L&N Industrial Rail Spur

[FCIN]

Larry;

I chose the name Kentucky Street Industrial Spur, since you can find a Kentucky Street, Avenue, whatever, in cities all over the country and that allows me to operate it as just about any railroad that suits my fancy. One time it might be L&N, the next MoPac, the next ConRail, or even a private switching or freelance company. Gives me a lot of variety and a home for my fleet of locomotives.

As for it being a new "F&C" line built over the old roadbed - would never work and besides this community seems to be anti-industry. Also, too many people around here are familiar with the F&C and its abandoned line to get away with that. Of course if Ricky Rail had come to the rescue back in 1985, the F&C would still be in operation, although just another piece of RJCC.

[Brakie]

Well,Ed I did say it was a wacky idea.

[hyawn]

Ed:

Good to hear. Keep up the good work and will be looking forward to the new layout progress.

Howard

[FCIN]

Well,Ed I did say it was a wacky idea.

Larry;
Actually, not so wacky at all. When I retried, I was first planning on modeling the F&C's Old Grand Dad distillery spur for a switching layout, since there would be a good variety of equipment and interesting track arrangement. But since I'd switched the prototype so many nights, I felt like I'd loose interest in it (too much like real work?). Perhaps if Bachmann had come out with their nice running sound equipped S-4 a couple of years ago, I might still have gone with that idea.

Of course us model railroaders can stretch things should we choose to do so. I could see modeling the former F&C spur at Old Grand Dad or the spur to the Ancient Age Distillery using R. J. Corman power. It could have happened if RJC had been interested in the line at the time of abandonment.

[Brakie]

I always been a closet fan of the F&C and it would be hard to walk away from a Bachmann F&C Alco or 70 tonner.

As far as keeping your ISL generic that's exactly what I doing with Slate Creek since I like several prototypes like IHB,CSX,NS,CR and my freelance Summerset,C&HV and Huron River.

[hyawn]

Ed:
Any progress on the layout ?
Howard

[FCIN]

Ed:
Any progress on the layout ?
Howard

Afraid not Howard. I'm completely bogged down with another project and will probably be some time before I can get back to doing some relaxing work on the layout. Do have the proposed track arrangement temporarily pinned in place and operate it, maybe once a week, but as far as getting any real work done on the layout; it will probably be the first of the year. But thanks for asking.

[Brakie]

Ed:
Any progress on the layout ?
Howard

Afraid not Howard. I'm completely bogged down with another project and will probably be some time before I can get back to doing some relaxing work on the layout. Do have the proposed track arrangement temporarily pinned in place and operate it, maybe once a week, but as far as getting any real work done on the layout; it will probably be the first of the year. But thanks for asking.

Ed,I understand being bogged down by other projects..I'm currently in the "back shop" mode doing the back burner repair jobs.

I have built 3 of the 4 buildings needed for Slate Creek and currently awaiting the 4th building the Walthers Plastic Pellet Storage kit.

[FCIN]

I have built 3 of the 4 buildings needed for Slate Creek and currently awaiting the 4th building the Walthers Plastic Pellet Storage kit.

You're way ahead of me Larry. All I have at the moment are structure mockups made from foamboard and of course the ability to operate and test out my plans now and then. I need to start stocking up on plastic sheets and other odds and ends for future use. Will say that I'm glad I've been able to test out my plans, before committing to one final plan - has shown me where things will or won't work as expected.

[FCIN]

Although it looks like it's going to be after the first of the year before I can do any real modeling; thought I'd post my current track arrangement for "Kentucky Street". Just a another typical industrial spur and not much different from previous plans, but it does achieve my goal of minimum track and turnouts with maximum switching and destinations for all my equipment.

Track is laid out and in operation and since I don't have time to do much except operate it once or twice a week, I'm still considering this a test plan for now. Have made a few structure mockups which helps to give me a feel for how the finished layout might look and must say that I enjoy operating it when I need a break from the other project. So far, I'm pretty well pleased with how it's all working out.     As before, layout dimensions are 18 inches deep by 20 feet in length and the inbound train is staged at the left side of the plan as though it had just entered the spur. A "typical" operating session is averaging at least one hour without any excessive time killing.

Industries from right to left are:

Frozen Meat Distributor: Inbound refrigerator cars (1 spot). Having this one industry located at the end of the spur adds some interesting switching and makes good use of the entire length of the spur.

Cooking Oils: Inbound General Service tank cars of cooking oils (2 spots) and is based on several such facilities I've found around the country.

Distribution Warehouse: Inbound box cars of various commodities (4 spots). Having two separate industries on the one long spur also adds switching interest and is of course quite prototypical.

Beverage Bottler: Inbound Corn Syrup tank cars (2 spots with room to hold 2 or 3 waiting to be spotted). I curved this spur and the structure just for some visual variety, although it really doesn't need to be laid out that way.

Bakery: Inbound Airslide Hoppers of flour (2 spots with room to hold 2 or 3 waiting to be spotted)

Transload Track: Spots up to 5 assorted cars including covered hoppers of feed and fertilizer, bulkhead flats of lumber and wallboard, insulated box cars of beer, and perhaps refrigerator cars, all for off-line industries.

I'm not wild about having the "same old" transload or team track, but it does give me destinations for some of my miscellaneous equipment and has a few features found on such tracks such as the shed where covered hoppers unload, the small crossdock building, an office, and a truck scale.

Having at least two industries with spurs that hold more cars than can be spotted adds operating interest as you must pull your empties and then spot the waiting inbound cars per industry instructions. You can of course, also use the extra track space to hold overflow cars for the other industries too. More switching variety.

Of course the plan is entirely freelance, but does include industries based on prototypes that interest me. With the number of sound equipped DCC locomotives I've managed to acquire, I tend to vary what railroad is operating the spur from one session to the next. Is there any cure for purchasing locomotives that you don't really need?

We'll see how this holds up and I am getting quite frustrated with not having the time to do any real construction! Do have to admit that I'm still looking for that "unique" track plan that seems to keep evading me, so testing out various plans has been quite a help; even if I haven't hit on "The Plan". At some point, you have to quite planning and build!

[Mike Kieran]

Hey Ed,

I'm happy to see you back on the forum. If there is a such thing as a perfect plan, I have no idea how to get there. As I've planned my layout, I discovered that there is really no such thing as the "perfect plan." Every time we design a plan, we think that we have it complete and then we have another idea for the design.

The best plans are ones with track arrangements that we enjoy, scenery that's visually appealing, buildings that convey the time & place you're modelling, equipment that belongs on the layout, the ability to run your trains flawlessly, and operation that makes you happy. If you're missing any of these components, then you run into a problem with satisfaction.

[Brakie]

Ed,I really like that design prototypical track work with room for scenery..
------------------------------------
Mike,IMHO a "perfect" track plan is the one that fills your needs and one that will give years of operation enjoyment.

[FCIN]

Hey Ed,
I'm happy to see you back on the forum.

Howdy Mike. Oh I've never left the forum, just haven't been able to do much work on the layout because of another project. Always check out Big Blue once or twice a day to see what inspiring work others are doing, but don't comment much lately.

If there is a such thing as a perfect plan, I have no idea how to get there. As I've planned my layout, I discovered that there is really no such thing as the "perfect plan." Every time we design a plan, we think that we have it complete and then we have another idea for the design.

The best plans are ones with track arrangements that we enjoy, scenery that's visually appealing, buildings that convey the time & place you're modelling, equipment that belongs on the layout, the ability to run your trains flawlessly, and operation that makes you happy. If you're missing any of these components, then you run into a problem with satisfaction.

Totally agree. I've built numerous layouts over the years (and in several different scales) - most of which never got much past the track laid and in operation stage, and then something else comes along that interests me and it's back to square one!

I must say that I've enjoyed testing out various track and industry arrangements and operating the "proposed" plans. I've spent countless hours on Google/Bing maps and have found many interesting industrial spurs that I'd love to model, but most of them all share one common feature - industries on both sides of the spur.

Some of my previous design tests have featured arrangements like that, and I've really not found it to be a problem, other than being a "display" issue to some people. Guess we all like to be able to see those super detailed cars that we fork over $30-$40 a piece for and not have them hidden behind a structure.

Still, I've been trying to avoid doing that for some reason and thus most of the plans really don't quite hit home with me. Guess it's the lack of realism as far as industrial spurs go, although I've found quite a few that have all the industries on one side of the spur, but then we're looking at track plans that would be much longer than the space I've set aside. A 20 foot long switching layout isn't really as large as it would seem to many people.

It's also been a bit of a problem to try and include prototype industries that will support all my freight cars. Lots of possibilities out there and I may even have to bite the bullet and mothball some of my cars if I can't find suitable industries to include.

I'll test the current design out by operating it some as I get the time and if I end up not being satisfied with it, then I'll try something different. It is fun to actually work the different plans and changing the track arrangement never takes more than a couple of hours at the most. Doesn't take too long to throw together structure mockups either.

I just hope I can get this other project finished by the end of the year so I can actually do some real modeling work. I'm not getting any younger or prettier.

[Brakie]

I'm not getting any younger or prettier.
------------------------------------
Nor am I-if that's any consolation.In fact every morning I wonder who's that wreck of a old man is in the mirror then I sadly realize its me. :o

[FCIN]

In fact every morning I wonder who's that wreck of a old man is in the mirror then I sadly realize its me. :o

I know that feeling all too well! In my mind, I'm still that 21 year old "switchin' them cars", but then I realize that was a long time ago! Not sure if I could even get my foot up into the stirrup to ride on the side of car these days! Ugh...