I'm going to use this thread for my New York & Atlantic layout instead of the other one. (<!-- l --><a class="postlink-local" href="http://bigbluetrains.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=6942">viewtopic.php?f=46&t=6942</a><!-- l -->) thanks again for everyone's input while planning this layout.

I'm redoing some of the track and the buildings that I started so I haven't got much done. I did get some of the scrap yard details done though. Hopefully I'll get more done soon.

While I was looking around Google Maps I noticed this building at the beginning of the lead tracks for the Grand Ave sidings, it has has a cutout in the corner of it for the trains to pass. So I think this is a must to go along with my other odd shaped buildings.




I started adding gravel in the lot and also painted the street and sidewalks.

By the way, I really like the weathering on the cars. This is one thing that I think doesn't ring true on many contemporary ISLs, the cars aren't weathered or graffiti-ed. People can say "I don't like graffiti, so I don't have it on my layout," which is fine, but then, they shouldn't be presenting their work as representative of the real world!

Just yesterday I had to sit at the grade crossing close to where I live, while CN southbound train went through.
Believe it or not, there was not a single car on that train that had any graffitti, or "non-railroad additions". Had I known in advance I would have counted the cars....there were a lot of them. ( then again, I could only see one side of each car ).
Maspeth, now there's a name I haven't seen or heard in a long long time, and I was back on Long Island the second week of May., spent most of that time East of Bay Shore. Montauk was spectacular the day I got out there.

I think graffiti and NYC just go hand in hand so it's almost an automatic to have a realistic Queens setting. I'm a bit of a graffiti fan anyway so they're will be a bunch of tags scattered around the layout not limited to just train cars. One of the NY&A mp15s fell victim of some graffiti a while back, the thought crossed my mind for one of mine but I just don't think I can do it. Besides I think it was removed pretty quickly.

Rscott417,

Since you started a new thread, could you please post an updated track plan here with basic dimensions? I'm really liking how this layout is turning out and would like a quick reference for the locations of the pictures.

Thanks,
Mark

I'll see what I can do, i'm pretty bad at those layout computer programs so I probably won't get exact track plan/radius. Once all my track it back in place i'll take an overhead picture and label the sidings. Also i'm considering changing the lumber siding into Manhattan Beer Distributors, it won't be geographically correct (they aren't on the same branch line as any of the industries i'm modeling) but I can already see i'm not going to like how it turns out as a lumber siding. I can always use the Grand ave team track for the odd lumber delivery. Side topic: I noticed your location is Dumont, I grew up in Northvale.

I decided to go forward with manhattan beer, the building will be arranged something like this with a big roll up door for the interior loading dock. I'm going to try to add an operational roll up door also. Manhattan beer has a long driveway that leads to Metropolitaian ave, so I think I'm going to add Met ave as well. It's not a 2 track crossing in reality but with the addition of manhattan beer the layout is becoming more of a collaboration of the industries in Maspeth and I think Met ave could work here.

The crossing signals on metropolitan ave don't have any lights on the masts just the over head walkway. I removed the lights on an NJ International kit to make it more prototypical, I just have to reconnect the wires.


The other signal has a much longer walkway and I want to use the NJ International highway crossing signal but everywhere I've looked it's sold out. Once I find one I'll do the same thing with the lights.

I got one of the buildings started today, it's sort of a mesh between 2 different buildings in Maspeth. The building with the corner cut out of it along the tracks that I posted above and one building that's on Metropolitan ave right at the crossing. The building on Met ave has an interior loading dock for trucks so instead of hiding it with a blank wall I made it so the loading area is visible and will add a lot more details to the inside. I also made a storage bin for the other side that the building with the cut out has (it can be seen with the satellite image above). I have no idea what type of product they keep in it but I decided to add my version of it.

I don't see any relay cases or battery vaults right near those crossing signals, but I assume they must be someplace nearby, like these:
[attachment=15554]
Seems like every railroady detail you can add on a small layout is a bonus, if you can find where these are on the prototype.

jwb Wrote:I don't see any relay cases or battery vaults right near those crossing signals, but I assume they must be someplace nearby

I didn't notice any either, I was going to do a drive by tomorrow morning on my way home from work and scope out the area. I don't see how they would operate without them.

It could run but couldn't hide, I drove by this morning and the relay box is sitting in a fenced area along the side of the building. The google street view is impossible to see it, every angle has a truck blocking it (same side of western beef just across the tracks). There's also a new fence and I guess you could call a private crossing added to that stretch of track, I didn't go any further to see what it was for.




I had this cabinet laying around, I now have a place for it. Not exact but it'll do.

Don't forget the electric meter near the relay case! If you don't see the battery vaults, then you've got to look for the commercial power connection.

I will include the meter as well.