SP Jawbone Branch (Part 20) - NG Pit Transfer Track at Owenyo

Just a quick update from SP Jawbone Branch (Part 16), where I was working on the NG's "Pit" track at Owenyo.  I'm quickly moving towards the point of laying track... However, I best get any more cutting on the main structure of the modules done before I start putting down the flex track which will catch on the foot of a sabersaw as it runs around notching the top skin of the modules.

Owneyo-SP-401-Returned-from-Bakersfield-195X-Brandon-Collection - Used with permission

Andrew Brandon sent me a photo from his collection which is really cool showing SPNG 401 being unloaded after rebuilding at Bakersfield's Carpentry Shop.  The F-50-series flatcar has a tare date showing 1945, so this is before 1949 at the latest.

Cropped version of the same photo... 195X-Brandon-Collection

In the background of the photo it shows the NG's "Pit" and the profile of how the grade starts compared to the small dirt road crossing both the NG and the SG tracks.  Notice at the NG mainline switch the diverging route almost immediately starts to drop as it rounds down into the pit.

The cuts have been lengthened.

Unfortunately the rear frame rail of the module, which is already been constructed, prevents me from continuing this grade change to the point shown in the photo.  Also there's a good amount of selective compression going on as well... so this is about as much as can be done.

Scenery will fill the opened areas.

This pit drops down deep enough, I'll fill the area with foam and sculpt it to look like the excavated dirt of the prototype.  On the prototype as the SG climbs and the NG draws closer an inclined timber retaining wall holds the ramp back.

In Closing

Here's the finished slotting and cutting work done on the NG "Pit" with the edges cut back.

The next question with the compression will be if I can start to ramp up the standard gauge at the very end of the modeled portion of the layout.  I'm not sure that I should start the ramp up on the modeled area, as most of the photos seem to show at least one engine length of flat track before the ramp started.  This will probably end up being another casualty of the forced selective compression which is imposed by the length of the room.

Jason Hill

Related Articles:

Jawbone Branch Index Page - Links to all my blog posts on my new Jawbone Branch layout.