L&N Industrial Rail Spur

[FCIN]

I think what happens is that whenever we see a neat industrial spur or a neat picture, we try to see how that would fit into our space and that leads to a new track-plan, but then a few days later something else captures our imagination and that leads to another track-plan.

Very true and a disease that probably effects a lot of us. One thing that I've had to wrestle with is finding suitable industries that would support my freight car fleet and then having the room to include such industries on the plan. Then of course you'll have this or that industry in mind and suddenly you see something else that is even more interesting to you and you're off in another direction. I have come to the realization, that I may well just have to mothball some of my cars if I can't find suitable and believable industries for them. Maybe that will help a little with the planning phase.

I don't know what the solution to our problem is yet, but I would try to build a smaller layout like I am, it would allow you to test your theme without putting in a big investment, it is also very quick to build so procrastination won't be a problem. I would build something small (Less that 8 feet long), but has enough realistic operations to keep your attention

For myself, I see no point in building a much smaller switching layout as I can actually test out and operate full size versions of my various track plans, as I've been doing for a couple of months. A plan 8ft or shorter in HO, wouldn't give me much to work with and sure wouldn't hold my interest very long, although something like Lance's Palmetto Spur with a long removable or permanent staging track would be okay if I had less space. Come to think of it, if the wife would let me build a layout on that long wall in the living room, I'd go with a plan like that. But she'd have me committed if I even suggested such a thing!

today I set up a small inglenook but I soon realised that I hate puzzle layouts, there is a big difference between operation, and Realistic operation.

Absolutely! I must say that when I saw your latest track plan I wondered how a layout based on a switching puzzle would appeal to you, when two or three prototype based plans with realistic operation didn't. Be that as it may, even the simplest prototype based or realistic track arrangements when operated in a realistic manner are far better choices than puzzles or games. You need only look at Mal's (alcanman) version of the Palmetto Spur. http://www.the-gauge.net/forum/viewtopic...=46&t=4317 for a great example of a small plan with prototypical operation. He's done a great job and looking at his photos and videos, it's hard to realize that the entire layout is only 9 feet in length.

Getting back to me settling on a track plan. Mike has given me more food for thought and I really need to test out my latest prototype based plan. The finest switching track plan that I've seen in a long time is Kurt's (cnw1961) new freelance Los Angeles Terminal layout. http://www.the-gauge.net/forum/viewtopic...=46&t=4455. I absolutely feel in love with the way the spur swings back and forth through the length of his plan and when I remembered the Owensboro spur and looked it over, I saw a resemblance in that spur. I'd love to steal Kurt's plan, but without all the street trackage and urban scenery, but I prefer to try and come up with my own plans and especially ones based on prototypes, even if I don't model them tie for tie, industry for industry.

I've also been tossing around the idea of an industrial spur with tracks running off it in both directions and no runaround track like one I used to switch on the L&N, but not really sure if I want to go that route. Can be quite interesting to work such a spur where you must block your train out with the engine in the middle, so I'll keep that in mind too and perhaps work on a plan for something like that. There are just so many prototype based ideas to choose from, it's no wonder some of us can't really get started!

So with that in mind, I'll do a little more messing around with the new plan version and then if I can get my butt out of this chair, I'll relay my track and see how it works for me.