L&N Industrial Rail Spur

[sailormatlac]

[quote}
When I started out modeling the Miami industrial scene, I rather naively set the year as "Today". Reality has set in. It's just not practical to do so. Things change much faster than anybody can build models to reflect such changes. To be accurate you would be in a situation where you are constantly re-building structures and changing rolling stock. Industrial tenants come and go. Industries that saw rail service give it up. In other locations new tenants move into vacant buildings and start up rail service. Buildings in Miami are constantly repainted. CSX has phased in it's new locomotive paint style. I just can't say I'm modeling the present and keep up. For that reason I'm setting the date I'm modeling as 2007. In 2007 the Miami Produce Market still received cars in their courtyard. In 2007 the Seaboard Warehouse was still going strong. I will fudge a bit though. A number of new industries have started taking rail shipments and I'm not above adding those into the layout.[unquote}

I think Lance's remark can apply to any era. At some point, when you try to model a specfic era (today, tomorrow of yesterday), you find out everything changes. Modelling a specific month/day in a specfic year may seem a way to get rid of the problem, but as Lance also says, at a point, you got to fudge things a little bit. I always set my different layout about Quebec area in September 1957 because the insurance maps says so. But this isn't a panacea because many things I like about this era disappered earlier in 1957 or appeared in 1958. Focussing on a prototype is a good to discipline ourselves, but at some it shouldn't never hinder our passion.

I remember many times I built an industry siding, started to gather rolling stock and ended up cancelling the problem later on. We all dream to have an industry for every car type we like, but it doesn't work like this.

With the year, my own experience and other's modeller experience, I came to the conclusion model railroading wasn't a static affair like other models. You've got to create a world for these models with which you interact. Just like the real world, they have purposes, sometimes they exist because of a will and often, they disappear slowly to oblivion. Maybe it's the aspect the more prototypical of everything we do. I've seen countless industries die on the club layout, be cleared then replaced by a new one, often implying our "railway" to rebuilt track to serve it adequately. I think it's more about having a frame in which you can modify things according to a general coherent view than jailing yourself in a specific theme. It's interesting to see that Lance, and probably others that had the same train of thoughts, finds out that modelling "Today is just a sweet escape.

Matt

[shortliner]

I wouldn't worry too much about the "Slump" - it hits us all now and then, but eventually somebody posts something , and it gives you the "kick" you needed, and triggers off ideas - most of my layouts have been kicked into life by someone else posting an idea ,and the "Wotif" waking up and askeing "Wotif I added a spur there? and then another switch would let me do soandso". I'm currently trying to think of a suitable industry for "Cumming & Cohen" to operate - since I thingk there should be plenty of coming and going on a switching layout - I'd also like enough room to model a layout that runs from Heare to Thayer, and has a branch to Summerelse

[FCIN]

Being dissatisfied with the last plan and after backing away from the layout for the past couple of weeks, but still constantly "thinking" about it, this is about all I've come up with that suits me at the moment:     Plan is pretty much the same as the previous ones in so far as the overall track layout and it includes the two main industries that I'd like to model. I have introduced some slight curvature throughout the switching lead to break up the straight look and give the plan a more rural feel.

Industries from right to left are:
Beverage Distributor: Box cars
Food Products Distributor: General Service tank cars, Reefers and Box cars.
Chocolates Plant: Covered hoppers, Airslide hoppers, HFCS tank cars.

Right now, I'm undecided as to what will be on the track opposite the chocolates plant (labeled Undetermined). It could be your usual team/trans-load track or it might be a small warehouse with only the loading dock modeled; an idea I've been tossing around. That track could also be lengthened to serve another industry on the right side of the road crossing if desired. Open to suggestions here.

I'll probably be laying out the track later today or this evening, so that I can start test operations. Maybe I can get past the constant planning and actually do something!

[Brakie]

Ed,I like this design and think you should lay the track in place to see how it looks.


As far as Slate Creek,its plan as I build..

I wasted way to much time on planing and rethinking plans-almost 2 years and still couldn't come up with a workable plan even with several ideas from you and other forum members..

[FCIN]

As far as Slate Creek,its plan as I build..

Larry;
I never tried that approach and would probably end up with a mess in the process! But if it works for you - great! I need a basic plan to start with - at the very least.

I wasted way to much time on planing and rethinking plans-almost 2 years and still couldn't come up with a workable plan even with several ideas from you and other forum members..

At this point, I've come to the conclusion that you can plan yourself crazy and never come up with a suitable plan. Especially when freelancing a layout rather than having a prototype to follow. And of course, you start looking at what others are doing with layouts here and you get MORE ideas!

I've had so many different industry ideas over the past couple of years and purchased rolling stock with them in mind; that it has actually created a problem with coming up with a plan that really suits me. I hate to have to mothball a lot of my cars, so have spent so much time looking for something that would support every type of car I have, it has really hindered any progress I might have made.

I'm still thinking this plan out some, but do intend to lay the track this evening. Perhaps in the process of doing that, something will click. I want to start making structures and all that other fun stuff!

[Brakie]

Ed: I'm still thinking this plan out some, but do intend to lay the track this evening.
-------------------------------------
I would lay the track out and then try various changes if I didn't like what I see and the final plan may just pop into place.
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As far as freight cars for Slate Creek I plan on using boxcars,covered hoppers and gons for the industries for the distribution track it will be mostly centerbeams and bulkhead flats(pipe loads) with a occasional reefer and tank car.

[Mike Kieran]

If I was to pick a selection of industries to place on my layout, it would the following:

Manufacturing Company (box cars, gondolas, coil cars, flat cars, plastic covered hoppers, tank cars)

Food Processor (covered hoppers, tank cars, box cars, reefers)

Building Supply (Hoppers, covered hoppers, box cars, gondolas, flat cars, all door box cars)

Team Track for any other cars that don't fit the available industries.

[TTRAK_andrew]

G'day all,
At the risk of "muddying the waters" can I suggest a small version of MATCO RELOAD of Pompano Beach, Florida. By looking at every photo on their website:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.matcoreload.com/">http://www.matcoreload.com/</a><!-- m -->
plus the Bing Birds Eye view map you can see that they take just about every type of rollingstock imaginable. There is a spot for box car unloading into a large shed that can be identified when you rotate through all four points of the compass on the Birds Eye view.
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?q=1263+Hammondville+Rd%2c+33069&mkt=en-AU&FORM=BYFD">http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?q ... &FORM=BYFD</a><!-- m -->
Some folks may be interested in making an ISL just out of MATCO RELOAD, especially as the web site photos show open hoppers being unloaded directly onto the concrete embedded track for transfer to open storage areas., i.e. no unloading pit!
Regards,
Andrew G.

[FCIN]

Thanks Andrew. I'll take a look at that web site - might be just what I'm looking for that undetermined industry. As for other potential industries, prototypes were picked out some time ago; just a matter of choosing which ones.

I probably shouldn't have bothered to post that latest track plan variation, as after pulling all the track and doing some test fitting this afternoon, it looks like I'll probably go back to one of my original track plans. I have a couple of structures currently under construction and they won't fit right on that plan as drawn.

Might even be time to end this thread (over due?) and start a new one later on when I really get going.

[Justinmiller171]

Ed, my favorite of all of your track-plans is this one:



I liked it so much I "borrowed" many parts of it for my layout .

[FCIN]

Ed, my favorite of all of your track-plans is this one:
I liked it so much I "borrowed" many parts of it for my layout .

I noticed that, but of course I don't mind one little bit. We all "borrow" ideas from other layout plans and/or the prototype. I'd be willing to bet that Lance Mindheim's Palmetto Spur (or variations of it) will quickly become one of the most duplicated layouts ever. Simple, but elegant and prototypical.

Right now, it looks like I'll be going with a plan quite similar to that one, but with a couple of changes. Here is what I have in mind:     -OR- This slight variation:     You'll notice that I've reduced the number of industries and have added a storage track for overflow cars, which will add to the switching action. Version 1 of the plan will support all my equipment, but if I go with Version 2, (replacing the building products facility with an "imagined" warehouse) then I'll have to mothball my bulkhead flats, which is no big deal. Of course, the building products/warehouse track could become your "typical" team/trans-load track if desired, even extending it over the street crossing to allow for more cars if necessary.

Once I finish relaying the track (after I paint that foam this time), then I can experiment with either version.

[Russ Bellinis]

Ed, my favorite of all of your track-plans is this one:
I liked it so much I "borrowed" many parts of it for my layout .

I noticed that, but of course I don't mind one little bit. We all "borrow" ideas from other layout plans and/or the prototype. I'd be willing to bet that Lance Mindheim's Palmetto Spur (or variations of it) will quickly become one of the most duplicated layouts ever. Simple, but elegant and prototypical.

Right now, it looks like I'll be going with a plan quite similar to that one, but with a couple of changes. Here is what I have in mind:[ATTACHMENT NOT FOUND]-OR- This slight variation:[ATTACHMENT NOT FOUND]You'll notice that I've reduced the number of industries and have added a storage track for overflow cars, which will add to the switching action. Version 1 of the plan will support all my equipment, but if I go with Version 2, (replacing the building products facility with an "imagined" warehouse) then I'll have to mothball my bulkhead flats, which is no big deal. Of course, the building products/warehouse track could become your "typical" team/trans-load track if desired, even extending it over the street crossing to allow for more cars if necessary.

Once I finish relaying the track (after I paint that foam this time), then I can experiment with either version.

I think I would use the center plan only make the "car storage" with the non rail served industry into a team track and put a parking lot for trucks in place of the non rail served industry. A team track could also be used for car storage or even for "off spot" drops.

[hyawn]

Ed:

I vote for number 1 with the building products. Love bulkhead flats and centerbeams (thats just me)

Howard

[SSWUPinSA]

Track Plan 1 also... I like the lumber/building stuff....adds so much depth to the layout!!

PS: Hope u are well

[mountaingoatgreg]

Another vote for plan 1

I hate to be so unoriginal but the addition of another car type is alwasy interesting.

The other advantage is that it could be modeled without a real building, just a concrete area with a fence. I have even seen where there is no dock and they just use forklifts. If they get a boxcar they unload as much as possible with one forklift from the doorway, then lift up another forklift inside to bring the rest to the door to hand off to the other for completing the process. Since this building would be a foreground building you would not have anything very tall to reach over to access your other industries. The other advantage of a non specific random concrete area, it can easily be changed to take otehr products such as a transload facility for oil, or sand or pipe or wahtever else you want.

Now start building.....