<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.shapeways.com/product/4RE3PB3FC/pack-dock-plates-ho-1-87-scale">http://www.shapeways.com/product/4RE3PB ... 1-87-scale</a><!-- m --> - I believe that Showcase Miniatures (Century Foundry) also do them in HO

The dock plates are stored inside behind the close roller gate when not in use, right. But I may put some on my open loading ramps on the other buildings.

Reinhard,

Check out <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.copperloy.com">http://www.copperloy.com</a><!-- m --> under their section dock plates they have a video showing the plate in use. It is not being used in a railcar but the principle is the same.

Bruce

Couldn't help but notice that it looks like they ripped off the Peterbilt logo.

faraway Wrote:The dock plates are stored inside behind the close roller gate when not in use, right. But I may put some on my open loading ramps on the other buildings.

Reinhard,

You are correct, the dock plates are stored inside the roll up doors. Where I worked we used them on truck loading docks. We used a hydraulic dock plate that was two piece and hinged in the middle. When it was raised up, it was folded and perpendicular to the floor in the stored position. When it was used, it unfolded in the middle and extended out to full length. As you might expect it was much easier on the hydraulic motors to extend it in sections as opposed to carrying the weight of an entire one piece plate.

Larry

CR SW1500 of Athearn's current edition without the Q scheme.

I love SW1500's :-)

I have started to rework the layout to become a contemporary light industry area.

First test steps are:

1. Replace the west end industry with a lumber dealer. Plain PikeStuff buildings (on order) will be used

2. Replace the very old east end industry with the more modern west end industry temporary

3. Replace the center buildings blocking the view with a scrap yard
4. Replace the old background brick building with the modern Walthers Bud Trucking (on order)


Reasons are
1. I have to admit that the brick buildings are extreme beautiful but they are simple not my style of a layout
2. The brick canyon looks great but continuous switching with limited sight becomes a pain after some time
3. I prefer overall light friendly colors over the old dominating brick brown
4. I retire in 11 days ....

The removed styrene structures are saved and could be pit back if the plan does not work at all. The Downtown Deco buildings are untouched in the first step. They are to delicate to be removed, stored on the floor and possibly put back. I intend to put them in a wardrobe in the basement after I freed up some space.

I will rework and detail the layout from west to east (right to left). No track rework is planned so far.

First operating session in the free space viewed from my chair

Moved some buildings and make some quick and dirty modifications to keep the east end populated and operational while I start rebuilding the west end.



Looks not to bad, is easy to operate and there is still a short canyon. Might be the section of "old industry" stays longer than planned.

Reinhard
Just had a thought looking at your Horowitz Garment building. Don't think there's any good reason why that building couldn't be used for another kind of product. Just put a "newer" looking sign on it & switch away!

Ahh, more changes :-) by now probably 9 days remaining until you retire. With all that extra time available, I don't think we will be able to keep up with the changes this layout is going to see… :-)

Reinhard,

On March 8th you posted a set of four photos, would like to know who makes the crane with the grapple hook in the scrap yard?
Can't wait to see what new changes we are going to see in the near future.

Bruce

bdw9535 Wrote:Reinhard,

On March 8th you posted a set of four photos, would like to know who makes the crane with the grapple hook in the scrap yard?
Can't wait to see what new changes we are going to see in the near future.

Bruce

Bruce, I mixed two models. The crane is a Volvo EC240 made by Cararama and the grapple is from a Busch Weimar "Mobilbagger mit Schalengreifer"
Two links of similar models currently at eBay
Crane: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.ebay.de/itm/Volvo-EC240-Bagger-Cararama-Baufahrzeuge-Modell-1-87-Neu-OVP-/400840873789?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_77&hash=item5d53fa573d">http://www.ebay.de/itm/Volvo-EC240-Bagg ... 5d53fa573d</a><!-- m -->
Grapple: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.ebay.de/itm/Busch-H0-Weimar-Mobilbagger-mit-Schalengreifer-Art-Nr-42883-Standmodelle-/231494795064?pt=DE_Modellbau_Modelleisenbahnen&hash=item35e62a3f38">http://www.ebay.de/itm/Busch-H0-Weimar- ... 35e62a3f38</a><!-- m -->

I got both and joined them when I was busy with this Chicago location some month ago
Google: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="https://maps.google.de/maps?q=Chicago,+Illinois,+USA&ll=41.844283,-87.670892&spn=0.000639,0.000625&t=h&cid=12673312613543755776&hnear=Chicago,+Cook+County,+Illinois,+USA&z=21&iwloc=A">https://maps.google.de/maps?q=Chicago,+ ... 21&iwloc=A</a><!-- m -->
I searched the internet extensive to find a suitable crane made for scrap handling in scale 1:87 but failed. Therefor the expensive sidestep to join two models.

There's also this one <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/405-11282">http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/405-11282</a><!-- m -->

bdw9535 Wrote:Reinhard,

Check out <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.copperloy.com">http://www.copperloy.com</a><!-- m --> under their section dock plates they have a video showing the plate in use. It is not being used in a railcar but the principle is the same.

Bruce

Thanks for the link Bruce, that is an interesting site to visit.
Mark