The Pokey

Been meaning to post these for quite a while to show my latest layout of Frisco's Pocahontas Branch or as the Memphis Sub crews called it, "the Pokey". When Jim James was building the Zalma Branch one thing I noticed that you don’t need to cram track into every inch of space, less is more. I originally designed this layout with the least amount of tracks with sharp curves (18’ radius), short switches (#4’s) & the escapes long enough for only 1 engine however...

With any new layout problems crop up, I managed to eliminate most of them but some are just going to have to be replaced. I tried to cut a fat hog by using recycled Atlas switches from previous layouts to save a buck but now I’m paying the price. The major problem is the switches at the south end of Pocahontas are too close together resulting in shorts & derailments so after the 1st of the year the layout is going to undergo a major rebuild. I figured since I’m going to rebuild Pocahontas Yard I might as well replace all the switches with DCC-friendly turnouts from Midwest Engineering and replace the code 100 with code 83 track at the same time. The 18’s radius curves on each end of the Black River Bridge do not like any car over 50’ so they will be replaced with 22” radius curves. Also a siding from the canal to Lesterville might be added so the Hoxie Turn will have head room to make it’s setout at Hoxie. Below are the plans I came up with, of course not everything was included but pretty close. Just noticed that the measurements are not on the plans, Hoxie-11', Hoxie Wye-Lesterville 15', Black River Bridge 8' & Pocahontas 10-1/2'. Enjoy this last look at the original Pokey.

Roger

 

The attached photos are from an operating session about a year ago, at this time the Pokey went to work at Pocahontas. This scenario created a lot of problems so the on duty point has since been changed to Hoxie as originally intended. It's early morning as the northbound Hoxie Turn arrives to make it's final setout before putting the power away behind the depot & cabbing onto Thayer. Called out of Memphis at midnight the Turn sets cars out at Harvard, Marked Tree (for the Lepanto Branch), Jonesboro & Hoxie. The southbound Turn is called on duty at Thayer when the NB arrives at Hoxie, they will use it taxi to head south to Hoxie to pick up the power & head south. By the time it makes all the pickups it will be a heavy 100 car+ train so big power is needed to make it over the Mississippi River Bridge. Today it has an extra engine to swap out with the Pokey as the GP7 will go to Memphis for service. The entire train is setout at Hoxie including the caboose which will travel to Pocahontas & return to expedite the pickup.

 

The DS has the train lined thru the turnout onto the siding, across the MOP, HWY 67 & onto the branch to make its setout.

 

The turn heads onto the branch, crosses Edgar St. & the irrigation canal. (The last photo is suppose to be first, don't know why it did that)

 

The caboose is just about the clear the switch, once the switch is lined it shove it's entire train in the yard.

 

1st shove into track # 1 is done, the turn will set the remainder into track #3.

 

Now the entire train is setout & the power is stashed in clear behind the depot. The crew drops the paperwork off with clerk & jumps into the taxi for the ride to Thayer. Hoxie goes quiet for the next couple of hours, meanwhile up the branch in Pocahontas the Pokey's crew comes on duty but that's the next story later.

 

Great Stuff Roger I like your set up.

 

All the time!!!

 

Thanks for a the comments!!! I think I’ll document one more run before reconstruction starts. This time I’ll use custom rolling stock, the power I used in the photos was the best running stuff I had at the time. This past year I’ve been upgrading all my engines & cabooses. Below is a sample...

Roger

 

Roger -
Nice! I think you may be the only modeler I'm aware of that's modeling this locale, especially Hoxie (I can't speak for any MoP folks).

I always enjoy seeing both layout planning sketches - including the discards - and reading of the layout modeler's thought processes. Thoroughly enjoyable, and I look forward to more.

The 1718 caboose is especially nice. I think I've seen a write-up that you'd done for this one, or perhaps I'm thinking of someone else.

Best Regards,

 

The only thing I have is a hand-drawn map of Pocahontas I made up during one of my visits in the early 1980's. I'll look for it. Roger

 

Continuing on, after the drama has played out down in Hoxie, up the line at Pocahontas the Pokey's crew comes on duty at the depot. Today the power is GP7 #597 (Atlas), in the background is the Pokey's regular caboose #1420 (Atlas) & yesterday's Hoxie Turn caboose #1256 (Athearn). I don't know what the real Pokey used for a caboose, I chose the #1420 as it was the only Frisco caboose I ever rode from the Fenton Chrsyler Plant to Valley Park in the summer of 1976. I wish I could find a good sunshade for the GP7's, the Frisco used cloth wrapped around 2 hangers, that's kinda hard to replicate.

 

Here is a couple of views of the Pocahontas Yard. The real yard didn't have a runaround track so until someone figures out how to drop cars I have to stray from the prototype. In the back against the backdrop is where HWY67 is going to be. The grain elevator in the foreground is one I've had for a long time, I took most of it apart so I could repaint it. Also you can see the Rix telegraph poles on the ground, they once ran along the yard but every time I bumped them the arms fell off so I took them up, they now end at the depot.

 

Switching at Pocahontas...This is one of those common areas I mentioned, today it is the Pocahontas Gravel spur loading ballast dredged from the Black River. It's also been a lumber mill loading gondolas with crossties, I can change it in about 5 minutes. All I need is a front loader/forklift, a few piles of ballast or stacks of crossties, a small office.

 

Switching done...time to head south to Hoxie. 1st stop is Lesterville to set out the loaded tank of diesel fuel, hope the FRA man isn't watching!!!