72x18 inch ISL with wings

[Mike Kieran]

Thank you for your flattering words Jonte.

I'll let you into a secret, Mike: I went to bed last night with this plan going round in my head. Here's how I reckon I'd do it: the trackbed and industries would be raised off the main base supported by 'L' girder type supports in true model rail roading style so that (part) of the nine inch straight section containing the magnet would accommodate the focus of the scene, namely something like this <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.fultonsun.com/news/2010/dec/">http://www.fultonsun.com/news/2010/dec/</a><!-- m --> ... freight-s/ a short trestle style bridge. And like the railroad it supports, the theme of the layout would be an independent short line ("oh not another!", I can almost hear some of you scream) set somewhere like Fulton in the mid nineties, with it's single ageing, dull grey, pock marked loco, something like this <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="https://akronrrclub.files.wordpress.com">https://akronrrclub.files.wordpress.com</a><!-- m --> ... c_315c.jpg or this GP 38 <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://donsdepot.donrossgroup.net/dr0902/sbd6242.jpg">http://donsdepot.donrossgroup.net/dr0902/sbd6242.jpg</a><!-- m --> . As you can see, Mike, not that I've given any of this much thought, but again, 'IF' I were to have a bash at this, I'd make the side marked 'handle' the viewing side so that the head shunt - apologies here, I did know the American term for this, but I've gone and clean forgotten it in my excitement! - the end bit where the loco goes 'off-scene' after the bridge, turned towards the viewer and out of sight behind the vegetation (I think I'm right in saying that looking at it from the opposite side, the viewer would see that the track didn't actually go anywhere, rather spoiling the illusion. That's my take, anyway.

Sorry to cause you lack of sleep. Originally, I designed this ISL so that the two upper industries formed a "brick canyon," which would have made for some interesting photos and the gray area behind the retaining wall was to be elevated to meet the bridge over the tracks. The mixture of the overpass and the trees surrounding the end of the drill track/head shunt so that you wouldn't see that it goes nowhere.

But I see what you mean by making the top of the plan the viewing area. If you switch the building supply and the food processor, you have a more open design. Now I'm going to lose sleep pondering the possibilities. (Payback for YOUR loss of sleep?)

There can never be too many short lines. I also like to use CF7s and 45 tonners like warbonnetuk uses on his "Galatia, Kansas" layout.
http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.p...ntry628257

Btw, I should have seen this before posting my last, but I'd been viewing it via my iPad and it wasn't until having the benefit of the larger screen of my laptop that this became apparent, so please forgive the drivel about the 'L' shape line going off scene I made mention of.

No harm, no foul. I would actually love to make this part of an L shaped layout. If it could go to an extension with a runaround, all the better.