Tehachapi Loop Trip

This weekend my son and I decided to spend some time together.  He's not into the train thing to any great degree but does like them enough to do some rail fanning with me.

 

We decided to do a quick trip up to the Tehachapi Loop.  Despite many trips out Hwy 58, we've never viewed the loop.  I wanted to make a trip up to the Barstow yards to do some prototype research, and figured that it would be a good time to make a detour to Tehachapi. 

 

Our trip started out at about 7:30 from Temecula.  We just headed north on I15 to Hwy 395.  While heading up the grade leading to the Cajon Pass we spotted a couple of freight trains headed south.  It looked like it was going to be a decent day for rail fanning.

 

Well, as promising at it looked, it started to feel like there wasn't going to be much to see.  We hit Kramer Junction and headed west in Hwy 58 toward Tehachapi.  Didn't see a single train all the way to the loop.  I was pretty sure we were going to be there a while.

 

Anyway, we exited first off at Broom road.  (NEVER TRUST A GPS).  Broom road really doesn't go anywhere any more.  But there was a interesting view of some auto racks scattered about the area.  Not having been here before I didn't know if this was normal, but thought not.  More on that later.

 

Back on the highway heading west to Keene road.  Big sign there about the historical markers.  So we followed Keene road 3 miles back up the grade and finally came to a wide spot in the road.  There are the following 2 road side markers that over look the loop from the south side looking north. 

 

 

 

Well we start reading the plaques and just kind of enjoy the area and begin to relax for a wait.  I don't think we had been there more than 90 seconds, when I hear off in the distance a loco grinding it's way up the grade.   I'm realizing that I can't see where the loop crosses over itself.  Another rail fan points out where to look and realized at viewing height and angle you can't see it.  So I high tail it to the right (up the road) and find a path that will take me due east of the loop.  From here you can see Tunnel 9, and get a pretty good view. I got there just as the engines were passing through the tunnel.

 

Here's on shot of the train.  You can see it's passed through Tunnel 9, then looped the hill on the right and is heading around to approach tunnel 10 off to my right.  (for a better view, please click the picture to get a full sized image).

 

 

 

Well we walked back to the plaques to capture the images above. 

 

 

We got back in the car and headed further up Keene road.  I didn't have a clue where it was going to go, but figured we'd find out. 

 

Around a couple of curves we came across this scene. 

 

 

The train has exited tunnel 10 and is passing a bunch of auto racks sitting on the ground next to the track.

 

We spent some time at the Tehachapi RR Museum in the rebuilt depot in downtown Tehachapi. The auto rack story, according to museum personnel, is that there was a bit of a wait at the loop a few weeks back. One train was stopped on the upgrade side of the loop waiting on a train to come through. A second train, a UP from what the story teller says, was also stopped, behind the second train. The engineer on the UP train slips his breaks thinking, supposedly, to close the gap between him and the one in front. Loses control and rams the back of the first train at 21mph. He knocks a helper engine (it's been removed) off on to it's side and derails several auto racks. The rescue equipment got the engine up and removed and picked up the auto racks, but no one seems to car about picking them up so there they site.





 

 

Anyway, hope you enjoy.  I'll show some pics we got at Barstow in a couple of days.

 



More on the final track plan

Spent some time before the business meeting reviewing the track plan.  Got some pretty decent comments on it and I think it's pretty ready to go.  I've added some scenery and structures to give it a better feel for what I can actually do with it.  That odd green/grey/red thing in the middle is the SF tower in the Barstow yard. 

Short Track Railroad Facebook page

Spent some time last night building out the clubs Facebook page.  Did a presentation about social media and model railroad clubs.  It's an interesting way to promote your club.

Anyway, here's the link if you care to view it.  http://www.facebook.com/ShortTrackRR

If you find your way there please consider tossing us a like.

Final (maybe) track plan

Well the shed progresses.  Finished out the drywall this afternoon.  It's taped and mud is drying.

Really been around the bend with the track plan.  The struggle has been how to have a roundy-round layout that allows for some operations, and no duck-unders. The problem with that is that you only have one real choice and it's a dog bone.  BUT as my friends at NScale.net would say, I get in trouble with the reach police.

But at the same time I get in trouble with visitors if I make them duck under the layout to come visit.

This plan is a compromise.  First thing you'll notice is that the door now swings out.  Decided to rip out the door and re hang it.  That makes for much more operational room in the shed. 

The bridge at the door way is planned to be an easy lift out.  And will the bottom of it will be around 48" high so it will be possible to duck under as well.

Electrical

Ok, going to keep this one pretty short.  Pictures well tell a lot.

Decided to go with a short pig tail into a standard 125amp 4 breaker panel.  After that pretty much the rest of the electrical is to standards or code.

I've run 3 breakers.

• Breaker/Circuit 1 - Run to 2 outlets, dedicated to heating and AC. 
• Breaker/Circuit 2 - Run 2 switches
• Switch 1 goes to 2 banks of t5HO florescent lights
• Switch 2 goes to 5 LED light bars
• Breaker/Circuit 3 - Run 2 switches
• Switch 1 runs to 1 outlet.  Dedicated to DCC power pack
• Switch 2 runs to 3 outlets.   Will be used for powered accessories, etc.

Vents Part 1

Just a quick update.  Originally, and this shows how much there is to learn, I had not intended to build out any vents, intending to just use windows and AC/heat.

Night before last I came home and the shed had been closed up.  Condensation running down the walls convinced me I do need ventilation. I installed a roof vent yesterday, and will do a floor vent tonight.

Now I don't have pics yet, but will soon.  Pics of a vent just aren't exciting.  But I still have to deal with dust that will come in via the vents.  I'm going to build boxes to hold filters in front of both of the vents.  I'll post a bit about that in a few days.

Electrical - The plan

Well for those who are following the progress on the shed, I thank you for the time.

 

I finally found someone at Home Depot who was a full expert and knew exactly what I was trying to do here.  Turns out he had done something similar with his shed a few months back.  So with that I figured I'd show the electrical plan.

 

First on the out side of the shed will be a 4 breaker box with temporary pig tail installed. I'm specifically building this out so that when the time comes I can run the wire from my main panel, and just hook up to the box without tearing out walls, and layout.

 

The outlet plan below has 2 circuits.  One that runs to the heater and the AC units.  Wire for that will be 12/2 and will run direct.  The second circuit will run 14/2 wire to a pair of switches.  One switch to control power to the DCC power pack, and the second to run to the rest of the receptacles for other accessory power. 

 

 

Below is the plan for lighting.  One circuit for that.  I'll run 14/2 wire for that.  Again it will run to 2 switches.  One switch will control the work lighting.   Two florescent fixtures with T5 HO lights. I'll box the lights with fascia board.  The second switch will be dimmable and will control 5 LED light bars.

 

All the parts have been purchased and I should be able to start installation this week.  

The Shed Build

I decided to have Quality Sheds from Menifee CA build my shed.  This is the second one they have done for us.  I've been really impressed.  Very professional, quick and excellent quality.

 I'm not sure their range, but if you want a great shed for a reasonable price check out, www.SoCalSheds.com.

The final product. 

 

The day started out with me going out and getting some blocks in position.  I wanted the shed raised a bit and had a bunch of landscape blocks left over.

 

 

The Shed has arrived.

 

 

That's a lot of stuff.

Pressure treated.  Normally on the ground, but I wanted a bit more elevation.

While one worker gets started the other is laying out, measuring and cutting.

Floor joists ready for floor.

Shed floor is in.

Wall #1

And #2, #3, #4.

Starting to look like a shed.

Tyvek, or lowes version anyway.

Siding on

Routed windows and door opening.

Porch roof in place.

And the final product.  Had to get a flag on it quick.  Need a few train flags.

Deja Vu all over again

I feel like I've been here before, and before, and before.

Layout plans have been done and have been started, and have been abandoned so many times I think my friends over at NScale.net are probably getting tired. 

Lets see.  Started one in the garage.  Interrupted by heat and raising kids.  Started one in Sun Room.  Interrupted by raising kids, oh and heat.  Started another one in sun room.  Interrupted because kids room became available when he moved out.  Started one in kids room, got bench work completed on a Friday night, looking forward to starting track work on that Sunday.  Saturday, kid announces he has to move back in.  My first thought was if I could fit a cot under the bench work.  Wife put a quash on that thought.  Started again in the sun room.  Interrupted by the next thought.  And this one looks like it's going to be the final start.

Ok, so realistically what has stopped the progress.  Early on it was baseball, gymnastics, tennis.  I love watching the kids play sports and it has always taken higher priority.  And though I don't much care for most people, I am a social animal.  Stuck in the garage or sunroom with the rest of the family in the house was really not the way I wanted to spend my evenings.  It's been hard to do the hobby solo.  Despite having lots of friends on forums across the world, I really would prefer to have some buddies to interact with.  Thus the previous post on clubs.  So with the kids grown and in college or living their life's, they aren't here.  Wife has her horses, so she's got stuff on the weekends.  And with a club to participate in, and to have come visit, I think (hope, pray, etc) that the stars are aligned, and progress will be made.

Oh Kay, so whats next.  I got the ok from the CEO to buy a new storage shed that I can turn into a man cave/train room.  The shed below is the one I picked.  It's been ordered and will be installed Friday.  My plan is to install wiring, lights, AC, insulation and sheet rock.  This will be, finally, MY SPACE. 

The shed is 10' X 12' with a 4' porch.  Not the biggest I could have put on the property, but 120 sf is the largest I can do without dealing with the county and the permit process.  That process would probably add $1,000 to the cost of the project.  It also puts money into the county coffers, which I prefer not to do.

Having the shed dimensions I can at least start planning.  The track plan below was done in AnyRail.  (more on AnyRail in another blog post later).  The over all dimensions are there.  The dark black exterior line represents the thickness of the walls.  There's a 4" set back for all the track to make sure there is enough room for scenery between track and walls.  The rest kind of speaks for it self. 



 

So the shed is getting installed (built in place) on Friday.  I'll post the construction progress.

Clubs

Well it's been a while since I blogged much.  Not much has been going on in the modeling area of my life.

I joined the San Diego Society of N Scale at the San Diego Museum.  There are a few really nice folks down there.  Excellent layout to visit any day of the week while in San Diego.  Though a great club, the layout is complete and what little work that goes on is during the week when I can't get down there.  And when I can, its' a 3 hour round trip.  Too far in terms of time and gas.

I kept looking for a good club to join.  I stumbled on a club about 30 minutes north of me in the Hemet/San Jacinto area.  It's a dual HO/N modular club.  Nice folks, but I'm not looking for a modular club.

Found a very nice club for HO folks in Oceanside.  GREAT PEOPLE.  EXCELLENT Layout.  It the North County Model Rail Society.  NCMRS.org.  They are closed for the summer due to some construction, but normally they have open house on Saturdays between 10 and 3.

Which brings me to a club in Vista CA.  ShortTrackRR.  (http://www.shorttrackrr.org).  They started life as a modular club in San Diego and were around for many years.  I ran into them at the San Diego County Fair for several years where they were a paid exhibit.  7 or so years ago they moved a permanent building into the Antique Gas and Steam Engine Museum in Vista CA.  So they are about 6 years into the build out.  Still lots to do, lots to learn.  They welcome members of all skills.  From people like me, to experts.  With 2 members who are MMRs.

I've joined the Short Track RR group.  I'll get some picks of their layout soon and post.  It really is the best N Scale layout I've ever seen.  They have open house every Saturday from 9-1.  And are open extended days and hours during most of the special events at the Museum.

Well that's all for now. 

PS, check back soon (tomorrow).  I've finally been granted a train room by the CEO and will start posting about that.