Santa Barbara in N scale_ at the NMRABR 2022 convention near Crewe

[roundhouse]

Just found my shot of the morning Surfliner Amtrak service heading North to San Luis Obispo at a murky Gaviota taken in 2010. The plan is to model this train on Santa Barbara.

 

The Horzion cars are in hand and the cab car is the next item to do possibley modified from an old Life Like F40.

[Adrian Wintle]

Just found my shot of the morning Surfliner Amtrak service heading North to San Luis Obispo at a murky Gaviota taken in 2010. The plan is to model this train on Santa Barbara.

 

The Horzion cars are in hand and the cab car is the next item to do possibley modified from an old Life Like F40.

 

A 'cabbage' is a good use for a Life Like F40.

 

I like that viaduct - it has an interesting pattern of bents - horizontal+diagonal bracing, diagonal bracing, no bracing, repeat..., on about 30' centres.

 

Adrian

[Andy Reichert]

Just found my shot of the morning Surfliner Amtrak service heading North to San Luis Obispo at a murky Gaviota taken in 2010. The plan is to model this train on Santa Barbara.

 

The Horzion cars are in hand and the cab car is the next item to do possibley modified from an old Life Like F40.

 

Unless I've got my nomenclature wrong, I would call those Amfleet cars with one Horizon care at the RH end. The originally used cab cars were the old Metroliner conversions widely used for push-pull Amfleets with the AEM-7's on the NE Corridor region short haul trains and branches.

 

Andy

[roundhouse]

Yes that photo has just one Horizon car but quite often it's a fair few in the rake.Personally I prefer travelling in the Amfleet coaches.

 

I have modelled the old Metroliner cab car in my older phase III 'San Diegan' set

[Andy Reichert]

I think that's the regular makeup of the SLO Midday version train. It heads South past the Proto:87 Stores Workshop in Grover Beach about 2 pm. We're only about 100 yards from the track and can see go by.

 

Andy

[roundhouse]

The last shot of the single line section before maintenance of way possession to double track this section.

 

I am out of Atlas code 55 flexi track but luckily the very long radius set track can be easily straightened so I can go ahead with the alterations this evening.

[roundhouse]

This afternoon it was such a nice day that I set up two of the boards outside so that I could complete the track modifications.

The double track is now complete and ballasted.

 

As some of the modifications required removing the turnouts in the fiddle yard both this board and the first board of a Banbury were alternately connected up to make sure that the altered fiddle yard trackwork still line up with both layouts.

 

The wiring has also been modified to allow for separate block detection on each track to be added. The JMRI track plan is yet to be updated but that's for another day.

Just two weeks to go before Santa Barbara is at TINGS.

[roundhouse]

This morning I checked the ballast and its dried and after running a couple of autoracks along the tracks only a few small bits of ballast needed removing from the sides of the rails. WIth this fine Atlas code 55 any unwanted bits on the sides of the rails can cause derailments.

 

There is a slight difference in colour to the original ballast but I couldn't remember which make that I had used when the layout was built but a little weathering should blend it in and under normal show viewing this area is mostly hidden by the building, fence and trees.

 

I am hoping to add more detailing to this board such as roof vents, air handling units and the associated pipeowrk which is visible in Bing maps birds eye view. I have recently obtained roof vents from Shapeways, so if these are succesful then I will order some more.

Edited September 1, 2014 by roundhouse

[GWR88]

I've only just looked at this topic and i feel like i've been missing out! It looks absolutely brilliant! Keep up the great work

[roundhouse]

Last night a little more chain link fencing was installed across the end of the road. At one time this used to be a grade crossing although i do not recall seeing it as such on my first visit back in 1989. The end of the road was open to the tracks as I did have it but at about the time of modelling the location a fence was put up and in more recent years it is now covered over with sheeting. I will leave it as open chain link fencing.

The etch is that fine, even after painting it's only just visible in the photo.

 

I have also added some roof vents to the building across the tracks but plenty more details still to add to this building.

[Adrian Wintle]

I'm surprised that there is only a fence there. I'd expect some concrete blocks or similat to prevent inadvertant access to the tracks.

 

Adrian

[DanielB]

Indeed, you'd think a runaway vehicle would be a concern for a double track main line that close to the road, no?

[roundhouse]

If you look the other side of the tracks theres nothing at all to stop cars coming right up to the tracks. Cars often park on the old covered up rails of a long disused siding. On Bing birds eye view there's loads of car parked there. When I get some more suitable vehicles I will be adding them to this area.

 

The tarmac car park adjacent ot this area at Big Dog clothing (out of view of this photo to the left hand side) does have kerbs.

[Andy Reichert]

Indeed, you'd think a runaway vehicle would be a concern for a double track main line that close to the road, no?

 

Time to repeat the fact that there are many MAJOR geographic and cultural differences between US and UK prototype railway systems.  Which just modeling them doesn't necessarily illustrate.

 

That's not a double track main line. It's just a passing siding on a very long (400 miles just between LA and SJ) and only relatively busy by US standards, single track, mostly freight, secondary freight connection between North and South California and to Seattle and beyond. It happens to have just one daily, full distance, passenger train in each direction and approx 3 "local"  (to LA) passenger trains daily that terminate there, and one that passes on to San Luis, 90 miles North. All the passenger trains stop there, so none run through "fast", (fast equals s40-50 mph) , although a few freights might cruise through at up t those speeds. Typical freight intervals could be a 1-4 hours. The far more intensively operated N-S main freight line is the more parallel inland one through the San Joaquin Valley.

 

For 50 miles at a stretch between towns, N and S, the landscape is totally rural or just hilly and wild, and farm access roads cross the tracks on the level completely unprotected every mile or so, and none of the trackage is fenced anywhere. Where the line is on the coast, most suburban roads, and beach access roads, parking areas, etc, do the same. Only busy traffic roads within the towns along the route are given automatic crossing barriers.

 

Santa Barbara's local major streets underwent a major construction phase as the town became more of shopping and visitor mecca in the 80's, with growth of destinations both sides of the tracks and so a handful were turned into underpasses, which obsoleted many of the previous level (grade) crossings and allowed several street closures where the old crossings were.

 

"Santa Barbara", the layout, from what I have seen and read here, is a delightful and extremely realistic feeling scenic model of the town's railway station. What most UK viewers who had not visited here wouldn't realize, is that it is, unlike most European populated areas, and US East Coast, major City locations, it's pretty much "operations dead", almost all of the time. Running an interesting number of trains under "exhibition" conditions will give completely misleading idea of the real situation. Probably an Order of Magnitude more so, than the frequent running trains too often on UK exhibition model layouts already does.

 

Andy

[roundhouse]

Andy

 

These days all passenger trains continue through Santa Barbara, one each way as you say is the Coast Starlight to and from Seattle. There are now two a day each way to and from San Luis Obispo to the North. The rest now go one stop beyond Santa Barbara to Goleta. All passenger trains do stop here so they will be slowing as they come into the station but could still do a lot of damage if anything got in the way of them.

Freight in recent years has been very sparse so there are actually more passenger service now than freight.

 

As this is quite a busy town I am surprised that they haven't fenced off more areas and au suspect it is only a matter of time or a few more fatalities and they will. I have seen many a close call especially with the 'street people'. However not all of them fit the usual expected stereotype as there has been an article in the papers about well educated and more stable folk who have lost their jobs, moving from the East Coast and living In old RVs etc. due to the climate being more appropriate to some one who can't afford heating or air con units.

 

We operate far more trains at show to keep viewers and us interested including double stack intermodal trains. I have only seen empty container cars pass through here.

 

I just love the location so gas to model it despite fewer trains than we run on the model and the stack train is one of the most popular at shows.

Edited September 2, 2014 by roundhouse

[Adrian Wintle]

Andy gives a good idea of the sort of protection a lot of the North American rail network has. My question was based purely on similar urban closed crossings in the Toronto area, where there is typically some form of barrier (concrete blocks etc.) to ensure that the drivers realize that the crossing is closed. This is on a line that gets 5-7 (depending on where you are on the line) inbound commuter trains in the morning and 5-7 outbound commuter trains in the evening and an occasional local freight.

 

To give an example of a rural crossing, this is a crossing on the (single-track, freight-only) CP main line between Toronto and Montreal:

 

The double-track CN crossing on the same road has AHBs and lights, but it has a higher traffic level and VIA passenger trains.

 

Adrian

Edited September 2, 2014 by Adrian Wintle

[roundhouse]

Andy gives a good idea of the sort of protection a lot of the North American rail network has. My question was based purely on similar urban closed crossings in the Toronto area, where there is typically some form of barrier (concrete blocks etc.) to ensure that the drivers realize that the crossing is closed. This is on a line that gets 5-7 (depending on where you are on the line) inbound commuter trains in the morning and 5-7 outbound commuter trains in the evening and an occasional local freight.

 

Adrian

All the other ex crossings in the area that I have looked at do have something blocking off road access although the one across the platforms (chapala Street) used to only have a low thin timber barrier. It's now fenced off but there is still pedestrian access through the lawn and flower beds opposite the station which is our main route depending on which hotel we are using although these days we are normally coming or going to the Brewhouse at the West end of the station where Montecito Street grade crossing is.

[roundhouse]

Just found these photos on my toes from a couple of years ago showing the open area in the photos modelled above.

Also a photo showing the pedestrian access across the tracks from the station building.

[roundhouse]

Just found these photos on my toes from a couple of years ago showing the open area in the photos modelled above.

Also a photo showing the pedestrian access across the tracks from the station building.

[roundhouse]

Well we are just about there with working on Santa Barbara beforeTINGS this coming weekend.

 

A few photos of the Newly double tracked section with the Norfolk Southern Veterans loco 6290 on loan to UP!!

 

All the decals are on and the body gas had a few passes of Dullcote.

Just the glazing and ditch lights to do.

[trisonic]

The NS loco fits right in there, Ian. Besides half hour ago I saw two UP locos parked up in Elizabeth, New Jersey....

 

Best, Pete.

[Adrian Wintle]

That's looking good. I have decals to do tonight for a few locos. I was getting some inspiration from watching a video of the NS Pocahontas District in the'90s. Main locos were C40-9s and SD70s (not wide cabs), but the helper sets were mostly 3000hp units - SD40-2s, SD40s, and C30-7s - lots of clag...

 

Adrian

Edited September 8, 2014 by Adrian Wintle

[roundhouse]

That's looking good. I have decals to do tonight for a few locos. I was getting some inspiration from watching a video of the NS Pocahantas District in the'90s. Main locos were C40-9s and SD70s (not wide cabs), but the helper sets were mostly 3000hp units - SD40-2s, SD40s, and C30-7s - lots of clag...

 

Adrian

Adrian

 

Look forward to seeing photos of your completed locos.

 

Someone at the Seaboard show on Saturday suggested Altoona as a possible location to do my NS layout. Will have to study that location but ideally I would like to run Metra which means Chicago.

 

Ian

Edited September 8, 2014 by roundhouse

[Adrian Wintle]

Someone at the Seaboard show on Saturday suggested Altoona as a possible location to do my NS layout. Will have to study that location but ideally I would like to run Metra which means Chicago.

 

Altoona has the operational interest of helper sets, as well as the shops, but probably needs a lot of space to do it justice. You could pair it with the Horseshoe Curve, but that also needs alot of space to do it justice as well as making the trains work sensibly on grades. It certainly allows for almost anything you want to run (although not Metra). The town scenery is definitely ot the 'deteriorating eastern' flavour.

 

It really depends on what features you want, and how rural you want it. I was quite taken by the Pocahontas District which is coal and general merchandise getting pushed over mountains of West Virginia - somewhat more rural than Altoona.

 

I also quite like the idea of the east end of the Rockville bridge (just N of Harrisburg, PA), with trains to/from the north and south going through the tight curves at the end of the bridge. The west end is similar (but I'm less familiar with it) and allows for the access to the Enola yard.

 

If you want passenger ops (and I presume you do), you are fairly limited in the locations. Anything east of Harrisburg is going to have the complication of OHLE, while other interesting places just don't have passenger service any more, (I quite like Sunbury, PA - river bridges and town with a flood wall).

 

Wherever you choose, you will probably need lots of coal hoppers and bathtub gons...

 

Adrian

Edited September 8, 2014 by Adrian Wintle

[roundhouse]

Thanks Adrian.

 

I did buy about 50 coal hoppers of someone a few years ago which have never been run on Santa Barbara in addition to the rake that I do have that runs occassionally does (coal not really seen on the Coast line).

 

You never know but we might revert back to Roanoke as its supposedly due to get its passenger service back again in a year or two.

 

 

Ian

Edited September 8, 2014 by roundhouse