Powersteamguy1790's JJJ&E
The JJJ&E was started almost nine years ago. The layout was named after my four grand daughters, Julie, Jenna, Jillian and Emily.The JJJ&E is a multi-leveled layout with no level track on the 130 foot mainline. The layout has a footprint of 10x15'. In the nine years of operation, there have been four major additions to the layout.
The JJJ&E is a medium size steam-transition era layout located in the western United States. The main motive power are steam locomotives but there is a fair introduction of early diesel power.
The mainline track of the JJJ&E rises 7 1/2 inches (about 100 scale feet) above the lowest point on the layout. This works out to a 2% grade. The configuration of the track is one long nolix. It takes 40 feet to reach the high point of the layout and another 40 feet to reach it low point. All 130 feet if mainline track on the JJJ&E is graded.
The JJJ&E uses Unitrack on the entire layout. The Unitrack has been completely weathered and ballasted which was in itself an accomplishment, as this was done after most of the track and scenery was completed. I used Color Canyon Materials very fine natural rock ballast to ballast the Unitrack. I'm very happy with the results which can be seen in the two photo's (Photo 1 & 2) below. The Ballasted and weathered Unitrack can be seen in most of the photo's in this album. There are some early photo's taken before all the Unitrack was ballasted.
Photo 1
Photo 2
There are 45 turnouts on the JJJ&E, They are comprised of # 6 and # 4 turnouts plus four double crossovers. The # 4 turnouts are confined to the main switching yard and the smaller San Marino yard on the upper level. The # 6 turnouts and double crossovers are found on the double mainline track.
The JJJ&E is powered by DCC. I'm using a Lenz 100 system to power the mainline track and a Lenz 01 Professional to power a second power district which includes the main switching yard, the turntable area, the short line that runs around the periphery of the layout, plus a seven track staging area that is 15 feet long.
Here is a view of the turntable area in the three photo's below ( See Photo's 3, 4 & 5). The turntable is a CMR 135 foot turntable and was built from a kit that took almost 18 hours to complete and weather. The 135' CMR turntable tutorial was published in the March-April 2008 issue of N Scale Magazine. This kit is by far, the most enjoyable and work intensive structure I've built on the JJJ&E.
Photo 3
Photo 4
Photo 5
The CMR 135' turntable will easily hold the longest steam locomotive on the roster of the JJJ&E which is the Athearn 4-8-8-4 "Big Boy". The JJ&E has four "Big Boys" on its roster. There are also four "Challengers".
The switching yard is adjacent to the turntable on the JJJ&E. The yard is over ten feet long and is easily accessible to the double track mainline of the JJJ&E as well as the turntable area and holding tracks. There are eight tracks in this yard which services all of the steam locomotives on the JJJ&E. One major industry near the switching yard is the Shuey Cement Company. N scale Architect makes this laser cut building kit.
Magnetic uncoupling is featured in the switching yard. Radio Shack rare earth magnets 13/64'" in diameter were placed in the roadbed of the Unitrack. Two rare earth magnets were placed on top of each other and situated just below the coupler trip pins of the cars. Many of the tracks in the switching yard have these rare earth magnets inserted in the roadbed.
Several industries are located near the switching yard. These include the Shuey Cement Company, a small Gear factory, an ice station platform and a small water tower and sanding facility. These are all laser cut building kits.
In Photo's 6 & 7, the Shuey Cement Company is seen between the switching yard and the turntable area on the JJJ&E.
Photo 6
Photo 7
Photo 8 shows a panoramic view of the turntable area on the JJJ&E with the switching yard in the foreground.
Photo 8
Photo 9 shows the main switching yard on the JJJ&E which is ten feet long. We can see an overview of all the buildings in the switching yard. The Shultz Gear Factory and the Water tower and Sanding Facility can be seen on the lower left. The sanding facility is seen behind the Gear Factory. Both of these kits are from Model Tech Studios.
Photo 9
Photo 10 shows a closeup view of the Gear Factory and the Sanding Facility. Both buildings have been heavily weathered using earth tone washes. Also shown is an icing station in a temporary position in this part of the layout which is still a work in progress. Backdrop buildings can also be seen in this photo. All the backdrop building in the switching yard have been weathered.
Photo 10
The JJJ&E is a giant nolix. The double track mainline starts on level ground and rises 7 1/2 inches above the lowest point on the mainline. This is about 100 scale feet high and equates to a 2% grade. The high point on the layout is the town of San Marino which is on the upper level of the JJJ&E, The mainline track then reverses direction and heads back down the nolix before returning to level track near the Monterrey Valley tunnel.
In Photo 11 we see the Monterrey River Valley with the long climb up the 2% grade to the summit in the Monterrey Mountains. Down below is the double track mainline of the JJJ&E. At the bottom of Photo 11 is the low point of the mainline track. This is where the nolix ends and then begins again near the Monterrey Tunnel.
Photo 11
In Photo 12, we see the mainline track up to to the summit in the Monterrey Mountains. A service facility is seen near a siding with the San Marino Santa Fe style station in the background. A brass water tank is adjacent to the San Marino station with the small switching yard in the distance
Photo 12
Here is the summit of the Monterrey River Valley. This is the high point of the JJJ&E, near the outskirts of San Marino. (See Photo 13)
Photo 13
Another view of the summit in the Monterrey Mountains. Below is the town of St. Albans, with the St. Albans tunnel directly behind the stone retaining wall. (See Photo 14)
Photo 14
In Photo 15, we have a tree top view of the summit in the Monterrey Mountains as seen from atop the twin oil tanks on the outskirts of the town of San Marino.
Photo 15
The two oil tanks above the St. Albans tunnel on the upper level of the JJJ&E supply all the necessary oil to the towns of San Marino and the town of St. Albans on the lower level. (Photo 16)
Photo 16
Heavy steam, a ATSF 2-6-6-2 articulated Mallet reaches the summit in the Monterrey Mountain on the outskirts of San Marino. (Photo 17)
Photo 17
A work crew is cleaning up a rock slide west of San Marino as a 4-6-2 ATSF Pacific approaches the outskirts of San Marino.(See Photo 18)
Photo 18
The town of San Marino (Pop. 325) is located on the upper level of the JJJ&E in the Monterrey Mountains. it is typical of any small mountain town in the western United States. The mainline of the JJJ&E passes through the town as its reaches the summit in the Monterrey Mountains. (See Photo 19) The three buildings adjacent to the mainline track are all lasercut building kits. (Jackson Transfer, Saulena's Tavern and the Lumber Supply Company) All three buildings have detailed and weathered.
Photo 19
One of the signature buildings in San Marino is The Idaho Hotel. This lasercut building structure was a limited run kit (250). Its corrugated metal roof can be seen from all parts of the town. (See Photo's 20 & 21) The San Marino freight yard can be seen in the foreground in Photo 20.
Photo 20
In Photo's 21 & 22, we see the town of San Marino from a vantage point in the Monterrey Mountains.
Photo 21
Photo 22
A view of San Marino from the western end of the town. (See Photo 23) The whole town can be seen in this view. A Southern Ms-4 Mikado is seen leaving San Marino.
Photo 23
The Water Street Freight Terminal is located on the western edge of the town of San Marino. (See Photo's 24 & 25). Two long sidings keep this terminal very busy.
Photo 24
Photo 25
The San Marino station, a Santa Fe style station is located on the eastern end of San Marino on the way down the long grade to the St. Albans Tunnel. (See Photo 25) A brass water tower (Photo 26) is adjacent to the San Marino station. All the steam locomotives that leave San Marino make a short stop at the waster tower to fill up the tender. The brass water is from Micron Arts and it holds 50,000 gallons of water.
Photo 25
Photo 26
Another signature building on the JJJ&E near San Marino on the lower level is the Fish Pier. ( See Photo 27 )
Photo 27
The Fish Pier was the first lasercut building structure on the JJJ&E. This building took 16 hours to finish and weather. This includes the fresh water pond that sits adjacent to and under Fish Pier. (See Photo's 28 & 29) I used Preiser and Woodland Scenics figures in this scene.
Photo 28
Photo 29
A rusted small boat along with little used fishing gear is adjacent to the Fish Pier on the lower right. I also made used of Woodland Scenics ornamental scrubs on the right side of the Pier. (Photo 29)
The San Marino freight yard is adjacent to the town on the upper level of the JJJ&E. the freight yard rises 100 feet above the double mainline track below. (See Photo 30)
Photo 30
The San Marino freight yard on the upper level of the JJJ&E is divided into two divisions; the Broken Tree Division and the Four Bridges Division, The Broken Tree Division can be seen in Photo 30, The remains of a giant pine tree give this part of the yard its name. The Four Bridges Division of the San Marino Yard received its name from the four bridges that cross the mainline track en route to the upper level and San Marino. Although this yard is much smaller than the main switching yard near the turntable area, there is still a lot of traffic on the four tracks.
The topic is still a work in progress.......