Hedley Junction

[sailormatlac]

@David: Thanks for the comments. Everything's gonna be simplier that originally envisionned.

The actual "Hedley Junction" layout (eastern part).



What I'm looking for:



UPDATE: Something was bugging me about the actual Hedley Yard. Thinking how to implement St. Paul Station to the actual layout, I finally came up with a "workable plan". Most structures stay were they are. In fact, I merged a few ideas I explored with my aborted 2012 resolution layout.



The main difference is that Hedley Junction with QRL&PCo is now located at right and Canardière Road at left. For old people in Quebec City, Canardière Road underpass was like a gate to the "real" downtown back then. It's also front this point that you can easier follow the tracks.

The highway will be located like the real thing and the engine terminal nested like the prototype (probably just a tiny servicing area just like Sven did on his Salinas layout). Finally, the namesake junction will be modelled as an interchange.





Over operation sessions, I felt like the middle section of the "U" was boring and useless. It was originally designed to be a scene separator, but it just didn't work. We always wanted the harbor feeling and I thought placing St. Charles River there, just as the prototype, was a nice idea. I used various Walthers and Micro Engineering bridges to represent the real bridge. St. Paul Station, Palace Station CPR interchange and Bassin Louise warehouses, coal piles and cement bagging plant were located over there, so a lot of possibilities for reworking this area. It will also be a good occasion to place few olf French style stone houses to get the area feeling.

Lots of work? Indeed... Any comments? I'm aware the engine terminal may use only 2 tracks and probably the storage track nearby the team track is too much.

I read from many sources that caboose track weren't bound to be located near the yard office. I'm unsure about were I put it... Any thoughts?

Other question: Should I connect QRL&PCo mainline directly to the real mainline with a diamond? Old maps are unclear, but I know for sure QRL&PCo mainline was at left on the bridge, CNR line to the harbor was left... Maybe it's going to be complex for nothing. I only expect the interchange to work with the yard as a way to route some cars out of the layout.

Matt