Stillwater Central (SLWC) Layout

I had originally decided to model the Henderson Sub of the L & N, but decided instead to model the short line that runs through the area, the Stillwater Central (SLWC). I have taken my original plan and modified it somewhat.

The Stillwater Central Railroad (SLWC) is a subsidiary of the Watco Companies and operates over 275 miles of track in Oklahoma from Sapulpa through Oklahoma City through Lawton to Snyder. The SLWC has trackage rights over BNSF from Sapulpa to Tulsa and from Snyder to Altus. They also operate a branch from Stillwater to a connection with BNSF at Pawnee. Primary business is handling mined, mineral, and industrial products, but not limited to any of these.

Here's a map of the SLWC:




Here's the track plan:




I can operate this as a point to point or if I tire of that I can just let trains run. Here's what I am proposing for operations:

Let's start first with the Tulsa staging: On November 16, 2009, unit trains of rock began moving out of the Greenhill Materials quarry (northeast of Tulsa in Owasso) to its sister company, Oklahoma Construction Materials in OKC. The Stillwater Central supplies the power, the cars, the crews to move the train and training to allow the Greenhill team to operate the train so they could load the cars. The trains run twice a week with 50 to 60 cars. I will simulate this with a unit train on the ready in the Tulsa staging.

Sapulpa: I will represent Paragon Industries (manufacturer of line pipe, oil country tubular pipe, standard pipe and pipe piles). Besides loading on trucks and barges, they can load 89' flat cars, 60' bulk head flats and open top gondolas.

Oklahoma City: Besides unloading the Greenhill quarry materials at Oklahoma Construction Materials mentioned above, I will have other transloading facilities located there. (not quite sure just yet, still planning) There also will be mechanical services located there.

Lawton/Ft. Sill: Transloading services for an oil company. Several tank cars are frequently seen here where crude oil is pumped from the tank cars into waiting trucks. Occasionally there is unloading of construction materials for various lumber yards here. Also, the grain elevator will be standing by for the wheat harvest season. I may even have an occasional troop train of tanks, artillery etc. coming out of Ft. Sill heading to interchange in Altus or even Tulsa for points beyond.

Snyder: This is where the line ends, but there is trackage rights on to Altus where there is interchange with BNSF. Snyder will have a grain facility since there is an interchange with Grainbelt Corporation (GNBC), an affiliate of Farmrail Company (FMRC) which travels north to Clinton and Enid.

So with this layout, there will be a diversity of motive power represented (SLWC, BNSF, UP, GNBC) at any given time. Also it will provide for all kinds of rolling stock.

I am still planning a lot of the details and bench work construction probably won't even begin until sometime in February 2010. I think that I am going to be more satisfied with constructing a layout based on a local line and there is going to be lots of work, but enjoyable work.

 

The closet has a few items stored that are seldom used and the portable staging will be on wheels to move out of the way if not being used so you can access it easily.

 

Make sure you can reach into all the corners.

 

I really like your layout plan and idea for your railroad. I maybe see a few reach problems, but if your trackworks good and you make some provisions to get back there in the corners, you've got a winner. Keep everyone updated on your progress.

 

Thanks guys. I know there are some reach problems and am still working those issues but I think I can overcome those problems. I hate to modify the plan too much as I might lose some of realistic aspects of the SLWC but we may have to wait and see as actual construction begins.

 

You can always use one of those small step ladders if reach is an issue. I can feel your pain about re-aranging the layout plan. I think we've all reworked our plans to death trying to eliminate all possible problems. In the end, I think the flow and operations outweighs the small reach considerations you may have.

My plan is a similar around the wall (an "L" shape) and the corner has been giving me fits. Since I'm tall and I've got really long arms, it's not an issue for me but it might be for others that come over to operate. I'd just set your table height to a good compromise for your reach and call it good. Your track plan flows well with your operation plan and I agree if you change it too much you may loose some of that.

 

Update

After some re-evaluation, I have decided that with the above plan there are too many access/reach problems. I have decided to do away with the portable staging concept as there will be issues of opening and closing the door, not to mention access to the closet. I have repositioned the proposed bench work and modified the plan slightly. I think that with the new plan, access/reach is adequate.

I am not a PC (prototypically correct) type of person and given the space available will have to compromise and compress things, especially yards in Tulsa and Oklahoma City. All I want to do is to try to create the flavor of operations for the SLWC.

Operations now will consist of the following:

1. Owasso (Greenhill Materials). Cars are loaded at the facility either by conveyor or with a loader from a ramp built to load the railcars. It takes 3-4 dumps for the quarry trucks to fill a railcar. Once the cars are loaded they are shipped to OKC where they are unloaded at the Oklahoma Construction Materials facility and then the empties are brought back to Owasso where the process begins again. The trains go out twice a week.

2. Lawton/Ft. Sill. Transload service of bulk crude oil. Tankers will be left on the sidings where they will be pumped by the local oil companies into their trucks. During wheat harvest, grain cars will be spotted at the elevator. Occasionally, bulkhead flat cars with building materials will be left here for the local lumber yards to off load and take to their respective facilities.

3. Snyder. Probably grain service since there will be an interchange with Grainbelt Corporation (GNBC).

Here's the new plan:



As always, comments/suggestions welcomed.

 

What if you extended the Owasso end of the layout to the right all the way to the wall? I've got other thoughts, but not quite clear yet.

 

I'll look at that tomorrow. It will definitely give me a longer run and make room for some expansion in Tulsa.

 

What if you kept the original lay out put a couple of access hatch in andpull it out from the wall where the closet is, so there would be a walk around and put a pocket door on the closet. Juat a idea to think on

 

I wish I could do some modifications to the room, but unfortunately the house is a rental and can't make any major changes.

 

Do you really have to change from your original plan? Do the closet doors open outward or slide sideways? What if you replaced the door with a curtain? You wouldn't be making any structural changes and the door could be re-installed when you decide to move.

Another thought with the room arrangement and door placement is to make the original plan go along the left wall, top wall and down to the door on the right. You may then have room for your yard as a "roll away" in front of the closet with some minor modification to your original plan. Also, using this arrangement you could make the "E" on it's side and have a penensula estending from the middle of the top wall as a yard and again, it could be removed if needed. By placing the yard in this location, it wouldn't have to be very wide and you'd have a North/South or East/West traffic origin and destination. not to mention a two side operation scenario.

I'm sure I've confused everyone, but it's clear as mud to me.

 

Yet Another Update

Okay, here's another update for review/comments/suggestions. I'm trying to stay with the original plan but I have moved the portable staging to the center of the layout as a peninsula. The basic concept of operating point-to-point remains except I have connected the two sides with a section of track in case I want continuous running.


I am also trying to narrow my focus somewhat as there is a lot that could be going on from Sapulpa to Snyder/Long but there is just not enough room to incorporate everything. I will still have the Greenhill Materials unit train sitting in the Tulsa staging and run it to Oklahoma City where I have the Oklahoma Construction Materials facility. The unit train consists of rapid discharge hoppers where it will pass over OCM's pit and unload and continue back to the Tulsa staging simulating running from the Greenhill Materials quarry in Owasso to OKC and back.


The other signature elements will be in Lawton/Ft. Sill. As the track passes along SW F Street it passes over 2nd Street. I have a couple of options available for this (use a plate girder bridge or my Walthers Art Deco Underpass). 2nd Street dead ends into F street here and at the Central Mall. It is here that you can park at the mall and have a clear view of the sidings where usually there are tank cars of crude oil sitting and transload services occur of off-loading the oil into the waiting local oil company trucks. Also occasionally there are centerbeam flat cars of construction materials left here for unloading. The other feature will be the co-op services. It is not a large facility, but during wheat harvest it can be pretty busy.


Here's the plan:

 

Its great to see the evolution of a plan and how it relates to our "givens and druthers". I think the last plan will bring more enjoyment for you and your guests. Yes guests, its funny how a model railroad will attract people. can`t wait for the pics of the progress to start comming. Feb 2010 is not that far away. I do envy those who can plan via computer.

 

Thanks Rick. I knew there were considerations for reversing sections but I had not wrapped my mind around that scenario just yet. I was more concerned about fitting in other aspects and had planned on crossing that bridge later. But now the more I think about it I may want to work on an alternative, so I have started playing around with rev. 6 and I think I can get more accomplished with it. It's not that I would shy away from reversing sections, it's a lot easier without them. We'll see!

 

The only thing that jumps out at me about this version is, the staging is very prominent. Are you comfortable with it drawing as much attention as it will in person?