Long Island Rail Road-Oyster Bay Branch

Thanks for the kind words guys. Still moving the ballast around to get the look I want. After that, I'll glue it and move to the next area. 

Andy

I like the ballast you are using. Looks great. Please tell me what brand it is.

Hey Paul,

It's Brennan's Better Ballast. Dennis is a forum sponsor, and a great guy to deal with. 

Andy

I've been gluing the ballast in the yard for the past several months, and when I do that the mind does wander a bit. I've decided that I can in fact add the coal tower that I wanted to do from the beginning. I will need to widen the benchwork by about 8" If you refer to the track plan at the start of the thread, I'll be adding an Atlas #5 right turnout to the freight track along with some flex track for the new siding. This will add some height and visual interest in that area. Pictures to follow.

Andy

Andy,

 I just stumbled upon your thread. Nice work all around from benchwork, faux stone wall, to signals to ballasting. Hope you are running that 0-6-0 on your roster soon.

Tom

Very nice bench work.   Layout should turn out very nice.

"Model Railroads-------making carpenters out of ordinary men"

Tom, Dennis, thanks for the kind words. Tom, that 0-6-0 is going to live in the yard!

Andy

That is terrific work and thanks for sharing it.  When I lived on LI I was on the Ronkonkoma  line (change at Jamaica).  That was before they electrified out to there.  

Just curious if you have an estimate about how many pounds of ballast you will need for the whole layout.  

Ed

 

Thanks Ed. Only a Long Islander says "change at Jamaica"! I figure I've used about 75-80 pounds of ballast give or take. It seems like a lot, but it goes fast. I'll have a few bags left over, so I might hit the staging tracks with some, but only where they're visible. Maybe not 

Andy

 

I added the new switch and siding. I just need to add two power drops, paint the track, and ballast. I wound up adding 12" of width to the benchwork. That will allow me to make the coal tower a little closer to scale. 

Andy

Andy

Remarkable progress along with a lot of ballast lol

Mike

Thanks Mike...

I've ballasted everything in the yard that I can easily reach. The last picture shows the open area where I'll cut the access hatch. 

Andy

Andy

Would love to stop by for a visit, the RR looks like its coming along nicely.

BTW we (TMB) have an Open house this coming weekend 5/21 and 5/22 noon to 4pm. I'll be there on Saturday so if your there please say hello

Steve

 

Andy

amazing job I am surprised the table can handle the weight form all that ballast looks great

Mike

Thanks Steve, you are welcome anytime. Thanks for the heads up on the open house too. Haha Mike, it does look like a lot, doesn't it? If it can hold me, it can hold some ballast 

Andy

 

I keep watching the progress and I'm amazed. Are you doing a Jacobson area? Had to ask being oyster bay. I'm still planning on doing the Port Jefferson branch someday. Mike

Hauspiper posted:

I keep watching the progress and I'm amazed. Are you doing a Jacobson area? Had to ask being oyster bay. I'm still planning on doing the Port Jefferson branch someday. Mike

Port Jeff branch? You mean the 'Mountain Division'

Andy, your layout looks amazing! Keep up the great work and thanks for sharing your progress!

-Tom

Port Jeff branch? You mean the 'Mountain Division'

Not a misnomer.  The Wading River extension ran along a high fill in the Rocky Point area, giving a long-distance view from above the tree tops.  The trains left from a short siding along the Pt Jeff Station platform east of the old station house.

Thanks Mike. Yes, I'll represent the Jakobson shipyard. If you check the first page of this thread, I show the layout in my first post. The shipyard siding is at the lower left. The rest of the shipyard will go to the bottom right. I look forward to your Port Jeff build! Tom, thanks for the kind words. 

Andy

Can't wait to see it. My plan is west of the viaduct in smithtown to port Jeff yards. Enough action for me with the bridges and such. Mike.

I'm currently building the freight dock kit from Dennis Brennan. I've built the frame for the dock and ramp. Next I'll add the decking. This is my first attempt at building a structure of any kind. I'm happy with the results so far. I'll post more when it's complete, and then when it's in place.

Andy

 

 

 

I completed the decking for the dock and ramp. Next I'll build a base to raise it up a bit.

Andy

 

 

Steamfan77 posted:

I completed the decking for the dock and ramp. Next I'll build a base to raise it up a bit.

Andy

 

 

Andy

Great progress come a long way

Mike

I like the ballast you are using. It disguises the black center rail nicely.

Thank you Mike. Paul I'm using Brennan's Better Ballast. Great material to work with. 

Andy

I've added a base with some ground cover, and raised the dock to make it even with a box car. I weathered the dock to give it some age. In the future I'll add a few weeds and maybe some debris. 

Andy

Andy LOOKING REALLY NICE !!!  I am up for a visit someday. Would love to see this RR in person, would you mind a visit from a few TMB club members?

Hi Steve,

Thanks for the kind words. I'd be up for a visit anytime. Please send a note to the email in my profile, and we can set something up.

Andy

I recently installed some girder bridge sections to span the main line East, and also what will be a two or four lane road. I spray painted the sections a flat gray, then used some Pan Pastel powders for some weathering. I will add more weathering when I do the scenery around that area. For comparison, the second picture shows a closer view where the left section is weathered, and the right section is not. The bridge abutment under the track is temporary, and will be replaced by something with more visual interest.

Andy

Very good work !

Great work Andy! Looks so much different from when I came over. I guess that was almost 2 years ago at this point. The loading dock looks awesome, even better with that NLOE boxcar parked behind it 

Thanks Leandro. Thanks Greg, I figured you'd like the boxcar. It's a beauty! 

Andy

I added the fascia to the layout. Next I'll paint it a flat black, then I'll install some switch controllers and toggles in the fascia. I also extended the benchwork slightly in the Locust Valley area. This will allow me to model the Nassau Suffolk Lumber office and a little extra scenery. 

Andy

Hi 645,

Good eye. Yes this is "only on the layout". As you know in reality, the Oyster Bay branch runs north and east away from the main at Mineola. I bent the branch line over the main to get the best use of the space. I have a much larger run for the yard and staging area where it is now. I had to use selective compression in deciding what to model. I was going to go with Roslyn instead of Locust Valley, but changed my mind at the last minute. Locust Valley just seems to be a better fit. 

Andy

 

 

 

645,

I was after the look of the girder bridge in Mineola that crosses over Jericho Tpk. You're right, it does look similar to Divide. I wish I had the room to include more stations on the layout. East Williston, Roslyn, Sea Cliff, Glen Cove, and Mill Neck, would all be great additions. All are architecturally unique, and filled with history. 

Andy

Coming along nicely Andy, I have enjoyed following this thread!!

Mike

 

Looks good but I made the same mistake. Certain engines, cars (hy Cubes, Trailers, GG1's & cranes along with high cabooses with stacks won’t fit under the overpasses. Had to make adjustments as I collected other items.

Andy,

 Nice progress. I like your fascia boards. Is that Masonite and how easy is it to cut and bend? 

 Tom 

Thanks Mike. Steve, you're the first person to mention the lack of clearance under the girder bridge. Good catch! I actually did that on purpose. My thinking was this: since the majority of trains would be on the branch line (upper track), I wanted the grade they would have to travel on to be minimal. It is roughly 1.3%. The lower track under the girder bridge hits the wall just a foot after the bridge, so no big deal. It was more important for me to have a smaller grade. 

Andy