HO Eureka Heights (SP) Houston

[Focalplane]

Well, it rained so hard last evening I delayed putting the kit together until today (my tools and glues were in the Motor House).



The tank car is alongside a Stewart Models Rio Grande 70 ton hopper, one of two I assembled years ago. These are possibly a little too new for my period. Again, nice kits, easy to assemble and ready painted.

Kadee No.5s have been added to the tank car, the only change from the bits in the box. Weathering is crying out in order to finish the model.

 

[Focalplane]

Next up, an Intermountain kit with a lot more parts, the PFE R-40-23 Refrigerator Car, branded Swift Refrigeration Line. I don't actually remember buying this kit! To be really prototypical, there should be a long rake of these, typically crossing America and stopping at icing sidings along the way. One lonely car might not get any ice! So if included in a freight train it will be be returning empty to its origin, perhaps after repairs. The good news is that refrigerated perishable goods used the Sunset Route from California to the East. The bright red colour needs some toning down.



Excellent instructions are included. These kits cost around $16 in the 1980s.

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

And with Intermountain kits there were usually more grab irons than were required on the sprues - in case any broke during assembly.

If all kit manufacturers thought like this with small delicate details .

 

[Focalplane]

Yes, Dave, I agree. The 4 ice hatch covers require 8 roof mounted hinges, they supply 10. I lost one this evening so I was very thankful.

The details are superb, but the thin polystyrene piping is brittle. I’ve put the basic body and roof together and nearly finished detailing the underframe. The detailing on the body rmains to be done. The only thing missing are the Kadees, but I still have a stash.

 

[Focalplane]

Underframe detailing done. A couple of bent pipes but good enough as they won’t be seen on the layout. The main line connectors at each end look very precarious, Kadees may protect them a bit.




Next the end details.

 

[Focalplane]

Dammit! A stinking cold has me confined to bed with watery eyes that prevent me from any fine work. I even tested for COVID (negative) in case I hadn’t made the right diagnosis. So no modelling since the last photo above. And I was on a roll.

 

[Focalplane]

Last nigt I wrote up some thoughts about which track to use and then lost about 4 paragraphs. Obviously not ready to model just yet. A quick summary:

What I have, Peco code 75 turnouts and flex track, Micro engineering code 83 18" length flex track Would need more turnouts to complete Phase 1.

What I would like, Peco code 83 turnouts, perhaps some Peco 83 flex track for the main line. Use existing Micro engineering flex track for loops and sidings.

Why Code 83? It's designed for the North American market, but being made in England should be available. Code 100 just looks too big to me though perhaps not for the modern era modeller. Also some locomotive manufacturers recommend 83 over 75. However, I could use the code 75 I have in the storage sidings.

Finally a grumble! Why is Peco's website so unfriendly? They are always trying to sell what you don't want while the search engine seems incapable of listing more that 2 or 3 code 83 items. And on a curved turnout they list only one radius, but which one is it!

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

Peco code 83 is available in the UK and as you say their website is so unuser friendly. Quite often I've resorted to a google search to list all of the code 83 products. https://peco-uk.com/collections/83?view=48&layout=grid.

Funnily enough the same question about the code 83 #7 curved point appeared on another forum I'm on. I found out the radii are 1542mm (outer) and 1092mm (inner).

 

[Focalplane]

Dave, that’s a lot of help! Thank you. Even then the list includes some code 70! I now understand that SL83—- means it should be code 83. SL70 is used for code 70 track. Unless there’s a web error, of course.

The two curved radii really help as well, should be fine for my use.

Also, I never saw #6 turnouts yesterday, they showed up on your search!

 

[Focalplane]

So now I have learned a bit more, the existence of "unifrogs"! The #6 turnouts will be better than #5s. I have placed an order with my LMS for the necessary track for the scenic area, using the Micro Engineering track for the loops and spurs. The code 75 will go into storage for the time being.

 

[Focalplane]

Back on the refrigerator car details. I decided to fit the bogies and Kadee No. 5 couplers next, mainly to protect the main line connectors.



The sprues contain all the detail bits left for the sides and ends. Many of these will be very vulnerable to damage, even while building. I’ve added a few bits so far (not in the photo above).

 

[MarkR]

Why is Peco's website so unfriendly? They are always trying to sell what you don't want while the search engine seems incapable of listing more that 2 or 3 code 83 items. And on a curved turnout they list only one radius, but which one is it!

I wanted to buy some o gauge points from their "shop", but found it impossible to do so. I sent 2 emails asking for help, but no response!
Mark

 

[Focalplane]

Yesterday I bolted four baseboards together to try out some track placement. Today I cut out the turnout plans and tried a first fit at one half of the scenic area which will total six boards. In the photo below the roll of green tape and scissors mark a road and grade crossing which neatly divides the scenery section into two near mirror plans.



Sorry about the older track bed, I am recycling!

So, starting in the foreground, the main line feeds into the LH curved turnout with a loop siding to the right. Next a LH turnout provides access to the shunting loop with a headshunt to allow the main line to be protected. Following the shunting loop this then feeds (backwards) the 2 spurs serving industry. The three through tracks then cross the road and enter a repeat before joining up. Note there will be two boards added later.

The storage loop on the right will be ballasted like the main so I can keep an option to convert to double track operation in the future. The shunting loop and spurs will receive minimal ballasting except near the grade crossing.

Having a grade crossing should make shunting a bit more fun as a rule can be set to comply with a local bylaw that the road cannot be closed more than 20 minutes in any hour! Believe me, I have waited at a lot of Houston grade crossings myself.

Paul

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

To make things fun when I had a small switching layout (2.2 x 0.4m) I stragecially placed an overhanging tree next to one loop so it appeared you could switch an excess height car under it - but you couldn't . So it forced operators to shuffle cars from the other loop to bypass the tree and switch the excess height car to it's spot and return the cars to their spots.

And I used to introduce a 65' tank car amid the 40' and 50' stock to shake it up a bit. At exhibitions there were usually three of us taking turns
playing switching and at breaks we'd clog up the yard, hand over to the next operator (who used a few choice words) and watch them get out of it.

 

[Focalplane]

Thanks, Dave. I may exclude the grade crossing altogether, so your tree or a similar obstruction might be a better idea.

 

[Focalplane]

I have a new plan for the switching area that gives room for both grade crossing and more interesting (challenging) switching. The latter expects most way freights to run from east to west (left to right) but could handle a returning train if necessary. So I have ordered the right number of code 83 turnouts ready to begin track laying "soon". I am not sure how best to illustrate the plan as AnyRail isn't working correctly on my Windows emulation. Perhaps a stick diagram:



3.6 meters long, 0.8 meters wide.

Not fixed in stone yet so comments are most welcome! Paul

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

I see the yard has the classic inglenook plan for switching. Should be fun to switch while setting a train (or trains) to run round the main line.

 

[Focalplane]

I am thinking of moving the grade crossing to the left to allow less interruption for road traffic and longer storage in the loops.

 

[Focalplane]

The refrigerator car is complete, minus a couple of broken details.



The brake end detail:


I added some lead weight into the box.

 

[Focalplane]

The next box car is another Intermountain kit, this time a 50ft double door, in SP trim. The instructions look very similar to the previous kit, so hopefully I will make better progress this time.



Checking the contents there are a few bits missing from the underframe sprue. Mostly they won't show unless the car is turned over, but one main line end pipe is missing. I may be able to fabricate some wire to replace them.