Input on proposed HO switching layout

[Puddlejumper]

Guys,Bachmann's GE 44,45 and 70 Tonners come with "DCC On board" .I understand the decoder is rather basic.

Indeed they do.

Says something on the end of the box about Channel 30 being the default code for DCC.

The default is 03.

[bdw9535]

Ed,

Since you still have an undetermined industry, here's something for your consideration. Granted this has more tracks than what is on your trackplan but just an idea for something other than box or tank cars. US Pipe in Burlington, NJ.

Bruce

[Russ Bellinis]

I'm wondering if the first run of the 45 tonners were straight dc? One of the guys in the modular club bought a couple of undecorated 45 tonners from Micro Mark, and had to remove one of the weights to install a decoder. That weight that he removed was designed to come out without any cutting. My new 70 tonners that I picked up recently have dcc on board.

[FCIN]

I'm wondering if the first run of the 45 tonners were straight dc? One of the guys in the modular club bought a couple of undecorated 45 tonners from Micro Mark (great price!), and had to remove one of the weights to install a decoder. That weight that he removed was designed to come out without any cutting.

Russ; I purchased 3 of the GE 45 tonners from Micro-Mark and they all have simple DCC decoders on board. I run straight DC and have no plans to go to DCC, so will probably remove the decoders per the instructions that came with the models. That weight is designed to come out in order to install a speaker for sound. These are great running models on regular DC even without pulse power.

[Russ Bellinis]

Ok, he may have been installing speakers or he may have not realized that they had decoders installed. I'll have to ask the guy next time I see him.

[FCIN]

Hi All...

After a lot of test-fitting track sections and managing to get a little more information (very little) about the Lapeer Industrial Railroad - I've reached the conclusion that I just can't model that line the way I'd like to in the available space! Specifically, I just couldn't get the interchange/grain elevator area right! So it was back to the drawing board.

It occurred to me that I could actually have two different switching layouts on the existing benchwork - each one 18 inches deep by 20 feet long - so I came up with this plan for the first one:     This plan (named in honor of "The Boss") is free-lanced, but loosely based on elements of some real operations. For example:
**The interchange arrangement is similar to the Kendallville Terminal Railway, Kendallville, Indiana.
**The left side of the plan is based on industries found on the Shelbyville Industrial Rail Spur, in Shelbyville, Illinois.
The plan has that mid-western flavor that I like and should provide plenty of switching and ample room for scenery.

D - Team Track will receive most anything...
E - Lumber Yard (Walters kit) will receive building products and lumber inside the main structure (we have a lumber yard like that where I live and I used to spot box cars inside the warehouse)...
F - Feed / Grain is your typical mid-west farm supply that ships grain and receives cars of feed and fertilizer, depending on the season...
Industry G - will receive a mixture of tank cars and plastics type covered hoppers (CH's in the shed - tank cars at the end of the track)...
Industry H - is a paper products plant where box cars must be spotted at specific doors...

I just need to get off my rear and start working on something!

[Londoner]

Ed

This is the beauty of not following one line, you can draw on different shortlines. The plan looks good.

Ken

[Herc Driver]

My only comment on the original plan was to angle the CN/GTW rail line on the far western side of the layout to aid in the visual appeal...but with each new design change, I see you've angled that track ever so slightly with each new rendition.

So all that's left for me to say is: It looks good! I like it.

[steinjr]

Hi All...

After a lot of test-fitting track sections and managing to get a little more information (very little) about the Lapeer Industrial Railroad - I've reached the conclusion that I just can't model that line the way I'd like to in the available space! Specifically, I just couldn't get the interchange/grain elevator area right! So it was back to the drawing board.

Hmmm - how about doing the grain/interchange area something roughly along these lines - this is fairly close to the actual tracks (except for that extra rightmost spur), as far as I can tell from <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.bing.com/maps">http://www.bing.com/maps</a><!-- m -->, maps.google.com and maps.yahoo.com:



Cars shown are 56 foot covered hoppers and 60 foot boxcars. Engine shown is an SW7.

Stein

[FCIN]

Hmmm - how about doing the grain/interchange area something roughly along these lines - this is fairly close to the actual tracks (except for that extra rightmost spur), as far as I can tell from <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.bing.com/maps">http://www.bing.com/maps</a><!-- m -->, maps.google.com and maps.yahoo.com:

Stein

Stein;

Been thinking along the same lines as your plan (Good Minds Think Alike or something like that). I do like the way that it looks on your drawing! You may have saved my original plan. I was wanting to try and get the interchange to be closer to the actual arrangement, but just couldn't fit it in correctly without widening the left side of the benchwork - a lot! This looks really good - thanks mucho for your input - it's why I love this forum!

[FCIN]

Okay - one more try!

Thanks to Stein's input here's the latest incarnation of my design for modeling the Lapeer Industrial Railroad:
   
By incorporating a right hand curved turnout that I have on hand and curving the track to the GTW siding, I was able to achieve just a bit more of the prototype look. Another left hand curved turnout would probably work better than using just a standard left hand turn out, but test fitting of this arrangement looks like it will work out just fine.

I included track representing both the GTW Main [A] and Siding [B] and still have plenty of room for the GTW Station [C]. I now have the siding for ITW TACC [K] facing the correct direction and on the the correct side of the "Main" track now. What I'm calling Lapeer Industries [L] is also oriented in the correct direction and on the correct side of the "Main". The real Lapeer Industries is actually located no where near the railroad, but there is a large structure in the location I have on the plan.

Of course I'm still using my "modelers license" by adding the team track [J] and car spot for Lapeer Lumber & Truss [I]. Lapeer Lumber & Truss is actually located where shown on the plan, they just don't have their own track on the prototype, but rather load/unload on the grain elevator track.

Since I can't actually have my LIRR loco go onto the GTW Siding to interchange traffic, on this plan the GTW would set out/pick up interchange traffic toward Siding [D] and clear of the road crossing. This allows the LIRR crew to switch cars from the South end and still have room to get on the North end of any cars destined to Lapeer Industries [L].

Overall, I'm pretty well pleased with the way this is turning out and want to give a big "Thank You" to Stein for his contribution to my plan.

[NJ Devils Fan]

Check out the Lowville and Beaver River Railroad. This shortline is located in upstate NY. It's part of the Genesee Valley system. There was a article years ago in Railroad Model Craftsman or Model Railroader magazine about this. They ran those "little engines" at one time. The article was complete with a track diagram too. For pictures, google or bing L&BR.

I agree, more switching, more operation, less "mainlining". That's my 2 cents.

[FCIN]

Thanks Steve - I'm familiar with the Lowville & Beaver River and used to have that copy of RMC. Interesting operation, but just a tad longer than what I appeals to me. The shorter the better!

Another interesting line in that area, that always appealed to me was the Skaneateles Short Line. RMC had a good article about that little line too! I've got maps and a few photos of the SKSL around here. I could provide you a pretty long list of very short short lines that I've investigated at one time or another as potential model railroads. Seems like I spend more time looking for railroads that I could model than actually modeling anything.

[NJ Devils Fan]

Hey Ed;

Check out the track plan for Griffiss AFB. in Rome NY. I googled that. Talk about a bunch of switching in a small amount of space. They have a 44 tonner and a s1 too. Not in operation anymore but the MA&N still operates a limited portion of the base...now called Griffiss Industrial Park