10-11-2011, 11:56 AM
Since I'm still playing around some with slight track plan variations of my original plan(s); just for the fun of it, I drew up a track plan based on Lance Mindheim's Palmetto Spur track plan, but expanded to fit my bench work:
Even though I'm not that wild about having a long trans-load track on the layout, it does have possibilities and can include some interesting mini-scenes. Plenty of interesting ideas in the Industries Along The Rails topic section.
The deceptively simple track plan provides plenty of operation; just take a look at alcanman's Palmetto Spur layout http://www.the-gauge.net/forum/viewtopic...=46&t=4317 and what he's done with that plan.
Main features on my version of this plan are the two large industries: Food Distribution Facility that spots up to 5 cars and the Candy Plant that can spot up to 3 cars. The trans-load track can handle up to 4 cars for various off-line customers, such as building products, a feed/fertilizer dealer unloading covered hoppers with a portable conveyor and the small crossdock structure where car loads of beer and other miscellaneous commodities might be unloaded. In spite of only having the 3 tracks, the plan still provides destinations for all my equipment types.
I've included the switch leading off the main track to the spur and would stage the train as though it had just entered the spur. This gives a definitive start to the industrial spur, rather than just have the spur end under the highway overpass. Also have a couple of non rail served structures and one out of service track to one of them just to model what you often see around industrial spurs these days.
Since right now, I have a lot of the track off the bench work where I've been playing around with variations of my original plan(s), I may just throw this down today and operate it some to see how it works out. I'd still prefer to have at least one more separate track/industry in many ways, but if this keeps me busy, who knows. If not, then I'll go back to one of the other plans, once I can settle on what industry to place where on those plans.
I'm gradually getting some of my energy back and am getting the urge to start doing something for real, even if it ends up being a simpler track track than I originally envisioned. Had to go get another x-ray of my chest and more blood work done this morning. Man am I sick of being stuck with needles! Go back to the surgeon that installed my DCC decoder next week and if everything is looking and working okay, THEN maybe I can really get going. I'm really wanting to start construction of the food distribution building too, so it may be time to order those large sheets of .060 styrene.
The deceptively simple track plan provides plenty of operation; just take a look at alcanman's Palmetto Spur layout http://www.the-gauge.net/forum/viewtopic...=46&t=4317 and what he's done with that plan.
Main features on my version of this plan are the two large industries: Food Distribution Facility that spots up to 5 cars and the Candy Plant that can spot up to 3 cars. The trans-load track can handle up to 4 cars for various off-line customers, such as building products, a feed/fertilizer dealer unloading covered hoppers with a portable conveyor and the small crossdock structure where car loads of beer and other miscellaneous commodities might be unloaded. In spite of only having the 3 tracks, the plan still provides destinations for all my equipment types.
I've included the switch leading off the main track to the spur and would stage the train as though it had just entered the spur. This gives a definitive start to the industrial spur, rather than just have the spur end under the highway overpass. Also have a couple of non rail served structures and one out of service track to one of them just to model what you often see around industrial spurs these days.
Since right now, I have a lot of the track off the bench work where I've been playing around with variations of my original plan(s), I may just throw this down today and operate it some to see how it works out. I'd still prefer to have at least one more separate track/industry in many ways, but if this keeps me busy, who knows. If not, then I'll go back to one of the other plans, once I can settle on what industry to place where on those plans.
I'm gradually getting some of my energy back and am getting the urge to start doing something for real, even if it ends up being a simpler track track than I originally envisioned. Had to go get another x-ray of my chest and more blood work done this morning. Man am I sick of being stuck with needles! Go back to the surgeon that installed my DCC decoder next week and if everything is looking and working okay, THEN maybe I can really get going. I'm really wanting to start construction of the food distribution building too, so it may be time to order those large sheets of .060 styrene.
Ed
"Friends don't let friends build Timesavers"
"Friends don't let friends build Timesavers"