New Project-Carbondale junction. installing REA facility

Today tore out the remaining trackage and roadbed that we won't use and roughed out the final track positions for the remake. I forgot I had nailed down the cork for rigidity as I glued it down to the homasote. Sigh. Pulled the brads and scraped it up. Tomorrow we begin to paint and weather track and switches.

 

Punch up Carbondale, pa. Mine fire for more information on Carbondale, it was a railroad hub in the early days. 

trooperty@comcast.net posted:

Punch up Carbondale, pa. Mine fire for more information on Carbondale, it was a railroad hub in the early days. 

Note that his title specifically states "Carbondale Junction Southern ILLINOIS".

Carbondale Illinois is in the deep southern part of Illinois close to both the Big Four and Santa fe routes in the 1940s and early fifties. Even though this is a made up interchange and service facility, I thought it a plausible business situation in the waning days of steam before the NYC  became part of Penn Central.

I too was hoping to your project was regarding Carbondale, IL. Not necessarily a “junction” in railroading terms but an important point on the IC.

While the current day CN moves North/South through Carbondale, (IL) at one time there were branches to both Murphysboro, IL (GMO) to St. Louis and to points east to meet with CBQ (I think).

While the BIG FOUR travel through Southern Illinois it was a bit of a hike from Carbondale (further South). I don’t think Santa Fe traveled that area, must be thinking of CBQ, GMO, CEI or MOPAC. Wow, that is a lot of letters.

In any case, good luck on your project and keep sharing your progress.

Charlie

Carbondale, IL is too far south for Santa Fe. Out of Chicago, Santa Fe headed more west than south. NYC did have a coal line that ran to Cario, IL, but that line ran more east, closer to the Illinois/Indiana border. I think that the ex-Peoria & Eastern line is the closest east-west NYC line, and that's more central Illinois than south. NYC passenger trains entered Chicago on the IC over the MC in Kankakee, IL.

Carbondale was a division point for IC, and still has a small "coal yard" for CN. It's more of a turning point and station stop for Amtrak these days. UP's ex-MP, née C&EI line crosses the IC in Desoto, and GM&O ran through Murphysboro, but not to C'dale.

Theres an out of print book The Streator Connection about a line that linked NYC from Elkhart, IN and Santa Fe in Streator, IL. The two roads pooled power and cabooses between these points. This sounds more like your line.

Guys this is all make believe. The Santa FE route through Ill.,,,,,,,, to Texas eyes,,,,,,, runs very close to Carbondale. Hell we go further than that, 50 miles or so, just for breakfast. Besides, I like the name Carbondale.

Anyway, started to paint track and switches.

Set track up on edge where one may spray two rails.

 

Paint it. I use brown auto primer.Immediately wipe the tops of the rails with the poison of your choice. Turnouts obviously take a little longer.

I can only do several pieces a day as the room gets pretty thick with paint. Usually I do it outside, but we are still so **** hot, I don't wanna be out there.

 

Carbondale is a great name! My mother is from southern Illinois, not too far from there.

Coal was mined in southern Ill during that time period, so you have an excuse to originate coal trains if you like, too. Wouldn't be surprised if that is where the "Carbondale" name came from, actually. The mining ended when the switch was made to the low-sulfur stuff.

Yes sir, Carbondale is the home of Southern Illinois University, which I attended. Also, the Illinois Central Passenger Train took us from Effingham to Carbondale. Those were the days my Friend, Sorry they had to End.....1963 to 1966....Thanks fir this thread....Happy railroading... 

 

Hello Larry, fellow Saluki here. A bit later then you. 1982-86. I saw the end of steam on the Crab Orchard and Egyptian, but probably did not see a fraction of what you saw.

As for Carbondale proper, I spent a little time around the IC turn table, now gone. Also. Carbondale is now single tracked. When I was there myself and friends hopped a train (piggy back, then box car) for New Orleans. Never made it to NO, but made it to Brookhaven MS, ran out of time and had to make our way back.

Charlie

Good looking progress!

Today continuing with my down and dirty rail painting.

1. tape off painted rails to spray gray on the ties.

2. pull off tape.

3. Ballast sample.

 

. To come, weathering with diluted india ink.

 

 

Today additional weathering. This section will be a heavily used, oily cinder ballasted trackage.

I think the effect will work pretty well when ballasted. This is one of my like new All Nation/ Athern boxcars.

Pictures of how the darkened N scale 3rd rail almost disappears on this track. The 3rd rail is blackened with neolube.

I've been out of pocket due to my wife's severe injuries in a fall. She is very athletic, but spazzed and fell breaking her shoulder and femur in two. Doing OK now, but 6 month recovery.

Any way, thought I would show how I attach the N rail to lengths of Atlas 1/48 track.

It is very important to secure it well as various roller pickups will warp it over time. So I redid a 15 foot stretch to fix it. I use very thin brass or coper to make plates soldered to the rail with pre drilled holes to nail down into the roadbed and homasote. I've got to tell you code 100 would be much easier to do, but for my purposes the N rail works for my future plans.

I will eventually go all RC and the 3rd rail will come up.

Very familiar with the area.  My wife and I met on the Amtrak Texas Eagle in December of 2003, passed through Carbondale.  She got on/off in St. Louis, I from Chicago (at the time, for work).  We both traveled to/from Houston for Christmas, fortunate to be on both trains, hence getting to know one another.  Married in 2006, in December.  She also graduated from SIU, in 1973, we have visited many of her relatives in that area; Anna, Alto Pass, Cobden, etc.  Very nice area and will be great to model the topography.  Perhaps you could include the large cross at Bald Knob, in the distance, of course.

Jesse       TCA  12-68275

Wow Ron!

You are going to have a fantastic RR when done.

Looks great Ron!

Today I spread some cinder ballast over the N rail and black mounting plates.  The rail is of course, not noticeable from the side to maybe 25 degree view, but still not to bad from above. 1st video from the side, 2nd and really shaky from above.

 

 

 

Ron,    Really looking great, and the center rail appearance is very cleverly minimized.  Your track, what is shown, looks outstanding with the details and overall layout.  Congrats on an innovative idea brought to fruition.

Jesse   TCA  12-68275

Thanks Jesse.

Like how this is shaping up, Ron.

Thanks Matt,

Will be spending several days finishing turnouts so progress can continue.

Ron

Looks good Ron. But just a thought...cause I have been thinking this myself. Wouldn't be easier to just pull a tie every 4-6 ties on the flex track. Replace it with a kappler wood tie and some the center rail to that? I am in no way talking down about your method. Just thinking about other ways to mod the flex.

Gah. Auto-correct. *spike. Is what o meant

TJ, Good idea. I think it might be difficult with this thin an N rail. It's the smallest made. Probably be better off with piano wire, just don't know it's conductivity.

Anyway this track was already down with glued ballast. Now I've bought the N rail, but I might  give it a shot.

Ron

Still painting and detailing turnouts.

Finished code148 turnout conversion to 3 rail . Photo of finished turnout and two photos showing wiring on the underside.

 

 

Pretty amazing how the N scale center rail practically disappears. Nice work!

I've given up on the tiny 3rd rail. Tearing that out and going RC and 2 rail. Will leave some 3 rail in unseen areas.

So smooth through the turnouts, this is what I'm after.

Great idea Ron. I am really curious about the RC control and battery power. I am also going 2 rail, the third rail isn't worth it. Plus Code 100 Rail in scale is gorgeous. Let me know about these battery installs and whatever issues you run into please. Thank you!

I bought the two kits a couple of years ago and the Carbondale junction is done enough to build it and insert it.

The kit requires a bunch of trimming, fitting, painting, weathering and time. but I think it will be a really cool addition,,, get it ????,,, cool addition,

chuckle, yuk yuk.

Further work and change of color on ice plant.

More work on the ice facility

Beginning to lay asphalt around the depot and other structures. I'm using krylon granite coarse , applied to black foam board and then sanded.

Ron H. Any specific reason you have a Navy T-28 in your RC collection?

Turrtle 2, yes, I went to the Naval Academy, class of 70,  to be a Navy or Marine corp. pilot. Didn't find out until the end of plebe year I was too color blind to make a fighter pilot. Didn't want to be a whizzo. Later became a race car driver to scratch that itch.

More asphalt, need to do more sanding.

Ron H posted:

I've given up on the tiny 3rd rail. Tearing that out and going RC and 2 rail. Will leave some 3 rail in unseen areas.

So smooth through the turnouts, this is what I'm after.

 

Glad to see you join the BPRC "Cult"

I tore my old 3-rail to 2-rail converted layout down a few weeks ago and have since replace it with Micro-Engineering and Atlas track and Signature Switch and handmade #6 turnouts.  I've got a thread running in the Layout and Scenery sub-forum https://ogrforum.com/...c/mianne-benchwork-4

Ron, what color paint are you using to put on the plywood base?  I need to get some ground paint and some blue for the walls.