As strange as it seems,the more I look at the track plan for my layout,the more I think I may have created a switching nightmare.
As you will notice the plan contains a runaround track,trailing and facing points turnouts, and some switchbacks. Now it seems to me that it just takes too many moves
to get cars spotted or to pull empties. This especially true with the right side of the plan which has facing points. In my opinion it takes too many moves to either pull or spot
cars at freight area,oil dealer and coal dealer. I think the left side is OK because it has trailing points.This is probably one reason why I have not really run any trains,the plan bothers me and
I'm not sure how to fix it (if it can be fixed).
I would really appreciate some ideas/suggestions on what I might be able to do to simplify things.
There are a few considerations-
1.I spent a lot of time and effort on the car float and tug so I would like to keep that area in place.
2. If possible, save the short track above coal dealer to hold a loaded hopper until it is time to spot it.
3. If it turns out that changes could be made they would need to be made using what I can salvage from the layout,track,switches,etc. and to be honest I am basically in a situation
where I don't have the funds to buy anything that might be need for any changes.
I know that I am probably asking a lot from the forum members but seeing some of the other great looking layouts here I'm sure some ideas/suggestions can be had.
Thanks in advance for any ideas/suggestions.

Since I see you are using XTrkCad, have you tried using its facility to run trains - that way you will be able to see if it is going to be too complicated or not do what you want. If you are stuck without rolling stock I can email you a file for HO, but I'll need your email address

Looks great to me, being as it is a switching layout (meaning the train doesn't really go anywhere) you need all the action you can get. You still have room for plenty of scenery so I wouldn't change a thing.

Thanks for the replies. I appreciate your comments.
Shortliner-when I first designed the layout some 6+ years ago I also used Xtrak and did run trains and then it seemed OK but you know how
the mind works sometimes which is why I needed some fresh input.
Mike-Thanks for the comment. I'm not exactly sure where I could put more scenery unless I add something on the right side at the end of the track that
is above the coal dealer. The back of the layout is the area I need to do something with. In real life there are woods and a river at the rear of where the
industrial park would have been if it had actually existed. I may at some later date see if I can find a backdrop that would work.

Tyson Rayles Wrote:Looks great to me, being as it is a switching layout (meaning the train doesn't really go anywhere) you need all the action you can get. You still have room for plenty of scenery so I wouldn't change a thing.

Mike,That's true but,a "time saver" design should be avoided since there is superior ISL designs even with car floats...I would favor a design based on MR's Beer Line with a twist..The breweries would be on a island thus the need for the car ferry.

I am with Tyson on this one, a switching layout is meant to be switched.



8-)

I agree with Mike and Andy.It is afterall a switching layout.If there are woods on the back side either do a photo backdrop or a painted one.You have roads those are scenery,put vehicles on those roads (more scenery) grass weeds track ballast,signs on buildings .If a prototype scene signs that would help identify the area.(more scenery)

If the layout is built,play with it before adding scenery that will let you find out if you need to change things or not.

Andy,Catt-Thanks for the replies.
I have played with the layout and really did not see any problems other than tweaking the track and switches.
I just felt that perhaps having other people look at it and add their feedback would be a great help.

Larry-when I designed the layout it was never my intention to have it a time saver or any other kind of puzzle layout.
I wanted a layout with a lot of switching action which is what I think i have here. If you have any suggestions I would be interested in them.

Hmmm... I guess you need a small yard with a run around tracks so you can have some space for coming traffic and the traffic that is leaving. We tend to forget when we plan layouts using these wonders of Google Earth that the prototype has a yard or some extra siding to store the cars before they are added to a main line freight of the branch or the town. That is why many of the terminals having some extra trackage or near by. Protoypes are in to saving money and tend to use just enough trackage to save money and time. Maybe you can add another self with a three track yard close your layout?

I recently restudied The Beer Line books track plans and noticed this, in every major switching track was pretty close to a small yard and some yards where pretty close to one other but served different purposes. This was the case with Commerse Street yard and Chessnut Street yard and these were not far away from Humboldt yard. Today the yards may closed and lots of the tracks removed or paved over as with the Beer Line, but todays trains rely much on their operations with a yard somewhere.

Painkiller- Thanks for the reply. The way I designed the layout was that cars are delivered by car float from a small yard down river. If their destinations are empty
then they are spotted. If not there are 2 tracks where they can be held until spots open up. Once inbound cars have been removed from the car float,outbound cars
are put onto the float for the return trip. The car float holds a max. of 4-40' cars.
I have also devised a rather simple system for switching cars.

Bob,I 'm not a fan of switching puzzle type layouts but,do like interesting switching layouts .I like your overall idea.

Here's what I did on a 1' x 10' board.At scale switching speeds and allowing 10 seconds for the brakeman to do his work it can take me up to 35 -45 minutes to switch the industries. I designed this layout by looking at various rail served industrial areas on Google and Bing maps.

It may look somewhat to dense for a modern industrial area. But how about an industrial area founded in 1910 with several rail served industries. One or two must have been important to justify the ferry. In the next 50 years went some belly up, some new have been established, some moved to street service only but all added and removed parts of their buildings.
That results in a mess of industrial buildings in all possible styles in 1960 but still in full operation. The supporting tracks have been extended, shrunk, moved and replaced many times in that 50 years. The result is an industrial area in 1960 to be replaced by a brand new industry park out of town in 1975.
I see something like "59th AND RUST" from Long Island Jack
Just my thoughts looking at the track plan.

Reinhard-you are close to the park's timeline. There is a book in my local library about railroads in NJ. It covers the Bel-Del railroad which in my case is the owner
of the industrial park. The park although fictional would have been located in Warren county NJ alongside the Delaware river. The actual area does have a couple
of small industries. I don't remember dates but at one point in time (possibly in the early 1900's) the Bel-Del was part of the Pennsylvania RR so yes different railroads
could have been in the park. As you mentioned,over time track and industries have changed. I am modeling in the early 50's.
Thanks again for your insight.

Well you still need a yard at least more storage tracks. to keep the flow and to get the freight to the ferry within resonable time. The ports were and still are busy and those ships while in motion are allmost instopable. The best site i know of terminal layouts (which I have eyballed a lot) is this. http://members.trainweb.com/bedt/ and it offer loads, loads and loads of ideas of terminal layouts in all eras. Bernie Kempanski had a nice feature on a C&O terminal in Model Railroads planning few years ago. Though he devoted a 4 x 8 in N-scale, you will incorporate some ideas from it too.



This one is my favorite, which is LV.s operation at Brooklyn which was in service in to the 60.s and though more spacious it had loads of trackage and storage tracks nd a few industry. As a matter of fact, the team track area was the biggest, followed by a tall LV warehouse in the South end. Here is the view of the entire thing. This one does eat a lot of space but I have been close to build it several times, though adapting it to Commercial kit except for the circular freight house.



Funny thing just accross the bridge there was another, yet smaller terminal of another roads terminal. The site is offering, loads of information and inspiration. Your track plan looks great but you do need more storage tracks or less industries.I guess the major industry would be the railroads own freight depot/warehouse.