Hello. I have a small trackside shed and dock that I really like and want to use on my layout. The problem is that it just does not fit / look right in the area I intended to place it.
I found a new spot in my layout where it does fit and I like how it looks, but I am not sure if it is realistic. The new location is between 2 straight sections of parallel tracks.
My question is this: were these structures ever used to transfer goods from one train directly to a different train, or were they just used to basically just transfer goods from train to warehouse or freight trucks?
I look forward to hearing from you. Thanks!
irishRRMy question is this: were these structures ever used to transfer goods from one train directly to a different train, or were they just used to basically just transfer goods from train to warehouse or freight trucks?
It sounds like you are describing the all-encompassing "Team Track".
Take a look at this vintage scene.
https://www.shorpy.com/node/7941?size=_original#caption
You can see the brick paving where a cart or wagon can be drawn up to a car for loading or unloading. If you are receiving material you would be notified by the freight agent and given a set time to get your material transfered or you had to pay a demurrage fee as the railroad had to get the car back to the shipper or the home-road or they, in turn, had to pay a per-diem fee.
If your industry or location did not have a siding available it was the team track that came into play to get your shipment loaded or unloaded. Car-to-car transfers were uncommon and costly. Just about any kind of commodity might be handled at a team track.
https://www.walthers.com/cornerstone-series-r-team-track-scene-standard-kit
A team track could be as simple as a short, weed-grown siding to a fairly large, multiple track, paved area with overhead cranes and car-level platforms available.
I'm still working the details out on my team track but it will have this old Alexander hoist available for those bulky shipments:
Brownhoist1 by Edmund, on Flickr
Good Luck, Ed
Just trying to guess at what you have ?
So this is a dock/platform that fits between two tracks, or along side one track, that has a shed on one end of the dock?
Too bad you don't show a picture.
I understand that back in the day, there could be two tracks for a freight building, and a platform was between the two tracks, and dock workers would go through the box car they emptied on the first track, to get to the platform and box car on the second track.
It sure would help if you had a picture.
Mike.
EDIT: Or, it's what Ed posted, while I typed.
My You Tube
No shed structure here at the team track in downtown Dunnville, but the platform can handle all sorts of packaged goods, along with automobiles and some types of wheeled machinery....
...for heavier or bulky items in open cars, two of my team tracks have cranes like this one...
For commodities lke sand, gravel, and coal, this set-up works quite well...
Here's the freight agent's office...
In addition to a ramp like the one shown from Dunnville, the Elfrida team track uses a retired boxcar for goods requiring protection from the weather. The freight agent has a small office nearby...
...along with a ramp - useful in this small town for receiving farm equipment...
The team track in South Cayuga has a ramp and a small office (located near the edge of the world), but it's little-used since the freight house pictured was torn down and relocated elsewhere....
It's been replaced by an older building, still under construction...
.....which can handle freight and express LCL shipments on sidings along both the front (shown) and at the rear.
I think that it would be unusual to have your structure between two parallel tracks, limiting access for workers and for trucks, unless the tracks were little used - you don't want to tie-up a through track to load or unload a truck or freight car.
I'd place the structure on its own siding, where cars can be dropped-off or picked-up. It adds switching interest to your operations, and will look more prototypical, too.
Wayne
Thank you all. Yes, I was thinking about a team track, however after the feedback and doing some independent research, I decided that I would be better off finding a different location for this specific structure.
I was trying to cram it into a small space and forgot a lesson that I learned a few years ago when I started model railroading...
Sometimes less is more. Some trees and natural scenery will look much better and more realistic in this section of the layout.
Thank you all again. Cheers!
irishRR Hello. I have a small trackside shed and dock that I really like and want to use on my layout. The problem is that it just does not fit / look right in the area I intended to place it. I found a new spot in my layout where it does fit and I like how it looks, but I am not sure if it is realistic. The new location is between 2 straight sections of parallel tracks. My question is this: were these structures ever used to transfer goods from one train directly to a different train, or were they just used to basically just transfer goods from train to warehouse or freight trucks?
About the only time you would have seen something like that would have been two rail lines that used different gauges of track, like where freight was transferred from 3' gauge boxcars to standard gauge cars.