Storage tracks.

SD90

Active Member
Since I've started working for CP Rail, I've noticed many old sidings that are too short for modern trains, that are now used for storage tracks or a place to put locomotives. Does anyone use these on there layouts? I'm thinking of adding 1 or 2 about 5-6 feet long to my layout. It may give even more operating fun.
 

SAL Comet

Member
Ha SD, I have a friend with a medium size basement layout that I've been helping with for a while. He has an abadoned industrial building with a couple of sidings that the grass is growing over. I had some old tyco F units that looked OK, but ran like crap or not at all. So we desided to heavily weather the old locos and put them on the unused sidings,plant some weeds around them as though they were in storage waitng to be scraped. We're both really happy with the looks of it, but then we both like old and abadoned stuff on a layout.
 

SD90

Active Member
SAL that souds like a great idea, do you have any pictures? I think it is really cool if you can make a piece of track look like it hasn't been used in while, but I hear it's hard to do.
 
I actually have a short storage siding on my layout I am setting up to be a MOW storage track for my Wathers Work train #1. I have put a couple of small shacks nect to it for the MOW crews to use.
 

Pitchwife

Dreamer
SD90 said:
Since I've started working for CP Rail, I've noticed many old sidings that are too short for modern trains, that are now used for storage tracks or a place to put locomotives. Does anyone use these on there layouts? I'm thinking of adding 1 or 2 about 5-6 feet long to my layout. It may give even more operating fun.

SD, I wish I had 5-6 feet of space for storage track. :rolleyes: Without going to an under ground storage area, which for me would be difficult to get at, I am pretty much stuck with what there is. If you are modeling a rural area you could use unused boxcars for grain storage. Or turn them or caboosi (plural of caboose???) :) into offices, storage sheds, bunk houses, etc. Like SAL says, there are a lot of ways to facilitate the areas for unused or seldom used rolling stock. ;) ;)
 

SAL Comet

Member
Ha SD

Sorry I don't have any pics, but the siding tracks were pretty easy to give the unused look. the rails were painted with the rest of the rails, then the rail head on the sidings was painted a rusty orange. Since no locos operate on them, it didn't matter they were left painted. Next we covered the ties completely and the bottom of the rails with fine sand as ballast,and a little ground foam finished it off.
 
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