Gone.. but not forgotten

[jerseycentraluk]

Talltim asked for some more pictures and information about my last layout that I referred to in my "All change....new start" thread
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He suggested starting a new thread to share the pictures from the layout that is no more..!

I wanted a layout that was built for operations, not an easy proposition in a space less than 12’x10’.
It was designed as a point to point with 2 branches, but with the option of continuous running. To be honest I hardly ever used the continuous run…



Although initially built as a DC layout, the advent of DCC added extra operational potential to what was a less intensive operation. Rather than each train operating as a way-freight turn, switching the yard and each industry as they passed, trains were set up to pick up and drop off from the yard, allowing the two yard switchers (I had to find somewhere for all those nice locos) to organise the arrivals and departures in the yard and switch the local industries on the main.



Both branches had their own switcher and trains were scheduled to bring freight on and off each branch. The sand branch used predominantly 2-bay covered hoppers and the harbour branch handled nearly every sort of car type.







The car float was scheduled to sail twice a day and would return with the same cars to save extra handling of cars. The loaded cars that left would return empty and vice versa.
This area never got to be completed. So buildings were photocopies of kit parts backed with foamcore board to provide a screen for the staging area behind.



Operation of the float included the use of idler cars to keep the switcher of the float bridge.

I didn’t want to replicate this operation..!


(Picture from Central Railroad of New Jersey Historical Journal - 2002)

Freight car types that did not have online consignees or shippers were loaded with goods to move from offline industries in one staging area to the other.
Using Ship-It to generate traffic, and a timetable of trains the operation kept two operators initially, and later three of us busy every other Tuesday night for the best part of eight years.

Passenger trains were run as well, often to the annoyance of the yard switching crew, when they had blocked the main when a pair of CNJ Budds were due to come through.

I even managed a quick operating session with my best man on the morning of my wedding..!!



I have some other photos. I will post them if i can find where I saved them..!!

I do have some video footage as well, but I need to edit that into something that I can upload as its all HD.

I know.. excuse.. excuses...
I will post that footage as soon as I can.