Tidewater Southern layout in Ow5.

Great layout! 'like it very much! especially the main level with the peninsula and the yard 

Which software for the track plan?

 

jpv69 (France)

I like it.   I think it is a very nice operations oriented plan.    What type of motive power will ther be?    Early small diesels or small steam.   I would guess the 36 inch radius will limit you some.    A friend of mine has a very nice Western Maryland 2-8-0 from Overland Models that is super detailed and it handles 36 inch radius with no problems.

I was looking at the plans again, and it appears that there is no run-around in Modesto.   The nearest run-around is in north yard and not very convenient.    I also wonder about a wye out of North yard at what is called Aurora.   

Thanks for the comments! According to a couple of the "old heads' that are left from those days, there never was a wye at Aurora. You would have to back out on the main and continue south. Operations in 1947 are still a bit of a mystery since there is only one old guy I know who went down there once on a student trip. They took the tiny 2-6-2 #132 all the way from Stockton to Turlock and back which made for just under a 16 hour day. I do need to incorporate a wye in the Turlock section at the end of the intermediate level however, at the SP interchange.

In 1947 the railroad owned only 3 locomotives, electric motor 100, 44 tonner 135, and the 132, which was former Sierra Railway #32. I have yet to model the 132. I hope to get my scratchbuilding skills honed a bit before I attempt that one...

BTW I used AutoCad LT 2000 to draw up the plan. A bit labor intensive but it's what I have...

OK, no wye at Aurora, but was there ever a run-around track in modesto?    it seems like a big town to not have one.   And it has industries facing both ways.

Aurora was a siding so I may need to work that in somehow. I agree it would be a good addition.

Great to see you do the Tidewater Southern, great little railroad!

Big WP fan,

ncng

Ow5?  Was that shortline in 5 foot gauge, while the WePac was in standard (4' 8 1/2")?  Cars could not be interchanged?

O 2 rail is scale 5 foot gauge. ie Ow5

Proto 48 is true 4 feet 8 1/2 inch gauge.

Very nice looking motive power - well done.  Love the track plan and how you've been able to fit a LOT of operation into a relatively small space.

Have a couple of comments.  First is about the staging ladder track at Stockton - using one LH and 4 RH turnouts rather than 5 LH's would allow for a straighter approach when drilling.  As designed now, there are a series of S curves trains will have to roll thru.

Secondly, how do you plan to throw turnouts - manual or remote?  That first ladder LH turnout in staging (closest to the corner workbench) seems to be a bit of a stretch if you have to reach back there.

Please keep posting on your progress - especially building the 2-6-2. 

Thanks...gregg

colorado hirailer posted:

Ow5?  Was that shortline in 5 foot gauge, while the WePac was in standard (4' 8 1/2")?  Cars could not be interchanged?

Thanks for asking because I had no idea either and had never even heard of Ow5 until just now...

"OW5" is not the most common reference.    Most O Scale modelers do not use it.    Somewhere in the dim past, 1 1/4 inches became the defacto standard for "O" size trains.       Since the 1930s or earlier it has been used.    There is now so much equipment using that track gauge, that it is hard to do otherwise.     

Modelers who want to get more accurate track gauge, handlay their track to a scale 4 ft 8 1/12 inches and refer it to as "Proto-48".

Ow5 is a gag aimed at the craziness of where we are in O scale 2 rail re standards. Might have originated in the UK where we would see 1:43.5 (UK) , 1:45 (EU) and 1:48 (NA) scale layouts at shows, all running on 1.25" gauge "O scale" track. 

I first heard it from Mike at Gilmaur (I think) 20 years ago as P:48 started to grow over there.     

Gregg Laiben posted:

Very nice looking motive power - well done.  Love the track plan and how you've been able to fit a LOT of operation into a relatively small space.

Have a couple of comments.  First is about the staging ladder track at Stockton - using one LH and 4 RH turnouts rather than 5 LH's would allow for a straighter approach when drilling.  As designed now, there are a series of S curves trains will have to roll thru.

Secondly, how do you plan to throw turnouts - manual or remote?  That first ladder LH turnout in staging (closest to the corner workbench) seems to be a bit of a stretch if you have to reach back there.

Please keep posting on your progress - especially building the 2-6-2. 

Thanks...gregg

Gregg,

That's a great idea, I will have to incorporate that change...Thanks!

Chris

Nice plan. Like the history.

Tom Tee posted:

Have you run a pull test for the helix up grade?

I need to do that, admittedly. Luckily most of the trains will be 10 cars or less. The helix is key so I hope it works...

Chris

I like "Ow5" -- to me it suggests the designation "O-wrong-five."

Looks like you are choosing a suitable theme for your available space so I look forward to seeing the pictures of the results Chris. Too many times do I see layouts spoiled by long trains of large rolling stock grinding their way around impossibly small curves. Unless you have a large barn size area, HO or N gauge does the big time railroad theme much better. I can't remember when I first saw Ow5 mentioned but it was probably back when P48 was called 1/4AAR. It is definitely American in origin. It is a regularly used term...some of you need to get out more :>) Decades ago you had modellers that used 17/64"/ foot as their version of the more correct 1:45 as designed by the European originators of O gauge. It is not all doom and gloom however as our guys that model Victorian and South Australian railways Irish broad gauge (5'3") find 5' quite an acceptable compromise using 1:48. regards BobC

Looks like you are choosing a suitable theme for your available space so I look forward to seeing the pictures of the results Chris. Too many times do I see layouts spoiled by long trains of large rolling stock grinding their way around impossibly small curves. Unless you have a large barn size area, HO or N gauge does the big time railroad theme much better. I can't remember when I first saw Ow5 mentioned but it was probably back when P48 was called 1/4AAR. It is definitely American in origin. It is a regularly used term...some of you need to get out more :>) Decades ago you had modellers that used 17/64"/ foot as their version of the more correct 1:45 as designed by the European originators of O gauge. It is not all doom and gloom however as our guys that model Victorian and South Australian railways Irish broad gauge (5'3") find 5' quite an acceptable compromise using 1:48. regards BobC

I recently acquired a yard salvaged from an old-time bay area layout, which has been in storage for 15 years or so. This will approximate the Stockton, CA Western Pacific yard and serve as staging for my layout. My modeling partner Paul, and I put out a few pieces for a test run on the Code 148 rail. At the "west" end of the yard, the rail compromises to Code 100 for the Tidewater Southern main and the rest of the layout. The consolidation is a PFM Rio Grande model. We have another that will eventually be modeled as the WP 35. A backdrop showcasing the tule fog in California's San Joaquin Valley (as demonstrated by the paint card) will be added hopefully soon. - JCA

Wow that's a cool project!

Hi,

I've been studying your track plan, so please tell me if my analysis is correct.  Starting from the Lower Level, a train leaving Stockton has two choices: 1. Stay on that level and go to Manteca or 2. Use the helix up to the Main Level.  Once on the Main Level, the train runs through Escalon, Aurora and Modesto before heading down (but not through the helix) to Moore and the SP interchange on the Intermediate level.  How did I do?

Chuck

@PRR1950 posted:

Hi,

I've been studying your track plan, so please tell me if my analysis is correct.  Starting from the Lower Level, a train leaving Stockton has two choices: 1. Stay on that level and go to Manteca or 2. Use the helix up to the Main Level.  Once on the Main Level, the train runs through Escalon, Aurora and Modesto before heading down (but not through the helix) to Moore and the SP interchange on the Intermediate level.  How did I do?

Chuck

That is correct. There will be an "outside" helix to gain access to the middle level, going in the opposite direction of the main helix. Our helix construction method is still up in the air.

We are hoping to have the benchwork and track done in 5 years, so I can spend the twilight of my life building packing houses.

JCA

A bit of Photoshop magic at my Stockton yard. The permanent backdrop will be a typical Fall foggy day in the Central Valley of California. FT's by Hallmark and painted by Paul Zaborsky.

This is so cool, I can't wait for moor!