My Future Milwaukee Road Iowa Division Update

[stevechurch2222]

The main yards in Council Bluffs will serve for car classification,diesel servicing
a track to store the cabooses and MOW and diesel shops for repairs to the diesels.I am thinking of using the track over at Savanna as a hold over track for cars to be added to other trains or the local patrols as the Milwaukee use to refer the locals as.All mainline trains will originate and end at the main yards,Trains from Council Bluffs,Iowa and Savanna,Illinois will originate at the main yards and move towards or away from Perry,Iowa.Trains originating from Perry,Iowa will move towards or away from Council Bluffs,or Savanna depending on the direction of travel according to the timetable.The goal is to make this layout as realistic as possible.

 

[stevechurch2222]

Please free to comment on this track plan,It has a lot of operational potential,and will be fun to operate once built.A lot of work had gone into planning this track plan,there will be a total of 52 turnouts on the layout,16 left,and 36 right.We will be using track from Custom Trax in Indianola,Iowa,the track is all ready ballasted and has real wooden ties all ready weathered,code 83 rail weathered and the track is on roadbed,and they have #5 turnouts that I will be using on the layout.The rolling stock,caboose,and motive power fleet are completed,just have to wait and see about my disability claim,so I can hopefully get the layout started.

 

[stevechurch2222]

All the planning is done on the layout,now all I have to do is wait to see when I can start construction on the layout.Hopefully this summer or fall,winter at the latest.I really appreciate all the replies to this thread,it has been very helpful.Thank You guys,I will have an update for you later as soon as I am able to get the layout construction began.

 

[stevechurch2222]

I plan on making one change to the track plan,the spur at Woodward,Cargill that has a left hand turnout will be lengthened,every thing else will remain the same with the track plan.The reverse loop at Perry yard will be controlled by a DCC product from Tony's to prevent track short circuits.

 

[stevechurch2222]

This what I had in mind for the spur at Woodward,where Cargill is,I am thinking of lengthening the spur.It has a left hand turnout.Let me know what you think.

 

[UP SD40-2]

Steve:wav: , your final plan is small, 224x309, but i blew it up, i really like it!:mrgreen: , but i am not a track plan expertops: . i really like that it runs from Savanna Ill to Council Bluffs:thumb: . i hope things work out money wise for you, cant wait to see progress:winki: .

:deano: -Deano

 

[stevechurch2222]

Deano,I had to do it that way for it to upload,other wise the file would be too big and not upload.

 

[stevechurch2222]

I resized the track plan as big as could so it would down load.Here it is,please comment,Thank You for all the positive responses,it is greatly appreciated.

 

[stevechurch2222]

Here are the changes I made to the track plan,I added a left and right hand turnout to the Cargill facility at Woodward,and lengthened the spur,and moved Portland Cement,ADM Grain Elevator and added Louisa Scrap yard to Louisa.The plan looks great now and all the structures are where they should be.I am hoping to start construction on the layout this summer or fall.

 

[stevechurch2222]

I will have the final,finalized plan to post in a day or two,it will look like the plan with all the roads,overpass,and Griswold gate locations on the plan,but with the final changes included I mentioned earlier,plus the renaming of some structures,and structure changes.I think the plan will work really well.

 

[Russ Bellinis]

Steve, I looked at your new plan, but the size is still too small to make out detail. I opened it with the "Windows Picture & Fax Viewer" and maximized it to full page, but it just increased the size of the margins around the small picture. As a link it should be able to fill the screen without size restrictions.

 

[stevechurch2222]

I am unable to increase the size of the plan drawing due to the fact the I don't have any programs that will do that.I don't know how to add a link to increase the page size.

 

[stevechurch2222]

here's the two plans I have come up for my future layout,the first plan has a left and right hand turnout added at Woodward,where the Cargill facility is,and the second plan has just a right hand turnout added at Woodward where the Cargill facility is,with the lumber yard is,and the meat packing plant also moved over to ease switching.Either plan will ease switching at Cargill,Denniston Partridge and Oscar Meyer.Let me know which plan you like better.The first plan will add two extra turnouts to the plan where the second plan will add only one.I kind of like the first plan with the right and left hand turnouts since the one track in the front will be for empties,and the second track would be for loaded cars at the industry.All replies will be greatly appreciated.

 

[stevechurch2222]

Thank You for all the replies,I don't know when my next update will be since,I don't know for sure when I will be able to begin construction of the layout.So this will be the last post on this topic until I can have a better idea when construction of the layout will be.Thanks again for all the replies,they are greatly appreciated.

 

[stevechurch2222]

Fred,I have been thinking about your suggestion on switching to N Scale and shrink the plan to a 10'x10' or 12'x12' u shaped design with 20" radius for the mainline in N Scale and 15" radius for the branchline.I would be able to figure out how to redo the Atlas MP15DC to an AC and use the same chassis and have someone shorten the fuel tanks on the early version SD40-2's.I will update when I can figure out the track plan.