Hi Ed,

I think I go along with Justin but make the short spur straight instead of being angled. I really like this arrangement with 2 spurs either side of the main.
If I had more space, I would use the plan for Palmetto.

Incidentally, which Track Planning software do you use? It looks good and I'm having thoughts about planning a new layout.


regards,

Mal

Mike Kieran Wrote:Ed, I would just leave the crossdock where you had it on the October 11 plan. or put it between the covered hopper transload and the building products to visually break up a long siding.

For now, I'm just leaving things as they are with the long trans-load track and the crossdock at the beginning of the spur. It's similar to the arrangement of the prototype structure on the EFRR. I still sort of feel like I could add one more track to the plan, but this works out pretty well, especially with my limit of 6 cars inbound/outbound. The extra track may really not be necessary. Plenty of operation as it is, without having to have a track and small one or two car industry in every spot on the bench work.

** EDIT **
However, here's another possible variation of the plan with the one additional track:[attachment=9039]Right now, I'm just not sure if this is really necessary, operationally.

alcanman Wrote:Incidentally, which Track Planning software do you use? It looks good and I'm having thoughts about planning a new layout.

Mal;
I'm using the trial version of AnyRail http://www.anyrail.com/. It's easy to use without a long learning curve and has templates for most all major track brands. I especially like how easy it is to work with flex track on this program. Easily curve it as desired, cut it or otherwise adjust the length. It includes a feature that allows you to easily export your plan in JPG, PNG, BMP or GIF format.

The trial version allows you to do anything that you can due with the full version, but limits you to only 50 track items on a drawing. I haven't found that to be a problem with the layouts I've been working on since they aren't basement size empires!

The program sells for $59 USD. One other thing I like is that even though I'm using the trial version, they still update the software on a regular basis.

Thanks Ed,

I'll have a look at Anyrail.
I really like the look of the your latest plan, looks well balanced.

regards,

Mal

After operating my test "Extended Palmetto Spur" (posted Oct 11th) switching layout plan for a few days, I've decided to split the long team/transload track in to two separate tracks; similar to the proposed plan variation that I posted Oct 12th.

Just felt like the long team/transload track didn't look quite right and splitting it in to two separate tracks makes it a bit more obvious that there are three separate industries.[attachment=9079]No big changes really, other than swapping the positions of the Food Service Warehouse and Candy Plant and placing the other industries in locations that just "feel right" to me.

Still including a portion of the "Main Line" to indicate where the spur actually starts and I have a nice long run and plenty of switching room between that point and the first industry switch. Inbound trains will of course be staged on the left side of the plan and after completing an operating session, the outbound cars will be removed from the layout and a new cut of inbound cars staged. There will be at least three non-rail served structures, including one with an out of service spur.

Will change the track around this morning. I still have a desire to go back to a plan with structures on both sides of the spur, since my previous test of such a plan seemed to work out pretty well, but will try this version out for a while. If I'm not happy with this plan and its operation then it'll be back to the drawing board! Other than being able to operate a train whenever I want; I'm not getting anything actually built, and that is getting to be long over due!

I will try and hold off posting any more track plan revisions until I settle on something once and for all. I know it gets old seeing all these major or minor changes and no results!

Don't ever feel that we're tired of your postings. I love to see the planning process and the thought behind it.

Mike Kieran Wrote:Don't ever feel that we're tired of your postings. I love to see the planning process and the thought behind it.

Appreciate that Mike. I do wonder at times if people get a bit bored with seeing all these seemingly endless series of changes that some of us make. Often very minor changes at that. I really need to just go with one plan and built it! I'm not getting any younger....

I've had one of those "why didn't I think of that before?" moments today. You know how you tend to ignore what is right in your own backyard so to speak?

Was in Lexington today looking around town at some of the various rail served industries in the area and went past the Smucker's Jif Peanut Butter plant. So it has me doing some thinking.... (Oh no! That could be dangerous!). Hum? A fairly large industry in a compact area with several car types and located on a former L&N (now R J Corman) industrial spur...

Might do a posting on that facility tonight for the Industries Along The Rails thread and the type of rail service they received when I worked for the L&N and what they receive today.

I did rearrange the track plan on my layout as shown in the posting from yesterday and operationally it's good. Just not sure that I have the two large industries in the right spots. But we'll see where this latest idea might lead before I do anything else.

Don't worry about constant updates. Anyone who isn't interested can just ignore the thread. Those of us who enjoy layout planning or are in process of planning an ISL enjoy following the planning process of others and look for ideas from others as well.

I was thinking about either a preserves plant or a juice plant for car varieties.

I will try and hold off posting any more track plan revisions until I settle on something once and for all. I know it gets old seeing all these major or minor changes and no results!

Ed

-------------------------
Ed,Don't stop! I'm considering stea---er,ahh,ahem,"borrowing" some of your ideas. hock: :oops:

Keep posting-you're a good thought provoker..

Mike Kieran Wrote:Don't ever feel that we're tired of your postings. I love to see the planning process and the thought behind it.

I agree with Mike, keep up the postings Ed as I think that it is a good way to record all your thoughts on the track planning process so that we can also benefit from your experience "working the rails" for real. You are in the position of having the seasoned "critical eye" as to what would be plausible railroad solutions to serving industrial switching spurs.

We on the other hand are for the most part attempting to copy "what the big guys do" without necessarily having complete understanding as to why.

So like Brakie said we are watching this topic so we can "liberate" ideas for our own ISL's.

When you have access to professional knowledge, use it.

Mark

Don't ever stop posting Ed!!1

You empart a wealth of knowledge that all of us need to stay focussed and get advice and ideas from. Us non-rail guys can learn so much from every change you make as you always have a great explination and to why that change is made and what the effect will be... I learn more from you than anyone else and your information is a blessing to us all... Keep the changes comming please!!

I need to get some work done on my ISL before the dust ruins it!!

Brakie Wrote:Ed,Don't stop! I'm considering stea---er,ahh,ahem,"borrowing" some of your ideas. hock: :oops:

Keep posting-you're a good thought provoker..

Mr Fixit Wrote:So like Brakie said we are watching this topic so we can "liberate" ideas for our own ISL's.
Mark

Well feel free to "borrow" or "liberate" anything you like Larry and Mark. Nice to think that anything that I come up with; someone else would want to duplicate or least run with the idea.

Stea--????? Hum?????? What about all those colorful short line IPD box cars! Yikes!!!! If you are thinking of using stea-- then let's go with the Crab Orchard & Egyptian Railroad in the 70's - stea-- IPD box cars and even piggyback flats!
** Edit ** Larry, when I saw Stea.. I thought you were talking about you possibly using steam power on your layout and thus my response to that. Should have read it closer...

Mike Kieran Wrote:I was thinking about either a preserves plant or a juice plant for car varieties.

Mike. Be looking for a new posting on the Industries Along The Rails forum... Maybe another possibility there. http://www.the-gauge.net/forum/viewtopic...=24&t=4911

SSWUPinSA Wrote:Don't ever stop posting Ed!!I learn more from you than anyone else and your information is a blessing to us all... Keep the changes comming please!!

Gee...

Nudge.....

SSWUPinSA Wrote:Nudge.....

I sure need a nudge right now! Haven't worked on the layout or even operated it in over three weeks now. Between the seemingly endless doctor appointments, blood tests (another one in the morning) and finally getting to make my planned rail fan trip, I'm not getting anything done with the layout right now. Also suffering from a general lose of interest right now too. Got a million projects I could be working on, but can't get motivated enough to start on them. Also, too many good ideas keep showing up on The-Gauge that constantly make me think about changing something or trying out a different track arrangement!

Dare I say it? I'm not very happy with the latest track plan arrangement either (posting of Oct 12, 2011). Operationally, it's fine, but it just doesn't quite look or feel right to me. Beginning to think I should have left well enough alone. Back to the drawing board I guess. Maybe I can come up with something a bit better tonight or go back to one of the other plans. We'll see...

Okay gang - let's see what we can do with this.

After a lot of thinking and reviewing my various track plans, this is the basic track plan that I'm pretty sure I want to go with:[attachment=9214]Layout size is 18in X 20ft. It accurately duplicates the track arrangement of this Florida Central industrial spur located in Orlando, FL, from the start of the spur up to the switch just before the second street crossing: http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=nrxhsz8...orm=LMLTCC A very interesting track arrangement and quite typical of industrial spurs with several industries packed in to a relatively tight area.

Even though recently I'd been trying to actually reduce the number of individual industries/tracks on my layout, being able to accurately duplicate a prototype track arrangement really appeals to me and having five separate industries is a reasonable number, since not every one would be switched every session.

Being freelance, my spur will not be located in Florida and I am placing industries on it that appeal to me and that support my freight car fleet. There is ample room to stage a typical 5-6 car train on the left side of the layout and to work all the industries without having to resort to any switching puzzle moves.

Industries are shown as A-E and their potential car capacities shown in parentheses (x). At this point, only Industries A, C and E have been finalized as follows:

Industry A - Food Products Distributor: Tank cars (vegetable oil), Box cars (various food products), Refrigerator cars (meats)

Industry C - Small candy or confections plant: Airslide covered hoppers (sugar), Tank cars (corn sugar) and perhaps Box cars (cocoa beans) depending on what the plant manufactures.

Industry E - Beverage Distributor: Box cars (beer/wine)

The main issue with this plan is what to do with Industries B and D. I'm trying to avoid having structures on the front edge of the layout, even though previous experimenting has shown that to be workable (See the switching session posting of Sep 22, 2011).

So the big question is; what to place at those two locations? We need a destination for bulkhead flat cars and double siding door box cars (lumber) and gravity discharge covered hoppers, such as those that would transport feed/grain or similar bulk commodities.

Right now, about all I can visualize for those locations would be to have Industry B as a small lumber dealer and then have Industry D be a trans-load track where the covered hoppers are off-loaded into trucks.

I also have been toying with the idea of having Industry B represent a soft drink bottler similar to this one located in Lexington, KY,http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=qb7t4b7...orm=LMLTCC that would receive the corn sugar tank cars and where I'd need only model the tank car unloading rack. In that case, the candy plant would only receive the Airslide covered hoppers and perhaps box cars of cocoa beans. I would then have Industry D simply be a trans-load track that would receive the lumber and also off-load the covered hoppers.

Any thoughts or suggestions?