Lansdowne Ave. Industrial Lead

[Canadian Shortliner]

Hello Everyone,

My name is Jason and I'm 16. I've been lurking here for a while, as this is one of my favourite forums, and since I'm starting a new layout I figured now would be a good time to jump in.

About I year ago I began building an 8 x 12 N Scale layout depicting a freelanced short line. However, a couple months ago due to a lack of funds and a possibility of moving, I had to abandoned to project for something more manageable. I was originally going to build a door layout, but it was a bit too big to be stored out of the way if it had to be kept in a room with more than one use, so instead I’ve decided to build a 2 x8 switching layout which I’ve named the Lansdowne Ave. Industrial Lead, or LAIL for short. Here is the track plan (The track on the real layout will be more “flowing” than shown in the plan):



This layout is a modern day, freelanced industrial branch set in an unnamed city in southern Ontario, Canada. It’s a combination of various prototype industries and buildings, however the atmosphere I want to create will be like this part of Toronto:

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OPERATIONS:

This layout is meant to be operated as an isolated branch owned by a fictional short line operator (yet to be named) who purchased it from CN when it was selling off some of it‘s trackage. The main purpose of the branch is to serve the boxboard plant at the upper right, and a locomotive is stationed on the west side of Lansdowne Ave., with crews being dispatched whenever service is needed.

When a crew is dispatched, they head to the interchange, sort out the cars, and then do the required switching. Although it may seem simple because of the simple track arrangement, it can actually be quite challenging. For example, cars at the boxboard plant must be spotted in a specific order (scrap paper loading outside, new cardboard loading inside, and a starch hopper in between two cardboard cars), some cars may have to be temporarily stored when there is no room to spot them, or the plant may require an in plant move. This is explained in more detail on Jack Hill’s blog (<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://oscalewcor.blogspot.com/2009/12/modeling-philosophy-part-i.html">http://oscalewcor.blogspot.com/2009/12/ ... art-i.html</a><!-- m -->), where I got the idea. All spurs are trailing point, so no runaround is needed, and the interchange acts as staging so the layout is completely self contained.

INDUSTRIES:

Here is a list of industries on the layout and a brief description of each. I picked these industries to allow me to use my favourite cars (boxcars and covered hoppers, plus a couple tank cars), as well as provide some interesting operations as mentioned above.

1) Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) Paint Inc.:

Description: Paint Manufacturer
Ships: N/A
Receives: Baking Soda in Tank Cars
Car Spots: 2

2) Cascades Boxboard Group Inc.:

Description: Manufacturer of Corrugated Cardboard
Ships: Scrap Cardboard in Boxcars, Finished Cardboard in Boxcars
Receives: Corn Starch in Covered Hoppers
Car Spots: 6

3) Korex Canada Company:

Description: Manufacturer of Polishes And Sanitation Goods
Ships: Polishes and Sanitation goods in Covered Hoppers
Receives: N/A
Car Spots: 3 Spots, 3 storage

4) Team Track:

Description: Transload Facility
Ships: Anything
Receives: Anything
Spots: 2

Now that I’ve got the plan out of the way, it’s time for the first progress update.



I finished the benchwork yesterday, although it still needs to be painted. This week I plan on laying the track and hopefully running the first train. The track I’m using is Atlas Code 55, however when I get enough money I want to replace it with handlaid code 40 to give it more of a neglected industrial spur look.

I also want to get some scratch building supplies (plastic sheets and wood) so I can start making the structures. I’m also going to get some supplies that will allow me to cast some of the parts I make. I don’t have an LHS and shipping from online stores will be too much for small things like windows and doors, so I’ll have to make them myself and casting them should make that easier.

Anyways, that’s all for now. I should have the track finished and an update posted by the end of the week, as long as I don’t change the track plan and homework doesn’t get in the way.

[X 3829]

great concept, looks like a lot of fun to switch all the industries!

[FCIN]

Nice - realistic track plan and operating concept Jason. Look forward to seeing more as you progress.

[e-paw]

great concept.. glad to see some younger people in the hobby.

[faraway]

Welcome! Looks good. I see you followed the discussion about run around last week

[Ralph]

Welcome aboard! Your plans sound good!
Ralph

[tetters]

Welcome to the forum Jason. Looks and sounds good so far. Looking forward to seeing some more progress!

[TinGoat]

This layout is a modern day, freelanced industrial branch set in an unnamed city in southern Ontario, Canada. It’s a combination of various prototype industries and buildings, however the atmosphere I want to create will be like this part of Toronto:

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=43.669804,-79.462604&spn=0,0.005472&t=h&z=18&layer=c&cbll=43.669819,-79.465126&panoid=MZxNTL-e4syrTNRhZEvhkA&cbp=12,83.03,,0,2">http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF ... 83.03,,0,2</a><!-- m -->

Wow! That's freaky...

I lived in the house just a block and a half north of that spot!

http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&source=s_...1,,0,15.37

It's actually Canadian Pacific Territory, but who's going to know?

[steinjr]

Looks promising! The design style reminds me of Andrew Martin's switching plans (http://www.huntervalleylines.com/gallery....php?cat=2)

One minor nitpick - the lead for industry A (lower left hand corner) looks a tad short for a switcher and two cars to clear the turnout. But it would be easy enough to add a small tail on the track there, so it sticks a switcher length or so out into the room in that corner. Or just spot one car at that industry, or to move cars one car at a time.

Smile,
Stein

[Brakie]

Great plan!

Don't forget a road crossing or two that is blocked by switching moves..

[Canadian Shortliner]

Thanks guys!

I can't really take all the credit for my plan, since it's closely based on Jack Hill's (the one in the blog I linked to). My first plan was almost the same except trains entered from removeable staging at the lower left, the ICI spur was facing the opposite way, and there was no interchange. I wasn't quite happy with it, especially the fact that cars for ICI would have to be staged behind the locomotive and that the layout would not be self contained (something that is important since I don't know how much room I'll have if we move), so after seeing his plan I decided to rearrange things slightly to come up with the plan I have now.

@steinjr- I tested that lead in XtrkCad and it can hold two cars and a loco with room to spare. There will normally only be one car there instead of two, but if there is two I'll have to make two trips. This won't be very often so I probably won't have a problem, but if I do I can add a short tail track.

@TinGoat- Wow, that is freaky!

Since this layout is freelanced, I'm only using that area as a guide for the kind of atmosphere I want to create, so it won't make much of a difference which railway I interchange with (I may switch it up now and then too).

Also, I'm starting to lay track as we speak, but it's going to take a while since it's caked in caulking from my last layout and I have to remove it be scraping it all off . I'm just gonna use white glue this time, since the track will be replaced by handlaid code 40 (hopefully by Christmas). When I add the code 40, I may also add streetcar tracks in Lansdowne Avenue for added interest.

[ocalicreek]

Jason,

Welcome to Big Blue! Your plan looks promising, the area to be modeled (or emulated) is very 'model-genic' with a nice mix of small/med industry and residential housing, and your benchwork looks excellent.

Rather than casting perhaps you would consider kitbashing? If you start with a well-made master kit or find a cheap kit with nicely done windows and doors it can cost less than the needed molding/casting supplies, especially for a smaller layout project such as this. If you think that casting is something you really want to try and may enjoy in the future for other projects then don't let me stop you. I've done it and it's fun and any initial expense can be offset by long term savings in cast parts. However, kitbashing is fun too and the results can be just as unique as a scratchbuilt structure made with cast parts. Of course if the parts you are looking for are not available in a commercial kit then scratching a master and making castings is the way to go. Especially in N scale! hock:

Looking forward to your progress!

Galen

[TinGoat]

@TinGoat- Wow, that is freaky!

Since this layout is freelanced, I'm only using that area as a guide for the kind of atmosphere I want to create, so it won't make much of a difference which railway I interchange with (I may switch it up now and then too).

Hi Jason,

Interesting that you are modelling ICI. Up until a couple of years ago [5 or 6 now...] Benjamin Moore had it's head office and testing labs on Mulock Avenue. The Building that is now occupied by Consultec Ltd was the head office and on the North East corner of Mulock ave and Lloyd was a very old industrial warehouse building that was also Benjamin Moore Paints [which is now a vacant lot that is being re-developed].

Jason,

Welcome to Big Blue! Your plan looks promising, the area to be modeled (or emulated) is very 'model-genic' with a nice mix of small/med industry and residential housing, and your benchwork looks excellent.

Galen

Yes, the West Toronto Junction is a real mix of old and new - residential and industrial. There has been a huge change in the past twenty years.

The Stock Yards are now Big Box Stores and Canada Packers has become a field of new town houses.

[Canadian Shortliner]

Well, I've finally finished the track and wiring, however, there's one problem. I have two tirnouts that cause my locomotive to stall when going accross the frog. These are atlas turnouts and all the others on the layout are fine. I assume there's no power going to the frog (one of the copper things on the bottom must have come off), and I was wondering if running a feeder wire to it would solve the problem? If so, does it matter whether the feeder is positive or negative (if you get what I'm saying)?

@ocalicreek- Thanks! I chose to emulate this area for exactly that reason.

As for kitbashing, I will try to do that whenever a kit has enough parts for me to use and I have enough items to order to justify the cost of shipping. My main limiting factor is cost, so I'll have to figure out what I'll need and what method will be cheaper before I make the final decision. I plan on scratchbuilding all of my buildings after specific prototypes, so I will have plenty of chances to use cast resin parts if I decide to make windows and doors myself. I also want to try to make my own freight cars, locomotive shells,vehicles, and individual building models sometime as well. I know that may be difficult and will be time consuming, especially in N scale, but I like a good challenge and have little money but plenty of time to burn. :mrgreen:

@TinGoat- Ok, now you're starting to scare me! Small world, I guess.

Do you know if it was rail served? The one I'm doing is freelanced, based on info from Lance Mindheim. It just uses ICI's name. It would be neat to have an actual prototype for it, though.

[BR60103]

Can I assume these are the Atlas turnouts with the big cast frog and the eyes at the side for the screws? It does matter where you feed from as the polarity has to change with the points. I'm not sure how Atlas arranged this to begin with (the ones I remember were dead).