I know this probably belongs on the prototype forums, maybe everyone has seen it in past postings, but I couldn't help myself. Overhead of the Spencer Yard about 3 miles from my house. Anyone have some extra track?
Definately can be done in N scale. The rest of the family will have to move out to accomodate the engine facilty though.
I didn't take the picture. Found it on a website, but didn't save the source. I just relocated the original site. You can Click Here. A Southern Railways railfan site by Tom Daspit. It was years before I ever knew it was called Spencer Yard. Most everyone here just calls it the "Hump Station". Always assumed the Spencer was because of the nearby town of Spencer where the old train facility is located. Really name after Southerns' first President Samuel Spencer. CSX1, NS - Glad to see some local folks on the board. [ February 21, 2005, 10:15 AM: Message edited by: justTRAINcRaZy ]
Good eye. Sure enough. i looked closer and there it is right on the lower right hand side of the pic where that string of cars is.
Very interesting picture! I worked on that yard from Jan. to May of '79. The company I was working for at the time took over the defaulted 2 year contract to install and surface the rail. We had six months left on the contract and finished on time. What a job! The machines worked 24/7 with two 12 hour crews. That whole yard is completely welded rail. Yes, the hump is on the right of the picture, where the string of cars is leading up from the lower right. We had three Jackson track machines to set the track to grade and elevation (a 6000, a 6500, and a 7000 for switches only). That picture brings back many memories.
I believe I saw this photo many years ago in a Southern Railway ad - or maybe it was an add for the material that was laid under the yard - a rock or liner of some sort. I can almost remember what it was called, but not quite. Cool pic.
I used to on occasion make the run down to Linwood from Monroe VA then turn around back to Manassas & Alexandria VA when I was on the extra board. For myself Linwood was a sleepy time and all I cared about was getting back to Virginia without getting a call to go south towards Atlanta. It could be a quick trip south but often not so good going back to pot yard. I have this photo only larger framed in my office. It is a excellent photo. It appeared in the company magazine "Ties" Southern did run a classy operation. Another good photo from the air is the fuel n route station in northern Al where the unit coal trains would fuel on the turn around back from TN & KY to fuel enroute without having to pull the diesels into a facility. This operation has good modeling aspects. It is very interesting. Trains were kept moving requiring a more regular on time schedule.
Anyone take a guess at how many turnouts would be required? I count around 50 tracks at the mid point in the yard. After you got the trackwork done, this thing would swallow up a 100 cars. Would take 2-300 to come close to the picture.
In San Antonio, I wanted to model the Espee East Yard. I acquired overhead photographs and measured it out to be two miles long with 30 tracks, not including repair tracks, MOW, engines, etc. That is 66 feet long in N scale. Of course, I eventually scaled it all down. A system like Spencer Yard is just gigantic on a model scale. You would need a gymnasium to model such a place. The number of cars is beyond most modelers. In San Antonio, 50 foot cars, two mile long tracks, 30 tracks, fudge factor, about 4000-4500 cars max capacity. So, how long is Spencer Yard, and do the math.
