10-11-2010, 12:16 PM
Hello Everyone,
My name is Jason and I'm 16. I've been lurking here for a while, as this is one of my favourite forums, and since I'm starting a new layout I figured now would be a good time to jump in.
About I year ago I began building an 8 x 12 N Scale layout depicting a freelanced short line. However, a couple months ago due to a lack of funds and a possibility of moving, I had to abandoned to project for something more manageable. I was originally going to build a door layout, but it was a bit too big to be stored out of the way if it had to be kept in a room with more than one use, so instead I’ve decided to build a 2 x8 switching layout which I’ve named the Lansdowne Ave. Industrial Lead, or LAIL for short. Here is the track plan (The track on the real layout will be more “flowing” than shown in the plan):
![[Image: LAIL-1.jpg]](http://i724.photobucket.com/albums/ww241/CanadianShortliner/LAIL-1.jpg)
This layout is a modern day, freelanced industrial branch set in an unnamed city in southern Ontario, Canada. It’s a combination of various prototype industries and buildings, however the atmosphere I want to create will be like this part of Toronto:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=43.669804,-79.462604&spn=0,0.005472&t=h&z=18&layer=c&cbll=43.669819,-79.465126&panoid=MZxNTL-e4syrTNRhZEvhkA&cbp=12,83.03,,0,2">http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF ... 83.03,,0,2</a><!-- m -->
OPERATIONS:
This layout is meant to be operated as an isolated branch owned by a fictional short line operator (yet to be named) who purchased it from CN when it was selling off some of it‘s trackage. The main purpose of the branch is to serve the boxboard plant at the upper right, and a locomotive is stationed on the west side of Lansdowne Ave., with crews being dispatched whenever service is needed.
When a crew is dispatched, they head to the interchange, sort out the cars, and then do the required switching. Although it may seem simple because of the simple track arrangement, it can actually be quite challenging. For example, cars at the boxboard plant must be spotted in a specific order (scrap paper loading outside, new cardboard loading inside, and a starch hopper in between two cardboard cars), some cars may have to be temporarily stored when there is no room to spot them, or the plant may require an in plant move. This is explained in more detail on Jack Hill’s blog (<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://oscalewcor.blogspot.com/2009/12/modeling-philosophy-part-i.html">http://oscalewcor.blogspot.com/2009/12/ ... art-i.html</a><!-- m -->), where I got the idea. All spurs are trailing point, so no runaround is needed, and the interchange acts as staging so the layout is completely self contained.
INDUSTRIES:
Here is a list of industries on the layout and a brief description of each. I picked these industries to allow me to use my favourite cars (boxcars and covered hoppers, plus a couple tank cars), as well as provide some interesting operations as mentioned above.
1) Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) Paint Inc.:
Description: Paint Manufacturer
Ships: N/A
Receives: Baking Soda in Tank Cars
Car Spots: 2
2) Cascades Boxboard Group Inc.:
Description: Manufacturer of Corrugated Cardboard
Ships: Scrap Cardboard in Boxcars, Finished Cardboard in Boxcars
Receives: Corn Starch in Covered Hoppers
Car Spots: 6
3) Korex Canada Company:
Description: Manufacturer of Polishes And Sanitation Goods
Ships: Polishes and Sanitation goods in Covered Hoppers
Receives: N/A
Car Spots: 3 Spots, 3 storage
4) Team Track:
Description: Transload Facility
Ships: Anything
Receives: Anything
Spots: 2
Now that I’ve got the plan out of the way, it’s time for the first progress update.
![[Image: LAILBenchwork.jpg]](http://i724.photobucket.com/albums/ww241/CanadianShortliner/LAILBenchwork.jpg)
I finished the benchwork yesterday, although it still needs to be painted. This week I plan on laying the track and hopefully running the first train. The track I’m using is Atlas Code 55, however when I get enough money I want to replace it with handlaid code 40 to give it more of a neglected industrial spur look.
I also want to get some scratch building supplies (plastic sheets and wood) so I can start making the structures. I’m also going to get some supplies that will allow me to cast some of the parts I make. I don’t have an LHS and shipping from online stores will be too much for small things like windows and doors, so I’ll have to make them myself and casting them should make that easier.
Anyways, that’s all for now. I should have the track finished and an update posted by the end of the week, as long as I don’t change the track plan and homework doesn’t get in the way.
My name is Jason and I'm 16. I've been lurking here for a while, as this is one of my favourite forums, and since I'm starting a new layout I figured now would be a good time to jump in.
About I year ago I began building an 8 x 12 N Scale layout depicting a freelanced short line. However, a couple months ago due to a lack of funds and a possibility of moving, I had to abandoned to project for something more manageable. I was originally going to build a door layout, but it was a bit too big to be stored out of the way if it had to be kept in a room with more than one use, so instead I’ve decided to build a 2 x8 switching layout which I’ve named the Lansdowne Ave. Industrial Lead, or LAIL for short. Here is the track plan (The track on the real layout will be more “flowing” than shown in the plan):
This layout is a modern day, freelanced industrial branch set in an unnamed city in southern Ontario, Canada. It’s a combination of various prototype industries and buildings, however the atmosphere I want to create will be like this part of Toronto:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=43.669804,-79.462604&spn=0,0.005472&t=h&z=18&layer=c&cbll=43.669819,-79.465126&panoid=MZxNTL-e4syrTNRhZEvhkA&cbp=12,83.03,,0,2">http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF ... 83.03,,0,2</a><!-- m -->
OPERATIONS:
This layout is meant to be operated as an isolated branch owned by a fictional short line operator (yet to be named) who purchased it from CN when it was selling off some of it‘s trackage. The main purpose of the branch is to serve the boxboard plant at the upper right, and a locomotive is stationed on the west side of Lansdowne Ave., with crews being dispatched whenever service is needed.
When a crew is dispatched, they head to the interchange, sort out the cars, and then do the required switching. Although it may seem simple because of the simple track arrangement, it can actually be quite challenging. For example, cars at the boxboard plant must be spotted in a specific order (scrap paper loading outside, new cardboard loading inside, and a starch hopper in between two cardboard cars), some cars may have to be temporarily stored when there is no room to spot them, or the plant may require an in plant move. This is explained in more detail on Jack Hill’s blog (<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://oscalewcor.blogspot.com/2009/12/modeling-philosophy-part-i.html">http://oscalewcor.blogspot.com/2009/12/ ... art-i.html</a><!-- m -->), where I got the idea. All spurs are trailing point, so no runaround is needed, and the interchange acts as staging so the layout is completely self contained.
INDUSTRIES:
Here is a list of industries on the layout and a brief description of each. I picked these industries to allow me to use my favourite cars (boxcars and covered hoppers, plus a couple tank cars), as well as provide some interesting operations as mentioned above.
1) Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) Paint Inc.:
Description: Paint Manufacturer
Ships: N/A
Receives: Baking Soda in Tank Cars
Car Spots: 2
2) Cascades Boxboard Group Inc.:
Description: Manufacturer of Corrugated Cardboard
Ships: Scrap Cardboard in Boxcars, Finished Cardboard in Boxcars
Receives: Corn Starch in Covered Hoppers
Car Spots: 6
3) Korex Canada Company:
Description: Manufacturer of Polishes And Sanitation Goods
Ships: Polishes and Sanitation goods in Covered Hoppers
Receives: N/A
Car Spots: 3 Spots, 3 storage
4) Team Track:
Description: Transload Facility
Ships: Anything
Receives: Anything
Spots: 2
Now that I’ve got the plan out of the way, it’s time for the first progress update.
I finished the benchwork yesterday, although it still needs to be painted. This week I plan on laying the track and hopefully running the first train. The track I’m using is Atlas Code 55, however when I get enough money I want to replace it with handlaid code 40 to give it more of a neglected industrial spur look.
I also want to get some scratch building supplies (plastic sheets and wood) so I can start making the structures. I’m also going to get some supplies that will allow me to cast some of the parts I make. I don’t have an LHS and shipping from online stores will be too much for small things like windows and doors, so I’ll have to make them myself and casting them should make that easier.
Anyways, that’s all for now. I should have the track finished and an update posted by the end of the week, as long as I don’t change the track plan and homework doesn’t get in the way.