I'm sorry about the quality of this photo, which I'm afraid is due to the quality of my track plan drawing. It was done in pencil and suffered by the usual erasures and revisions, as well as scribbled notes, etc. But, despite these imperfections, it's probably good enough for a quick tour of the layout I have in progress.
On the lower left is the yard, including roundhouse and turntable. Just above that is the passenger depot, and just above the depot is a spur for a freight house and team track. Heading to the right, the upper track, which represents the main line, disappears "off stage" behind a screen of trees. In front of that track is a spur for a coal and oil dealership, and another for a lumber company. The lower right portion of the layout is dominated by two large public freight piers, each of which will have a warehouse. Along the right edge of this area are a couple of industry sidings.
The upper right corner will be a residential area, and the center portion will have businesses on either side of the tracks.
I like the way Model Railroader has a box with its layout plans entitled "The layout at a glance." As a review of where I hope to go with this layout, I'll do the same...
Name: Gulf Harbor Terminal Railway
Scale: S (1:64)
Size: 11' x 13'
Prototype: freelanced terminal switching line
Locale: medium-sized eastern Texas seaport
Period: April 1947
Style: U-shaped shelf
Minimum radius: 36"
Minimum turnout: no. 6
Maximum grade: none
Benchwork: sectional
Roadbed: white pine
Track: handlaid code 100 on balsa ties
Control: block
Chuck,
ReplyDeleteThe layout plan looks pretty good within its limitations. Those limitations as I see them are:
1. There's simply not enough room to do everything you want to do.
2. There's no room for a mainline, so all you can really do is switch cars around.
3. I hope your priority is trackwork and showing off your rolling stock, because there's no room for any significant scenery other than the background flats and pier work.
4. There is no accomodation for running a train "off layout" where the consist can be changed. Hence, the cars are trapped on layout.
These are all aspects of my first (HO) layout, which I determined was an island port servicing the few industries. Other than being a switching puzzle, there was no real operational capability. I later grew tired of it, but it was fun while it lasted.
Please don't take these comments too harshly, I don't mean it that way. It's your layout and you are doing what you enjoy! Keep it up!
By the way, the trackwork looks excellent!
Darrell