After coming across an old magazine, I think I'd like to base the layout's reason for existence on something similar to the Buckingham Branch or Providence & Worcester. As in, an old branch line that would be spun off from the Class I owning it, purchased and operated locally. There would be an industry or two to give it reason for existence, and like the Buckingham, an occasional Amtrak over the rails. I've been harping on a brewery because it seems like you'd get some variety in freight - covered hoppers for grain going in, boxcars for packaged product going out. Kind of like the plastics plant mentioned earlier, but I feel like a town would be much closer to a brewery than a plastics manufacturer. You could have the occasional old diesel job and leased power from the Class I for when more freight needs to come through so the layout doesn't get stale. So maybe instead of a loco restoration shop it could be a small diesel repair shop where the road's motive power is housed and repaired, and a small office too. The team track would definitely stay, and maybe the industry at the front right of the layout could be a construction materials plant, for the variety of carloads it would get?
Sounds like a good rationale for the track plan. As far Amtrak goes you definitely have room at your station for a short Amtrak train. Here is an idea for how you could operate it. Consist: 1 locomotive, 1 food service car, 2 coaches. Train pulls into station, unloads passengers. Train switches over to main track next to team track to layover before departure. (This will take away some storage capacity, but will not get in the way of any switching moves) Train pushes back into staging to be turned on fictional wye to be turned. (The easiest way to do this would be by hand, just move the the locomotive and food service car to the other of the train and pointed in the other direction.) Train pushes back into station to load passengers for departure. Train departs.
I keep wavering. My intent is to start construction in February so I feel like I need to pick something and get going, but I can't make up my mind if I want point to point for the realism or continuous run for the railfanning. I know the following items are important to me. 1: Space is either a 10' X 2' shelf with a 4' 6" X 2' leg, or a 10' X 4' table with three sides access. 2: Modern era. Motive power will be 1 ES44AC, 1 8-40CW, and 1 P42DC. 3: Primarily freight servicing two industries keeping the town alive, with occasional Amtrak commuter service. 4: Two industries (brewery, construction materials plant) and a team track. 5: A yard to switch. This could be considered half of an interchange, and used as staging. 6: Northeastern geography. CSX or Conrail heritage livery. 7: Structures would be part of a town, a two-engine shed and yard office, and two industries with rail going into the structure and alongside. Thoughts? I'm being wishy-washy here and overthinking things. This won't be the last layout I ever build, it's just one I hope to enjoy operating for a long time.
Some tracks will need to be trimmed to fit with the #4 switches; some of the surrounding track can be substituted with the pre-trimmed parts supplied, but in some cases this is not an option.
The only real problem that track plan has is that the engine shed would be better off on the same side of the mainline as the yard. You don't want locomotives going into/out of service holding up traffic on the mainline after all.
This is quite true; I was working from the OP's original premise of locos leased from a restoration shop, which may or may not be directly allied with the yard. The loco shed could be swapped with the team track if desired.
I'd like to suggest another resource for you. I've become a real fan of Lance Mindheim. He has a number of interesting ideas about operations and track planning. Take a look at his ongoing blog- http://lancemindheim.com/blog.htm He has some links to threads on some other forums also. Ill be watching to see what you do. I model CSX & Amtrak on a fictitious subdivision in upstate NY with inspiration from what runs less than a mile from my house. Dave
You know, I would be very impressed if someone could somehow come up with a better overall track plan than this. While I might make a few further changes based on my personal preferences, this track plan does make me wish I had 3 extra feet for my next layout. And just as an aside, the other reason why I felt the engine shed should be on the same side as the yard is that I'm of the school of thought that your engine servicing area should also be used as a place to display your locomotives. Granted though, it's a little difficult to do that when your locomotives are parked inside an engine shed.
Oh, I don't think it would be to hard, really; this plan does have a number of flaws. What I attempted to do was target the OP's wish list as best as possible. Note, too, that the choice of Unitrack also plays into the outcome; it's a pretty frustrating product with which to work. But, it's popular and I'm not about to refuse helping someone just because of their choice of track (and besides, I've used it, too).
I like it. The engine shed close to the yard (swapped with the team track) looks good and will make operations easier I'm sure.
