Freelance 'Norfolk & Western' secondary.

[Kev1340]

So, after a failed experiment, I have a virgin baseboard! This runs the full length of two walls, 12ft and 10ft, plus a 4 to 5ft at either end on the other two walls - just over 30ft run, ample for an N scale secondary line .... I hope.

As I already have my N scale 'Wisconsin Central' layout, this one is freelance to include all the things I've wanted to model for years, but never had the oportunity. So .... the requirements:

New period: mid 1960s to early 1970s
A car float (told you it was freelance!) probably a 2 track, but possibly 3
A small rural town
A distillery
Primarily 40ft cars
GP9s, switchers etc

It will be constructed using Peco code 55 track and wired for DC control as I invariably run the layout alone.

At present the track plan isn't finalised, bu in essence, the left end of the layout will have the car float and yard with low relief warehouse. The line will then pass through an urban industrial area, up to three industries requiring switching, this along the first half to two thirds of the 12ft wall, then meandering through a rural wooded area before reaching the small rural town along the 10ft wall. Finally the line will end with the distillery at the far right hand end of the layout.

I'm not sure whether to include any passenger service ..... would such a line be likely to have such? It would be possible to have a small depot, even with a freight house and perhaps a team track in the town area .... But it might make the scene too cramped at the harbour end ....

Hopefully I can get a more presentable track plan drawn up in the next few days which I can then post, but I would welcome comments on the concept, especially the passenger quandary, in the meantime.

Cheers,

Kev

[jwb]

The N&W had very little passenger service in the late 1960s, none of it on branch lines. Amtrak got started in 1971, and I don't believe any of it was on any N&W line.

[Tyson Rayles]

How many staging tracks and where will they be?

[railohio]

N&W ran carfloats in Detroit into the NS era.

[Brakie]

The N&W had very little passenger service in the late 1960s, none of it on branch lines. Amtrak got started in 1971, and I don't believe any of it was on any N&W line.

The Powhatan Arrow made it last run in '69 and the Pocahontas was folded into Amtrak in '71 and was dropped from the schedule by Amtrak..

[Kev1340]

Thanks for the feedback guys.

@ JBW: I figured it might be stretching it a bit to have passenger service on a secondary that late ... Makes life easier to omit, though I might still add a disused depot at the town ....

@ Mike: The car float would be the staging, capacity of 12 to 16 (40ft) cars depending whether I go for a 2 or 3 track. The adjacent yard will have capacity for a least double that.

@ Railohio: Thanks for the tip on N&W car floats at Detroit, I'd not managed to come up with anything conclusive that N&W had any. I'll have to search again, but any pointers to more info would be great!

Cheers,

Kev

[Brakie]

@ JBW: I figured it might be stretching it a bit to have passenger service on a secondary that late ... Makes life easier to omit, though I might still add a disused depot at the town ....
------------------------------------------------------
Use the depot as a MOW building or if you feel so incline run a mixed train-C&O ran a mixed train(in Virginia?) into the 60s because of the mail and express contracts.Wasn't much to see a combine attach to the daily local..It was also used as the caboose.Trains Magazine ran a article on it several years ago-70s?

Of course a fence between the station and track and it could be a mom and pop restaurant.

[Kev1340]

Good idea's there Brakie, thanks.

The 'mixed train' could be a neat feature .... If the combine coach is also used as the caboose, does it run at the rear of the train? If I recall correctly, here in the UK mixed trains tended to have the coach at the head end next to the locomotive, was US practice different?

As I said, this is a new period for me, so lots to learn!

@ Railohio: thanks for the Detroit pointer, I have managed to track down a couple of photos and a neat video of the Detroit car float! https://smallmodelrailroads.wordpress.co...il-marine/

Cheers,

Kev

[Brakie]

The 'mixed train' could be a neat feature .... If the combine coach is also used as the caboose, does it run at the rear of the train?
------------------------------
Most railroads ran their combine at the rear of the train where its out of the way for switching moves-much like the caboose.
For runaround moves the combine would be used during the switching if operating rules permitted.Some roads frown upon the idea of a combine being use during a switching move..

[Kev1340]

Thanks for the info Brakie

Cheers,

Kev

[Kev1340]

So, here is the first draft of the track plan:



Sorry it has come out a little faint, but I had take the pic with my cell phone as I don't have access to a scanner right now!

Comments welcomed!

Cheers,

Kev

[Kev1340]

As I had some spare time last night I started laying out the track on the bench work with pleasing results. Having erred on the side of caution when sketching the track plan, I found I had a bit more room than expected at the harbour end, so I made a couple of adjustments.

I have added a fifth track to the yard, and managed to fit a double ended caboose track parallel to the yard ladder. Its absence was concerning me, so I'm pleased it fit in. I have also eliminated one switch from what I'm calling the urban industrial area, and by placing two industries on one track, I have created more space for the food producer, or 'pie factory' I think this will make the area more interesting to switch overall.

Further around the layout I have also added a team track to the left of the town, close to where I will position an old depot.

Hopefully I will get time over the weekend to produce a modified, and hopefully clearer, track plan, and perhaps take a few photos.

Cheers,

Kev

[Kev1340]

Here is the amended track plan, all comments welcome. Though I think I'm pretty close to what I want now, this is set in an earlier era than I'm familiar with, so I may have missed something obvious!



I also took a few photos of the track loosely laid in place to ensure everything fitted, and a few buildings mocked up to give a general idea of what I'm intending:


This is the dock and yard area, showing where the 2 track car float will sit.


I'm referring to this as the Urban Industrial area, the yard and dock are at the far end at right angles to this board.


The Distillery

Lots of work to do over the winter!! Though I'm hoping to make a start on laying the track in the next week or so.

Cheers,

Kev

[faraway]

That track plan will keep you very busy and the size of the layout to be built too.

[Brakie]

Kev,Looking over your design and thinking about a passenger train I would run a 2 coach commuter train from the ferry dock to the distillery.

Why?

The industrial workers that live on the mainland (I converted your layout to a island off the East coast of Virginia :o ) will need a way to get to and from work.

Far fetch yes, but one that has plausible believability.