L&N Industrial Rail Spur

[Tyson Rayles]

Well Ed I agree this thread is good for bouncing ideas around so I wouldn't want to see you end it. I know what you mean about needing to get started building, been there done that. I agree that the L&N has some very model worthy trackage and scenery. When I was planning my layout (like you) I knew I had to freelance to do what I wanted in the tiny amount of space (14 sq. ft. not counting two, 2 track staging yards) I had to work with. I liked a lot of things about the Murphy branch of the Southern so I went for a freelance that interchanges with it. Therefore I have the same basic scenery/customers/architecture but within reason could do my own thing and still have other equipment from the L&N/Southern/Graham County/ect. show up on my rails. In other words I think you are on the right track (pun intended of course )! Have you considered modeling a junction? That is what I ended up doing. My RR handles the interchange traffic and two customers for two other RR's at the junction as well as having a VERY short mainline which is a run up the mountain to a small town with two more customers. This gives a lot of action in a very small space. Besides all the yard switching and the run up the mountain with my RR the Southern runs 2 passeneger and 2 freights a day thru the juction and the GCRR runs 1 freight thru, with my RR's morning and afternoon run up the mountain that's 7 trains a day plus yard switching.