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[quote]QUOTE: Originally posted by Texas Zepher The tail on the switchback (weatherproof varnish co) is only going to allow the locomotive (a short one) and one car at a time. No, 60 footers allowed here.[/quote] Poop. Thanks, TZ, that's exactly the type of feedback I was looking for. I set up this tail in the basement and you're right, no 60 footers. No 40 footers either. In fact, with only 10 inches in the clear, I'd be lucky to be able to switch an ore jenny with a Porter 25-tonner. . . The original layout was 11 feet wide. I trimmed it at both ends to fit 10 feet and didn't notice the severly truncated tail. Originally it was 18 inches plus an inch on the switch. Ideally, I'd like room to handle an RS-2 + 2x 50 footers, which comes out to 22-1/8 inches over couplers (measured with my old AHM and Tyco stuff), or 20-3/4 at the practical but albeit unrealistic minimum. I figure most ops will involve a SW1200 class loco with 40 ft boxes and 53 foot gons, (I reckon about 19 inches, max) so a tail that fits the RS group ought to work. I played around and stretched the plan to 11 and 12 feet. (If it comes to it, I can get one car plus a loco on the original layout if I shift it over about 3 inches, and for that single siding I'll live with it if it comes to doing that or not having a layout at all.) The 11 footer pretty much just adds space on the right side. I was able then to tilt the excavator track a little so that I can add a building at the end for the siding to go into. The 12 footer is actually quite a bit nicer (for increasing the length by 20%, it had better be!) With the extra space I was able extend the tail, tilt the excavator track, lengthen the runaround by 1 50 foot car, increase the spacing between the station and Valley Clay so the paving isn't right against the VC siding RoW, and - if I want - add a 1 car switch off VC No. 2 that leads to the coal trestle at or off the upper left, freeing up VC 1 and 2 for other shipping receiving. [quote]QUOTE: Valley Clay Products - Manufacturers of brick, roofing tile, and pipe. Incoming loadings are coal in hoppers. I presume the coal is used for firing ovens rather than oil. I would guess they would bring in other things to mix with the clay to make the various compounds needed for the different articles. Potash, gypsum, sands (silica), and even various liquids and reagents like hydrocloric or sulphuric acid (for etching).[/quote] Good idea. That would need some early covered hoppers, or boxcars to carry bags. I get the impression that almost everything was procured either from adjacent mines (including coal) or at least locally as the siding generally run past either the brick sheds or sand houses. The fire maps don't show any liquid tanks or rooms that would appear to have tanks as the steel mills and chemical plants do, so I'm guessing they did not have a use for large quantities of acids. I looked on the 'net for some explanations of the brick industry but couldn't find anything useful except references to magazine back issues. [quote]QUOTE: Looking at it all listed like that, I might switch the hopper and gondola numbers. . .) I think that would be a mistake. Always more hoppers than gondolas in that time period. The only reason not would be if one of the local industries was something like a steel mill or junk yard. [/quote] I see your point. My thinking was that the excavator company would use gons both in and out and the clay works would use them outbound, while the only load for hoppers would be coal to the clay works. Thanks for the help, KL
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