Touring the JGL (and NYC)

[Gary Pfeil]

I mentioned in a thread in General Talk that I would post some photos of the JGL. Bear in mind that none of what follows can be considered quality photography! I used just room lights, and hand held the camera, no tripod. My intent is only to give an idea of what the railroad looks like, mostly unfinished. The idea really hit me while doing a fairly thorough cleaning of the layout and basement. As I cleaned in each are, I remembered, and got a bit excited about, projects envisioned lon ago. I thought it might be helpful as a lesson in not planning to do too much. While I figure I'll just work on whatever grabs my fancy, I wouldn't mind hearing from anyone with their opinions of what they would do next.

Here is a link to a 4 year old thread which has a crude trackplan and contains some of my thoughts on the design. http://www.the-gauge.com/showthread.php?t=3483&highlight=john+galt+line

So, here we go, I start with the west end of the JGL, Philadelphia. Just stub ended hidden staging.

 

[Gary Pfeil]

Here is where the trains coming from Philly enter the layout proper. The white cardboard is a mockup of a building that will be placed there. One of the many projects mentioned. Some of you may remember this from a scratchbuilding contest thread awhile back. I've also posted a closer in shot.

 

[Gary Pfeil]

This photo shows most of the 25' long shelf this part of the layout is on. I need to make trees along the backdrop as far as the bridge. This will not be one of my next undertakings! A small 3 trak interchange will be up front.

The next one shows the rest of the shelf, the paper taped to the wall is a drawing of the passenger stattion which will go there. It is being built by a freind. The track on the lower right leads to the interchange yard. In the other direction it leads to an industrial area.

 

[Gary Pfeil]

This view shows about 2/3 rds of the aisle, the industrial area mentioned last post will be on the right, the main line behind it. The track you see on the lower level is the NYC, this area will be Spuyten Dyvil, with two more tracks to be added, running to the wall and a turnback curve, to have the 60th street yards below the area already posted.

 

[Gary Pfeil]

Turning around and facing the other way, this is a shot of the main peninsula, showing all its levels. The JGL main line, and end of industrial are, is on top. On the bottom level, the two tracks near the Digitrax throttle will be 4 tracks, and be the main along the Hudson. The next higher trackage is the 4 track main on a one lap helix, to gain elevation over staging on the next peninsula over, photos coming later. Above that, you see 3 tracks directly above the helix, this is west end staging for the NYC. The four track main on the bottom will run between cliffs and the river. The cliffs will be high enought to cover the helix track, but still allow access to the staging area. Access to the helix is available from inside it. The other two pics are of the staging area tracks.

 

[Gary Pfeil]

This is a scene I've posted before, tho with better lighting and backdrops to block extranneous items. This is how it looks "live"

 

[Gary Pfeil]

There are two pics of handlaid turnouts, built to allow my turnback curve to maintain a smooth 30" radius curve, right thru points a frogs. The curve is also superelevated. This presented interesting challenges, but they work very well! In particular, the first turnout leads to a branchline, and it comes off the curve pretty straight, but is built so that the curved route is the main route, the diverging straight track also needs to become non superelevated, it is fun to watch equipment crawl thru it.

 

[Gary Pfeil]

Now we are standing at the entrance to the main aisle, with the peninsulas to either side including turnback curves. The bottommost level on the right is staging fro east of Spuyten Dyvil, includes of course GCT, and Bronx market. It is just several reverse blocks electrically. Above it is the NYC main. The top is the JGL. On the left is the Garfield branch. On the right is Taylor yard, and where the engine facilities will be. The JGL main runs down the other side to the left backdrop, and passes behind the large brick building at the end of the aisle. The next 2 pics show Wyatt Oil, and the second one shows the track leading to the town of Garfield.

 

[Gary Pfeil]

There show the street running trackage in Garfield. A switcher standing by the depot, and the trackage to serve a couple industires.

 

[joesho]

what scale is this,it looks great,bet it took alot of work

 

[Gary Pfeil]

Some more of the Garfield branch. This is the area I operate mostly, and I am satisfied the trackage is good, allowing me to build the street, when I get to it. It is one of the projects which is in the running for being done.

 

[Gary Pfeil]

Three more views of the Garfield branch. The last one show a bit of the Yard. Where the pink styrofoam is is where the loco servicing facilities will be.

 

[Gary Pfeil]

Just throwing this one in because the train was sitting there and I liked the angle. You just have to imagine scenery!

 

[Gary Pfeil]

This one is from the end of the main aisle, looking back to its entrance. You can see the helix which connect the JGL to the NYC. The NYC main has the 2oth Century on it, below it is the GCT staging. On the right side, on the NYC level, the section of track on blue plywood will be the wood trestle at Bear Mountain.

 

[Gary Pfeil]

The engine servicing facility and turntable/roundhouse locations are the suject ot these photos. Not much to see really.

 

[Gary Pfeil]

Here is the helix, and the turntable/roundhose sit on top of it. The second photo shows the length of this peninsula.

 

[Gary Pfeil]

This is a view of the last run along a peninsula. at the end of the NYC level, the track curves left to the west end staging loops. The second photo shows the NYC main, it will pass beneath a 4 lane highway. To the right and just out of this photo, another track pierces the backdrop, also under the highway. This is the interchange track which goes up the helix.

 

[Gary Pfeil]

These last two are from the end of the layout facing the entry to the basement, the first of which shows the small "yard" which serves as a runaround for the Garfield branch. The other shows the JGL main, which has run on the opposite side of the backdrop from the Garfield branch. It shows how I used a building to disguise to some extent the end of the backdrop.

 

[Gary Pfeil]

Joesho, it is HO

 

[spitfire]

Wow Gary, I don't think I realized how big your layout is! Here's a couple of suggestions, since you asked.

Option 1) complete all track work before doing any more scenery, invite people over for ops sessions, and then get them to help you with the scenery!!!

Option 2) I'd probably want to work on the engine servicing area next, just because it has so much potential for cool scenery and detailing, and photo ops, or maybe whatever is adjacent to the part you've already scenicked and work outwards from there.

The layout is awesome, by the way!! :thumb:

Val