Modeling Altoona

PRR Standard Roundhouse

With the general arrangement of the mainline complete in other parts I started to revise the Altoona section of the layout. I laid out code 55 flex to get the new locations of the mains and yard tracks. I also began mocking up the service facilities in East Altoona. There is no room for a full 360 degree roundhouse so I thought I could get away with a 180 degree building like the one at Crestline. I made copies of the PRR standard and cut and pasted (the old analog way) together a 25 stall facility. Unfortunately the prototype tracks to each stall are about the same length as the turntable. The resulting semi-circle requires too much real estate. The building will fit on the layout, but only by moving the mains back towards Horseshoe Curve. Some separation between these two areas was part of the reason for the layout expansion so this would have been a step backwards.

East Altoona Roundhouse

I revised the roundhouse plan by creating one from scratch using Microsoft Visio. I spaced seventeen tracks at 10 degrees. By using some of the dimensions from a plan of the Crestline roundhouse I ended up with this freelance design. I shortened the tracks to each stall considerably. The roundhouse fits better due to some "selective compression". Somehow, however, I got the dimensions wrong front to back. The building is too "shallow", measuring only about 60 feet or so. It should be at least 120 feet deep, about the same length as the turntable.

East Altoona "Mock-Up"

In the mock-up this is readily apparent by the fact that none of the 2-8-2's or the 4-8-4 fits within the building outline. The turntable itself will be just long enough to hold the 4-8-4 (and maybe someday a 4-4-4-4).  The roundhouse is currently located in such a way that stalls 7 thru 11 (counter clockwise) will be "cutaway" and open to the viewer. The edge of the layout cuts across at this point. Since East Altoona is the part of the layout most folks will see first I may have to do some interior detail. We'll see what happens when I get around to constructing the roundhouse itself. 

Glen White Shay

The actual roundhouse will be built large enough to actually shelter the bigger engines. Only the Glen White Shay fits within the lines of the building in the drawing. You can see this limits the use of these stalls to short switchers. Those Mikados on the left and right are dangerously close to going over the edge and hurling 700 scale feet straight down. One thing for sure, there will have to be a clear acrylic "wall" in this area. Besides the danger of running an engine off the layout, there is always the chance of little fingers going astray.

Diesel House?

To the  right of the roundhouse I plan to model a diesel house and service facility for all the "growlers" on the property. Although there was no such animal at Altoona, I'm invoking artistic license. Many railroads built brand new structures for the repair and maintenance of their "cutting edge" technology. The first generation cab and hood units were still new and shiny and railroads tried to keep them that way. In front of the diesel house I plan to model a fuel facility. If space allows I may even include a place to wash the grime off.

Altoona Yard Layout

I had laid out the yard tracks earlier to find out exactly where the main lines would run. There are five tracks for the eastward yard and five for the westward yard. The freight mains run between the two and are elevated on foam ballast strip. The two passenger mains run to the right of the eastward yard, also elevated on foam ballast strip. After laying out this section of yard I was able to see for sure that there was more space available between the yard area and the approach tracks to Horseshoe (under all those freight cars). Once I had established the locations of all these tracks I shifted my attention to East Altoona. I needed to make sure the tracks would flow smoothly between these two locations.

Freight Main & Roundhouse Approach

With the engine terminal in place I created a sweeping curve into the yard on the eastward main. Both freight mains will follow this line while the passenger mains curve tighter to the right towards that jar of ballast in the distance. Once again I wanted to make sure that there was a certain amount of separation between this area and Horseshoe Curve (also under all those freight cars).

The track immediately to the left of the main is the "bypass" track. This enables locomotives to get to the service facilities without using the turntable. You may be able to see that it skims the pit by a just few feet. Most model railroads don't include this feature and I thought it was a good idea. Locomotives don't always need repairs, just coal and water. Eastward and westward locomotives will be able to use this track when accessing the service area.

Altoona Yard Looking East

Another view to the left shows how the mains will look from about the center of Altoona yard. You can see the foam ballast strips that support the mainline. Everything else in this area is at "ground level" directly on the styrofoam and will be ballasted with cinders. Because of the extended benchwork it is now possible to put some scenery between the passenger mains and "The Hill". I'm hoping I can squeeze the A&LV through there too. The trolleys stopped at East Altoona for shop employees.

M Class Being Turned at East Altoona

These last couple of pictures are just for fun. To the left an "M1" is being turned to stall 17 for some much needed work on its superstructure. A DCC equipped Bachmann 4-8-4, the locomotive will receive the boiler, trailing truck and other parts from a Trix K4s. The tender will be modified into a PRR long distance unit. The L2s in the stall is a Model Power unit and also needs work. Not sure what will become of it just yet...it's a poor runner for several reasons. I may modify it so it bears a closer resemblance to a real Pennsy L2s and use it in helper service.

Oops!

Not all has gone well with the layout expansion. Witness this wrecked wreck crane! The poor thing was minding its own business over in West Altoona when a huge 2" x 4" slammed into the table. I was reconstructing the shelving in the garage and managed to drop the lumber on my wreck train. The crane and a tool car are both damaged. Bunk car to the right of the busted boom survived unscathed. Despite this accident the garage walls are now open on all sides to a height of 90 inches. Next comes prep and sky blue paint. Yes, I do know most people would have done this before building the layout. My techniques are a bit unorthodox, but some things occur to me gradually. I really cannot visualize all this stuff ahead of time. It just sort of happens as I go along. Regardless of all the labor involved by redoing things I find it works for me.

L1s

L1s lounges in roundhouse stall 1 while another Mikado rests in stall 3. The other 2-8-2 (#3303) is a Kato model waiting for its GHQ conversion. Layout construction has taken precedence over modeling and there are several locomotive conversions on the back burner. Besides the M1 a BP20 and a BF15 are also in the works. There is also a slew of freight and passenger cars slated for repainting and backdating.

No rush, this is a hobby after all. Only deadline is to get the mains back in service before grandkids Audrey and Jonah show up in a few weeks.