Small commuter focused layout?

[Green_Elite_Cab]

So many responses! My posts were beginning to look crammed like the LIE (i've also suffered that traffic congestion several times).

Anyways, on a point-by-point basis

Why not N Scale?

It is not just that I have invested much in HO rolling stock, but its also the time i've invested researching the various lines through out NJ and some of the surrounding areas in Philadelphia and such. There are very few N-scale models of NJ area prototypes. As has been pointed out in other threads, there are almost no N scale electrics. Not to mention that catenary would be beyond my capacity for patience!

What configuration? Shelf, Plank, Domino?

At the moment, Russ's 2X4 Domino seems to be the best fit for my space. a pair of 2x4s can handle quite a bit of railroad. Layouts similar to Peter Feigenbaum's are pretty close to what I have in mind (Very cool layout, btw. Its a shame he didn't stick with the hobby!).

One thing is for certain though, except for perhaps my relatively short PATCO train, 8 feet is to short to operate a passenger train, especially since many are of the "2 car, 1 unit" married pair vareity, roughtly 2' long. Any commuter tracks (the ultimate goal for the new sections) will there fore have to be of the non-operating display kind until they can be hooked into a larger layout.

Should the Layout be part of a larger unbuilt plan, a nucleus for a future layout, or a stand-alone entity?

Right now, I'm leaning towards the last option. Because future space requirements are unknown, it can be hard to say what could be, and hard to plan one way or another for that.

While browsing through my Conrail ZTS charts, I've found a section of the Northeast Corridor that might work.

A track known as the Delco Lead runs from New Brunswick to Dean, NJ, just outside of the catenary poles on the western side of the NEC. It is a single track with plenty of industrial spurs facing in either direction, including large Delco plants through out, as well as a large Johnson & Johnson facility. because it does not feature a run around, a caboose may be present for long back up moves (or perhaps even back to back locomotives?)

In particular, a large Delco facility near New Brunswick has caught my eye. Selectively compressed, it could make an interesting prototype. It includes two spurs, one leads into the main building, and another spure along a shack that unloads covered hoppers. Both of these spurs are also paralell with the NEC and the Delco lead (many others branch off perpendicular to the Delco lead, inconvenient for skinny spaces). There are a few other industries that look convenient to model (though not as interesting) immeadiately south of the Delco plant.

I could simply model a short section of the 4 track NEC (which is straight as an arrow and features no switches or strange catenary situations) in the fore ground, with the Delco Lead running roughly down the middle of the combing 2x8 dominoes, with the spurs branching off into the "back".

Here is a photo from Historic Aerials (link provided by the website's share function, so it is legitimate for posting despite watermarks).

You can see the plant and some hoppers in 1979. A northbound freight headed by a pair of E44s (in blue and black) is currently rolling past. by clicking the link below, it will take you directly to Historic Aerial's website and this location/year.

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The plant still stands today with most of the buildings intact, though one of the rail sidings appears out of service. Bing Birds Eye View

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=qrbv8x8stj5y&lvl=18.295443130812923&dir=271.5495984980129&sty=b&form=LMLTCC">http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=qrbv8x ... orm=LMLTCC</a><!-- m -->

I may still be thinking ambitiously, but the way I figure it, this will let me model the widest possible variety of equipment in once spot.

Dioramas, modules -- feh! I'd be thinking in terms of a 1x8 plank 7 or 8 feet long. (The one I did, I cut the recess holes for Peco switch machines with an X-Acto blade. No power tools, but it worked.) The thing about that is you can certainly incorporate it into the "serious" layout later.

LOL, you are unstoppable! I can certainly relate. for a long time I did not have a dremel tool, so I cut everything with hacksaws, razor saws, and ground things down with files and sanding blocks. modifying Athearn frames was "fun".