I think Denny has a good start on the "branch line track" problem - I, too,
have thought about it, but never actually tried. (I wouldn't be happy in
branchline modeling - no Zephyrs!) Here are some modeling thoughts on Denny's
catalogue of characteristics:
>>> 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). <<
This and the next two entries explain why a fully "atmospheric" branch or short
line layout would have to be hand-laid. Kappler makes ties in 8' length, which
will help a lot - but ties should be individually stained, ranging from silver
gray to pale creosote brown (those would be the *new* ones). If you use
tape-strip application for assembling ties to roadbed, the jig should be made
purposely loose, so that angle and spacing can randomize itself a bit. If I
were doing the project, I think I'd use a flexible contact cement to attach
ties to roadbed and, after the sanding-block trick to level the ties, go
through with an X-acto #17 blade (the "chisel") and randomly split or splinter
some part of every 3rd to 8th tie.
>> 2) Tie spacing usually no less than about 24".
3) Rail of 50-60 lb., but no more than about 75 lb. <<
You have quite a jump in available rail poundage. Code 55 is readily available,
and is almost exactly equivalent to 75 pound rail. Code 40 is standard for fine
N scale standard track, but scales (in HO) to 40 pound rail - In either case,
you are into an area where traditional spiking becomes problematical -
low-profile spikes can be used with Code 55, but any "working up" will quickly
cause derailments. The old (circa 1950) trick of using Goodyear's pliobond,
slathered onto the railk base and allowed to dry, then "reactivated" with a
soldering iron to heat-bond to the ties is a good solution - I operated on
Pliobonded track for about 8 years with no gauge problems. Turnouts would have
to be made with the "solder to PC board ties" method.
>> 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. <<
This effect I *do* expect to use in my upcoming "Lakin, Missouri" switching
pike project - yard tracks and light industries will be served by Code 55
track, and I'll be using the tie tricks outlined above - pliobonding the rail.
For the wavy effect (which will mostly be lateral for operational reasons),
I'll skip a few sections with the soldering iron on the first pass, then - on
the second - lightly nudge the track gauge to one side or the other. Since the
railhead of Code 55 is so small compared to the wheel tread of standard HO
equipment, slight variations in alignment will be noticeable to the eye, but
not too disruptive of tracking (I HOPE!!!!)
>> 5) Inexpensive and or informal/engineering with a lot curves, and a lot of
>> short steep "flyover" grades. <<
This is more a track-planning element than one of tracklaying or scenery, so
we'll let this one pass. There will be a point in Lakin where a switching track
does a short 6% to jump over a "levee", but since it is only about 15" long
from flat to flat, and there's no room or reason for a loco to handle more than
two cars on that stretch, it will present no problem. When using extreme
grades, just be sure to transition smoothly into or out of it, or you may have
problems with footboards contacting rail, or couplers separating vertically.
>> 5) A lot of underbrush to wade through. <<
Here we hit the biggie! For those of you following the HY&T thread, and scoping
out the referenced URLs, the invisibility of the track, at least from
ground-level, is the most striking aspect. Again, there will be a few
light-rail sections of the Lakin layout where I'll be trying this - especially
one foreground track where the Q uses an old light-industry building for
supplies, and keeps a speeder and a couple of trailers for in-town maintenance.
We've developed numerous scenicking methods for tall weeds - the methods using
fur are limited in application for track, because the fabric backing, trailing
down between the rails, would be pretty tough to conceal. I plan to use the
"cheap paint brush" method, because - while tedious - not a lot is needed.
After goingdown the subject length of track and punching or drilling "planting"
holes in the roadbed between ties (or at prominent splits) and gluing the tufts
in place, I'll use a pair of "shagging" scissors and a moustache comb (both
available at beuty shop supply stores) to "groom" the tufts away from the
actual rail line. This will be an experiment, but I think that, if a profile is
established which limits the heighth of the "weed" bristles to the equivalent
of their distance from the railhead (on both sides), the effect will be
preserved at no cost to electrical contact or mechanical operation.
Then we come to an element omitted from Denny's list of characteristics:
roadbed and ballast. Branchlines (and minor industrial sidings) were often laid
without more than cursory attention to profiling (drainage ditches, etc.), and
the natural action of slumping and ditch erosion would not be attended to
until/unless it seriously threatened the integrity of the track (if then). So
forget about your neatly angled cork roadbed or other subbase for these
applications. Again, on Lakin, I plan to laminate roughly cut posterboard to a
sloppy, low drainage profile for these segments, and smoothing the contours
with caulk.
Ballast is a somewhat similar story - generally, the line would have been
ballasted when first built. After that, fresh ballast would only be
administered if the patient were in near-terminal condition <LOL>. The
practical result of this, in appearance terms, is that the roadbed will
generally look a lot like the color of the terrain around it, except with a
more greyish cast caused by the intermixing of gravel dust (or appropriate
other colors in the case of cinder or other ballast). Imbedded in this would be
occasional chunks of recognizeable ballast, but not terribly obvious through
the weeds (see above). Another element in poorly maintained track is
operational residue. In days of steam, siderods would brush lubricant off onto
the encroaching weeds, leaving a grey/brown/black residue. Since ashpans were
seldom tight, a trail of cinders would run roughly down the center of the
track. In the steam or diesel era, there would also be some lubricant trails
between the rails.
All these little characteristics, though they may sound rather nit-picky, are
fairly easy to do (individually) and, I think, will add up to a really nice,
textured visual effect when modeling third- and fourth- class trackage.
Marshall Thayer
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