March Update - Milestones achieved!

March was a very productive month. More benchwork completed, more track laid, and everything is coming together nicely. I am happy with the progress and am feeling good that the time when trains can run and operators can do some operating is near. 

Helix construction continued.

I finished adding the remaining layers to the Taylor peninsula helix. Each helix can only be constructed one revolution layer at a time. The process is to connect the shelf base to the top pieces by gluing and pop riveting the top pieces onto the base shelf. All are offset by 50%, so every joint (bottom shelf or top pieces) is overlapped. Next the track is installed, followed by drilling  holes for feeders, and lastly the feeders are soldered to the track. Then construction of the next layer revolution begins.

Pictured right, a revolution layer under is construction. Specifically, the feeders are being installed.

The helix is nearing completion and the final revolution layer is ready for the track to be laid. 

While not pictured, the helix revolutions are now complete. Next will be raising it onto the spacers. That will be a topic in the next blog update.

So if you're keeping track, I have three helices. The first is at the far end of the GEMCO peninsula and connects the main level to Harbor/Valley Staging on the lower level. That helix is complete and benchwork will be built over it later in this update. The second helix is a the end of the Taylor peninsula and connects the main level to East Staging on the lower level. It is pictured above. 

The third helix is a single track helix connecting the main level to the upper level. Here are few construction shots of the single track helix. It too will be raised/lifted soon and be included in the next blog update.

The components of a helix shelf are visible to the right. The shelf base is the widest piece. The two narrower pieces are mounted on top of the shelf. The track fits snugly into the slot or gap.

Laying the remaining track will complete the revolution layer of the helix. Then it will be ready to be lifted.

Construction moved from the helices to finishing up the benchwork toward the end of the GEMCO peninsula. A lot of steel was used to build the appropriate super structure.

First up was the installation of cross members.

With all of the cross members laid out, it was time to start welding. Before welding commenced, all of the cross members were taken to the drill press where the screw holes for riser attachment were made.

Before welding could start, I had to cover everything below with welding blankets to protect the benchwork, helix, and track.

To the right are two pictures during the building process.

Next, two more legs were added to ensure the structure is solidly supported.

And finally all of the steel structure was complete. The welding blankets were removed and it was time to add risers.

There was an issue that I encountered. Apparently the 'high quality' C clamps that I bought on Amazon, aren't as durable as I thought. Whoops!

With the welding complete, I installed the plywood riser legs. A lot of time was spent leveling them all across multiple reference points.

A lot of riser legs...

Up next was to place the OSB on top of the risers and mark where to curved benchwork edges would be cut. An additional challenge was to notch the OSB to fit around the upper level support legs. The piece pictured has the curve cut already at the time of the photo.

The next piece was added and marked for curved edge cutting. I use a jigsaw to cut the curves in the OSB.

Pictured is the other end of the benchwork after cutting. Notice that the end is not cut as a circle. I opted for a different shape in order to break up the flow. The upper level will be more of a standard circle at the end of the benchwork.

And a look at the other end of the OSB platform. Glue was added to the top of each riser leg and then screws were used to secure the OSB to the legs. 

The OSB sheets are a full 8'. The reason for the offset in the sheets is that the benchwork extends further on the far side to the right.

Additional risers were built and added to fill the gaps between the existing benchwork and the new OSB. To the right, they are being installed.

Finally the drywalling began.

More drywall is being installed in the next few pictures. 

And with that, construction is complete. Now for contouring the benchwork edge, mudding and painting.

Completing the main level benchwork was a milestone. It was very long in coming, but felt really good.

For those who are not long time readers of my blog, I originally used blue painters tape to mark the footprint of the benchwork. One of the more satisfying measures of progress is removing the blue tape from the floor as benchwork is completed.  

Below are pictures of the room prior to construction starting. The blue tape is on the floor outlining the footprint.

In March, I was finally able to remove the last of the blue tape from the floor. 

And another milestone achieved!

And then the milestone went away. 

With construction complete, it was time to get the roadbed installed and start laying track. The track will connect to previously installed track at Bellaire Ave (to the right of Schlitz) and just beyond Van Nuys Blvd (bottom right).

The first task was to draw out where the track will be installed. 

Installation of the roadbed is in progress.

Of note, I ran out of curve-able roadbed. Apparently I didn't order correctly or it wasn't fulfilled correctly. I bought all of my roadbed from Cascade Rail Supply a number of years ago. I do have plenty of straight roadbed on hand. My solution was to build a simple jig and start cutting bundles of roadbed on the bandsaw making them curve-able. I'm happy to report that all has worked well and roadbed installation continued. And yes, cutting homasote is a pain and very messy.

To the right is the GEMCO yard. The double track main .24" roadbed is being installed. The right most roadbed is the .125" siding roadbed. 

I use a utility knife to cut the homabed to length. The homasote does a wonderful job in dulling blades quickly.

The railroad East yard ladder for GEMCO is being laid out. As part of mapping out the turnout placement, I must also consider the transitions from the mainline to the siding, to the benchwork top. It came together nicely.

With the roadbed installed on the East end of GEMCO, I filled the roadbed gaps at the turnouts with drywall mud to create a smooth surface for track installation. I've used the same method consistently over the entire layout. 

Next was to lay out the yard ladder on the West end of GEMCO. 

With the GEMCO area laid out, I moved to the other side of the peninsula to lay out Schlitz and the L.A. Department of Water and Power (DWP).

The blue box top represents the Schlitz building. It aided me in  laying out the track to the plan. At the very bottom of the left corner is Bellaire Ave.

With all of the track plan penciled onto the benchwork and the roadbed painted, it was time to start laying track.

Pictured right, the main track has been installed. The track is super-elevated. It the background, the siding near Schlitz has been installed. The other pieces of track are placeholders and not installed. 

Installation of the main track connecting the track pictured above, passing through GEMCO, and connecting to the previously installed track just beyond Van Nuys Blvd.

In the foreground is Van Nuys Blvd. 

Double track installation around the peninsula end and through GEMCO. 

The connection to the existing double track West of GEMCO is complete. 

The double track heading East at GEMCO. 

Pictured on the right, in the foreground, is the main track connection to the turnout which begins the double track.

Just above the putty knife are the two spurs installed for DWP.

Beyond the DWP spurs and to the right, the track has been installed at Schlitz.

And a view of the peninsula end.

The East end of GEMCO with the mains and siding installed. Construction of the yard ladder has begun.

The tracks at the General Motors plant have been installed. The plant building will be to the left of the post. The two parallel track spurs headed straight to the camera are the autorack loading tracks. Each track has the capacity for three racks. It's going to be cool!

With the completion of track installation at the end of the peninsula, the main level track is now complete.  

Another milestone!

A few more pictures of the completed trackwork.

While the track work is complete, the main level is not. Time to add feeders and connect the track busses. Once feeder installation is complete, I will begin construction of the upper level peninsula end. This is the final section of the benchwork to complete. 

Pictured right is the sum total of scrap track at this point of construction. I'm very pleased that my total scrap is less than one stick of flextrack. 

I will have the opportunity to consume the scrap track as I finish the upper level. 

I had completed the final section of wall mounted upper level benchwork in my last blog update. The completed benchwork is for the Ventura Branch. 

The Ventura Branch is the green lines running from left to right and transitioning to the blue lines. 

Pictured right, the roadbed for the Ventura Branch had been installed and the paint is drying. The tracks to the right are Coast Staging tracks 7-10. 

Laying out the track work for the short runaround and industry spot at the wall corner. 

The roadbed installation is complete. It will be painted once the drywall mud dries.

More laying out of the track plan, locating the spurs, and penciling in where the track will go.

 

The last of the spurs are drawn on to the benchwork. Now it's time to start laying track. But, that won't happen until the April blog update.

That's the end of the track for this update. I hope you've found it worthy. My next update will include completing of the Ventura Branch and construction of the upper level peninsula above GEMCO. It's getting close!