Freelance 2012

[fast car]

Then do what you want.

I have to agree with lears2005.

[steinjr]

I will keep the small yard in the front portion (I did that this spring and it is an operation gem!) but replace all industries and tracks in the rear half with less but longer and more straight tracks to support modern operation. And I will be back to modern slab buildings. I love white shoe boxes

No matter what you decide on, I know this - it will look great!

Grin,
Stein

[faraway]

The rebuild of the east industry has been started. The three tracks will be straight parallel in the center of a"shoe box canyon" build by two rows of modern industries on the right (up to the backdrop) and left side (up to not interfering with the structures on the hatch). The center track will be used for staging and as drill track for the west industry. The tracks have been arranged as simple and straight as possible to give an impression of more length when switching with a pair of Genset. I am very much inspired by modern structures in Vernon (refer to a prototype photo posted below) and the SSWUPinSA layout.
I did refrain from scrapping all the background area and buildings this time. The center and west side are untouched so far. It is more easy going to rework smaller areas at a time.

[mountaingoatgreg]

It is always interesting to see what you will do next!!

Will you keep the street running or is that going away too?

[faraway]

...Will you keep the street running or is that going away too?

I am afraid the shoe box in the foreground / left will not leave space for an industrial yard, parking lots and a street. I will also avoid RR crossings where the tracks are used for loading or staging. That leaves no chance for street running in that area.

The tracks are laid in the mean time. I am waiting for the glue to set to paint the sides of the rails with brown/black paint. I have to go down town (Stuttgart) on Saturday to get some 1/10" blue foam as base for the industry. It will raise the level at about tie level and is a perfect base for white glue but it will not stick to well to the cork (for the next rework.... ).

At about 10 pm ....
switching can be resumed in the cork dessert

[faraway]

The nasty work of removing the old stuff went so well yesterday I decided to do the west industry today. It is a real mess to scrub the ground cover soaked with water from the cork base.
I will try to use a curved Shinohara turnout I have on stock the first time. Will see if the radius is suitable for long Gensets. The new design eliminates the mixture of facing and trailing points.

[faraway]

That curved turnout is not going to be used on my layout. Test failed!


Some minutes later
Better one track less but no toy turnout and still longer tracks. Still brutal selective compression applied but that is best I can do.

[faraway]

That is the rebuild west industry. Stripped down to one long track. I think that is more suitable for a modern layout and I saved two more turnouts. That completes the new trackage for the east and west industry at the south yard. The next steps will be more enjoyable

[mountaingoatgreg]

Wow that is a sharp turnout...

It looks very sleek and modern, no fluff just the switches you need and trackage to support it.

Keep up the great work!!

[faraway]

First shoe box of the 2012 layout is ready for the paint job.

[Harry]

:o oh mann, good work

[Ralph]

Nice! Say, what do you use to represent the electrical boxes and metal conduit on the outside of your buiildings? Looks great.
Ralph

[faraway]

Nice! Say, what do you use to represent the electrical boxes and metal conduit on the outside of your buiildings? Looks great.
Ralph

The boxes are small pieces of evergreen strip styrene (e.g. 0.1" x 0.125") and the cables are 0.030" styrene strips.

[Tyson Rayles]

Looking good and I agree with Ralph, the conduits and electrical boxes are a great touch and done very well!

[faraway]

I am toying around with some old and new structures to compose an industry. The old kitbashed Cornerstone elevator (notice the old Gern sign from the rear on top) and the General Mills silos fit with the new building. I love this phase of layout building. Nothing is really fixed and everything is possible. A great time to live my fantasies.