Thanks Barlow, it should work fine in the space I have but the plan was for a long building so I will need another smaller industry on that siding as well. Mike
Being laid up with the stroke hasn't been fun but I'm keeping my feet in the hobby by playing around with some more layout designs. Still looking at some type of harbor scene and messing around with the concept of using switchbacks for a minimum space layout. Keeping with the minimum of 10 X 10 feet and seeing what I can come up with for a logging line using no more than my small fleet of logging locos and minimal buildings. No mainline running at all and next on my agenda is to try a point to point design featuring the logging area, sawmill, and small port scene, with switchbacks again and staging.
John: I had all kinds of plans for main line running and I finally ended up with none. It is entirely a switching layout with short runs between local industrial areas and a large storage yard. I like it a lot for operating by myself or with one or two friends.
I really am not happy with either of the plans although the one with the staging might work. And I am seriously downsizing a lot of things by going with less So I have laid out what will be yet another outline and maybe turning the staging into a end of line terminal will get me away from the space eating return loops. Possibly another small turntable and engine house at the other end and a smaller port facility. Keeping the switchbacks gets me to an upper level and saves some more space. And the operation will use far less locos and utilize my smaller short old time passenger cars which will look far better running on some 8 and 9.75 inch radius.
Well as I said on my last post so I have done. Designed a point to point layout, turned the small staging area into a small yard, incorporated the switchbacks and a small harbor scene with the option to increase it some. There is some 8.5 and 9 inch radius curvature. The road serves the port facilities and no mainline connection exists. Everything comes in by river or maybe truck. The rails serve a log camp and loadout, a mine, one sawmill, and a stone quarry. A couple of log roads were common carriers so this one has some limited passenger service from the port to points on the road. The KL&L, a real 1 to 1, did transport sheep in the spring to market so the reason for the sheep pens up on the hill. A two stall stone engine house with shop attached is at the main yard and a single stall wood house serves the end of the line at the port. I labeled both Atlas turntables at 70 feet when they should be 100 feet. My small 2-6-6-0 fits on those turntables. All power would be strictly limited to my small steam critters which include two Shays and three Class A Climax geared locos. The rest of the roster is filled out by a few small 4-4-0s, 2-6-0s and a single small 2-8-0 and several small diesels plus the small mallet. Layout was designed for a 10 X 10 space but can be cut down to a 9 X 9. And I managed to keep all the track within a 30 inch reach or less and all turnouts will be manual. Ore cars, 34 foot flats, and forty foot boxcars are the mainstay for the freight roster. Right now drafting paper and pencils are the only thing on the work table and will be for a while more.
just finish my nscalekits NYC Flexi-van intermodal car The Flexi-van containers/trailers are resin castings from Stone Creations yours Alex
Mike Fifer, I like the Auto Parts building. Nice color choice. No motivation currently, but I do have four SD45's waiting for me to finish the weathering. I also have a small test bed for Fastracks turnouts and four to test. Once I get those done I would like to add a pipe that runs the length of the Piru bridge. Hopefully I can have it done by the Big Train Show at Ontario.
I started being a Penn Central /NYC fan in late 2012 after buying a Penn Central dvd . I have always been a Santa fe fan since I was a kid . Alex
I did NYC in HO years ago (when HO was popular)LOL. Robin is from Long Island and everyone out here was doing ATSF UP and SP so I had to be different. Mike
Working on a shallow relief model of the "new" San Bernardino freight house, and tackling additional backdrops. There will be a lot of switching opportunities here... Otto K.
Thanks, Flash, I'm learning a little with each section. By the time I'm done with all of it, I'll need to start all over again ... Fifer, no, it's not a packing house; the bulk of the loads came and went in boxcars. But, some of the returning westbound empty reefers did come with dry goods and other clean merchandise... One could get three empty reefers for the price of one boxcar westbound... what a deal, meant to equalize east/west tonnage. Still, most of the reefers came West empty for loading of perishables at numerous packing houses. Fun stuff! Regards, Otto K.
