UP / BNSF Temple-Smithville Sub

Howdy friends!

For those that have been following my BNSF Temple Sub design progression HERE, this thread will just be a continuation of the progress. I'm shifting my prototype route ever so slightly west though.

Previously, I was modeling a BNSF line from their yard in Temple, TX to small UP yard in Rosenberg, TX. My goal was to have a layout with multiple railroads running on it including BNSF, UP, and TC.

That's still the goal but I'm changing the route to model a 90 mile stretch of shared track between Temple and Smithville, TX. This area is home to me and runs mostly through beautiful Texas rural areas while still offering lots of industry and other service opportunities in Temple, Taylor, Smithville, and several small towns along the way.

The prototype line is owned by UP but thanks to shared track rights it also gets traffic from BNSF. In addition, this route provides shortline opportunities for Temple & Central Texas Railroad (TC), Austin Western Railroad (AWRR), and Georgetown Railroad (GRR). I've watched all of these railroads operate at least to some degree, so I'm excited about the possibilities.

More to come as I tweak the layout to fit the new route, but here's a few images to let you see an overview.

Google Earth View (red)


Texas Railroad Map View (route highlighted in yellow)


Shortlines



More to come so tune in right here!

 

This evening I changed town and industry labels to more closely match the Temple to Smithville route. I also adjusted track work accordingly. The lower level will represent Temple to Taylor, then a helix will take trains to an upper level that represents Taylor to Smithville before coming back down the helix and following the rear mainlines back to Temple.

I'm contemplating making much of the "return" lines hidden tracks (the blue double main along the backdrop), but I kinda go back and forth on whether I want them hidden or elevated and highlighted with lots of scenery.

I also moved the Amtrak station and railroad museum in Temple to the north end of the yard and added more track for Buzz Unicem USA to more closely resemble what actually exists. In the real world the Amtrak station is at the south end of the yard, but in my world it fits better on the north end.

Next step is to work on the helix and then start working on upper level track work.

 

A bit more work done this evening (uhhhh....morning?).

1 - Helix to upper level (+24")
2 - Designed upper level benchwork (+24")

Track design on the upper level (darker benchwork) will start soon, but not tonight. From the blue mainlines you see started on the upper level the track will continue "south" (clockwise) until it gets to Smithville (directly above the UP Taylor Yard), at which point it will hit another pair of helix tracks going down and reconnect to the return mains on the lower level.