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+--- Thread: Freelance 2015-2 (/showthread.php?tid=7567)
Freelance 2015-2 - faraway - 07-02-2015
I have made up my mind and will build an urban freelance switching layout in the northeast in the timeframe 1930s - 1940s. Where I prefer the earlier times depending an the material I can get on the market. My expectation is to build very dense urban industry where the size of the individual rail served industry fits nice on my small layout without to much compression.
This old GE44ton switcher is from my very first US layout. It is a nice runner and has Loksound Micro 3.5 installed. This engine is built since 1940 shall be the starting point of the new layout. Some HH660 are waiting too. I have some uneasy feeling because the amount of information is much less than on contemporary railroads. No Google street view, no tons of photos taken with cell phones.... and last but not least it all happened before I was born.
Anyhow I will not start tearing down the present layout until my fuzzy plans have been substantiated. I am afraid a major rework with a heavy modified track plan can not be avoided. I may stop Freelance 2015-2 if I fail to get sufficient information rail served industry in the northeast in the 1930s and 1940s.
There will be two "layouts" for the next time in parallel. A real one to play with and an imaginary one in planning stage.
![[Image: IMG_4234_zpscobogzzu.jpg]](http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae149/faraway52/FL2015-2/IMG_4234_zpscobogzzu.jpg)
Do you have suggestions (internet links) where to find photos of urban industry in that timeframe? Are NYC, NJC, Chicago and Boston a good starting point? Are there other good locations to look after for inspiration?
This is a great source: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.trainweb.org/bedt/IndustrialLocos.html">http://www.trainweb.org/bedt/IndustrialLocos.html</a><!-- m -->
Re: Freelance 2015-2 - doctorwayne - 07-02-2015
Obviously not old photos, but here's something which may be of interest:
![[Image: July%202013%20in%20Ohio%20amp%20Pennsylvania%20002.jpg]](http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/doctorwayne/Proto%20foe-toes%20II/July%202013%20in%20Ohio%20amp%20Pennsylvania%20002.jpg)
![[Image: July%202013%20in%20Ohio%20amp%20Pennsylvania%20007.jpg]](http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/doctorwayne/Proto%20foe-toes%20II/July%202013%20in%20Ohio%20amp%20Pennsylvania%20007.jpg)
Wayne
Re: Freelance 2015-2 - HustleMuscle6430 - 07-02-2015
These may be of use to you:
As you found, this one is quite exceptional:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://members.trainweb.com/bedt/IndustrialLocos.html">http://members.trainweb.com/bedt/IndustrialLocos.html</a><!-- m -->
Although there is limited information on the web, I can also recommend the Union Freight RR in Boston. John Pryke built a very nice switching layout to represent this RR about 15 years ago, it was featured in Model Railroader.
Also, here is some info on Los Angeles, which is in a way right up your alley. Keith Jordan's Patch layout was also in MR at one point.
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.patchrailroad.net/The_Patch/Patch_Home.html">http://www.patchrailroad.net/The_Patch/Patch_Home.html</a><!-- m -->
Re: Freelance 2015-2 - Canadian Atlantic Railway - 07-02-2015
You certainly keep your thread interesting Reinhard. Looking forward to seeing the latest incarnation
Re: Freelance 2015-2 - railroader9731 - 07-02-2015
Well here in Oneida I have the old nyc line that served a few industries. Back in that era I think they had served a foundry, lumber yard, casket factory, and I think into the late 50s an agway feed store.
Re: Freelance 2015-2 - lajry - 07-02-2015
Reinhard
Have a look a historicaerials.com for some very early aerial pix. There should be plenty of '30s & '40s aerials of the northeast. Like Bing or Google, you can use just the street address & zip code to find places. If you don't have those city, & state will work but you might have to look thru alot of aerials to find the RRs. Also look for RR historical society websites for track charts &/or maps.
Re: Freelance 2015-2 - faraway - 07-03-2015
I have a serious issue how to rebuild my new layout. The problem is that the current wooden base, it's cork layer and some of the white glue/sand areas are baked together like concrete. It will be close to impossible to strip that down to a even smooth wooden plate again with out heavy machinery. I am also afraid any rented heavy machinery from the home improvement market would ruin it's blades on the white glue/sand mix really hard as concrete.
A possible solution I am considering is to strip the layout down as far as possible to the cork layer with some residual white glue/sand patches. None of the patches should be thicker than 1mm / 1/25". Than take boards of 5mm / 1/5" of plywood and glue them on top of the old uneven cork surface. I would use a glue similar to the stuff used to glue tiles at the wall applied with a putty knife e.g. ( <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.parkett-weber-shop.de/WebRoot/Store21/Shops/62450106/4C6B/C605/DF32/827A/8D9E/C0A8/28BB/1661/zahnspachtel.jpg">http://www.parkett-weber-shop.de/WebRoo ... achtel.jpg</a><!-- m --> ).
That should cover all the old uneven surface and I can start with a fresh plywood surface.
What is your opinion about that idea?
Re: Freelance 2015-2 - torikoos - 07-03-2015
What about using (pink) foam boards? (like the roof insulation boards , made out of extruded polystyrene) They are available usually in a few different thickness, might be a lot more forgiving being glued down on top of a somewhat uneven surface with glue residue, and it's light, so you don't get a very heavy construction.
It can also be carved and shaped so you can make the terrain a bit more varied than just flat?
Koos
Re: Freelance 2015-2 - sailormatlac - 07-03-2015
You talk about tile glue. I'm not sure if it is possible but could the self levelling product used before applying flooring could be use to level the unregular surface before adding the new board?
Matt
Re: Freelance 2015-2 - faraway - 07-03-2015
Matt, I did use the example of tiles to explain the basic idea I am thinking about. The glue is very not the one for tiles but it is used and applied in a similar way. The German name is "Montagekleber" but I find no translation.
Koos, that would be an alternative indeed. But in this case is a flat wooden base easier to handle. I thought also of temporary securing the plywood with screws until the glue has set. That would be a problem with foam. Anyhow, foam is still an option to consider.
ps. I placed an oder for Atlas tracks and #4 switches. I am afraid the current batch from China might be sold out when I actual start. The last track change was also done from tracks I bought years ago. It is very handy to have them on stock in the basement.
Re: Freelance 2015-2 - Schraddel - 07-03-2015
faraway Wrote:I have made up my mind and will build an urban freelance switching layout in the northeast in the timeframe 1930s - 1940s. Where I prefer the earlier times depending an the material I can get on the market. My expectation is to build very dense urban industry where the size of the individual rail served industry fits nice on my small layout without to much compression.
I have some uneasy feeling because the amount of information is much less than on contemporary railroads. No Google street view, no tons of photos taken with cell phones.... and last but not least it all happened before I was born.
Anyhow I will not start tearing down the present layout until my fuzzy plans have been substantiated. I am afraid a major rework with a heavy modified track plan can not be avoided. I may stop Freelance 2015-2 if I fail to get sufficient information rail served industry in the northeast in the 1930s and 1940s.
Reinhard, you are retired.
For that you will have enough time to lean back and study this very carefully and intensive:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.trainweb.org/bedt/IndustrialLocos.html">http://www.trainweb.org/bedt/IndustrialLocos.html</a><!-- m -->
It's North East, it is crowded, sometimes overcrowded, there are track plans, brick buildings, roosters and of course a lot of photos.
Lutz
Re: Freelance 2015-2 - faraway - 07-03-2015
Schraddel Wrote:faraway Wrote:I .... lean back and study this very carefully and intensive:....
Lutz, I know that side very well and spend some hours there yesterday. I posted the link at the bottom of my first posting in this thread.
I did intentionally ask for more references because most buildings in harbors are quite large (I know where I played as a boy
). There may be other areas with smaller but dense industrirs that have been rail served in the 1930s and 1940s.
Re: Freelance 2015-2 - shortliner - 07-03-2015
There are some nice photos in this section that may be useful <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://members.trainweb.com/bedt/indloco/nynjr.html">http://members.trainweb.com/bedt/indloco/nynjr.html</a><!-- m -->
and this building may be useful with a bit of modification for the building in at the start of the section in the link
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/1535/entry-16266-parker-fabricates/">http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index. ... abricates/</a><!-- m -->
Re: Freelance 2015-2 - Brakie - 07-03-2015
Reinhard,I am looking forward to this ISL build since it hits close to home except mine will be in the mid 50s-if I ever decide to do this since its hard for me to give up my IPD short line boxcars in favor of 40 footers.
As far as research for your era I'm not sure where to begin..The types of industries would be as varied as the road names on 34 and 40 foot boxcars.
As a short list: textiles,bricks,leather shoe and boot manufacturing,canning companies,casting companies,furniture manufacturers,small breweries(some was in medium size brick buildings and just received hops by rail.),hardware distributors,Kroger and A&P bakeries(the ones in Columbus (Oh) was in large brick buildings ) and other such industries of the time.
Re: Freelance 2015-2 - shortliner - 07-03-2015
Reinhard - don't know if this is of use - found in the back of an old Layout Design News - picked up at a show years ago