Freelance 2013-2 (MAW)

[Sumpter250]

Reinhard,
The delight is in the little, often forgotten, details ! Like the Tarp, and the trees and shrubs outside the fence, and the relative simplicity of the building exteriors. I am liking this !

[faraway]

The rural nature of the MAW oriented freelance layout was expressed by two patches of trees and shrubs. Problem is I am city boy......
With the new little industry built last week (still incomplete) came my urban preference back and the green patches became perfect new homes for two old friends from Vernon (the only saved buildings, just put on the grass at this moment).
The newly added loading docks are a welcome side effect.

Welcome back urban scenery...... :o




I did never temper with the urban scenery (structures inspired by LA warehouse district prototypes) on the hatch left to the east industry (new building visible in the background)


Transforming a small layout is an easy task done in less then 30 minutes......

[FCIN]

Welcome back urban scenery...... :o

Reinhard; I sure understand your interest in the more urban scenery (as do I), but hate to see that great looking elevator complex cut down in size. But if it doesn't work for you, then change is the name of the game. Great work as usual!

[lajry]

Reinhard
That surge bin looks soooooooooooooooo inviting for a hopper or two. AND the spur would be street running too.

[faraway]

Well, the grain elevator complex and an urban layout theme is a problem. The small country elevators/bins do not match in a city and the huge grain silos found in urban environment do not fit on my small layout. I intend to remove the remaining elevator too and replace it with another industry.
The old out of order surge bin is "decoration" only. There is not leg/elevator to fill it. That is the reason for the tarp to have a logical expiation for an obviously none operational surge bin. It represents residual equipment from a former use of the building complex.
I am somewhat exhausted swapping buildings. I think it is time to rethink the entire layout and do a complete rebuild. I was to lazy to do so this year in April when my inactive six month started. There are about 5 month left to plan for a really new layout to be started in April 2014.

However, I will continue to enjoy the layout operation and small updates over the winter season.

[Painkiller]

A new layout? This will be interesting. I have loved the transformation from a rather busy industrial trackage to more rural and and the recent steps back. Any ideas on the new layout you like to inform us?

[faraway]

A new layout? This will be interesting. I have loved the transformation from a rather busy industrial trackage to more rural and and the recent steps back. Any ideas on the new layout you like to inform us?

Not really. I am still as confused as usual. There are at least 10 scenarios I would like to build.... I think I will end up with one that permits easy transformation into other scenarios.
A lesson learned is to plan for tracks, wide streets and sidewalks in advance. I missed the sidewalks and suffered from that failure when I did the Vernon layout. The to narrow street was a pain too until it got demoted to a privat road.
I will stay with as few switches as possible and have the tracks as long as possible (you never know when pair of Gensets with do switching ).

[Painkiller]

I guess that is the way to go, the prototype does not spread around track and switches all over the place as it is matter of cost and keep things in working order. Your layout changes since the latest track rework is a proof once you settle for a good trackplan, the setting can be just about where ever. Naturally there will be a few compromises as like a four meter wall seems to be huge but in real life it is less than 400 meters.so you have to do some compromises or be doing a few tricks. I havebeen thinking about same issues as you as I am one of those who has more than abit of everything and change my mind allmost weekly. A basic track plan with an option to change reas and settings is the call for me to when I get the time to build my own. these threads of yours have been very educational!

[macmiller]

Who says you can't have elevators in a city setting?

This one is practically in the downtown district of Ft. Worth, TX:
https://www.google.com/maps?q=32.760798,...1&t=h&z=19

There are at least 3 more within a few miles and about 10 miles to the north are some of the largest in the U.S.

[faraway]

Who says you can't have elevators in a city setting?

This one is practically in the downtown district of Ft. Worth, TX:
https://www.google.com/maps?q=32.760798,...1&t=h&z=19

There are at least 3 more within a few miles and about 10 miles to the north are some of the largest in the U.S.

I know them very well. Have been there several times and was deeply impressed. They are very visible from the interstate if you come from Dallas. But I was talking about the small country elevators. The elevators in the cities and even worse in the harbors would not even fit into our apartment :o

ps. This is what I wrote "The small country elevators/bins do not match in a city and the huge grain silos found in urban environment do not fit on my small layout."

[fwwrmodeler]

Who says you can't have elevators in a city setting?

This one is practically in the downtown district of Ft. Worth, TX:
https://www.google.com/maps?q=32.760798,...1&t=h&z=19

There are at least 3 more within a few miles and about 10 miles to the north are some of the largest in the U.S.

This is the Purina Mill in FT Worth, that the FWWR serves using the UP main line just past Peach Yard just before going into FT Worth Grand Central Station. If I ever did a real large layout that I was able to incorporate this mill into it would be real cool. The industry has the main line go between the main lines. The silos are on one side and the mill is on the other side. Lots of switching, the Peach Yard is just North of it. Ive spent couple of hours down there on day just watching the FWWR switch cars. The Mill uses a tractor with a coupler attached to the bucket to switch cars for the Elevator and the mill also. It has, I think 6 different spurs for box, tank and grain cars . Pretty cool to watch the FWWR thread the rails at this industry while staying out of the way of the UP main line.

[faraway]

It is relative close but I have never been there. The elevators of Saginaw TX (just north of FTW at the 287) are a preferred background of tons of engine photos. They look very impressive.
https://maps.google.de/maps?q=saginaw+tx...e&t=h&z=18

[lajry]

Reinhard
Some rough calculations using Google's scale shows it to be about 1400' long. That's about 16' or 5.5 meters in HO scale! You've got that much space in your layout room right?

[faraway]

Works on more details for the old industry resumed today.

[Rscott417]

Very cool. I like (what I think is supposed to be) the caution tape around the bin, great details.