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6x10 with a few small extensions. The outside loop is GTW/CN. The inside loop is RR&R. There are enough switches between both loops that they can be used as passing sidings too.

Each industry will be a separate diorama to give the appearance that the train is going farther than it actually does. There will be little to no scenery that smoothly transfers from scene to scene.

Staging Yard on left representing Detroit & Port Huron Right Side representing Richmond (inside loop Star of the West) and Mt. Clemens (outside loop L&C decorative stone distributor) Right Side with Boxes of buildings (buildings that will go in place). Macomb (Carter Lumber) is on right side. Also have a single engine track behind Carter to store engines. Left Side representing Romeo in foreground Ford Romeo Engine Plant (building not available yet) and Theut Aggregate Transload on right. The warehouse on the right is attached to the outside loop and represents the old Ford Leather plant now a warehouse for Metro Aluminum and FCA. Center Shot Mt. Clemens in foreground. Ford Romeo Engine Plant spur lead is on left. On right is Auburn Hills Church's lumber and down a bit is Letica Plastics in Rochester (building and spur not installed yet). GTW 1776

Wow, I like track layout you’ve got going with the layout, and 1776 looks REALLY good!

Thank you David. Mrs. AARR did a lot of 1776's painting. She's not a railfan but has great art skills and is willing to assist me from time to time .

The layout is designed for easy building and operations.

David Collins wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 23, 2022 10:22 am

Wow, I like track layout you’ve got going with the layout, and 1776 looks REALLY good!

The long awaited pictures have arrived! The layout looks great AARR! I as well like the 1776 and all the other rolling stock, cool stuff! What radius are the inner and outer loop curves? Looks like your going to have some fun with some Walther's buildings

Thank you Micah. The outside loop is 24". The inside 22". And the curve to the end of the branch on the interior of the layout is 18". I deliberately made the last one tight to justify a short, slow moving train on a branch line. The longest cars are mostly in to 50-55' range so there will not be any issues with the moderate radius.

Micah_D wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 23, 2022 11:03 am

What radius are the inner and outer loop curves? Looks like your going to have some fun with some Walther's buildings

Looks great AARR! I like that you are modeling Grand Trunk. The layout looks like it will be fun to operate. I like your idea of having each industry be a separate scene or diorama. I hoped to do something similar on mine to give it the feel of being larger that it is while operating. Not necessarily dividing by industry, but having different locations that were divided by scenery from one another. I'm not sure I'll be able to pull that off but that's the hope.

Thanks for posting and I'm looking forward to updates in the future.

Thank you.

Yes, although I am modeling the current era, I'll be using GTW colors rather than the CN logo/scheme on my engines. There will be two variations of GTW scheme used:

1. The RR&R will have an ex-GTW SW1200 7000 series, ex-GTW GP9 ph1 4428 and ex-GTW GP38ac 5808/1776 (painted in GTW's award winning bicentennial colors). At some point, I will have to build up the courage to paint out the GT squiggle on the SW1200 and GP9 ph1 and stencil in RR&R. They will retain their GTW colors and numbers.

2. The GTW roster will consist of GP38-2 5817, a GP38-2 5700 series, and a GP9r in the 4600 series. All three will retain their GTW blue color and GT squiggle.

KVERBERK wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 25, 2022 2:03 pm

I like that you are modeling Grand Trunk.

Cool, thanks for the further explanation.

AARR wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 25, 2022 2:42 pm

…and a GP9r in the 4600 series. All three will retain their GTW blue color and GT squiggle.

Could you possibly number this GP9r 4619?

I am hoping for 4624 but wil take what I can get since the only creditable model costs $750 and I have to wait until a $250 version is available (come on Athearn)

David Collins wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 26, 2022 3:03 pm

AARR wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 25, 2022 2:42 pm

…and a GP9r in the 4600 series. All three will retain their GTW blue color and GT squiggle.

Could you possibly number this GP9r 4619?

Here are updated industry pictures and staging yard from 3/20/22

End of staging yard (Detroit & Port Huron respectively) Entrance to staging yard Switch lead to Ford Romeo Engine plant Engine Servicing Track Washington Elevator/Capitol Fertilizer Letica Plastics (Rochester) Theut's (Romeo) Mt. Clemens Warehouse (Metro Aluminum & Chrysler) Church's Wholesale (Auburn Heights). The empty track is a Team track for Peninsula Plastics. Phoenix Landscaping Stone (Mt. Clemens) Star of the West (Richmond) Carter Lumber (Macomb)

Oh man, the weathering on some of those cars is off the charts good

Thank you David. I like a weathered looking car.

Several of the customers, Phoenix Stone, Washington Elevator, Thuet's and the aluminum ingot part of Mt. Clemens Warehouse will receive cars that are old and beat up.

I haven't built up the nerve, yet, to weather the engines or cabooses.

David Collins wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 20, 2022 11:53 am

Oh man, the weathering on some of those cars is off the charts good

Very nice

Looks good! I also like the weathered cars. I know what you mean about the locomotives. I have yet to develop a set technique that I like so weathering is always an experiment. And I have made some mistakes! But they sure look better than they do out of the box.

AARR wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 20, 2022 11:45 am

Here are updated industry pictures and staging yard from 3/20/22

End of staging yard (Detroit & Port Huron respectively) IMG_3924.jpg

Entrance to staging yardIMG_3923.jpg

Switch lead to Ford Romeo Engine plantIMG_3922.jpg

Engine Servicing TrackIMG_3920.jpg

Washington Elevator/Capitol FertilizerIMG_3919.jpg

Letica Plastics (Rochester)IMG_3918.jpg

Theut's (Romeo) IMG_3917.jpg

Mt. Clemens Warehouse (Metro Aluminum & Chrysler)IMG_3916.jpg

Church's Wholesale (Auburn Heights). The empty track is a Team track for Peninsula Plastics.IMG_3915.jpg

Phoenix Landscaping Stone (Mt. Clemens)IMG_3914.jpg

Star of the West (Richmond)IMG_3913.jpg

Carter Lumber (Macomb)IMG_3912.jpg

What control system are you going to be using? DigiTrax NCE MRC

Everybody has their own personal favorite of course. I will always recommend NCE with wireless cabs because that is what I use and I’m very happy with my choice.

Thank you for the recommendation. My friend, John Kearney, who will help me with the wiring, also recommended NCE so that is probably what I will go with .

GR H & C wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 03, 2022 12:30 pm

What control system are you going to be using? DigiTrax NCE MRC

Everybody has their own personal favorite of course. I will always recommend NCE with wireless cabs because that is what I use and I’m very happy with my choice.

AARR wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 03, 2022 12:56 pm

Thank you for the recommendation. My friend, John Kearney, who will help me with the wiring, also recommended NCE so that is probably what I will go with .

GR H & C wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 03, 2022 12:30 pm

What control system are you going to be using? DigiTrax NCE MRC

Everybody has their own personal favorite of course. I will always recommend NCE with wireless cabs because that is what I use and I’m very happy with my choice.

I started out when my layout was small with the NCE power cab set up which was the most economical. I then purchased The NCE RB02 Radio base station and one wireless cab 06r as my layout grew. Next I purchased a second cab 06r and a used power cab that I had converted to wireless. So now I have three wireless cabs plus the original tethered power cab. I went this route because it was cheaper initially and I could slowly upgrade my system and because I never run more than three or four locomotives at once I didn’t need the extra power from a booster.

The nice thing about having a second power cab even if it’s been converted to a wireless cab is that it can still be plugged in and used as a backup power cab.

AARR wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 25, 2022 2:42 pm

Thank you.

Yes, although I am modeling the current era, I'll be using GTW colors rather than the CN logo/scheme on my engines. There will be two variations of GTW scheme used:

1. The RR&R will have an ex-GTW SW1200 7000 series, ex-GTW GP9 ph1 4428 and ex-GTW GP38ac 5808/1776 (painted in GTW's award winning bicentennial colors). At some point, I will have to build up the courage to paint out the GT squiggle on the SW1200 and GP9 ph1 and stencil in RR&R. They will retain their GTW colors and numbers.

2. The GTW roster will consist of GP38-2 5817, a GP38-2 5700 series, and a GP9r in the 4600 series. All three will retain their GTW blue color and GT squiggle.

KVERBERK wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 25, 2022 2:03 pm

I like that you are modeling Grand Trunk.

Once your railroad is up and running how will you operate your trains. Will you use a card order/waybill system or some other technique?

GR H & C wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 04, 2022 7:54 am

Once your railroad is up and running how will you operate your trains. Will you use a card order/waybill system or some other technique?

It will have a small enough roster that I will do everything in my head. However, if/when I go to a system it will probably by Card Order.

You have a very nice looking layout. I wish you would create a thread and post more information/pictures of it.