LAJ HO layout

cajon

LAJ #1 at Engine House
LAJ Clinic at the NMRA PSR Convention Oxnard CA 9/5-9/9/12

Here's a link to the images of my clinic: http://tinyurl.com/c85zkrn
If that doesn't work try:https://plus.google.com/photos/1073...08171065425?banner=pwa&authkey=CPPdr9WMp_eJTw
These images will be used for my LAJ PowerPoint clinic 9/6 630-730P:
at the above convention:Yhttp://www.psrnmra.org/ You don't have to be an NMRA member to attend.
Just doing the Vernon side of the the LAJ as that's where I've spent more time railfanning plus having lived one block south of the Upper Alley Lead (S&W Fine Foods). And only modeling 6 out of the 16 Vernon leads due it all having to fit in 12' X 14' room. So there will be alot of selective compression! Comments & corrections are more than welcome.
 

cajon

LAJ #1 at Engine House
Since our layouts are "loosely" based on the LAJ here's a link to my LAJ PowerPoint slides: http://tinyurl.com/caqaxup
These images will be used at my clinic Thur. 9/6 630P-730P at the NMRA PSR convention in Oxnard CA 9/5-9/9/12: Yhttp://www.psrnmra.org/ You don't have to be an NMRA member to attend.

Just doing the Vernon side of the the LAJ as that's where I've done most of my railfanning plus having lived one block south of the Upper Alley Lead (S&W Fine Foods). And only modeling 6 out of the 16 Vernon leads due it all having to fit in 12' X 14' room. So there will be alot of selective compression! Questions,comments & corrections are more than welcome.
 

cajon

LAJ #1 at Engine House
Here's the final images for my LAJ clinic at the NMRA PSR convention (http://www.psrnmra.org/) tomorrow in Oxnard CA:
http://tinyurl.com/cexgwgv . At the convention there will also be a raffle for a Trix UP Big Boy, 20 boxcars & a caboose for $10.00 per ticket or 3 tickets for $25.00. These are all worth over $1000.00. Also to be raffled are an Athearn ATSF FP45, F7 yellowbonnet & Coach Yard painted but unlettered UP 3-3-3 chair car.
 

cajon

LAJ #1 at Engine House
My latest laj track plan

Here's a link to some pix of my latest plan: http://tinyurl.com/d3mf33c
Have added the ATSF Malabar Yard to be used as a storage yard & a place to put storage trays. The trays will be stored "pigeon hole" style under the layout. With over 600 cars & 30+ locos there's no room for everything in 54 +/- square feet of layout space. The room is 10' x 14'. It's also modular in case of any future moves. This layout is ALL switching - from staging to yard & back and from yard to Leads & back. So no roundy round running so NO Pax. May put a bridge somewhere to go between modules for loco break in. Comments are welcome.
 

Bill Nelson

Well-Known Member
nice plan

andy,


Thank you for sharing, This is not my style of railroading at all, but I'm impressed by the study that went into this and what looks like careful attention to the prototype. It looks like you will b e able to represent a place and time accurately, and that is what pushes our hobby from being a hobby into being an art form.


I really like your set up for staging, which it is hard to have enough of. I'm working on a rebuild of my RR, and am trying to putt a staging yard under my interchange location on my central peninsula I'm trying to fit a return loop into both, to the Southern railway interchange trains can come and go in both directions. on my current set up The Southern just backs cuts of cars onto my private road and drops them, having the southern trains come and go in both directions will be much more fun, even if it gives the dispatcher fits. I'm getting him a nice oak roll top desk to work out of (it was hell getting it up the Attic stairs into the RR room). Thank you for sharing . Your focus is light years away from mine, but it appears you are pursuing it with careful study and artistic flair, and doing a good job . Thanks for sharing.
 

cajon

LAJ #1 at Engine House
Bill
Thanks for your comments. Even though we're modeling different RRs we can still share share info & ideas. My LAJ layout plans started out w/ a simple roundy round design. But more research led to my current plan. AND had alot of help from Charlie Slater ex LAJ, ATSF, BNSF conductor (now retired) & modeler. He sent me the '71 LAJ Switching Maps which really helped. They also have his notes on how each industry was switched (car types, frequency, etc.). Speaking of exchanging ideas "stole" the idea of using the ATSF Malabar Yard for staging from someone else s LAJ plan. LOL Was going to have staging off one of the other leads that had interchange w/PE/SP. But being a Santa Fe fan since '74 just had to have Malabar!
 

cajon

LAJ #1 at Engine House
LAJ S-2 & S-4 ALCOs pre beacon

Found out something interesting about the LAJ ALCO S-2 & S-4. In their later years (post 1960?) they had beacons on both ends. Charlie Slater says they were used only for grade Xings. But in going thru all my pix of them found 5 w/ no beacons:
http://tinyurl.com/d78tl6j
Two were slides purchased on eBay w/ 5/58 dates & one w/ a 7/4/55 date. All sure look blue to my eyes. AND at the Bakersfield MR show 3/9/13 Charlie Slater showed me the builders plate from LAJ #4 that was definitely painted blue! Charlie hasn't gotten back to me on the Beacon installation date yet. Asked a current LAJ trainman if he could find any info on these. Also included in that link is an image of LAJ #2 w/ a mounting bracket but no beacon.
 

cajon

LAJ #1 at Engine House
My Current LAJ Layout

Here's 2 links to my LAJ layout:
https://plus.google.com/photos/11349...CMO427TzvJ_UIQ
http://tinyurl.com/cphjdq7

Shown in the links are my plan, Switching Maps of the Leads to be modeled, aerial of the LAJ in Vernon CA & the staging trays to be used at Malabar Yard. The layout is in a 10' x 14' room. Got the idea to use Malabar for staging from another LAJ modeler. Besides ATSF, Malabar will be used for SP & UP interchange trains going to/from the LAJ yard. Should be enough switching to keep 3-4 operators busy w/o getting in each others way too much. It's being built on modules in case a move is ever needed. Thinking about using a "pigeon hole" type storage under layout vs drawers.
 

cajon

LAJ #1 at Engine House
Mon, 2013-05-13 10:38 — lajrmdlr
Attached my current LAJ track plan. Here's a link also showing the LAJ Leads to be modeled and an idea for staging trays: http://tinyurl.com/cj6dp3h
The LAJ Switching Maps are from Charlie Slater a modeler & ex LAJ/ATSF/BNSF conductor. The LAJ is an industrial switching layout only so no PAX!. The industries are switched by trains from the yard to the Leads where the industries are located. Will also be modeling the ATSF, SP & UP interchange trains. The ATSF Malabar Yard will be used for that purpose. Modeling only the Vernon CA side & that's VERY compressed to fit in a 10' X 14' room. Have enough locos & cars to model the '50s-'80s. Comments & questions welcome.
 

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cajon

LAJ #1 at Engine House
Finally had my LAY layout done up in 3rdplanit. It was done by Rob Chart in an free offer on Rail Line Forums. Really like it as it's not just a bunch of chicken scratches now. LOL Please don't comment about it being too crammed together that's what the real LAJ looks like!LAJ PLAN (RC-AJ).bmp.jpg
 

zathros

*****SENIOR ADMINISTRATOR*****
Staff member
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Not a loop in there?!? Don't you ever just let them run? Looks fantastic though.
 

cajon

LAJ #1 at Engine House
This isn't the MR version of the LAJ. Only modeling the west side of the LAJ and want it to be as prototypical as possible i.e., no roundy round. The LAJ does do that on east side of LA river but don't have the room to include that. Somebody want to buy me a house w/ a 20' x 24' train room? LOL
 
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