A Minor Revision

Using styrofoam for roadbed allows "revisions" to be made on the fly, so to speak, while the layout is still under construction. Sooo...If you find you screwed up or new information becomes available you can change it without redesigning or rebuilding the whole kit and kaboodle. Case in point, SF and the approaches to the east portals of the twin tunnels. When I first laid this area out, I didn't have any reference photos of the portals themselves, just a picture or two taken from Tunnel Hill looking east. Upon reading Triumph I I found a plethora of views of the east portals taken over the decades.

I realized I had guessed wrong at how this area might look. While the westbound mains split, they do not get too far apart.. This was a mistake I made in both the plan and the spline construction...

Plan at SF

Spline at SF

In fact after the westbound tracks split they stay at the same distance apart at SF, through the tunnels and out the west end....

East Portals 1934

East Portals 1940's

I want the same appearance on the layout. Obviously, I have to change the splines to accomplish this. I looked the area over and decided this best way to do this would be to "stretch" Track 3 and expand the radius to nestle inside Track 4 (Pennsy tracks are numbered backwards from the rest of the world). Since the splines are made of styrofoam this should be an easy modification.

First I have to decide where and how I'm going to extend the spline. I chose a spot to the "west" where the tracks run parallel and made a slice with a utility blade...

Cutting Out Existing Spline

Once I made a vertical cut I needed to use "Delaminator" to separate the strips. I guess I should note here that "Delaminator" has a dull blade from years of neglect. This makes it ideal for its purpose. A sharp blade would slice through the foam, not necessarily at the seam where you want it. As it is the knife splits the bond between sections and not much else...

"Delaminating" Spline

I then separated the spline down the middle ending up with a set of staggered joints. The idea here is to move the sections apart and put a new length of spline to fill the gap...`

Finished Separation

This all sounds really good, and is very easy to do. Unfortunately I ran into two things I needed to correct. First was the fact that I should have cut out a larger section. When I added in the short "extension" shown here I found I had to add outer reinforcements to make a strong joint. A similar situation existed on Track 4 in the same area. I didn't like either so I redid them both. This was probably a good thing...

Delaminating Patch Job

As I was working on this the second thing showed up. Remember when I said make sure you remove the plastic coating from the foam. Well...I SHOULD HAVE REMEMBERED TO REMOVE THE PLASTIC FROM THE FOAM...

Plastic Discovered on Foam Strip

I guessed correctly that the plastic would impair the glues effectiveness. Sometimes I hate being right. While I had to use some elbow grease while using Delaminitor where the glue worked, I was able to to take a huge section of spline apart by just running my finger between the strips. How huge a section?

Undone Spline

I was able to pull strips apart through Bennington, McGinleys Curve and a quarter way into Horseshoe Curve. Thank God I have extra lengths of spline on hand. It took about an hour (maybe less) but I was able to put it all back together...

Rebuilt Spline

The end result was that Tracks 3 and 4 now run parallel to each other from SF through the tunnels and into Gallitzin. Once I get the clamps off at McGinleys Tracks 3 and 4 will come into Bennington together and start to draw apart at BF...

Revised SF Area

All this interrupted the process of fastening the roadbed to the supports. Once the glue sets that task will continue. There are a couple of other areas of roadbed to tweak but ballast strip and track may start appearing any day now.

Regards,

Frank Musick

Chief Cook and Bottle Washer

Allegheny Eastern Railroad