The Raspberry Branch ISL (MEC in Quebec)

[sailormatlac]

In another thread, I discussed how I was suffering a blank sheet syndrome when trying to design a layout at home. http://www.the-gauge.net/forum/viewtopic...=46&t=6456

I had to rethink some of my preconceived thoughts after my attention went back to Maine Central's Raspberry Branch north to Beecher Falls in Province of Quebec. I knew the place but never thought of it from an operation standpoint.

In fact, I followed guidelines I give myself when working on the club layout (type of prototype operation, train lenght, etc...). So far, I found out I never seriously applied them to myself, probably missing the point.

I identified things that mattered to me and made me enjoy operating a layout for hours.

-small sized local freight trains (between 10 to 14 cars)
-realisticly sized industries
-long stretch of track that give you the feeling the train is travelling (I mean you can watch a train run slowly, passing a crossing)
-variety in operation orders
-a real scene inspiring me

To be honest, I preselected Cookshire before all that, looking over Quebec international border for bridge lines between Canada and New England. This place had what I was looking for:

-interchange work
-small freight and mixed trains (rarely over 14 cars according to picture)
-lots of operation potential
-a railway line I could connect directly to my hometown (Quebec City)
-a visually interesting scene that could be modelled feet by feet without compromise
-interchange with railways I love: CPR, CNR, QCR and most New England railroads

Givens:

-a basement with about 12' x 20' free wall space
-3 hollow core doors for a combined length of 19' x 24 inches large and lots of shelf brackets
-lots of CPR steam and diesel locomotives that can't find their way on our club layout (mostly CNR)
-lots of New England rolling stock from the 50s and 60s

The track plan

The first thing I did was to draw in XtrackCAD a exact replica at scale of Cookshire trackage. Then I eliminated unwanted portions and selected a 20' long area that could fit my future benchwork. Luck was on my side because the area between the crossing at left and the end of J.R. Westgate was a perfect fit. I slightly tilted the tracks around the station to make room for the large flour mill.

I made a version with a complex interchange/fiddle yard. But wasn't satisfied, too much complex and costly in term of turnouts. Those thing should be designed and modified when starting operation.

CPR is red, MEC is blue



Except the tracks curving near the staging area, the plan is a perfect scale rendition of Cookshire. The track plan is a mix between early 1925 when MEC abandonned service and more recent trackage during CPR tenure. My idea is not to reproduce an era, but the operation potential and typical scenery of the place. I left out the roundhouse area and only suggested the sawmill siding as a hidden area.

I think the track plan is rather simple, but hide a lot of movement. Most car types will find their way during normal course of operation.

I have not set any delay to realize this. I must, first and all, clean up this part of the basement and build up shelves to relocate some stuff and make room for a future layout.

Matt