I'm sure most of us know or have read about the MR Clinchfield Railroad project. My Questions are is it possible too build it dbl track and keep the sidings and add more online Industries? Also, 6x12 and not 6x13.
I would believe so. You'll be making some compromises in scenery, etc, to get all fit into that designated space.
Most likely doable but with a few compromises such as siding length and possibly operating radius, and maybe a steeper grade or two. Double heading or a helper district solves the issue of grades. Consists would also have to be about 3 or 4 cars shorter. If you have the track plan to scale then simply reduce it by the one foot and then see what you have to operate in.
I inherited a replica of the Clinchfield that was offered here on the Trainboard about 2 or so years ago. I think I am the third owner of the railroad. The original owner built it as a 12X6 layout rather than the 13X6 as originally designed. He eliminated six inches from the two end sections. Taking out that one foot created some problems especially on the curves contained in those end sections. Some curves, most notably the one on the interior of the layout by the farmhouse and the hidden helix for the powerplant had to be reduced. As constructed I do not think they are the 9.75" minimum radius that is recommended. The original layout was designed as a single track railroad and space for double tracking is at a premium. It is possible to do but some areas, most notably the two end pieces will require some very major changes that may pose problems operationally. I am considering adding the six inches onto both end sections or even expanding them by a full foot so they are 4X6 feet. That would give more room for those curves. To be truthful I don't think the layout would be better both aesthetically as well as operationally if it were double tracked.
I like too see trains run that's why I wanted the dbl main with a few sidings. Also the walthers mine kits come to mind with the new power plant kit. The yard at Dante would stay the same only with a main going around and one thur the yard.
Bearin mind that the Dante yard fits onto one of the six foot center sections. As such it is a small yard. The photos in the Model Railroader book make this yard seem larger than it really is. But if I am reading you correctly, it appears that you want to add an outside loop around the perimeter of the layout. That is doable.
The Clinchfield is what got me to switch to N when I was a kid. Must have looked at those issues 100 times. I totally freaked out when we went to the mall one day, and realized they were having a train show... and then spotted the MR layout there. I personally would be careful to cram it too much. To me, the awesomeness of that layout, was the use of the mountains and scenery divides... which was pretty innovative for that time. If you lose a lot of that, I don't think it would be the same. I'd probably expand it a bit, if anything.
I cannot address your question directly, however I saw the MR Clinchfield Railroad when they brought it to a NMRA show in Minnesota in the 1980s give or take. I used the concepts they used to build a home layout, but I unfolded the track plan because I had space in the basement train room. What I am suggesting is the concepts of the plan are adaptable to modifications.
For what it's worth, here's couple photos taken of the original N scale Model Railroader Clinchfield layout, taken at the 2008 National N Scale Convention. These photos may help visualize this discussion. This is the original 1978 layout built by Gordon Odegard of Model Railroader - at the time owned by David Fugate of Virginia. David purchased the Clinchfield layout in 2006, updated it to DCC and brought it to that convention to display for us all to see. Track plan: Dante Yard: Looking from opposite angle across towards Dante Yard (that's Keith Lyons standing in front of Dante in the photo): The single track main line running by the Duke Power Plant, which is in the lower left of the track plan photo above: The photo album is here: http://www.pbase.com/atsf_arizona/n_scale_clinchfield_rr&page=all Wish there were more photos, but it was all I had time to take at the time. In addition, Model Railroader has this 8 minute video re-capping the history of the original N Scale Clinchfield, narrated by Jim Heidiger, here: http://mrr.trains.com/series/histor...013/06/history-according-to-hediger-episode-7 (some really great anecdotal stories in Heidiger's "History" series) Hope these photos help visualize this discussion. Columbia23, all the best with your N scale Clinchfield layout plans.
