Freelance 2012
#16
Reinhard, a lot of freight cars built during WW2 utilized wood sides to save metal for use in weapons or war production. If the "war emergency" cars were still in decent shape after the war, the railroads would continue to use them.
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#17
Freelance 2012 work has been started. A freelance brick warehouse is the first new structure. Walthers modulars are used for the front. I got two bulk packs at a special sales rate about two years ago.

[Image: IMG_1110.jpg?t=1323809263]
Reinhard
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#18
Looking good! Cheers
Mike

Sent from my pocket calculator using two tin cans and a string
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#19
Looking at the lower part of your photo, the track in the dirt, reminded me of something I shot near Fontana, CA (maybe 40 miles east of LA) several years ago:    
   
This might give you some ideas on how to junk up the area and add brush and small trees. In my view, many ISLs built to US prototype (in the UK especially) are way too neat.
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#20
As a German it was very obvious to have some kind of green everywhere. The soil, the rain and the seeds everywhere in the air let some kind of green grow everywhere.

I learned on my trip to LA and Vernon the opposite is true in Vernon. I inspected in detail (and took photos) around UP Downey yard, BNSF Malabar yard and LAJ A yard. All three yard are extreme clean. No piece of green anywhere. I learned that it is usual to massive spray the track area. Only low use and unused industry tracks had some green.
That is the long explanation why my current layout (designed to represent the current time) is so clean.

This is a low used industry track
[Image: IMG_0937.jpg?t=1311822289]

But the yards are absolute clean
[Image: IMG_0919.jpg?t=1311822221]

However, may I ask how the tracks looked at the warehouse district 1949? Did they spray chemicals like today or did they physically remove the green? The old photos from the patch look also quite clean.
Reinhard
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#21
I think what you're showing is that some tracks are neater than others, but even on the LAJ, there's lots of grass, junk, and weeds:
   
   
On main line track, it's common for section crews to pick up items along the right of way that fall off trains: grain doors, dunnage, steel strap, and so forth, since it's a safety hazard for crews who have to walk a train to inspect for defects. Here's what happens to that stuff:    
It gets collected, put in drums, and if it's burnable, it's burned in the drums, especially in the winter. Scrap steel is picked up by work trains periodically and sold. But the point is, it's got to go somewhere: either it stays by the track (and thus becomes fun detail subjects) or it gets collected (and thus becomes fun detail subjects).

Here's a loading ramp in the warehouse area in the 1980s:
   
Note the dunnage and strapping. This could have happened just as well in the 1950s: some customers were good about cleaning this up, others weren't.

Here's a scene just north of the warehouse area, when SP tracks still ran down Alameda St (1980)    
Even though the track is in or near the street, it isn't completely neat.
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#22
jwb, I see what you mean. I will put some more weed and junk on the layout when it comes to the details. Thanks for pointing me at that important detail.
Reinhard
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#23
I am not sure what kind of "door" can be used 1949 at the loading docks of my first brick structure
- rolling gates, they are the most prominent gates toady but how about 1949?
- outside sliding gates would not fit due to the wall pillars
- old wooden double swing doors? might be to old fashioned.
- modern steal double swing doors?
Reinhard
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#24
faraway Wrote:I am not sure what kind of "door" can be used 1949 at the loading docks of my first brick structure
- rolling gates, they are the most prominent gates toady but how about 1949?
- outside sliding gates would not fit due to the wall pillars
- old wooden double swing doors? might be to old fashioned.
- modern steal double swing doors?


Reinhard,

I would use a one of the panel doors from RIX Products. I know panel doors in the early 50's with windows were prevelant in our area and especially in warehouses. I guess back then you didn't need to worry as much about someone breaking the glass and getting in. This is especially true since it is a loading dock door and several feet off the ground. However, I would stick with a square plate window.

Larry



Pikestuff
541-1101 30 Panel Garage Door (2 each) (HO) 2.75


Smalltown via Walthers Part #699-4 10 x 12' $2.75 each
[Image: 38602333733373.gif]
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#25
Work continued at the building. I could find three gates that looked like the ones recommended. The forth one got an older one and the last two are out of operation since some years. They have been closed with very different bricks. The partial open gate behind the car is not intended for boxcars but they have a small cart on rails to move things around.

ps. I did carefully use fife different shades of gray and they look all the same on the photo. That is not fair Nope

[Image: IMG_1114.jpg?t=1324055171]
Reinhard
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#26
What kind of fence has been used around industries in 1948?

- The wood fence
- The chain linked fence (also with three lines or barbed wire on top)

I would like to use both if that matches the prototype at that time.

[Image: IMG_1115.jpg?t=1324065499]
Reinhard
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#27
Chain link and wood would both be correct -- also sometimes wrought iron, though not the fancy sort.
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#28
I have put the restructuring on hold.

The layout with growing brown brick buildings, 40' brown boxcars, tiny HH600 switcher and old fashioned automobiles and trucks might become a decent layout of the transition area. But it does not match my desire at all! It is not the right way for me to take the track plan as given and arrange the operation accordingly.
I like the modern times with Genset, high cube boxcar etc. Because the current layout/trackplan does not support what I want it needs to be changed not vise versa!

I will keep the small yard in the front portion (I did that this spring and it is an operation gem!) but replace all industries and tracks in the rear half with less but longer and more straight tracks to support modern operation. And I will be back to modern slab buildings. I love white shoe boxes Wink

This is what I want:
[Image: IMG_0937.jpg?t=1311822289]
Reinhard
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#29
Then do what you want.
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#30
I think it's neat how quickly you are able to do a good representation with mockups, and decide which way to go. Either way will look great I'm sure.
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