Modern times / modern equipment

[faraway]

I did take some photos to demonstrate the problems of modern times / modern equipment.

The first photo shows short but sufficient track used by two 50' boxcar and a SW1500 switcher. Both boxcar can be accessed by the trucks and the turnouts are not blocked. Rather dense but acceptable on space constrained layouts.



In modern times box cars are mostly out and gone. Two standard wellcars and a pair of Genset use the very same team track. It is obvious that track is much to short now. The forklift can access one car only. The second car would require the forklift run run on unpaved dirt and the engines block the turnouts.



My lessons learned is that you might shift from transition period with NW2 and 40' boxcar to 1980 with MP15 and 50' boxcar with some minor modifications. But if you go into the 2000'th you need another layout design.

The three stub tracks have been designed with 40' boxcars in mind. The shift into more modern times followed later.

While the other side of the old south yard has been designed with 50' and possible some 60' cars in mind. They hold the covered hopper, reefer and tank car much more easy. The longest track with the tank car looks "spacious" But the right most track (covered hopper) would overflow with wellcars and a pair of Genset.



The new part (harbor / north yard) does not have tracks to right and to the left but uses the full length for one set of tracks only. That is a fundamental design changes required to have tracks long enough to look good with 60' reefer. However, a pair of Genset is still not the preferred engine for that layout.




How do you handle "modern times" on space constrained layouts?

ps. I am talking about ISL only. I have no idea haw to run "modern trains". That topic is left to the Texans and Ohios wit an extra house for their layout