11-15-2012, 12:50 PM
Some of you may have noticed that my avatar has changed to Port Able Lines. There's a reason for that. I plan on building 2 layouts shortly. One will be the loopty loop that I've been designing for over a year and a half that will be expanded to 66 x 42 inches. This layout will be known as the Port Able Southside Railway. The second layout will be a 3 piece 9x1½ shelf industrial switching layout known as the Port Able Industrial Railway.
![[Image: 8187473721_89a33ee537_o.jpg]](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8345/8187473721_89a33ee537_o.jpg)
![[Image: 8187948963_668c8db701_o.jpg]](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8348/8187948963_668c8db701_o.jpg)
The Port Able Railroad is a shortline located on the Connecticut shoreline that took over an abandoned branchline of the Atlantic Lines in 1937. The end of passenger service after the closure of Neptune Park Amusement Park in 1935 and low freight traffic due to the closure of the Port Able Shipbuilding Company, spelled doom for the Port Able Branch.
The line was originally 5 miles long, but it was cut back to 2.75 miles where the lines remaining freight customers were located. Trains went up the branch to Port Able locomotive first and returned to the interchange at Twain Street caboose first.
Fearing that shutting down the rail line would put them out of business in an already depressed economy, the three remaining freight customers on the line, Whist Furniture Corporation, RU Ready Mix Company, and the Nemo Fish Company Inc, purchased the branch from the Atlantic Lines. Along with the purchase were an 0-4-0 tank engine and an old wood caboose.
The railroad has 4.3 miles of trackage (2.75 route miles) and still serves the original 3 customers. Car loadings are about 850 cars per year and trains run five days a week (Monday to Friday, or as needed).
An interesting feature of the railroad is that it has no runaround track. Since it branched off of the mainline at East Haven and continued on into Port Able's waterfront for the Port Able Ship Yard and ending at the beach/amusement park (Neptune Park).
The Port Able Railway still serves its original 3 customers. Whist Furniture receives up to 10 freight cars of fabric, stuffing, lumber, hardware, parts, and packaging and ships out up to 5 box cars of furniture per week. RU Ready Mix Company receives up to 10 freight cars per week of cement, sand, and gravel. Nemo Fish Company receives and ships out 5 cars per week of frozen fish. The Railroad has its fuel delivered by a local fuel company and pumped straight into the locomotive’s fuel tanks.
In 1977, the Atlantic Lines decided to also decided to abandon the Industry Avenue Industrial Track about 2 miles away from the Port Able Railway. The line served Regina Foods Inc., Port Able Building Supply Co., and the City Salvage Corp. The traffic handled is about 1500 cars per year in this operation. The Port Able Railroad also built an engine house and shops on the Industry Avenue property to handle maintenance of its fleet and for car repairs.
Regina Foods receives up to 20 cars per week and ships out 5 cars of foodstuffs. Port Able Building Supply receives up to 5 cars per week of building materials. City Salvage ships out up to 10 cars per week of scrap and recycled materials.
As a result of the Industry Avenue Industrial Track purchase, the railroad decided to call itself the Port Able Lines and to refer to its two rail operations as the Port Able Southside Railway (the original line) and the Port Able Industrial Railway (the Industry Avenue Industrial Track). Both Lines will still use the Port Able Railway reporting marks (PA), but be run as 2 separate operations.
The layout is basically going to be a 66 inch by 42 inch loop of Atlas Code 83 track with 3 Snap Track turnouts. Trains will be between 2 to 4 cars long plus the engine and caboose.
I'm modeling the summer of 1979 because I love the shortline Incentive Per Diem box cars that were all over American rails during the 1970's. I also have a few steam switchers around (I love those Varney diecast Lil Joes), so I can switch to a steam era with very few changes.
As an apartment dweller in Brooklyn, NY, space is at a premium. The name of the railroad explains its concept. The layout comes apart into three 22 inch by 42 inch pieces to be (portable) and it will sit on my dining room table (por table). I've been toying with this layout design for 10 years and came to the realization that I was over designing my layout. I then decided to keep everything simple in design, concept, and cost. While it's not a groundbreaking design, it will keep me happy for many years to come.
The streets are arranged so that they curve off at the end and the buildings form canyons to lead the viewer’s eye down the street. This negates the need for view blocks since the buildings will do it for me.
The Port Able Industrial Railway is going to be a 9x1½ foot industrial switching layout that will divide into three 3 foot pieces for easy transport to model railroad shows. At three feet in length, the pieces can fit into the back seat of a compact car. I may even make an adapter piece so that the two railroads can connect when the space becomes available.
PORT ABLE LINES RAILWAY CORPORATION
Port Able Industrial Railway
Port Able Southside Railway
Port Able Industrial Railway
Port Able Southside Railway
The Port Able Railroad is a shortline located on the Connecticut shoreline that took over an abandoned branchline of the Atlantic Lines in 1937. The end of passenger service after the closure of Neptune Park Amusement Park in 1935 and low freight traffic due to the closure of the Port Able Shipbuilding Company, spelled doom for the Port Able Branch.
The line was originally 5 miles long, but it was cut back to 2.75 miles where the lines remaining freight customers were located. Trains went up the branch to Port Able locomotive first and returned to the interchange at Twain Street caboose first.
Fearing that shutting down the rail line would put them out of business in an already depressed economy, the three remaining freight customers on the line, Whist Furniture Corporation, RU Ready Mix Company, and the Nemo Fish Company Inc, purchased the branch from the Atlantic Lines. Along with the purchase were an 0-4-0 tank engine and an old wood caboose.
The railroad has 4.3 miles of trackage (2.75 route miles) and still serves the original 3 customers. Car loadings are about 850 cars per year and trains run five days a week (Monday to Friday, or as needed).
An interesting feature of the railroad is that it has no runaround track. Since it branched off of the mainline at East Haven and continued on into Port Able's waterfront for the Port Able Ship Yard and ending at the beach/amusement park (Neptune Park).
The Port Able Railway still serves its original 3 customers. Whist Furniture receives up to 10 freight cars of fabric, stuffing, lumber, hardware, parts, and packaging and ships out up to 5 box cars of furniture per week. RU Ready Mix Company receives up to 10 freight cars per week of cement, sand, and gravel. Nemo Fish Company receives and ships out 5 cars per week of frozen fish. The Railroad has its fuel delivered by a local fuel company and pumped straight into the locomotive’s fuel tanks.
In 1977, the Atlantic Lines decided to also decided to abandon the Industry Avenue Industrial Track about 2 miles away from the Port Able Railway. The line served Regina Foods Inc., Port Able Building Supply Co., and the City Salvage Corp. The traffic handled is about 1500 cars per year in this operation. The Port Able Railroad also built an engine house and shops on the Industry Avenue property to handle maintenance of its fleet and for car repairs.
Regina Foods receives up to 20 cars per week and ships out 5 cars of foodstuffs. Port Able Building Supply receives up to 5 cars per week of building materials. City Salvage ships out up to 10 cars per week of scrap and recycled materials.
As a result of the Industry Avenue Industrial Track purchase, the railroad decided to call itself the Port Able Lines and to refer to its two rail operations as the Port Able Southside Railway (the original line) and the Port Able Industrial Railway (the Industry Avenue Industrial Track). Both Lines will still use the Port Able Railway reporting marks (PA), but be run as 2 separate operations.
The layout is basically going to be a 66 inch by 42 inch loop of Atlas Code 83 track with 3 Snap Track turnouts. Trains will be between 2 to 4 cars long plus the engine and caboose.
I'm modeling the summer of 1979 because I love the shortline Incentive Per Diem box cars that were all over American rails during the 1970's. I also have a few steam switchers around (I love those Varney diecast Lil Joes), so I can switch to a steam era with very few changes.
As an apartment dweller in Brooklyn, NY, space is at a premium. The name of the railroad explains its concept. The layout comes apart into three 22 inch by 42 inch pieces to be (portable) and it will sit on my dining room table (por table). I've been toying with this layout design for 10 years and came to the realization that I was over designing my layout. I then decided to keep everything simple in design, concept, and cost. While it's not a groundbreaking design, it will keep me happy for many years to come.
The streets are arranged so that they curve off at the end and the buildings form canyons to lead the viewer’s eye down the street. This negates the need for view blocks since the buildings will do it for me.
The Port Able Industrial Railway is going to be a 9x1½ foot industrial switching layout that will divide into three 3 foot pieces for easy transport to model railroad shows. At three feet in length, the pieces can fit into the back seat of a compact car. I may even make an adapter piece so that the two railroads can connect when the space becomes available.
Mike Kieran
Port Able Lines
" If the world were perfect, it wouldn't be " - Yogi Berra.
Port Able Lines
" If the world were perfect, it wouldn't be " - Yogi Berra.
