patrick

Bell liner at Keilys Cross.

The fiddle yard tracks can hold 11 twenty foot wagons. 4 oil wagons and 7 magnesite wagons seems like a good mix. I'm sure over the life of the operation almost any concievable mix ran depending on tht needs of the plant. The loads were always at the front so when the train arrives in the fiddle yard the locomotive only needs to be put on the other end and it is ready for the return journey.

An oil and magnesite train is on the to do list and very much part of the concept of the layout. Unfortunatly my current work schedule does is not conducive to modeling hense the slow progress in the last six months.

I finally got some sesame seeds to replace the barley as sugar beet loads.

The buildings and facilities in a goods yard reflect the type of goods handled. Rathkeale for instance had a gantry crane to handle containers from a nearby co op, Fenit had a scale for weighing wagons loaded on the pier, the North Kerry yard in Tralee had among other facilities, a platform for washing out cattle wagons, a small building used by Liptons for tea shipments, a tar depot and a number of private sidings which over the years handled fertilizer, grain, coal and possibly more. Figure out what traffic your yard handles and work from there.

All the drapes are finally in place under the layout. The work bench has also been moved giving a nice open area for viewing and operation. The layout lighting turned off for the last photo because of excess glare.

I recall reading that when the late John Allen the creator of the legendary Gorre and Dapheatid railroad was asked how much he spent on the hobby he replied about as much as a pack of cigaretts a day and added that he didn't smoke.

I'm finally getting around to installing the black drapes under the layout.

Waterford Cork loose coupled goods train passing Glen More and Keilys Cross.

A few more photos from today.

Not much was done on the layout in the last few months mainly due to my work schedule but the recent discussion obout dual cab control inspired me to complete the wiring and panel for Cork fiddle yard and Grange station. When the layout was extended I never got around to building a new control panel. instead the old one was hastily adapted to get things running quickly. Twin cab control using SPST center off switches and common return is employed, a system ai have used on three layouts over twenty years without problems.

No, the system works. SPST switches using one rail as common return requires less wiring though and I strongly suggest using center off three position switches so sections can be isolated allowing for parking locomotives and trains on any section of the layout even when two other trains are being run. Actually the more I think about it using two position switches is a really bad idea.

At one time CIE would run a loco and brake van through the Cork Tunnel to sand the rails for heavy North bound goods trains. Thanks John.

I have wondered about that myself. Did the sand help with braking? Were these vans used on specific lines with steep grades?

Some CIE 30 ton brake vans were equiped with sanders.

I recall members of a club I was once belonged to who were passionate scenery builders and may have had no inetrest in railways. It didnt matter where anyone placed a figure or vehicle they would always find a more natural position for it and the layout was better for them.

In a way I envy you. I have learned so much building my current layout, the first which has achieved any level of completion. There is so much which I could now do better. I look forward to seeing the new layout rise from the ashes.

I should have added that the photo above shows a prototype made on a friends printer not the Shapeways one which is of much higher quality.

Work has stalled on devolopment of my Bulleid open. Can anyone with has CAD experience help fix the shapeways file? The photo shows the current state of the model but changes need to be made on the door and possibly the lip around the top. The cost was considerably cheaper than the body Shapeways currently offer and if sucessful I would gladly make it available to whoever wants it.

Thanks for the nice comments on the layout which have appeared on this thread. The layout reflects current US layout design trends, high level narrow benchwork and walk around control where operators follows their train using hand held throttles. In the photo below the benchwork at the front of the locomotive is 16" wide approximately and the track level is 58" above the floor. The backdrop although very basic rised above eye leven and makes the scene appear much deeper than it actually is. Very little scenrry is modelled outside of the railway right of way and outside of railway buildings none are planned at present. This saves space, time and scenic material which can get expensive when large areas must be covered. The next photo is taken at a higher level, reflecting track level of approxomatly48". The scene is nowhere as expansive and the curve appears much sharper. To see first hand the effectiveness of high level narrow benchwork set up a few pieces of track, some rolling stock and a building or two on any convient high shelf at home. The corners are the widest part of the layout, 22" at this point.

Thats it in a nutshell!

Wonderful work as always Nelson. You are inspiration to us all.

I have used twin cab control on three layouts over the last twenty odd years. Nothing against DCC, I hope to upgrade at some point but for now I choose to use my limited hobby budget to complete the layout. The photo below from "Modelling The Clinchfield in N Scale" illustrates how it works better than I can describe it. My layout is divided into seventeen blocks and designed for walk around control where the operator follows the train as it progresses along the layout. When the SPDT switch is in the right hand position the wireless Aristo Craft controller is engaged, the left engages the theathered walk around hand held unit. The center position is off. Two trains can be operated simultaenously as long as they stay out of each others block which is perfectly adequete considering the size and design of the layout and allows for flexibality during operating sesions. When a train leaves a block the operator or acting signal man returns the switch to the center off position. Control panel for Glen More showing the SPDT switches at the entrance of the Waterford fiddle yard.There are two control panels, the second is located between Grange and the Cork fiddle yard and controls both of these areas.The Glenmore passing loop is shown in the schematic but the sidings have been ommited.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=As8quxqkVpE This is a clip from an old Mike Nesbith TV show from the seventies. I watch it every St Patricks day.

Replacing the metal clip that connects the gear towers to the motor with wire also helps.