Getting those locos on the layout!

Ralph

Remember...it's for fun!
Like most modelers I have more locomotives than I can run. I keep the extras in a dresser drawer and periodically exchange them with those on the layout for variety. Looking through some old Model Railroader articles I found one from June 1982 about engine facilties. It mentioned that locos are often serviced at intermediate points along the line.

Looking at my layout's track plan for the small yard at West Mill Jct. I decided to convert this little used yard into an engine facility. I planned to use the yard for making up small locals or as an interchange yard, but mostly I use it to store freight cars. Time to see if I can make it more interesting.
Here's the plan:


The siding can hold six freight cars while the spurs accomodate up to nine. These spaces will work great for my locomotive lash ups since even my three unit U28Bs will fit on the siding without a problem. I'm imagining operations like this:

1. A train from a hidden siding emerges from a tunnel from the West. It stops before the East end of the yard so the locos can uncouple and back into the siding.

2. A serviced set of locos on Spur 1 or 2 rolls out and couples onto the train, and away it goes.

3. The locos on the siding move to Spur 1 or 2 for service asnd wait for the next rotation.

4. Sand cars and a tanker of fuel can be spotted at the end of spur 1, adding to operational interest.


I need to build sanding towers and fueling hoses. Stay tuned! I can't wait to get those locos out of the drawer and see how they look gathered together in the yard.
Ralph
 

MasonJar

It's not rocket surgery
Ralph,

Did you solve your photo loading problem? I would like to see them...! :)

MOW and other maintenance/shop activities are interesting. It is the "behind the scenes" stuff that really keeps the railroad running. In fact, these activities can be considered/operated as an industry itself. For example, in the steam era, the railroad itself would be a big customer for coal and/or oil, ice, lubricants, parts (either from manufacturers or their own shops), sand, rails & ties, building materials for houses, stations, shops, and other structures, etc, etc.

Andrew
 

Ralph

Remember...it's for fun!
Ok , second try on uploading the track plan for the engine yard.....
Locos coming off trains and needing service will be held on the siding while newly serviced engines roll off of Spur 1 or 2 and hook up with the train on track 1.

I don't have any pics of this set up yet as its still being created but hope to soon!
 

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Tad

Member
Sounds like a good plan, Ralph.

For about the same reason I decided instead of making my shop have two tracks into it like the prototype that I would leave it with three tracks, so that I could leave extra AD&N locos on the layout at the shop. I have an extra track, but I'm ok with that.

My shop.

aaq.sized.jpg



The prototype.

aaa.sized.jpg


I still have to build the sand towers and fueling facility and do a lot of other work.
 

Pitchwife

Dreamer
Sounds good Ralph The only change I would make would be to add another crossover (in red). It would ease the switching process. :thumb:
 

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Ralph

Remember...it's for fun!
Hi Clark,

That would have been a good idea! :) Track has long been firmly in place with ballast and scenary but I see the value of that crossover. There is a crossover a bit farther down the line to the East that let Track 1 act as a long siding when I was planning to build trains in this yard.

Ralph
 

Ralph

Remember...it's for fun!
Tad,
I really like your engine shop! Very faithful to the original! Nice pics too.
Ralph
 

Tad

Member
Thanks, Ralph.

I think converting your yard to an engine facility will add a lot to your ops.
 

Ralph

Remember...it's for fun!
I've done a little bit of work on this project. I isolated two blocks on spurs 1 & 2 so I can park up to four powered locos on these tracks. The siding was already blocked. I've also added a concrete walkway between the tracks of the siding and Spur 1 and installed twin sand towers made of various parts from my scrap box. Now the former freight yard is full of black locos with mating worm logos. I'll make fueling stations and add details such as oil drums, workmen, etc. next.
 

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Ralph, that's looking really good.

Kudos on an interesting idea.

Please keep us informed as to how it comes along. You've even got me thinking about turning a single siding I had left into an engine-storage track, rather than an as-of-yet-unknown industry. ;)
 

Ralph

Remember...it's for fun!
Here's an updated picture with the twin sand towers (now silver so they show up better in that sea of black locos....a fueling standpipe (I guess that's what it might be called) is visible to the left near the oil drums.
 

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Ralph

Remember...it's for fun!
Not a great picture with my cheap camera but this water standpipe and hose are a fun little detail. The hose is a piece of spaghetti shaped, dried, and then painted black and cemented to a plastic sprue. :)
 

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