01-27-2021, 09:47 PM
As things are moving along and the preliminary track plan has been created it is time to think about what I want out of this version of the layout.
The size of the layout will be 68 inches wide and 14 to 16 feet long. An additional piece will be added to the layout extending it another 6 to 8 feet. I obtained the lumber I need to expand the width of the layout and hopefully I will begin to add it this week. Next will be the removal of the existing pink foam board down to the plywood. Then replacing the foam board to make the new width.
Backdrops will act as screen dividers. There will be at least three areas but as things are developed this could change. There will be an urban area, town area, and rural area. When the extension is added there will be at least two more yet to be determined areas.
The following sections are the results so far of brainstorming sessions and bouncing ideas off my son. They range from must have to possibly having on the layout.
Passenger Trains
There will be an urban station and one in the town area and one in the rural area. Long distance and commuter trains will be handled.
The urban station is presently designed to be elevated over the platforms. The platforms under the station will disappear into a scene divider.
Coal Trains
The lines represented are anthracite roads so there must be coal. Plans are to run through coal drags. Deliveries will be made to the Power Plant in the urban area and at least one coal dealer in the town area and possibly one in the rural area.
Milk Trains
Since I seem to have an obsession with milk cars and milk tank cars milk trains are a necessity. Thus far operations of milk trains are the most developed and thought out. There will be a milk platform at the town station and rural station. There may be one of more stand-alone milk platforms. A dairy/creamery (Walthers Brook Hill Farms Dairy will be located in either the town or rural area. A team track will be needed in the urban area.
Roughly the operations will be
• Milk cans collected at platform sites.
• Cars carrying milk cans or milk tank cars picked up at interchange track
• Stop at dairy to drop off milk cans. Pick up milk tank cars. Possible reefers to pick up butter and/or cheese.
• Stop in urban area using team track to off load milk into trucks for delivery to large processing plants.
The dairy may also receive coal to be used for powering the dairy.
Yards
Possibly one in the urban area and another elsewhere. Urban yard will most likely have some engine facilities such as coaling tower, engine shops, water tower, fueling facilities, sanding facilities. This is still a work in progress.
Other industries
Cement, and grain need to be thought out and what facilities that will be needed identified. Express and ice reefer traffic will need to be identified and fleshed out. I am not sure what if any more will be added in the future.
The size of the layout will be 68 inches wide and 14 to 16 feet long. An additional piece will be added to the layout extending it another 6 to 8 feet. I obtained the lumber I need to expand the width of the layout and hopefully I will begin to add it this week. Next will be the removal of the existing pink foam board down to the plywood. Then replacing the foam board to make the new width.
Backdrops will act as screen dividers. There will be at least three areas but as things are developed this could change. There will be an urban area, town area, and rural area. When the extension is added there will be at least two more yet to be determined areas.
The following sections are the results so far of brainstorming sessions and bouncing ideas off my son. They range from must have to possibly having on the layout.
Passenger Trains
There will be an urban station and one in the town area and one in the rural area. Long distance and commuter trains will be handled.
The urban station is presently designed to be elevated over the platforms. The platforms under the station will disappear into a scene divider.
Coal Trains
The lines represented are anthracite roads so there must be coal. Plans are to run through coal drags. Deliveries will be made to the Power Plant in the urban area and at least one coal dealer in the town area and possibly one in the rural area.
Milk Trains
Since I seem to have an obsession with milk cars and milk tank cars milk trains are a necessity. Thus far operations of milk trains are the most developed and thought out. There will be a milk platform at the town station and rural station. There may be one of more stand-alone milk platforms. A dairy/creamery (Walthers Brook Hill Farms Dairy will be located in either the town or rural area. A team track will be needed in the urban area.
Roughly the operations will be
• Milk cans collected at platform sites.
• Cars carrying milk cans or milk tank cars picked up at interchange track
• Stop at dairy to drop off milk cans. Pick up milk tank cars. Possible reefers to pick up butter and/or cheese.
• Stop in urban area using team track to off load milk into trucks for delivery to large processing plants.
The dairy may also receive coal to be used for powering the dairy.
Yards
Possibly one in the urban area and another elsewhere. Urban yard will most likely have some engine facilities such as coaling tower, engine shops, water tower, fueling facilities, sanding facilities. This is still a work in progress.
Other industries
Cement, and grain need to be thought out and what facilities that will be needed identified. Express and ice reefer traffic will need to be identified and fleshed out. I am not sure what if any more will be added in the future.
Tom
Silence is golden but Duct tape is silver
Ridley Keystone & Mountain Railroad
My Rail Images Gallery
Silence is golden but Duct tape is silver
Ridley Keystone & Mountain Railroad
My Rail Images Gallery