1- Atlas code 55 track is available in several different turnout configurations. Code 40 turnouts may be hard to fine. Also, I am sure you will be replacing freight car wheels with some kind of 'low profile' wheel sets to get them to work on code 40 rail.
2 - Since most of the engines you plan to use are 50's era engines, the freight cars should be of the same era. I know for sure that the Micro-Trains wheels will not work - wheel set replacement.
3 - You can get metal wheels with 'low profile' flanges.
4 - The 2-6-0 was an early freight engine, but later versions ran on branch lines and were used as switchers at the end. The USRA 0-8-0 switcher is a good model. Many time steam switchers were the first to be scrapped. Dieselization of yards happened quite fast - a diesel switcher could be used around the clock many times and the the money saved was very visable.
5 - 50's era fueling was basically a level area with a rack to hold the fueling hose. No enviromental 'pads' with containment.
6 - Ash pits were many sizes - How big is a dog? Many times a small facility just had iron sheets over the ties so they would not burn up! Railroads were not putting any improvements in steam servicing facilities that were going to be gone in a few years.
Jim
Modeling BNSF and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin
I'm speciald building a new computer desk which is going to include room for my monitor, and more importantly, a small layout. An almost 4 x 2 foot area will be reserved for a down town theme, and the other are a more rural are, basically the rural area right out of a town. I'm doing it all in N scale and would like to make it realistic looking as possible with compression. Here goes my questions:
1. To be more realistic I thought I would use Code 55 on the main line making a continous loop and in the small yard which would be situated on the main line, basically a few sidings to each side of the main line, and Code 40 on the sidings. I only have 6 or 7 rail industries planned so there won't be all that much Code 40. Would it be worth the effort, time, and money to use the Code 40?
2. This one goes along with the first question. The steam switcher I want to get, the GP9 I have, and the ALCo RS-1 I would like to get are all newer engines and use RP-25 contour wheels. Rolling stock will probably be mostly Atlas as my LHS has a HUGE selection from them, mixed with some Atherns, possibly Walthers, and Micro-Engineering although I could be thinking wrong on the last one. It was something with "M". Will RP-25 wheels work on the Code 40?
3. Again another re-question. Could the wheels be modified to work on the pretty short Code 40 track? and how?
4. As I mentioned I would like to get an early first gen diesel road switcher and a steam switcher. What I didn't mention was I planned on freelancing my own railroad in the midst of the diesel transision. Would the Model Power 2-6-0 Mogul or Walthers USRA 0-8-0 be good switchers?
5. How should I model a diesel refueling? It would only have to handle one loco at a time, and I did plan on including a medium sized fuel storage tank.
and finally:
6. It was talked about before but I can't find the post, but what was the round-about size of ash pits?
Sorry the post is sort of long, but I figured instead of making like 4 posts about all the different subjects and have everyone get frustrated and break their computers trying to click and scroll around for all the different posts I would make them in one big one. Plus I figured I can't be the only one that reads these posts with the same or very similiar questions and it would make it easier fof them to get the answers. See, some people still try to think of others .