Here's my small service center:
The shop building is a Pikestuff #15 Shop w/ add on office. For the service equipment, I used Stewart Products #115 Double track sand tower, fuel & water columns. Detail include, JL Innovative #924 Trucksters, Woodland Scenics #1859 Train Mechanics plus some bits and pieces from my scrap box.
There are four tracks. Two are open air, and two run through the shop building. All four tracks come together at a turntable on the far side of the facility. You get a better sense of the layout from this under construction shot:
Nick
Take a Ride on the Reading with the: Reading Company Technical & Historical Society http://www.readingrailroad.org/
Really well done!!
Refueling is easy to model. The big CN yard has an area where the track is right next to what I assume is a service of MOW road. A tanker truck pulls up and just refuels straight from that. Tankers are 9000 gals max, usually have 4 or 5 compartements, and have had their own pumps built right in for a long time. Works just like you see it at gas stations, except instead of refueling an underground 4000 galoon storage tank (or however big they are) it's refueling a 4000 galoon diesel train's gas tank.
Pikestuff has some pretty good looking servicing facilities, and I'm talking N scale. I'm sure they're even more plentyiful and better in bigger scales. But Pike stuff makes 1, 2, and I think even 3 bay service buildings in a few different styles. One is the whole building, another is like an outside one, the bay has a roof and that's it but the offices are fully enclosed, and I do believe they have one that is partially enclosed. It has 4 walls but they don't all reach the bottom. I was about to say they're not like gas stations and there isn't one every 10 miles or something but then I remembered you're doing a layout scene of one. Just call me a
trisonicHi, newbie here. I'm English living in New Jersey (for the moment). I want to set up a small switching layout ( I think you call them) based around a diesel depot. Say, 8 foot by 1 foot. Just an excuse to get started here without a huge commitment in time. Anyone reccomend a plan and a refueling kit (generic) in HO? Apologies if this has been covered recently but I can't seem to find a search function. Best, Pete.
Nobody so far has mentioned a key point -- what era are we talking about? For the modern era, facilities are simpler, for the early diesel era, more complex (and, I think, more interesting).
As far as a track plan, I did an HO engine service area design for a fellow which was modified from Linn Westcott's "Switchman's Nightmare". The client wanted a small shelf layout to display and shift around engines. That specific plan will be in the commercial press in the future, but here's the general plan.
Worked out great, with refueling / ready tracks on one side of the layout and a repair shop on the other.
Byron
Layout Design GalleryLayout Design Special Interest Group
Hi Pete: Welcome to MRR forum. Here is my attempt at modeling a transition era fuel, water, and sand service area. These are from Stewart and are made of white metal. The pad is anchor cement. The pits are from Peco. BTW, nice job on yours, Nick.