Stein,On a 8 footer you should have room for 3 industries-the key is to think small-that includes using 9" "snap" switches if necessary.

When building a small ISL its best to throw away the books and use everything to your advantage.

Here's a HO 12" x 8' ISL I built around 10 years ago.It was a nice time passer.

The lead to the first switch was 25". I use Atlas "snap" switches.



The equipment was a Athearn SW7 and 40' cars.

Brakie Wrote:Stein,On a 8 footer you should have room for 3 industries-the key is to think small-that includes using 9" "snap" switches if necessary.

When building a small ISL its best to throw away the books and use everything to your advantage.

Here's a HO 12" x 8' ISL I built around 10 years ago.It was a nice time passer.

The lead to the first switch was 25". I use Atlas "snap" switches.



The equipment was a Athearn SW7 and 40' cars.

No doubt an 8 foot layout (of which 2 foot is the switching lead, and six foot is fixed), using 40' cars, totally fulfill the requirement that the fixed part of the layout will have to fit in 5 feet of length and 15" of depth, and be set in modern times, with logs inbound and wood chips and veneer outbound.

See many 40' cars in such service these days? I would have expected bulkhead flats for pulp wood, about 60-70 foot long 5-7000 cu foot wood chip hoppers, and veneer maybe shipped out on 73 foot center beam cars.

Guess why it was suggested to the OP to consider either backdating things to the era of 40' cars or considering N scale.

Smile,
Stein

Once again I am very grateful for the replies,

I am beginning to think that my concept just won't work, the idea I have in my head is off a rural chip mill set in the hills of Maine or similar, I don't think I could convincingly portray that image in the space I have to my satisfaction.

I do like the concept of the urban layout on the German site, althrough the last time I spoke German was 16 years ago when I was at school so I can only look at the pictures!

I have always liked the Chicago Terminal RR, I think if shift the concept over to Illinois I could do something similar to that on the link and still keep my modern theme using 50ft box cars and similar stock, this where my Backmann 45 tonnes will prove its worth. I do have soft spot for street running so this concept would work for me.

Perhaps when I move house and have bit more space I can pursue my concept of the rural RR.

James.

Perhaps you would be interested in this: http://www.the-gauge.net/forum/viewtopic...=46&t=4944

Justinmiller171 Wrote:Perhaps you would be interested in this: http://www.the-gauge.net/forum/viewtopic...=46&t=4944

Thank you for that some really useful information there.

James,What you want will be hard to do with long modern cars..Think smaller like 50' boxcars-they still load lumber in boxcars..

However..

I like a good challenged..Let me see what I can whip up on a 5 footer using modern cars.

Brakie Wrote:James,What you want will be hard to do with long modern cars..Think smaller like 50' boxcars-they still load lumber in boxcars..

However..

I like a good challenged..Let me see what I can whip up on a 5 footer using modern cars.

Thanks Larry that would be great.

I was thinking that the 50ft box car and the 45tonner and SW1200 I have would be very useful for this project.

Still if I can use a centre beam flat also, they do it on the real Chicago Railroads...

Thanks for the help.

Yours in appreciation a space starved Brit!

Here's one general idea for a finishing mill and loadout .

I call it "The Bear River Corporation"..




The top siding is for centerbeam loading.

The next track is for plywood loading into 50' boxcars

The building is the plywood finishing plant-this is where they sand and grade the plywood..

The track next to the silos is for loading wood shavings into woodchip cars

The bottom track is for logs for the unmodeled main plant.

I use a curve to gain headroom on the switching lead.

Operation.

Check and start the 45 Tonner.

The work.

I would start by pulling the loaded centerbeams and take them directly to the interchange yard (fiddled on the lead) and would return with 2 empty centerbeams.

I would switch out the 2 loaded boxcars(loaded by the 11-7 shift) and replace with 2 empties.

I would now pull the loaded chip car and replace with a empty.

I would check with the log unloading foreman to see if he's has any work.

I would park the engine and go to the rail operation building(a small building with lockers and table with phone) have coffee till needed.

The phone rings(or they could radio you)-they need the empty log cars pulled and replaced with loads.

While switching the log cars you are notified by radio a centerbeam is loaded and needs pulled and a empty spotted.

See how your "day" would go?

James,

The only thing that I could come up with was this inglenook type design. The drill track can hold a 45 tonner and two 50 foot freight cars:



If you want more, consider the idea of an ISL folded around into a loop that fits on a tabletop and comes apart in sections such as my Port Able Railway in 76x38 inch form:



A 56x38 inch form that folds in half:



Or a track plan that was published in the April 2006 issue of Model Railroader called the Great Lakes Northern, You can also find it in the Kalmbach book Starter Track Plans for Model Railroaders. Of course, if you look up the Great Lakes Northern track plan, I'm sure it will turn up.

Mike,That 76x38 inch layout isn't to bad for a small loop layout.One of the best ones I've seen.

I like since its not a spaghetti bowl figure 8 designed.

Thanks Larry,
I wanted to keep the design simple. I was originally going with the 2 piece, but decided on going with a 3 piece. I'm not putting up with a lot of extra space by adding 20 inches, but the rewards are worth it.

I love the Bear River Corporation. I do the same thing that you did by figuring out the traffic flow during an 8 hour shift. Is it a 6x1 ISL?

Mike,That's a 15" x 60" ISL..

I used Atlas "snap" switches and flex track for the curved lead since I wanted to gain headroom for centerbeams since James wanted to used them.

If I was going to build the Bear River Corporation I would back date to the mid 50s and use 40' boxcars and gons for inbound logs and the power would be a 0-6-0T or a shay.

great Plan Lar ry. I would have backdated it too. I have a couple of the old Varney Little Joes that would have gone great with that layout. Isn't it great how a curved track can add track length to a layout?

jhock Wrote:Once again I am very grateful for the replies,

I am beginning to think that my concept just won't work, the idea I have in my head is off a rural chip mill set in the hills of Maine or similar, I don't think I could convincingly portray that image in the space I have to my satisfaction.

It kinda depends on how much track and how many turnouts you try to put into the scene. You can model a simple track plan in 5 foot x 15" area.

Say you wanted to model this chip mill (Ackerman Chip Mill, 34 Hunt Road. Ackerman, MS): http://binged.it/y75ALR

It basically has two longish parallel spurs, and that's it. Could be modeled e.g like this:



Smile,
Stein

And here is Cosineau Wood Products, 3 Valley Road, North Anson ME: http://binged.it/xSlt2P

Could perhaps be modeled like this:


Smile,
Stein