Marshall Thayer poses a very interesting and common question- how
does one model branchline trackage? It certainly is not easy- if
only because if one accurately modeled a railroad like the HY&T, one
would be quite unlikely to get anything to reliably operate over it
(a model, that is!).
What is it that makes up the "charms" that fascinate us with
branchline anatomy and topography?
1) Ancient ties of widely varying sizes and condition (however, in
the '50s-'70s, usually no more than 8' long for std. gauge).
2) Tie spacing usually no less than about 24".
3) Rail of 50-60 lb., but no more than about 75 lb.
4) Irregular wavering track surface with a lot (that is- a LOT) of
low joints; and as one sights down the track, there is considerable
bending and twisting of individual rails.
5) Inexpensive and or informal/engineering with a lot curves, and a
lot of short steep "flyover" grades.
5) A lot of underbrush to wade through.
Obviously, there are a lot permutations of the above (i.e. the former
main line left to decay in place until it returns to dust, the
converted traction line, the temporary tracks of a logging operation,
industrial spurs built on the cheap, the ancient line being kept on
life support by infusions of hand-me-down track components, etc.,
etc.). There are probably a lot more that are slipping my mind at the
moment, but I will stop here.
One of these days, I am going to take up the challenge of this type
of modeling, even if it may be eventually only for "show". It should
be fun.
Denny
Denny S. Anspach, MD
Sacramento, California
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