NY&A ISL

[Rscott417]

I have a new track plan for an NY&A switching layout. I took the foundation of the Palmetto Spur plan and added a Bushwick Branch feel to it. The layout will be 8 feet long x 16 inches with a 4 foot removable extension which will include the other end to a runaround. It will have a mixture of industries from the Palmetto Spur plan and sidings found in Bushwick Terminal. I could never compete with Kurt's Bushwick Terminal layout so mine will be semi-freelance. This is the plan I came up with, i'm not great with the track programs but it gives you the idea.



Somewhere in the first 12 inches of the layout will be a grade crossing, and all turnouts are #6. The siding marked with a #1 is going to be a food processor which was on the Pal. Spur plan and will have the same 3 car spot of a tank car, reefer and boxcar. #2 will be a warehouse with a 3 car spot of boxcars. I decided to go with a team track where the runaround creates some extra track space at #3, it's similar to Bushwick Terminal and will be able to accommodate 2 cars which will include gondolas and bulkhead flats of pipe and rebar, covered hoppers of plastic pellets, boxcars of brick and when the team track is slow I can store stone cars destined for Kings Material (which would be located off the layout on the track above the team track). #4 which was the team track for the Pal. Spur will most likely be a warehouse with a 3 car spot of boxcars. Then #5 will be a paper company that will have a 1 car spot of hi-cube boxcars. I'm happy with the plan and think theres plenty of space to switch the industries and creates the use of a wide variety of cars, and I could probably use occasional CSX power since it still has some Palmetto Spur DNA. I probably won't be able to start building for another week or so until everything gets unpacked (moving tomorrow) so thoughts and recommendations are welcomed.

[jcj380]

I'd drop spur 2 and extend spur 1 to have maybe 2 customers. I'm working on a U-shaped contemporary switching plan myself and the majority of proto spurs are pretty long that I've seen or Googled. (I assume you're going modern since you mention CSX.) But I also understand your space constraints. JMO.

[Rscott417]

I'd drop spur 2 and extend spur 1 to have maybe 2 customers.

I thought of doing it that way also but that might require a longer extension, at least that's how the track cad makes it look but to me they don't seem that accurate and once I start building I will look into making one long siding. And yes it will be modern/present day era.

[Brakie]

I'd drop spur 2 and extend spur 1 to have maybe 2 customers.

I thought of doing it that way also but that might require a longer extension, at least that's how the track cad makes it look but to me they don't seem that accurate and once I start building I will look into making one long siding. And yes it will be modern/present day era.

I would opt for a second or even a third car spot like for( say) a covered hopper or tank car which is far superior to the old school " let's play jam the industries on one industrial siding" designing thoughts..

I like your plan as it is now.

[Rscott417]

I would opt for a second or even a third car spot like for( say) a covered hopper or tank car...

Which siding are you referring to?

[Brakie]

I would opt for a second or even a third car spot like for( say) a covered hopper or tank car...

Which siding are you referring to?

Any of the longer sidings could be used..

[jonte]

Hi,

As an (very) inexperienced model railroader with little or no knowledge of the prototype, I doubt I'm the last person to be expressing an opinion. However, and for what it's worth, whilst I like your plan which appears to offer plenty of operational value, I have this 'thing' (for wont of a better expression ) about run round loops on models where only one set of crossover switches is shown (t'other end being 'offscene' so to speak). IMHO, if a loop is to be incorporated, it should be shown in its entirety - nice to see the loco running round in full view in other words - otherwise, best to omit it and employ the push-shove movements which I believe are common place on ISLs (loops can also be more difficult to 'hide' with a view blocker).

I can understand your predicament if 8 feet is all you have at your disposal - run rounds are typically greedy in terms of length especially if you intend to use the amount of stock suggested - however, I feel the loss of the run round would not detract from the overall scene.

Hope you don't mind my saying so.

jonte

[Rscott417]

Hope you don't mind my saying so.

jonte

Not at all, I enjoy constructive criticism. However Bushwick Terminal has a pretty limited runaround to begin with, it has a grade crossing in between the switches which cuts back it's car capacity and if I had to take a guess I'd say they could only runaround 7 cars tops. I always see discussions referring to runarounds having to be 15 feet to be prototypical but BT is a perfect example of one only being about 400-500 feet long. When I operate the layout not every industry needs to be switched all at the same time either, so I can switch 2 maybe 3 customers in 1 session and have room to sort cars around and still be able to use the runaround. Also I'm not limited to 8 feet for a layout, In fact the wall that this will be up against is probably 20 feet long, I'm trying to limit myself and not let the layout take over my apartment, if I need to add a foot I might consider it but not much longer than that.

[Mike Kieran]

I really liked the plan. I see an enjoyable layout with infinite possibilities.

I was just wondering why is the runaround there since all of the spurs are pointing the same way? Are you running the train in from stage left and then running the engine runs around the train to switch it? That works. I'm just worried about having two tracks that have to match up with the drop leaf at the end (please don't take it as a critique, I was just wondering about the operating scheme).

I agree that a runaround doesn't have to be 15 feet long. The problem with runarounds is that the drill tracks at both ends have to be a little long to handle a locomotive and some cars. Figure that if a spur holds 2 cars and you are exchanging 2 cars, the drill track needs to hold a locomotive and 4 cars. In the 12 feet that you have, it gets a little tight.

What I propose is an ISL with a scenery on the drop leaf (maybe a fold up backdrop) and a yard type layout:

   

The train can arrive (staged) on the middle track or it can be dropped off to be switched by the Bushwick Avenue Switcher permanently assigned there. The tracks are top to bottom as follows:

Track 1 is a food processor that handles from left to right: tank cars, box cars/reefers, and covered hoppers.

Track 2 is a 48 inch track for car storage/sorting with a manufacturing company at the end (box cars, tank cars, gondolas, plastic pellet covered hoppers, covered hoppers, flat cars, coil cars)

Track 3 is the arrival/interchange/sorting/departure track that is 72 inches long.

Track 4 has 36 inches available for car storage and has a building supply on the end of the track with a covered hopper unloading facility (for cement, sand, salt, etc) and space to unload building materials from box cars, center beams, and flat cars. You could blank out the truck roll doors on the Medusa Cement.

Track 5 has a team track and a loading dock for paper rolls.

[kamerad47]

I like the 1st one with the curved siding !!!! It looks like old track trying to fit in the modern day I like that look!! everything straight looks to cookie cutter for me !!!! the new bachmann 50' 6" boxcars have opening doors!!!!! I have 2.

[Rscott417]

I was just wondering why is the runaround there since all of the spurs are pointing the same way? Are you running the train in from stage left and then running the engine runs around the train to switch it?

Yes that is exactly how it will be operated


I hope Kurt doesn't mind me using the track plan he drew up but his layout is almost an exact replica to Bushwick Terminal and as you can see can only runaround 4-5 cars and his layout is 12 feet long. It's accurate to the prototype and the runaround will stay.

.

[Mike Kieran]

Nice track plan. Good luck!!!

[Rscott417]

Very slight revision, hopefully turning the curved siding in the opposite direction makes it look a little less cookie cutter.

[Mike Kieran]

It also gives you more of a reason for the runaround. Keep in mind, I have no problem with runarounds. I just think people often forget to make the drill tracks long enough. I like alot of what Lance Mindheim says, but it's only one person's opinion.

[Brakie]

Very slight revision, hopefully turning the curved siding in the opposite direction makes it look a little less cookie cutter.

Your original plan is much better.