Model Railroad Podcast

Model Railcast Show #60
Tue, Apr 21, 2009
Posted by: Ryan Andersen

Show #60 - Locomotive Service Terminals with Marty McGuirk and Bernie Kempinski (1 hr 25min)

Yard Office  

  • Updates from Tim, Marty and Bernie
  • RPO: Listener Feedback
Special Segment- Tool Time with Craig Bisgeier

Round House
  • A Discussion on Locomotive Servicing Terminals covering among other things:
  • What they do and don't do
  • What they can do for your model railroad
  • Essential Features- how basic can we get?

  • Above is an map of the Handley Yard and Engine Terminal- this shows the Locomotive Terminal tucked into the yard ladder.

  • The WJRR's Engine Terminal at Hinton- to prototypically model this area you'll suck up alot of space; you're probably going to be better off proto-lancing it after the plan of Handley- or as Marty is doing, if the yard itself is on a curve the facility can be in the corner.

  • Note the still-standing (of sorts) coaling tower.
Departure Tracks

www.martymcguirk.com
www.alkemscalemodels.com

 

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comments(13) • agreeboasted(2) • no waytoasted(0) • Listen
 
 
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Posted by: darkterritory MRCS Pioneer on Wed, Apr 22 2009     www.Housatonicrr.com
Tim, Marty & Bernie - great show. I'm a big fan of Marty's loco Servicing book. I used it extensively when planning my yards and I credit it with helping me make some very nice scenes, particularly the ash pit at Wilson Point.

-- EDIT

Don't get the Micro-Chuck at Micro-Mark like I said in the tool tip. Several MRCS listeners have pointed out that a similar chuck is available from Amazon.com and other sites for around $6-7, maybe less. Be sure you order one that has a 1/4" hex shank or it will not work with the cordless screwdrivers I described.

-- End EDIT

...And of course after listening to Marty discuss coaling towers (or more specifically, docks) prior to 1895, I'm scrambling to figure out how to re-design my new coaling 'station at Wilson Point -- again. I've now gone from a very small above-ground open wood bin with a jib crane and wood buckets that was too small for the terminal, to a proto-freelanced small and wide wood tower that was going to have a small, simple skip hoist (which if Marty is to be believed, as I think he is, would not have been used in 1892), to what I am now thinking should be changed to an inclined trestle to draw cars up to the top of the dock for unloading.

I'll post more about this in the forum for discussion and suggestions. Just goes to show you even the experienced guys make mistakes!

Tim, nice job on the show, Ryan will be proud I'm sure.
Posted by: Ryman MRCS Pioneer on Wed, Apr 22 2009     www.modelrailcast.com/
Tim... AWESOME job editing show 60. Great job to all 3 of you. Great show! I did not realize that I could not prototypically use a Coaling tower on my 1880s railroad. And the learning continues. :o)
Posted by: motrak MRCS Pioneer on Thu, Apr 23 2009     www.stores.ebay.com/motrak-models
Tim,

You did a fantastic job with the show. You asked the right questions during the show.

Craig did a great job on the tool talk. I'm ordering the Micro-Chuck tomorrow.

Bernie and Marty also did a great job explaining locomotive servicing operations. I have Marty's book also. Great book.

Great job on selecting the music also Tim.

Over all..................just another great show as always.....
Can't wait for the next one....
Posted by: steveb MRCS Pioneer on Thu, Apr 23 2009    
Check out the microchuck for $3.00 at http://www.liquidchopperstore.com/st409.html

Steve Benezra
Posted by: LVRRMAN on Thu, Apr 23 2009    
Craig, are you getting paid on the side by Micro Mark, because I just found the micro chuck for $2.50 on Amazon, and everywhere else, it's abut the same!
Micro Mark is evil!

RAH
Posted by: jamesk3142 MRCS Pioneer on Thu, Apr 23 2009    
Great show! For a pinch hitter Tim. Great Idea for the drill and bits. Would you say that was a Moffia Hit ! Being from NJ I am kinda use to it . JimK
Posted by: darkterritory MRCS Pioneer on Thu, Apr 23 2009     www.Housatonicrr.com
Hey Guys

Careful here - the $2-3 micro-chucks you guys are pointing out are smooth-shaft 1/8" shank models, and are not compatible with the low-speed cordless screwdrivers I'm talking about. Ralph is right, however, that Amazon does sell the correct 1/4" hex shank micro-chuck for about $6-7, so by all means buy it there or somewhere else if you can get a good price on it.

To say I'm slightly annoyed that I overpaid on mine is an understatement, I didn't shop around (though I did for the Skil Twist driver). I'm glad you guys are more on the ball and sharing the information.

The 1/8" shaft chucks can be used in a dremel tool, but I wouldn't recommend that because as I said in the review the Dremels run way to fast even at their slowest speeds.

You also want to be sure that the chuck will hold bits as small as #80, which is pretty darn small. Some of the chucks I looked at here and there look a bit iffy on whether they will hold a drill bit that small. Caveat Emptor.
Posted by: Kimble MRCS Pioneer on Thu, Apr 23 2009     web.mac.com/rcarignan/iWeb/Layout/
Ryan,

The show isn't on iTunes nor the ACC feed link.

Rob C
Posted by: Ryman MRCS Pioneer on Thu, Apr 23 2009     www.modelrailcast.com/
Oops... I had the ACC feed turned off... my bad. Should be there now.
Posted by: Ryman MRCS Pioneer on Thu, Apr 23 2009     www.modelrailcast.com/
Ralph... I do not see the micro chuck for $2.50... the only one I can find that is the qay Craig describes it is this one for $6.93:
Micro Chuck at Amazon
Posted by: rbtvgo MRCS Pioneer on Thu, Apr 23 2009    
Great Show, Thanks guys.
Posted by: deemery MRCS Pioneer on Sun, Apr 26 2009    
Here's a shot of my engine terminal, annotated. I stuck a yardstick in the photo to give you a sense of the size, it's about 8' from the back wall to the camera, and the back edge of the scene is about 3' wide:


or SL&N Engine Terminal photo

It has all the essentials that Marty & Bernie talked about. The inspection pits are inside the roundhouse (I don't recall seeing many inspection pits in at least small 19th century engine terminals.)

I model 1890s, so that helps keep things manageable....

Operationally, one problem with this is that the hostler has to roll the engine out of the turntable, stop for water. Then roll forward to clear the switch, throw the switch, and then back the engine a bit to get the tender under the coaling tower. That's a compromise I had to do for space.

Also the PFM 155 kit is not really a very accurate coal dock. It's actually patterned off of an Irv Schulz model that was an ore loading dock. The coal part is OK (but the mechanisms really should have a chute assembly rather than just a door. The bigger limitation is sanding. There's a 'hole' in the trestlework with a crane. I've set that up as a sanding facility, and scratchbuilt a box to hold sand. But a better sanding facility would have a means for accepting wet sand, then drying it, since you only want perfectly dry sand in the locomotive (wet sand won't pour out when needed.)

The primary inspiration for this is the Colorado Midland's yard in Colorado City (Colorado Springs), CO. That was a bigger and more spread out facility with a separate sand house and much bigger loco shops as well as a -12- stall roundhouse.

dave
Posted by: ChrisNH MRCS Pioneer on Mon, Apr 27 2009     model-railroad-hobbyist.com/blog/671
I finished this show this weekend..

I have not operated a layout with a powered turntable. All have been armstrong.. either by chance or design. In cases where the turntable was near the aisle and the action was snug it was easy enough to line things up. If the action is loose and/or the turntable was located into the layout it became quite tricky.

One thing I have seen a lot in New England shortlines is the use of turntables to turn single engine consists so the correct hood is forward for the trip. I also see a lot of cases where the original roundhouse is still in use. For instance, the VTR roundhouse in Burlington, VT or the Maine Eastern roundhouse in Rockland, ME. These tend to be smaller tables and roundhouses that provide a nice modeling opportunity without sucking up all your space. I know this was discussed in the show.. just emphasizing my agreement!

Chris
 
 
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