WOOHOO! Good weather = time to build

[Gary S]

Gary, I have a couple of questions about your trackplan - keep in mind that I didn't have one when I built my layout.

Good to hear from you DocWayne!

I didn't really have a trackplan either. This is an "after-the-fact" drawing.... about 85% of the track is already done. Also remember that about 40% of the shelving came from the garage layout so I had to adapt it to the new room and work with what was already there.

First, I'm curious as to why all of the sidings in Industrial Area 3 face the same way. Certainly it allows more individual sidings for each industry when all of the turnouts face the same way, but varying the directions might make operations a bit more involved. The run-around track makes switching from either direction simple, so why not take advantage of it?

I thought about that too. Since Industrial Area 2 has spurs going both directions, I figured I would make Area 3 all going the same way just to be different. That was really the only reason. I put the run-around there to allow the area to be switched from both directions.

Second, how about a couple of industries on the near side of the tracks? I know that you need be able to see for spotting or picking up cars, but an industry or two between the viewer/operator would seem more logical and would provide something to break up the view a bit.

Another good point and one that I agree with. I have been considering this, but was not sure how to accomplish it properly. There are a couple places where I have some turn-outs going to the front edge that I forgot to draw in on the track plan. (I drew the trackplan totally from memory yesterday when I was at work :o - during lunchtime...) One of these turn-outs is to the left (on the drawing) of the SF yard before the bridge. The other is at Industrial Area 2 near where the layout widens. I figured to put a team track at one of them, and possibly a tank car unloading area similar to what Reinhard has done.

The added benefit would be that it helps to make both the train and its run seem longer when it disappears, even for a short distance and time. Whatever you model could be something fairly "see-through", like a tank car loading/unloading rack, or it could be a large, solid-looking building. Make it as a foredrop industry (truncated like a backdrop building), with a blank wall on the viewing side. Or, alternately, model it as a view-blocking structure, but leave the aisle side open, so operators can look through the trackside windows as the train works through the area. This technique could also be useful as an aid in spotting cars that would otherwise be blocked from view.

I agree that the layout needs some stuff in the front. I can easily add some turn-outs wherever they need to be. I really like the idea of the train dissappearing from view, but what was holding me back was a certain amount of fear in how to do the foreground industries properly. I'm not sure if I like the idea of the "reverse backdrop" building. Do you have any on your layout? Perhaps a photo of how you did it? I'm certainly open to suggestions and your commentary is well taken. I just need some help in coming up with some ideas.

Finally, for your Galveston Branch, or whatever it becomes, why not use that long siding at the top of the Middle Yard, heading left towards the wall? It would probably work better if the yard itself were moved closer to the front edge of the layout, which would allow for some view-blocking structures, but that could still be accomplished with flats or low-relief structures.

Middle yard is there only because it was already built. Originally in the garage, it was one of the "interchange yards" but there was no easy way to put it in the new building. So it just kind of fell into place where it is. Although I wasn't sure how it would be used, I knew it would accomplish something. I need to do some study of the LAJ to seehow they use their yards. Now, concerning that long spur, I see what you mean. It would make a good spot for the Gulf branch. Right now, that spur is serving my plastics molding plant which is almost 5 feet long and this is the only spur of that length. I'll have to see if I can find another spot for the plastics factory if I did use your approach to the Gulf branch. I'll be giving that some thought.

Another option to "figuratively distance" it from the modelled trackage would be to add a sharply-skewed highway overpass crossing all of the tracks, as shown below. The overpass is in green, with a multi-storey non-rail-served structure in blue near the backdrop to disguise both the end of the overpass and the start of the branch. You'd still need to add some view blocks to visually separate the rest of the branch from the "on-layout" tracks.

Great thoughts and suggestions DocWayne. The more you guys talk with me, the more ideas I have to kick around. I don't know why, but I have been shying away from the "reverse backdrop" buildings and the overpasses which end abruptly at the edge of the layout. While the overpass to the edge of the layout is certainly a viable scenic device, I've never really been a fan of it. Still, I need to review some photos of such, and see if I can't change my attitude.

Thanks again for the thoughts!