04-04-2015, 05:45 AM
Thanks for the info. I'm connecting my modules as an exhibition layout might be but its only modular to make moving house easier. Maybe I'm over engineering it for my purpose. I don't like obvious module gaps however so I'd planned on scenicing ng right over the gaps and cutting it when I need to move and then repairing it upon rebuilding.
Those sound good and plenty of prototypes to model out there of that sort. Operation I think really depends on the industry and I'm no expert of US rail. Im still in planning stage myself though I have the module bench work built. We are actually looking at a similar scheme. There is a Mindheim article in Model Railroader April 2015 which you might find inspiring. It's main industry is a corn syrup plant but it shows how he approaches an industry better than any of his books I've read. Yes it's the same concept but the explanation and graphics provided better food for thought for me. I think it's better to look at the article but essentially it had several specific spots for different product grades, an off-spot track and a part-time transload using an often neglected 90degree curve. I also liked the two road grade crossings which I like as operational interest slowing down progress so maybe that's something to think about?
Was it intentional that the main may be required as a switching lead to pull longer trains out? If not could you move the switch further to the right? However I like that you can set out a train on the left of the main and operate the train movements past the spur and push back. You may wish to have a train made of more than the freight cars for these industries so you can leave part of your train to the left of the switch, and then reform the train with pulled cars. That would be nice too.
Steve.
Those sound good and plenty of prototypes to model out there of that sort. Operation I think really depends on the industry and I'm no expert of US rail. Im still in planning stage myself though I have the module bench work built. We are actually looking at a similar scheme. There is a Mindheim article in Model Railroader April 2015 which you might find inspiring. It's main industry is a corn syrup plant but it shows how he approaches an industry better than any of his books I've read. Yes it's the same concept but the explanation and graphics provided better food for thought for me. I think it's better to look at the article but essentially it had several specific spots for different product grades, an off-spot track and a part-time transload using an often neglected 90degree curve. I also liked the two road grade crossings which I like as operational interest slowing down progress so maybe that's something to think about?
Was it intentional that the main may be required as a switching lead to pull longer trains out? If not could you move the switch further to the right? However I like that you can set out a train on the left of the main and operate the train movements past the spur and push back. You may wish to have a train made of more than the freight cars for these industries so you can leave part of your train to the left of the switch, and then reform the train with pulled cars. That would be nice too.
Steve.
UK Engineering fan, from the tiny artistically engineered to the huge and powerful