What's in YOUR Wallet Basement?

Kind of a joke of a title. I always loved those commercials.

Anyway, one of the reasons posting has been non-existent for over a month is my preoccupation with planning and construction work on the latest version of the West Central Minnesota Railroad. Whether it is trying to learn how to use AnyRail, reading John Armstrong's Track Planning for Realistic Operation, or actually putting up walls, I've been able to occupy my spare time with little left for blogging or railfanning.

Having staked out a little less space than I had for my last layout (about 16' by 19', versus 11' by 42' in Wadena), I sensed the need for two levels. That brought about the question of how to get trains from the lower level to the upper level, and vice-versa. There were two basic ideas-a "nolix", or building a grade into the track as it travels around the room, and a helix, which wraps a bunch of track into a spiral to allow trains to climb between levels while keeping the grade manageable. The debate between the two has consumed many electrons, and each has its place, but I decided on the helix. Here's why: I wanted to have areas with no grade for switching on each level. After building two vertical curves on my last layout, I didn't relish the idea of multiple vertical curves this time, not to mention that the level areas would eat up footage that was needed to keep grades manageable with the "nolix" concept. Ergo, the only option left to me was a helix.

There was one other reason I wanted to build a helix-I think they are cool, and I wanted to see if I could build one. As a matter of fact, I got so excited about it that I broke my own first commandment of layout building-finish the room before starting on the layout. Sure enough, I have a huge pile of ceiling tile waiting to be installed, and here I am twiddling around with a helix.

As of yesterday, here's a shot that gives an idea of my progress:

Currently I have almost two and a half full turns done, including track laid. These things eat up a lot of track. In fact, there will be more than 60 feet of track in the four full turns I am planning to raise the track 16". The grade works out to almost exactly 2%, but the trains will pull harder than that due to the additional drag of curves. 

When it's all done, there will be threaded rod supports all around the helix, to allow for precise adjustment of grade and make sure it's sturdy. Those are planned to be the final items installed. 

Today I got so excited that I made up a 6 car train, including two bay covered hoppers and 89' auto racks, and ran it up and down the track I had installed a couple of times. The 30" radius seems adequate, but the cars have to have good couplers and the trucks need to be installed correctly (one fairly tight and one loose). I have already found a couple of cars that needed a trip to the RIP track for adjustment, but got the whole thing running nicely after 15 minutes or so. The Athearn RTR GP38 had no problem with this length of train, so it looks like the grade will be manageable. 

So to answer the title of the post, a helix is what's in my basement as of now. More to come. Next time I may have a more polished track plan to share. 

Nosing Around in the Fog

A  clearing forecast and decent temps combined with the offer of a guide seemed to create the conditions for a dream railfanning outing this morning, so I took advantage of the situation and was out the door before 7:30 AM. After a short stop at to say hi to Dan's wiener dogs, it was back on the road in foggy conditions, just right to catch a train looming out of the gloom. I was driving but taking directions from the fearless leader, and he guided us to a meeting with four EMD's right off the bat, including a blue and yellow visitor to the ports.

 



With CP accounted for, it was off to Black Bear where a fantastic trestle was shrouded in fog when we arrived. The twenty minute or so wait for the train allowed all the fog to clear out, yielding the finest-lit shot of the day as CN "land barge" struggled by with two big units up front and a couple more mid-train. Six hundred and sixty some axles, with lots of loads, had these engines groaning as they worked the train out of the basin.  

 



The upside was that slower progress made for an easier chase. We were able to beat the train to this secret location even when it involved a short run that left my legs rubbery. The photo may not be much but the sight and sound of the train cutting through the fog was pretty cool. I've never thought about how hard trains have to work heading out of Superior toward Wisconsin, but apparently hills ring the Twin Ports.  

 



 By this time, I had worked up a healthy appetite and the Escape was thirsty as well, so we headed back to Superior to fill everyone's tanks. After stops at Holiday and McD's (and a few well-chosen words about the lateness of this year's McRib), it was back on the road, to check out what my old friend the BNSF was up to. 28th Street Yard was strangely unoccupied when we drove up, with only a couple of units present, but the railroad fixed that in a minute when a couple more GP's backed a cut of cars into the yard. The fog was back in force as I shot the action. I do find something uniquely compelling about these foggy day shots.

 

 Of course no railfanning outing in Superior is complete until you at least do a roll-by inspection of the engine servicing facility. Today, we were lucky enough to catch a crowd of EMD's, of various vintages, paint schemes, and wheel arrangements, being prepped and fueled for service. I couldn't resist.

 

Finally, a swing around the yard and down past the elevators produced nothing new. However, I did get a valuable tip about a photo location for boats loading grain at CHS. Today it was the "American Mariner" filling up. Even got a tiny bit of fall color in the corner of the shot.

And with that, our three-hour tour had ended. Not stranded on a deserted island, either, but just minutes from home and already dreaming of the next chance I have to get out and look for trains around the Twin Ports. Thanks, Dan, for the tour and all the info you shared. It's appreciated.

Alive!

The first ten days of the month went by in a blur, with a trip to Michigan for work followed up by the movers coming and packing up our household goods the following Monday and Tuesday and delivering to our new home on Wednesday. I managed to fit a couple of fun-filled unpacking days in last Thursday and Friday before getting up at 4 AM Monday to head, once again, to Michigan. Now I'm back at my new home in Duluth and Mrs. L4T is here with me, and all is well with the world.

My Mom and Dad stopped to see our house on the way to Florida for the winter on the same the movers arrived. We decided to go for a drive so I could show them where I work and sneak in a little railfanning, which is how I caught this "critter" at the end of the day, working the storage elevator in Old Town Superior. Since we were in a bit of a hurry I had to settle for this shot, someday I would like to get him out in the open.

The heir to the Look4trains fortune was next to visit, and help unpack over the weekend. Since he also needed to see my office, and do a bit of touring around the area, I again managed to sneak in a train photo. This time we were passing the west end of the BNSF pellet yard at Allouez and found a DPU sunning itself while I suppose the train waited to dump. Out came the Pentax and captured the sight.

What a difference between Friday evening (above) and Saturday, shown below. Coming back from Superior, a transfer was leaving Rices Point and a short trip down I-35 let me catch him as he passed through the gloom on the way to Grassy Point. Can't be sunny all the time.

Finally, one more at Allouez, another DPU sitting at the entrance to the yard. This time it was an ACe, but even though the power was nicer the weather wasn't.

That's it for the month so far. Pretty slim pickings but it sounds like the weekend might be at least partly decent so there's that. Wish me luck in my new digs.

Memories

As my time in Wadena draws short (when I leave today, I won't be back here to live, the movers come tomorrow), I can't help but think back on the time spent here. Wadena is where I got really involved in railfanning, and where Mrs. L4T and I lived when she encouraged me to buy my first "real" camera.

 

6 years ago today, there was a coal train leaving Staples headed for Superior. With no knowledge of things like scanners or ATCS, railfanning was a hit and miss game. That fine day I was lucky to catch this train as it ventured onto the Staples Sub, led by a triclops 60M. A scene that will likely never again occur, it seems a blessing now that I was able to witness it then.

 

 

 

There are some things I will miss about Wadena. Having grown to love the Staples Sub, that's one thing, and I have a few good friends here in Wadena that I will miss. No longer being able to host an ATCS server is a regret. The disassembly of the first edition of the WCMR was a bitterseet event. All in all, though, I'm real excited about the future and look forward to what it holds.

 

Thanks to everyone who has been a reader, hopefully this blog makes the move well.

Oil at Oink Joint

After pizza at Larrys this evening, Mrs. L4T and I had half an hour to kill. A drive to Verndale and back were trainless until we reached Wadena, when an eastbound tipped us off with a headlight. We reversed course and raced to the Oink Joint Road crossing. I thought there might be some glint but there was nothing but backlight.

And then we headed home. What with buying a house, starting the process of getting settled, working 5 days, driving back to Wadena, loading the Escape with model railroad paraphernalia, and getting ready for a 6 AM Monday morning flight to Michigan for work, railfanning has been sorely neglected lately. At least I got a shot for the week.

Fighting Traffic

The title is kind of a tease. The traffic referred to is not on steel rails, but instead on Interstate 35 in Duluth. After work today, I drove over to Duluth, and spotted the rear end of a train leaving Rices Point yard. With no place I needed to be, a short chase seemed like a no brainer. That was until I saw the traffic jam the interstate was. I grabbed the first exit I saw and headed for the city streets. Finally arriving at the overpass near the paper mill, it turned out the delay had not prevented a nicely lit shot of a pair of GP's with some empty (stone?) hoppers heading into Mike's Yard. Not exactly what you would call Staples Sub scenery.

And that was that. I sure was glad that the delay on the interstate (due to bridge work on the Blatnik Bridge) didn't prevent me from getting the shot.

Old Days

One of the great blessings of my railfan "career", if such a thing exists, has been the willingness of Mrs. L4T (that's my wife for those of you who have always wondered) to humor me by tagging along on "train hunting" expeditions. We have explored nearly every inch of the Staples Sub together, and she has gotten to the point where she occasionally sees the train before I do. She even questions why I am taking a shot from time to time, commenting that "the light is no good here". We've been great friends as we cruise up and down Highway 10, always on the lookout for the distinct pattern formed by a headlight and a pair of ditchlights.

With an impending move to the Twin Ports just a few weeks away now, something Chris Muller posted on Facebook today inspired me to check ATCS, and sure enough, the westbounds were lined up all the way to Gregory. Mrs. L4T and were out the door with visions of GEVO's and ACe's dancing in our heads.

My first move was east. It seemed a good bet we could catch the leader of the pack the other side of Verndale, but he beat us to the punch and surprised me just outside Wadena. If not for the glorious consist of new BNSF covered hoppers I would have passed, but these cars called for a u-turn and chase. The slow order near Bluffton allowed us to just beat the train to a crossing.


Hoping to beat something to Staples, we once more headed east, and this time made it almost all the way to Aldrich before a Z train sailed around the corner. Once more we were ready.


The action was pretty steady at this point, as the next train was approaching Dower Lake when we got there. This time is was a crude oil empty, led by a GEVO. You might also notice a blur of color in the distance that will come into play a bit later.


But the interesting unit was third out. For the third or fourth time I got the H3 painted 8987, an SD70MAC. The paint sure holds up nice, as this is at least two years old.


One of my goals for the day was a shot from the new overpass in Staples. Alas, it was not to be, as the final westbound was passing the depot as we neared the parking area. Plan B took us back to the Dower Lake crossing, where we captured a manifest with lots of oilfield traffic, including pipe, sand cars, and empty tanks. I even noticed an ADM car placarded for crude oil in this train.


This thing got me excited. I wonder what it hauls and where it hauls it?


The treat of the day was next. A manifest train sat on Main 2, sans power, just west of the Dower Lake crossing. It was only a few minutes when the power for the train ran back west from the yard. It was great to see a 4 unit set of SD40-2's "leading" this power as it backed up onto the train. What a sight! I hollered "Nice Power" to the conducter as he passed by and got a smile and wave back.


After getting the air pumped up and the train underway, we were able to swing by the Staples yard and shoot three more classic EMD's sitting at the west end, including a fairly uncommon GP40. Second one I have seen this week, the other was in Superior.


And so you have the story from today. We probably won't get many more chances to fan the Staples Sub, but I'll always remember this one and the day Mrs. L4T once again brought me luck!