EB;
Additionally, Try to use quarter-sawn lumber.  Most hardwoods come in that particular cut; especially firsts and seconds.  I had always used pine, but was dissatisfied with it-and the tendency for soft-woods to keep "working"  until it is sealed by paint, shellac, etc.  A spray can of "Kilz" works good, as well.
Any of the "whitewoods" such as poplar, tulip wood, cotton wood, etc., will work.
Unless you are going to a specialty house, quarter-sawn pine will be virtually non-existent.
Also, if you don't know this, make sure that you pilot-drill your screw-holes-heck, plan the thing out before you do it!

Rich C.

Thank you, Sid; I really appreciate the dimensions.  Yep; I should be able to figure triangulation.  As I said, I had always had a certain fascination with this particular structure.  Whiteground did a good job of this kit, as well as Helgan.
Thanks again.

Rich C.

Thanks, Sid.  Do well in that car...
Rich C.

Jeffrey;
Yep; It was made by "Whiteground".  I don't think they are in business anymore.  Their product line was big around 1984, when they had done a lot of structures centred around EBT's service facilities.  That particular structure, for some reason, had always fascinated me, and I missed the opportunity to buy it when it was available.  OK, thank you, Jeffrey, for the info.  I will go on line to see what happens.

Rich .

I am looking for some dimensional data on the "Mt. Union Timber Transfer".  Can anyone here direct me?

Rich C.

REF:  Large sheets of cork.

Jim; yep; those wider sheets are pretty handy for yardage, etc.  I am not comfortable with the idea of rubber sheeting-you can find it from any roofing materials distributor-probably from years of trapesing around rooftops working on wiring for HVAC applications, etc.  Slick in the winter, hot as hell in the summer.  You can't win...
Cork is really a snap to use-it doesn't creep on you when you are working with it.  That membrane stuff is about 1/16th" thick.  I would think that you would have to build it up in layers.  The only thing about cork is that it does dry out over time, and that may present a problem down the line.  Gluing cork sheets?  I would still use something like "weldwood" contact cement in securing it; not a tube adhesive-they have their place in other situations, like laying out individual trackwork.

Rich C.

Jeffrey and others;

There is a product I once saw in MR called 'Micore'.  This material is supposed to look like homasote, but that is the last I had seen of Micore.  I asked around lumber yards, got a funny look.  There had been several methods and lots of different materials approached since I started playing with choo-choos, for my opinion, that "phantom line" by Gar Graves a number of years ago was tops.  It was pricey but good.  The school called Culver Military Academy  in Culver Indiana, had a layout-and this is the stuff I believe they used.  I had the privilege of seeing it in 1967.

Rich C.

Jonathan;
Very nicely done!!  IS there any way to down-load this to CD without creating a legal copyrighting fiasco?

Rich C.

Jonathan;
Nicely done!  Is there any way I could down-load this post to a CD?

Rich C.

Chris;
Go to the on-line Bachmann parts catalogue, there to 44-ton GE;
seek parts number 87016-00C01G.
They're around 1.85 per.  Info:  contact parts dept.
This can be worked around to fit, or 'ask the bach-mann'...

Rich C.

Jim;
I'm going out chasing girls; you do your cork...your way...  Have fun.


Rich C

Well, I certainly hope they had liability...

Rich C.

Len;
I wonder if that would happen on a super-elevated curve?  Depending upon material type, that Mallet could be pretty weighty.  For your sake, I do hope it didn't go down "the big hill"...
Rich C.

Hi Martin;
I have read your tutorials with interest, and per ballasting track-work, I'd like to tell you about Central Valley's tie  system.  A long while ago, the late Jack Parker decided to produce this product; it consists soley of a tie strip with a common system of attachment, letting the user change from straight, to curve, etc. per needed.  I have used it pretty much on the viewing areas of what is going to be my layout.  I mention it especially because you can very easily paint/dry brush/spray colours you desire.  Once this dries, you can secure it to whatever roadbed you prefer, ballast it and then install rail.  It will take from code 55, 70, 75, 81, and 83.  He recommended not using it with code 100.  I especially like the fastening system for the rails; both track and turnouts.
I like how this is all coming out, the big feature to me, is ballasting-and just how simple it is going.  If you haven't heard of it, check it out at their website;  centralvalley.com.

Rich C.     

Johnny;
Wouldn't you say that, as a rule, the lower the weight sits (COG), the more stable things will generally be?  I believe that, if we could keep weight positioned as low as possible, that things would be better.  Once you start varying the motion with mass/centrifugal force,  so results start as well. 
Curves are a necessity in most cases, for model railroad operation; and as such, will need some form of consideration(s) to be observed.  Variables would be  speed(motion as centrifugal force), weight, balance, radii.
Without going into a lot of mathematical hocus-pocus, keeping more weight in the locomotive-and down low- than in the load; would make things generally run better through variations of track.
Now, you must also consider your radii with speed.  Otherwise, "string-lining" will occur, as the loco tries to overcome resistance via the "straight-line" theory.  Think of it this way: if you tie a weight on a string, and tack the other end to a hanging set up, the string will conform to the demands placed upon it by nature and hang straight.  This applies to your curve, train, COG, etc.  The more weight imposed upon the loco by the load (train), the greater the tendency to "straighten" the train out.  In our case, this might result in the need to "MU" locomotives; weight as well as power.

Rich C.