Gary S Wrote:Industrial District C goes here....

Can't comment, just sitting like a small child on xmas with open mouth in front of my display.

TrainNut Wrote:There's two images that come to mind when I think of Texas. The Alamo and Whup Ass chile.

Hmm. For me, it is that George Strait song "All my exes live in Texas"...

nachoman Wrote:Wow, that is going to be a large layout, and a long mainline! Be careful - some crazy train people may start making your layout room a stop on their vacation itinerary

Kevin, if anyone wants to visit, I would be more than happy to have them. I'm hoping to be far enough along to be on the October Layout Tour here in Houston.

nachoman Wrote:

TrainNut Wrote:There's two images that come to mind when I think of Texas. The Alamo and Whup Ass chile.

Hmm. For me, it is that George Strait song "All my exes live in Texas"...

I miss MY ex.....

(But my aim is improving!)

ocalicreek Wrote:Call me crazy, just don't call me late for an op session on that railroad!

You are welcome anytime.

ocalicreek Wrote:Let's see...Texas...If I recall, I was blown away by one thing I saw in Texas that I'd never seen anywhere else - acres and acres of sunflowers. I've NEVER seen that on a layout. You just may have to be the first. Now all you have to do is order a truckload from scenic express, or figure out a way to make 'em cheap, and start planting. Of course, that would set your layout in the late summer, right? August sometime? Not sure what the window of blooming is on sunflowers grown for seed & oil, but it'd make a nice commodity for grain hoppers or tank cars, and a possible industry.

Also, even though I support organic agriculture and small farms, processed food is a pervasive reality in our world and the railroads are a part of that picture. How about a corn syrup facility? Or maybe an industrial sized bakery? Or perhaps a charcoal facility? Do they ship by rail? Just thinking about mesquite.

Good suggestions for thought, although most of the agriculture is on the far outskirts of Houston, whereas the layout is set to represent the industrial parks near where I work. Mostly housing, one or two story buildings and factories, vacant lots, and wooded areas. Some of the vacant fields are used as cattle grazing.

ocalicreek Wrote:Not sure what to do about your balast color....but I can tell you are vexed by it. Could a balast train be in your future? Are there quarries in that part of Texas?

No quarries because there isn't much rock! Sand pits in some places, black clay in others. There are some pea gravel pits here and there. On the ballast, I'll try sprinkling some lighter color fine sand and glue it down to see what happens.

ocalicreek Wrote:Will there be passenger operations on your layout?

No, just shortline freight.

ocalicreek Wrote:Also, tell me again why you paint the benchwork? Is it because of the spiders? I've heard they don't like white.

Originally, I painted the benchwork because it was in a non-climate-controlled garage. In the new building, I am painting it just becasue I like the look. The underside of the layout isn't going to be a mass of unorganized wiring and magnets and turn-out controls. I plan on keeping it neat and perty!

TrainNut Wrote:It symbolizes history, freedom... the liberty of Texas. Plus, it's within 200 miles of Houston.
Is that too serious a name for an industrial siding?

Actually sounds good, but I'll probably go with something more local. Thanks for the thoughts, though.

Mmmmm.... chili!

faraway Wrote:Can't comment, just sitting like a small child on xmas with open mouth in front of my display.

Reinhard, I wish you were here! With your expertise and speed at putting in the scenery and structures, we'd have this thing knocked out in no time!

Gary S Wrote:Reinhard, I wish you were here! With your expertise and speed at putting in the scenery and structures, we'd have this thing knocked out in no time!

Then what would you do? It seems like your the kind of guy who's always got a big project in progress somewhere!

Gary S Wrote:... Reinhard, I wish you were here! ...

That might happen next year. That is a serious thread... hock:
I am training my patience and create a building real slowly.

TrainNut Wrote:

Gary S Wrote:Then what would you do? It seems like your the kind of guy who's always got a big project in progress somewhere!

Well, then it would be working on rollingstock and locos. Weathering and modifications, adding sound, and all that. Waybills and car cards... maybe look into some computer programs for generating switchlists.

And running some trains!!!!

faraway Wrote:That might happen next year.

Let me know if you'll be over in the states and in Texas!

faraway Wrote:I am training my patience and create a building real slowly.

A lesson that I too need to learn.

Looking good, Gary!

You mentioned removing brick buildings in favor of more modern box style. I think you are probably referring to concrete "tilt ups." I don't know about Texas. When I went through I was on I-40, and didn't get off. Here in California brick buildings will often be found in the oldest town or part of town, while the newer towns or parts of towns will be either cinder block or concrete tilt up construction for industrial buildings. Here in So Cal on the LAJ, the city of Vernon dates back to 1900. The Los Angeles produce market is on Alameda St. a couple of miles South of Union Station, but the meat packers are in Vernon. Most of the buildings are old brick. The other city that the LAJ goes into is the City of Commerce. It was mostly open fields until after WW2. There were a few heavy industries along the Santa Fe mainline, but not much else. Since the early 1950's a lot of industry and warehousing has moved out to the City of Commerce. The only really old buildings in town are in an old military supply depot that was probably built at the outbreak of WW2. The military has pretty much abandoned it except for a small corner that houses a Ca. National Guard battalion. Many of the other buildings are either abandoned or inexpensive warehousing for charitable food banks, cheap imports, etc. The buildings there are mostly wood with typical loading docks, but they are really too small for most large industry.

Otherwise the most common construction in City of Commerce is concrete tilt up. Today, C of C is mostly developed, and the new "mega" warehouses are being built out in Fontana not far from the California Speedway.

Russ, thanks for the great information. Houston is much the same as you mention. The industrial buildings closer to downtown are typically brick, although some of the warehouses and machine shops / metal fabricators would be tin sheet. Also some CMU block too. In the industrial parks on the outskirts (newer) the buildings are mostly tilt-up, but some are still CMU or tin. I'm modeling the outskirts, so I really need the tilt-ups, although a few older structures wouldn't hurt.

I think it was typical in the West that as the country was first settled, buildings were made of wood. After the first, second, or third fire that leveled the entire town, they would switch over to brick. Then in California, at least, they discovered that brick was not very good in an earth quake, so they found ways to reinforce the masonry. What they have done to reinforce the old brick buildings is to cut sections out of the brick walls, put in rebar, and forms, and pour concrete to tie everything together. The concrete tilt up, cinder block , and poured concrete walls have plenty of rebar to reinforce the structure from the foundation to the roof, so that is the material of choice pretty much since WW2. For smaller industrial buildings, steel framing with sheet metal is popular.

Russ, it just dawned on me that Industrial District A could be older brick buildings... perhaps it is closer to the downtown area. District B would be a mixture of older and newer, and District C would be a newer industrial park with more modern buidings.