I found this great prototype for anyone that is looking for prototypical ideas for a layout but only have room for a 4x8. I found this on Google Maps while looking at industrial areas for my own layout.
Its located in Portland, OR. By my measurements the 180 degree loop comes to a 35 inch radius in HO scale but could easily be compressed to 22 inch. It has lots of switching potential and could be just about any kind of industry.
I just wanted to show anyone looking to design a realistic layout in a small space that even the real railroads sometimes only have the space equivalent to a 4x8. 180 degree turns, though rare, are used by the prototype.
That would make an interesting small layout. The opportunites to super-detail that facility could be a lot of fun.
And... that is one heck of a tight turn.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
It is very tight. Somewhere near 255 feet!
That looks familiar, didn't MR or RMC include something on that in one of it's issues a year or two back?
Now that you mention it, I do remember seeing that, or something similar, before.
Not quite 4x8 doable - if the actual radius is 255 feet, that's still nearly 35" in HO. Would work nicely in N scale though, being 19"
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
What a throwback. I remember going past this industry all the time on Amtrak Cascades as it left Portland (this is right next to the Steel Bridge, and the station is just on the other side of the river.) Never knew what exactly they were doing, but it looked fascinating. The tracks loop and connect north of this photo, with a switching lead, so would cars have been fed through, unloaded and pushed around the balloon, then stored on the spurs inside the balloon?
Phil
Another pic. This has been discussed on the forum previously. I thought somebody previously calculated it sharper than 35. By the angles of those rather short 3 bay hoppers, it could be similar to a 24 inch radius.
If that first hopper is a 55 foot 3 bay, then the grain elevator itself is about 60 feet wide, making that loop about 180 feet in diameter by eyeball.
Searched: CLD Pacific's Grain dock in Portland:
- Douglas
I'm surprised the end beams of the cars don't hit each other. THe flange squeal, even at the limited speed a Trackmobile can muster must be incredible. No way anything bigger than a little Plymouth loco could be used instead of a Trackmobile.
ANd who knew you could track ships like you can airplanes. That picture would have to date from before Oct 110, 2012, when the ship was renamed Socratis, according to this:
http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=1302481
180 real world would definitely let it fit on a 4x8 in HO. In N - you could even include the water and a ship docked alongside. And maybe even reduce it from a full 4' width. Probably even get the full length of the grain silos in, instead of cutting them down.
rrinker I'm surprised the end beams of the cars don't hit each other. THe flange squeal, even at the limited speed a Trackmobile can muster must be incredible. No way anything bigger than a little Plymouth loco could be used instead of a Trackmobile.
Even with a little engine or TM, you wouldn't want to pull the cars too hard through that. Maybe get a running start and try to coast them around?
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.
Doughless Another pic. This has been discussed on the forum previously. I thought somebody previously calculated it sharper than 35. By the angles of those rather short 3 bay hoppers, it could be similar to a 24 inch radius. If that first hopper is a 55 foot 3 bay, then the grain elevator itself is about 60 feet wide, making that loop about 180 feet in diameter by eyeball. Searched: CLD Pacific's Grain dock in Portland:
The 180 ft diameter makes sense. The pocket car float terminals in New York used 90 ft radius. The Harlem Transfer ran box cabs and then GE 55 ton switchers.
Ray
Well I am now questioning the accuracy of google earth distance measurements. When I measured, it came to a little over 250 feet between the track on the dock to the track next to the main. Obviously the radius gets a little tighter due to the egg shape of the balloon track but that picture makes it look much tighter!
Awesome picture you found of it. I never knew the name of the facility.
florida modeler Well I am now questioning the accuracy of google earth distance measurements. When I measured, it came to a little over 250 feet between the track on the dock to the track next to the main. Obviously the radius gets a little tighter due to the egg shape of the balloon track but that picture makes it look much tighter! Awesome picture you found of it. I never knew the name of the facility.
250 feet at the widest part of the egg is probably correct. But the radius varies and the part where the cars turn at the apex is definitely sharper than HO scale 35 inch radius.