As I am finishing track work on the bottom level of the layout, it is time to plan for the top level (middle level will be last). The rolling mill has been mostly completed, as it is two Walthers kits put end to end with the third bay cut off for 7" depth out from the backdrop. I have also laid out CV tie strips and measured distances to allow for this design before I go through with this. No Central Valley switches included in the XtrackCAD program so there is a couple more inches on each side of rolling mill than it appears on plan. Main track (green) stays to the front to access for switching. A train can come around the curve and head up the siding (yellow) and cut cars off. Power can get back to main across the crossovers on the left near the finishing shop (building flat). A mill switcher will contact G&OM dispatcher and get access to run the main and get on the right side of the cars in the siding if necessary. The Mill switcher will utilize the siding as a lead track and shove empties into the mill. The switcher will occasionally have to deal with a boxcar or flat car for the finishing shop (custom fabrications, etc). There is enough clearance if the mill switcher ends up on the left side of the rolling mill for it to come directly back to the siding and clear the switch, but without cars. I think this is am improvement on the stub track idea, but I won't rule that out. Any thoughts? The curved main and siding on the right is actually closer to the front of the layout instead of the backdrop. Measurements and the existing Level 1 curves suggest plenty of room to add a small facility for the transloading of fresh and spent "pickle liquor" or HCl using in finishing and cleaning rolled steel.
