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Just a random thought... often we try to cram several towns into a layout with very short run times between them, often they are only 1/4 mile or less scale distance apart. I am thinking along the lines of modeling just one town, putting enough operational interest in it for switching, run through freights, and perhaps passenger service. The mainline run may be only 90 to 120 feet of track, but that would be in line with a decent sized Michigan town with a rather modest rail presence. Has anyone else considered this? Having many designs done on the computer, I have often simulated switching one industry in one town, with the HEP in another... this just does not seem right to me.

This could also cover a rather busy industrial area, such as the Sterling Secondary, Wixom, Ludington, Flint, Port Huron, etc. It also could be modeled to a more accurate scale, if one does not mind having one town as a destination or doing lots of switching. The rest of the trains could be visibly staged or staged in hidden yard below. The more I think of this type of plan, I am sort of leading this way as well. Fall is here and I am aching to get the saw screaming and the hammer swinging in the basement. I would like some thoughts on this.

Dan

There was an article on a 4x8 done by Dave Frary? in MR titled The "Union Railroad" basically a 4x8 with a hidden helix. Looks to a quite interesting layout. Ill have see if I the copy.

My layout is basically a one town area, with a large gravel operation in the township and some localized industry in the actual town area by the railroad office. I'll have to take some photos of the layout one day, I've got about 20 feet of main line run and about 15 feet of stub track and switch backs to switch the gravel operation.

I have a friend up there that's doing Grand Rapids with focus on CSX during the Chessie purchase (I believe). I think GR would be a great switching layout, and you could have 3 different (or 4 even) railroads.

mikerm19 wrote:I have a friend up there that's doing Grand Rapids with focus on CSX during the Chessie purchase (I believe). I think GR would be a great switching layout, and you could have 3 different (or 4 even) railroads.

That's what I did Mike! Grand Rapids is a good example of doing an action-packed layout of various railroads in one area. Also, aside from the "One Town" Model RRing, One Terminal Model RRing is nice, too. I like a layout focused around a terminal and city's surroundings (Such as GR), with alittle bit of mainline out of the terminal for (25 real miles) then loop around so you can do any road switching and transfer trains from one terminal to another and yet run road trains to act as if they are running from one terminal to another (with the return loop). Here in Detroit/ River Rouge area it can be done, too, but you would need to model many yards, and diamonds (Like Delray) but it would be a pain in wiring it all, but could be easily done in N scale.

You could also concentrate on just one large industry like a steel mill, or an auto plant back in the days when they got lots of parts and coal by rail. For prototype locations, I second Delray and the area around Sterling yard.

As far as multiple towns go, they can be done just fine if you keep the train lengths short. I have two towns with only 41' of main line run, but my typical train lengths will be 10 cars (HO scale). Distance running is simulated by holding the trains behind backdrops or running laps, depending on my mood. This approach is just fine for me, but it wouldn't be good for people who like longer trains.

That's what's great about this hobby, there are so many different approaches and alternatives to suit the preferences of different people

Chrisracer8903 wrote:but it would be a pain in wiring it all, but could be easily done in N scale.

Wiring isnt that hard, its ballasting track that makes me woah. you could make a fairly simple yet elegant layout loosely based on Detroit and not have a lot off wiring to do. Make a shelf layout from Plymouth Diamond to Inkster Rd, you'll have plenty of switching and a good amount of track and basic industry.

I'm all about the single town/terminal operations. My last layout was CSX in Muskegon, with a loop for continuous running. I hardly ever used the loop though, I was more interested in switching the yard and industries. A good portion of the layout was the Sappi Paper mill. My current one is also Muskegon, but Conrail operating the former PC track in 1978, with the addition of wood pulp being rec'd from ships at the old PRR dock on Muskegon Lake to provide a good terminal area. There's no loop because of space, which doesn't bother me much. The outbound train leaves the yard and gets pulled off the board, and the inbound train is put on the board and arrives at the yard. The rest is all switching industries in the city. For designing the layout I went by RR maps, first hand observation and Sanborn maps. This is probly more involved than most modelers would care to get, but I wouldn't have it any other way!



The main line goes from behind the camera on the right, goes along the yard and the Brunswick plant, and curves around at the top right. To the bottom left is the connection to the GTW and Muskegon Heights industries.



Link to a map of the dock:

http://sanborn.umi.com/sanborn/image/do ... CCSI=3091n

And the main line continues from the upper left, curving around the scrap yard and off to the left to the connection to the C&O. The dock is the base of operations in Muskegon, the dock tracks continue a little ways behind the camera. Lots of work to keep me busy!

You can also have a yard itself be your industry. Through trains come in make set out and pick up's.

Power can get added or set off such as sending one of your "local" units (off layout) fot the 92 day inspection, as a passing freight sets out it's replacement.

As for switching then your yard job can switch out the set off into local trains or into blocks for other passing trains. In addition the yard crew then build up "locals" and outbound blocks. This way too you could "reason" why intermodal and like autoracks are there without having to model up those space grabbing industries

Maybe your yard has a car rebuild/overhaul shop. In addition to inbound cars waiting for refurb you'd have materials coming into the yard too and scrap going out. Perhaps your RR leased out a old engine shop to a independent loco rebuilder who might be doing contract work on loco's so that gives a "reason", though you model CSX, for that BNSF to be set off there other than run through power.
Off to oneside of the yard model a team track to also generate/terminate, one day it might be the mill down the road getting a hopper full of seed the next it could be a flat of John Deere's being unloaded.

Good point you have there, a lot of the time modelers often make their yard a scenic'd staging yard, instead of having the details that a lot of major yards have.

All good ideas, some already thinking of. One thing that I am considering is a smaller division point or helper loco base. If I model the PM line from Port Huron to Almont then west to Lansing, I am considering making Almont a small yard for helper locos aiding the grade to the west through Lapeer / Oakland county. Also including a small military depot that would require switching too (some GE 44 tonners there). I like the idea of running locals out of the yard in each direction or having run through freights stage in the yard passing track while others roll through or set out and pick up cars in the yard. The small engine terminal (6 stall RH) will serve well too here.

As Fall marches in here I am becoming more anxious to start construction. The first order is to cut up my 3/4" plywood into 8' x 3 1/2" pieces for the benchwork. From there the walls, wiring, ceiling tiles and lights. Photos will come as I start on the project... can't wait.

Dan

And if you did not know... PM / GTW will roll through Almont. GTW trackage rights

Hey Ben,

This was going to be a quote from your post but I deleted too much. anyway,

Is that Hooker thank car an American Flyer HO by Gilbert? or made by some other?

Thats an Athearn. I've got five of them now. Conrail used to interchange some chemical traffic to CSX in Grand Rapids, bound for Montague (until the Montague Sub bit it). One of the two chemical plants in Montague was Hooker, so I started picking them up for interchanging to C&O in Muskegon

Just remembered, I think Athearn has re-used this car body and paint scheme for a ready to run model.

Check out Switch Brett, a small 1x8 layout on Youtube, by a gentleman named MOG. Very simple, well done , and portable. I built an N scale version that is 16 in. x 6 feet, with a few more switches----love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!