# New Steam-up in Eastern Massachusetts!



## Tom Lapointe (Jan 2, 2008)

*OK, after a LOT of preparation, I'm hoping to host my first steam-up. *









- *Due to parking limitations here *







, *(at least for the first time), I'm going to have to restrict this to an invitation-only event (to get invited, just e-mail me ( [email protected] ) or call my cell phone # (617)-852-6201 (other than morning hours! *







- *I work nights & sleep in the morning!).*
*(First-come, first-served on invites).*

*I'm located in Fall River, MA, about 50 miles south of Boston; I'll e-mail specific directions to anyone interested in attending.*


*Date: Saturday, August 15th, (with a rain date of Aug. 16th). Hours: 2 PM ~ 9 PM.
*

*Description of the "Watuppa Railway": @ 160-foot long mainline run, single-track main with 2 passing sidings; engine terminal area with 31" manual A-frame turntable, 2 lead & 3 stall tracks. Mainline minimum radius is 69" (11.5 foot diameter) with LGB R5 turnouts; some sidings & 1 leg of my wye are 48" minimum radius (8 - foot diameter), with R3 turnouts. Railroad is elevated an average of @ 2 feet off the ground. Due to the lay of our property, the mainline has a 3% ruling grade; the use of geared locos &/or RC control is strongly recommended.*

*I figured the best way to show the railroad is in pictures:*







(I used a lot of "sparkies" for illustration purposes here







).

A couple of "birds-eye" views, taken from partway up my ham radio antenna tower: 




















The 31" A-frame manual turntable will accomidate locos equivalent in size to the Bachmann 3-truck Shay:











Looking upgrade from the engine terminal area (another track was added since this photo); the LGB bridge is hinged at one end & lifts up "drawbridge-style" for access inside the lower loop:











The siding in front of Shay #3 was my original steam-up siding; the engine terminal & at least 2 other sidings, plus the one of the upper passing tracks could be used for steaming or staging equipment. 











My 3-cylinder Shay in front of Watuppa station: 












You can even water up prototypically here!







:












The Garden Metal Models bridge is used only to provide lawnmower access inside the upper loop & is normally bolted in place; but the ground rises a bit here & it is possible to step inside the upper loop by *carefully *straddling the track where Shay #3's tender is:











The water column marks the summit high point; the inner passing track could be used for staging entire trains: 











Although non-operational, the water column marks a recommended "boiler water add point"







:























- And at this point, you're starting back downgrade (adding water at the top allows starting the train while steam pressure's recovering - my Shay will start a train here with a little as 10 PSI







boiler pressure):












Since around half of the mainline was built over a pre-existing hedge (& the ground slope *increased *







towards the back of our property), I had to actually *cut down into the hedges *







to keep the grades reasonable when I initially built this stretch of track; but after allowing the hedges to grow up in height equivalent to the fence, this has beome *one of the scenic "highlight" areas *







of the railroad - a *NICE *







*"photo-op" spot! *



























- This is probably the *tightest clearance spot *







on the mainline (I used a Bachmann 1:20.3 "45-ton" diesel - a very wide model - to set the clearance between the track & the fence post at this point); I've so far had *no problem with any 1:20.3 equipment through here, or my USA Trains 1:29 "Merchant's Limited" streamliner here:*










These 2 photos show pretty much maximum train length for the *shorter *of my 2 passing sidings:




















Oh, & I almost forgot to add - I bought a small gas grill earlier this summer - *burgers & hot dogs will be served! *







We have a huge maple tree in the back yard which keep things *nice & shady *







back here as well.


Don Jackson has been in contact with me and has added this event to his listing. If anyone has further question, don't hesitate to contact me.







*Tom*


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## Robbie Hanson (Jan 4, 2008)

Tom, word of warning--Bachmann and Accucraft K-27s will NOT fit through the LGB bridge.


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## Tom Lapointe (Jan 2, 2008)

OK, That's interesting to know, Robbie; where specifically is the clearace issue for K-27's on the LGB through-truss bridge (top or sides, or both)?? 

My normal "clearance test" locomotive is a Bachmann 1:20.3 GE "45-ton" diesel, a VERY wide model (it gets around pretty much the entire railroad without a problem). 

I also have a USA Trains 5-car New Haven streamliner set, pulled by a pair of USAT Alco PA's, which likewise has no clearance problems (although the long USA coaches DON'T like the R5 crossovers to the shorter passing track (couplers can't swing enough for the length of the cars). 

That's why I put the photos & descriptions up, so no one will show up expecting to run something like an Aster BigBoy here. 

. Tom


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