as shown in the lower left of the photograph.  This track then divides into two tracks on either side of the coal, sand, water, and oil facilities.  Both tracks lead to the turn table beyond the service facilities.  A round house is under construction and will be located beyond the turntable in the upper part of the picture beyond the engine facilities.  The track to the right in the picture is the drill track with the first couple of turnouts in the classification ladder showing.  There is a crossover just this side of the coal tipple.   This allows locomotives arriving from the East to pull into the drill track, uncouple their train and then move beyond the coal tipple, drop their ashes in the ash pit, and pull onto the turntable for servicing in the round house.  The switcher locomotive,  that is usually positioned at the end of the drill track,  can then sort the incoming traffic into the classification yard. 

Ascape Engine Facilities

Ascape Passenger Station.  The photograph also shows a passenger  track that was put in front of the Ascape station.  There were two reasons for this addition.  First, the front of the station has the interesting detail and the original plan was to have it face the main line with the back of the station to the aisle.  When the chairwoman of the board saw this she suggested, strongly, that the station should be turned around making the passenger track necessary.  Second in its original location the station was subject to bumps from elbows of operators.  Adding a passenger track in front of the station moves it back a bit from the aisle slightly decreasing the danger of damage from passing giants.  

Ascape Station