| Volume 39 Issue 7 | March 2000 |
| Volume 39 Issue 7 | March 2000 |
The Objective: Was to build a layout based on memories with no prototype in mind. It would a steam railroad that refused to convert to diesels and would be set in the 1940's to 1950's. It was to feature a large steam servicing facility and roundhouse area. It was set in the age of heavy steam so I could run just about any motive power, from all over American railroads.
I have always enjoyed the rapid transit systems of large cities. This was planned into the railroad and was to feature a subway and elevated railroad. So, when you do this it requires a large city scene, not on the backdrop, but an actual city through which the "EL" could run.
The area I have chosen to model is somewhere on the Ohio River in the Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia region with no particular prototype in mind. A large city would enhance one side of the room, while a branch line logging railroad running in the Appalachian Mountains would be on the other side.
I am more of a modeler than an operator, but the railroad is set up to operate if I choose to. When you live out in the country it is hard to find operators, so 90% of the time it is operated solo.
The track plan is a folded dog bone style double main for continuous running as I can watch the trains run. This comes in very handy during the annual open house and allows me to be free to talk to the visitors. It also has an interchange with the Miami Valley Central Railroad and with a branch line "The Silver Creek Northern". The branch line is a point to point railroad that requires a separate operator. This is the theory and history of the J Line and now the rest of the story.
The location of the J Line is in a 12 foot by 24 foot attic room of what is called a one and a half story house. The room having a sloped ceiling and a 4 foot high knee wall presented some design problems. The bench work would have to be low or I would not have space for backdrop scenery. Because most of us like to view our railroads at eye level this was a major concern. While I was sitting on a foot stool on rollers looking at the situation the idea popped into my head to build the benchwork 36 inches from the floor and operate the railroad from a sitting position. By having rollers on the stool you could follow the train around the room and also provided a bonus for your visitors as they could view the railroad over your head. (See diagram.)
Before the bench work was started a suitable track plan was needed to fit the size of the room which was a give and take proposition. After about three months of different track plans I finally came up with one I was satisfied with.
It would feature a folded dog bone with double track on most of it. It would also interchange with two other railroads. (See diagram.) The background had to be painted on the walls before any of the benchwork was built. The became another challenge trying to find the right location for the city structures and mountains. With the track plan in mind and some careful measurements I began to hand paint the backdrop on the wall. It took about three months to complete the walls.
Now the bench work began. I chose to use the "L" girder system which would allow a smooth contour board to create a flowing design. It was installed on a canitlever leg system (or like a large shelf bracket). The "L" girders were placed at four foot intervals. Some of the joists were five feet long and required an extra leg for support. When I got done there were only three legs on the floor. (See diagram.) Once I completed the bench work on each side of the room I built a section of grid about one foot from the floor to connect the two sides. This allowed some scenery to almost reach the floor and made a neat transition from city to mountains.
Before the main line and yards could be built I had to build the subway. It would be a continuous loop with a non-operating third rail. Masonite and the handles cut from BIC razors were used to form the station and the subway tunnels. A mirror was installed to sive the illusion of a much bigger system. It emerges from a tunnel on a steep grade to the future "EL" system.
Finally the main line and yard construction was begun. The yards and main line were built on a lamination of 1/2 inch plywood and 1/2 inch Homasote. The track on the main line is Tru Scale roadbed with hand laid code 100 rail. I still have some of Tru Scale's closed frog turnouts. While they might not be that realistic looking they have proved to be very reliable. The Tru Scale track system is more difficult to lay, but it has been the most trouble free trackage on the layout. Most of the Tru Scale track was purchased at train shows while some was used and some was brass rail. I have both nickel silver and brass rail on the layout. Over the 16 years of operation I have never noticed any difference in performance. If I had a brass turnout I installed it. When I needed a turnout I would purchase a nickel silver because it looked more realistic.
After the track and roadbed were installed I spray painted the rails and ties flat black. Then I followed with a wash of Floquil's instant weathering or mud when this was dry. I cleaned the top of the rails off then ballast was put down. I used a combination of HO and N ballast from various manufacturers to achieve the right effect. On October 14, 1984, at 1:30 A.M. the Golden Spike was driven on the main line. Needless to say this was a great moment in history or the J Line and was celebrated by running trains till 3:30 in the morning on the 24 inch minimum radius main line.
Now that the main line was completed work was begun on the main yard and engine terminal. The yard was laid on Tru Scale roadbed and hand laid rails along with a combination of Peco and Shinohara turnouts and Atlas flex track. A scratch built turntable and pit was installed to accommodate the largest steam locomotives. A twelve stall roundhouse was a Heljan kit with plenty fo super detailing. Detailing such as open windows and pits for working under locomotives The ash pit was kitbashed from a Volmer kit. The coaling tower is a Suncoast kit with some added details. Various industrial sidings were installed on the city side of the layout along with a loads in and empties out operation on the mountain side of the layout.
The interchange with the Miami Valley Central also serves as staging track for two passenger trains. The Silver Creek Northern branch line is code 100 Atlas and Peco flex track with Peco turnouts. The minimum radius is 14 inches with two switch backs on a 14% grade. At the end of the line there is a turning wye along with a passing siding.
All turnouts within easy reach have ground throws. All others are powered with Tortoise or twin coil switch machines. Power for the J Line is supplied by two Model Rectifier power supplies with two stationary and one walk around throttle. The layout is wired into blocks that each has a reversing switch. This was done because of a polarity problem in the yard lead which is located between the two mains. While it took extra wiring it proved to ba an asset when routing the trains. You just throw the switches in the direction you want to travel.
The motive power is a variety of plastic, die cast and brass locomotives. Most of the die cast locomotives are super detailed with Howard Mellor cabs along with precision Bowser and Kal Scales parts. There is just about any kind of steam locomotive from a Dockside to an Allegheny that runs on the J Line. A mixture of Roundhouse, Athearn, Rivarossi and Train Miniature freight and passenger cars finish out the rolling stock.
Scenery next to structures is my favorite part oof model railroading. The J Line feaures many scratch built bridges along with some kits. The most tedious was the five foot stone arch bridge. This was built from wood and Masonite. Then I covered it with drywall joint cement and hand carved the front, sides and back.
I have always thought that highways enhanced a model railroad just as the prototype because one depended on the other. My layout is in the 40's to 50's, so the isterstate highway system was in the uture. The highway did not interfere with the profits made by the railroad. You will see the actual highway wind its way through the entire layout which is something rarely modeled. Fine sand mixed with paint was used to make th asphalt highways. Carved plaster of paris was used to simulate concrete pavement. I used Heljan brick sheets for the city streets.
The scenery on the J Line is a combination of Perm-A-Scene, hydra-cal plaster over screen wire and blue foam board. All of the rock scenery was hand carved. Various kinds of ground foam, real dirt and dyed sawdust were used for ground cover.
Most of the trees were made from artificial Christmas tree parts covered with chopped hunks of foam rubber. Next I added a covering of dyed sawdust to complete the tree. Envirotex casting resin will be used to complete the rivers and creeks.
THe J Line is illimuninated by a valance with double fluorescent fixtures. One tube is cool White while the other is Daylight. This combination gives off very natural daytime light. A strip of 3/4 inch plywood was bolted to the fluorescent fixture and a one foot wide section of paneling was then installed with screws. Another strip of plywood was attached to the bottom of the paneling to reinforce it. (See diagram.) Three incandescent black light bulbs mounted in the center of the ceiling provide a night time effect.
Structures are my favorite part of the hobby. While most layouts have their cities on the backdrop, I chose to do the impossible by building the actual city. Back in the early 1980's your selection of large city structures was very limited. Now, with the release of the American city structure kits, it is a fairly easy task. When you assemble them according to the directions, you can see the same structures on other layouts. So, to create individuality, I either kitbashed or scratchbuilt the structures. Modeling a downtown city scene is very time consuming but when you stand back and watch your trains run through an urban scene it is very much worth it.
On the mountain side of the layout there is a large electric generating power plant. This was kitbashed from Kibri and Design Preservation kit parts. It is on the other side of the mountain from the coal mine, which will provide a loads in to empties out operation. N scale structures are used toward the backdrop for selective compression.
The future: The J Line will continue to be upgraded by finishing areas of scenery and building more structures. Some of the structures in the city are doomed for urban renewal. As better structure kits are released I will continue to upgrade them. Super detailing also will continue as the city progresses. About 850 figures dominate the downtown area now. I plan to install several hundred more when the downtown area is complete.
Locomotives will be upgraded with more details and custom made decals. Rolling stock will also continue to be upgraded. Some sort of command control will be installed sometime in the future along with upgrading the sound system. This model railroad was started in 1981 , and it has been an enjoyable hobby. It will never be completed. The main reason for it's existence is to have fun and to me that is what this hobby of model railroading is all about.
© 1999, 2000 Division 3, MCR, NMRA