10-18-2009, 10:21 PM
Hi guys,
For the past year or so, ive had my heart set on modeling the Modesto & Empire Traction Company which is a shortline railroad in Modesto, California.
I got the idea from a buddy of mine, Tom Huffman, and ever since then, i have been crazy about this shortline railroad. Its RIGHT up my alley being that the M&ET serves the Beard Industrial Park which is a 2000 Acre Industrial Park. The M&ET is a family-owned corporation and has been in operation since 1911. The M&ET was initially intended to operate as a passenger service, but for over 80 years now, the M&ET has succeeded in satisfying local industry's rail freight and transload needs.
The mainline of the M&ET is only 5 miles long, but it operates on an additional 28 miles of sidings and spurs servicing nearly 50 rail customers in the Beard Industrial District. In total, the M&ET operates on nearly 40 miles of main line, yard and industry tracks. A brief list of industries served by the M&ET includes: Brake Parts Inc., Bunge Foods, Continental PET, Del Monte, E & J Gallo Winery, Frito-Lay, Georgia-Pacific, International Paper, Liquid Container, Nestle, Sierra Pacific Distribution, Seneca, Stanislaus Food Products Company, Watkins Shepard, and Weyerhaeuser Lumber. The M&ET also has connections with 2 Class I Railroads, the Burlington Northern Santa Fe and the Union Pacific, with interchange yards for each railroad.
The BNSF Interchange yard also has connections with the M&ET 70 acre rail/truck transload facility encompassing 6,000 feet of unloading/loading tracks. These tracks are surrounded by 52' to 78' concrete aprons. The facility offers full security lighting and fencing, as well as a single location access with checkpoint office. Also, a 70' public truck scale and fuel dock are on the property. Basically the old Intermodal yard serves as a HUGE Team Track. Businesses rent out space on the Transload yard, etiher for storage of bulk materials or other large, bulk materials such as lumber, and other building materials. The Transload facilty also has a 40-Ton crane on site.
The M&ET's first locomotive was actually a gas-powered passenger coach. Later, several steam locomotives gave way to the GE 70-tonners starting in 1947 with engine #600.70-Tonner #'s 600-604, 607 & 608 are currently still in operation today. #605 & 613 were retired in early 2009 to make way for the 2 new Genset RP20BD's they ordered back in October 2008. The M&ET also has 2 SW1500's that were ex. SP units. In total, there are 11 locomotives that serve the M&ET today.
I will be starting a new thread on the M&ET locos and my plans for modeling each and every one of them for this layout.
Well now that some history is out of the way on this shortline RR, ill post the plans for it that i have spent about a year developing using Google Earth, Google Maps "Steet View" and Windows Live Search. ALL the structures on this layout will be 100% scratchbuilt. All street and structure names on the plan are the real prototype names as well. Structures were somewhat compressed to fit on the plan, or slightly changed in order to better fit the plan
So here we go. Ill start with the color coding and Layout/Track specifications:
Name: The Modesto & Empire Traction Company
Scale: HO (1:87.1)
Size: 25' x 15'
Prototype: Modesto & Empire Traction Company, Beard Industrial District, BNSF/M&ET Interchange Yard (Modesto, CA)
Era: Modern Day
Style: Shelf Walkaround
Mainline Run: 25' for BNSF Mainline, about 120' for M&ET Trackage (not including Helix)
Minimum Radius: 22"
Minimum Turnout: Central Valley no. 8
Minimum Parallel Track Spacing: 2" (3" on helix)
Maximum Grade: 2.6%
Helix: Helix contains a 28" radius on outer track and 25" radius on inner track. 4" between turns; 5-1/2 turns traveling a total of 22" between decks
Benchwork: Shelf and Modular design
Height: Top Deck: (to be determined) , Lower Deck: (to be determined), 22" between decks
Roadbed: Woodland Scenics Foam Roadbed
Track: Central Valley Code 83 on BNSF Mainline and Interchange Yard, Central Valley Code 70 on all other Trackage
Scenery: Plaster with Foam Board
Backdrop: Painted Walls and Masonite Backboards
Control: MRC Prodigy Wireless
Grid Spacing: 6"
Color Code:
GREEN = Module/Layout Base
RED = BNSF Mainline
YELLOW = BNSF/M&ET Interchange Yard
WHITE = Helix
BLUE = Track on Lower or Upper Level
BLACK = M&ET Trackage
ORANGE = Scratchbuilt Structures
[color=#FFBFFF]GRAY = Roads
For the past year or so, ive had my heart set on modeling the Modesto & Empire Traction Company which is a shortline railroad in Modesto, California.
I got the idea from a buddy of mine, Tom Huffman, and ever since then, i have been crazy about this shortline railroad. Its RIGHT up my alley being that the M&ET serves the Beard Industrial Park which is a 2000 Acre Industrial Park. The M&ET is a family-owned corporation and has been in operation since 1911. The M&ET was initially intended to operate as a passenger service, but for over 80 years now, the M&ET has succeeded in satisfying local industry's rail freight and transload needs.
The mainline of the M&ET is only 5 miles long, but it operates on an additional 28 miles of sidings and spurs servicing nearly 50 rail customers in the Beard Industrial District. In total, the M&ET operates on nearly 40 miles of main line, yard and industry tracks. A brief list of industries served by the M&ET includes: Brake Parts Inc., Bunge Foods, Continental PET, Del Monte, E & J Gallo Winery, Frito-Lay, Georgia-Pacific, International Paper, Liquid Container, Nestle, Sierra Pacific Distribution, Seneca, Stanislaus Food Products Company, Watkins Shepard, and Weyerhaeuser Lumber. The M&ET also has connections with 2 Class I Railroads, the Burlington Northern Santa Fe and the Union Pacific, with interchange yards for each railroad.
The BNSF Interchange yard also has connections with the M&ET 70 acre rail/truck transload facility encompassing 6,000 feet of unloading/loading tracks. These tracks are surrounded by 52' to 78' concrete aprons. The facility offers full security lighting and fencing, as well as a single location access with checkpoint office. Also, a 70' public truck scale and fuel dock are on the property. Basically the old Intermodal yard serves as a HUGE Team Track. Businesses rent out space on the Transload yard, etiher for storage of bulk materials or other large, bulk materials such as lumber, and other building materials. The Transload facilty also has a 40-Ton crane on site.
The M&ET's first locomotive was actually a gas-powered passenger coach. Later, several steam locomotives gave way to the GE 70-tonners starting in 1947 with engine #600.70-Tonner #'s 600-604, 607 & 608 are currently still in operation today. #605 & 613 were retired in early 2009 to make way for the 2 new Genset RP20BD's they ordered back in October 2008. The M&ET also has 2 SW1500's that were ex. SP units. In total, there are 11 locomotives that serve the M&ET today.
I will be starting a new thread on the M&ET locos and my plans for modeling each and every one of them for this layout.
Well now that some history is out of the way on this shortline RR, ill post the plans for it that i have spent about a year developing using Google Earth, Google Maps "Steet View" and Windows Live Search. ALL the structures on this layout will be 100% scratchbuilt. All street and structure names on the plan are the real prototype names as well. Structures were somewhat compressed to fit on the plan, or slightly changed in order to better fit the plan
So here we go. Ill start with the color coding and Layout/Track specifications:
Name: The Modesto & Empire Traction Company
Scale: HO (1:87.1)
Size: 25' x 15'
Prototype: Modesto & Empire Traction Company, Beard Industrial District, BNSF/M&ET Interchange Yard (Modesto, CA)
Era: Modern Day
Style: Shelf Walkaround
Mainline Run: 25' for BNSF Mainline, about 120' for M&ET Trackage (not including Helix)
Minimum Radius: 22"
Minimum Turnout: Central Valley no. 8
Minimum Parallel Track Spacing: 2" (3" on helix)
Maximum Grade: 2.6%
Helix: Helix contains a 28" radius on outer track and 25" radius on inner track. 4" between turns; 5-1/2 turns traveling a total of 22" between decks
Benchwork: Shelf and Modular design
Height: Top Deck: (to be determined) , Lower Deck: (to be determined), 22" between decks
Roadbed: Woodland Scenics Foam Roadbed
Track: Central Valley Code 83 on BNSF Mainline and Interchange Yard, Central Valley Code 70 on all other Trackage
Scenery: Plaster with Foam Board
Backdrop: Painted Walls and Masonite Backboards
Control: MRC Prodigy Wireless
Grid Spacing: 6"
Color Code:
GREEN = Module/Layout Base
RED = BNSF Mainline
YELLOW = BNSF/M&ET Interchange Yard
WHITE = Helix
BLUE = Track on Lower or Upper Level
BLACK = M&ET Trackage
ORANGE = Scratchbuilt Structures
[color=#FFBFFF]GRAY = Roads