All right, I asked earlier about 2 levels against the wall. Know I would like to know if anyone has ever intertwined 2 different railroads on one layout. I thought about having one level with a yard at one end for one road (MoPac) and it travel up to a hidden yard off the second level. Then a second yard (Frisco) on the upper level and it travel down to the lower level to a hidden yard. The 2 railroads would intertwine off and on during their travels, exchanging at the yards. Has anyone done something like this ? What can you tell me about your design. Thanks MOPHEAD
Mophead, I like the idea of it. I have had thoughts of doing that with my bullet train line. Now that you mention it I have a lot of CP and GN equipment. It would make for interesting operations. They might use the same interchange that is planned for the Grey and Grandure, (my switching short line). Thanks for the idea.
I'm doing it now. Frisco dominates the layout, but on a lower level I have a small line that operates as the Spring River Railway, a fictional railroad running between Joplin, MO and Bentonville, AR. WHile the Frisco thunders along on the Spring River Sub, the SPRY serves customers in the on-line towns of Neosho, Anderson and Noel, MO, handling furniture, woodchips, pulpwood, tires, and feed for the chicken houses in the area. Interchange is at a spot I call East Seneca, MO.
I have some articles and photos of excellent multi RR layouts. In N scale, one notable springs into mind. The Reid Brothers Cumberland Valley System. Which actually features three companies. Western Maryland; Pennsylvania; and Reading. It might seem challenging. But the results would be impressive! Boxcab E50
I am planning a small doorpanel layout. I plan to have one long spur be a interchange/staging track for a Transfer run from another railroads yard somewhere in make believe /not modelled land. the more color and variety of motive power the better as far as I'm concerned.
THat's actually part of the master plan. I have a double track main for continuous running through traffic, and my shortline doing all the local switching. Of course for now the continuous running will have to wait until I can make some end "blobs" for the turnaround, sometime in the future.
I'm combining the D&H and the EL on my layout. And technically, I can run three roads since the track plan is based on the early years of the merger so I can run both pre-merger Erie and DL&W equipment or post merger EL on either branch. The EL is the major road on the layout, the D&H just adds a little additional operating possibilities with two small interchange yards (only one is completed), but most of the trackwork runs behind the backdrop and is unsceniced. Eventually there will be a second interchange yard on the "eastern" end of the layout representing Scranton, Pa, with staging beyond. The west end is also still under development, there is possibility for interchange with the Lehigh Valley at Sayre, Pa. But I'm not considering that since there is not a second point that I am modeling that would serve as another interchange. I guess it could just run out to a hidden loop and back, but I've got too much to work on already to think that far ahead. Here's an image of the CAD diagram of what's already built Album
My Harriman Standard Lines layout models the SP through Mojave. Similar to real life, on my layout the AT&SF Needles line joins the SP at Mojave and uses trackage rights on the SP over the Tehacipi out to Bakersfield. In addition, the SP Jawbone Branch runs from Mojave to Owneyo where freight/passenger transfer to/from the Carson & Colorado (i.e., SP Narrow Gauge) occurs. That follows the prototype closely. In addition and since I also model the Pacific Electric, I added a separate PE feeder line (hell, if E.H. Harriman had lived past 1909, he'd have done it anyway!!) serving the SP. The "Harriman Standard Lines" holding company provides me with a convenient excuse to run a limited amount of equipment from other Harriman-controlled railroads (e.g. UP, C&NW) or C.P. Huntington-controlled roads (e.g. C&O) on the layout ocaisionally, however the majority of the operation is SP and AT&SF as per the prototype. Interchange traffic - freight and passenger interchange between PE and SP and AT&SF in Mojave. Local freight and passenger traffic - SP and PE. Throught freight & passenger traffic: SP & AT&SF. Staging yards are as follows: East - Taylor (SP) and Barstow (AT&SF); West - Bakersfield (SP & AT&SF). So, just by closely modelling the prototype, the layout has three "legitimate" railroads. Admitted personal greed accounts for the addition of PE, UP, etc.
This thread has got me thinking. I'm modeling the Reading in Anthracite Country, Freelance design with a double main, "N" scale. The obvious other railroad to model is the PRR, but a long line of Brown livery (sp?) doesn't cut it, So I will probably go with the LV, much more interesting scheme. Like I've seen posted before It's your Railroad, do what pleases you Dave
This thread has given me so much food for thought I'll be stuffed for a year! Actualy I am thinking that the Grey and Grandure will become a "valley shortline" while the GN and CP duke it out for the high mountains.
