ETMRC HO Scale Layout

At the Gym — Location Number 5
Evolution of Engine Service Facility

Rob D's Blog 09 November 2018

I have put the coal tower back in place after a wayward elbow knocked it over. Now instead of gluing it down I left it loose. That means it can be knocked over and then put back. I also left the stairs loose so they will get knocked loose instead of broken. Now this only presented one minor issue when I was putting things back.

Here is a more up to date shot of the tower and surrounding terminal facilities that have been worked on by several of us. It does not seem that long ago that I pulled the card board out of there and routed the hole for the turntable to drop into.

This flight of stairs was dropped in with the stack of material that was knocked off the coal tower. I spent quite a bit of time trying to remember where this one went but was unsuccessful in finding a place for it on the coal tower. It was then That I realized this was the stairs to the Rosco station for the trolley line! No wonder I could not find a spot on the tower for them!

Rob D's Blog 03 June 2018

The coal tower is on the layout, after many interruptions.

Now we have a larger coal tower ready to go to work on the layout.

Rob D's Blog 27 May 2018

A place for the lack of work train, I doubt it will ever move. It is a nice model I think the last time it was on the layout I had hooked up everything on the layout and pulled a train of 187 cars around the layout with three of my locomotives. I left the yard with everything but the outhouse on that day.

Rob D's Blog 22 December 2017

Detail work is being carried out on the roundhouse area.

Here is an overall shot of the area the coal tower was taken to the back for me to finish with the exception of the supply shed which needed to mounted into the layout. The short spur in the opposite direction is to service the ash pit as are the stacked gondolas in the yard.

Rob D's Blog 23 October 2017

Track testing on the new approach tracks to the turntable and round house. It seems there were some issues discovered with the track that needs attention. Here we see a 2-10-4 under the coal tower that is not finished yet and on the way to the turntable. These scenes are not detailed or finished but work in progress shots to test things. Some mechanical issues were discovered with the track on the way in. Finding them sooner rather than later is much better.

Locomotive look very large going into the round house. It enters with out issue however it can not get fully into the roundhouse because the combined engine and tender length is greater than the stall length.

I have seen many photos showing events like this to be common.

As can be seen here there are also some other issues with getting things level that need to be addressed. The differences are significant and will need to be addressed. Webmaster comment — Note turntable rotary switch in lower right corner.

Rob D's Blog 22 October 2017

The partially completed coal tower has been placed in position so the tracks can be run to the turntable and round house. Some tests were run to check for clearance using an FP45 and a 2-10-4 with one of the coast to coast tenders.

Rob D's Blog 23 September 2017

Here we can see the turntable that is now operational and the round house on the layout. Locomotives have run across the bridge and into the round house with out incident.

The approach track is temporary for the open house. Once the new coal tower is completed by Rob the approach tracks can be finalized and installed on a permanent basis. A test to see if a J1 2-10-4 can make the curve will be tried soon.

Following Rob's Blog of 14 February 2016 work started on adding a turntable. The effort is described herein. A year later the hole was enlarged and a longer turntable was installed.

Rob D's Blog 14 February 2016

The turntable site and the reason for my circle cutter.

A different view of the engine terminal.

A little to the left.

Now with a 14 inch turntable lots of big steam will not be able to change direction on the turntable. They will have to change direction on the yard loop. Some of the approach tracks should line up so they can at least run into the roundhouse for servicing.

October 2013

Current status of engine service facility. (We were waiting on completion of the Roscoe Turn to finish the engine service facility.)

Newsletter January 2013

At the shop – The details of the alignment of three steam locomotives at the main locomotive shop coaling tower are lost in history, but there they were, right where they should be between runs. Of course, only the nearest and farthest examples work. Both are Broadway Limited Pennsylvania Railroad J-1 2-10-4s belonging to Rob D. The UP 4-8-8-4 in the middle is from an old Monogram Models kit. The wheels don’t even turn. But it looks right at home at the coaling tower (yes – most of the UP articulated locomotives were originally coal fired).

Circa 2007

Roundhouse and turntable located. Sand house located.