Layouts and layout building

rayw46:

I think this idea is called something like Individual design elements. 

The term is "Layout Design Element", or LDE. These are sections of the prototype (real-life) railroad to be replicated on the layout. The challenge for the original poster is that there are relatively few small sections of real-life railroads that will have the "Wow" factor he is seeking. In order to get that much appeal in that small a layout area, some significant editing and enhancing of real life may be needed. Not impossible, it's just unlikely that any real-life stretch of railroad will have what the orignal poster is seeking, since he has already found a number of fine small layouts to be lacking the "Wow" factor he is seeking.

 Here is a smaller industry area in the Milwaukee area that could be worth modeling.

 Map

Bird's eye view

Starting from lower left, the mainline heads up and to the right.  There is a switch right past the bridge for the lead.  The line then goes down, pretty steep hill.  The building at upper right hides the end of the tail track, but not much further is a street.  

Here are some views from inside the area.

The only place in there now is a paperboard plant, but it looks like either they did a lot more business, or other industry was in that 2-block area.  

WSOR 3801:

 Here is a smaller industry area in the Milwaukee area that could be worth modeling.

 Map

Bird's eye view

Starting from lower left, the mainline heads up and to the right.  There is a switch right past the bridge for the lead.  The line then goes down, pretty steep hill.  The building at upper right hides the end of the tail track, but not much further is a street.  

Here are some views from inside the area.

The only place in there now is a paperboard plant, but it looks like either they did a lot more business, or other industry was in that 2-block area.  

 

Interesting place, I can see the potential for a module here. A couple of questions.

- was there a run around in the past?

- if not and if you need one, were would you like to have it?

- the building in the upper right (in the corner of the lead and W. Silver Spring Drive), did it have doors at the lead end of the building?

Thanks for psoting this!

marcimmeker:

Interesting place, I can see the potential for a module here. A couple of questions.

- was there a run around in the past?

 Just follow the track north of the Silver Spring Drive RR overpass - there is a runaround (or something that may have been a runaround) over there.

Here is an attempt at a module based on this location:

 This one probably would be better in N scale - it would take just 8-10 feet in N scale.

Grin,
Stein

It's not Milwaukee (and not very "scenic" either ), but I've often thought that this area in Detroit near Delray might be a good candidate for a switching layout of some sort.  Maybe you could give it a MILW flavor.  Anyway, FWIW:

Live Search

The Detroit Produce Terminal is in the upper right, lower left is an intermodal facility, and the branch curving off on the right is the Delray Connecting Railroad, which serves US Steel's Great Lakes Works and other industries.  Lots of variety in car types here. 

cuyama:

rayw46:

I think this idea is called something like Individual design elements. 

The term is "Layout Design Element", or LDE. These are sections of the prototype (real-life) railroad to be replicated on the layout. The challenge for the original poster is that there are relatively few small sections of real-life railroads that will have the "Wow" factor he is seeking. In order to get that much appeal in that small a layout area, some significant editing and enhancing of real life may be needed. Not impossible, it's just unlikely that any real-life stretch of railroad will have what the orignal poster is seeking, since he has already found a number of fine small layouts to be lacking the "Wow" factor he is seeking.

I think the issue seems to be this, "Wow," thing.  The, "Wow," is not going to come from the track plan, especially on a small switching laylout?  A switching trackplan is a switching trackplan and that's about it.  A lot of people like operating in a prototype manner and some of them have gone for the, "minimalist approach;" no scenery, cardboard structures, etc.  That's all well and good, it's their railroad, they can do what they want.  But are you going to say, "Wow," when you see such a layout?  I doubt it.  The, "Wow," comes when the modeler adds the super-detailed scenes; the beautifully modeled rock work, trees, structures, etc.  That can be done on a small switching layout.  I've even seen dioramas with just one piece of track running across it and said, "Wow."  That's because the modeler took the track plan and modeled a representation of the real world, or maybe a world from their imagination, around it.  So, if someone is looking for a trackplan that, "Wows," them, he or she will probably be out of luck.  But when the modeler takes that trackplan, adds their imagination, time, talent and hard work to it, then, "WOW."

Ray      

 ... Just because I have started to love drawing up new track plans - here is one more idea, taken from MR´s book "48 Top-notch Track Plans".

 Did not know that I still had the book, bought more than a decade ago.

Here is the plan:

 Ray,

whenever I draw up a track plan, I do it with a lot of imagination on how it would look like when built up. It is exactly what you say, it is the little details that create the atmosphere, the "Wow"-feeling. What´s the sense running a super-detailed loco thru a non-detailed scenery?

 That is also the reason why I always add some details, like structures, roads etc. to make track plans - to kindle my imagination.

marcimmeker:

Interesting place, I can see the potential for a module here. A couple of questions.

- was there a run around in the past?

- if not and if you need one, were would you like to have it?

- the building in the upper right (in the corner of the lead and W. Silver Spring Drive), did it have doors at the lead end of the building?

Thanks for psoting this!

I don't think there was a runaround down in there.  Looks like there was a runaround up on the main.  Would just have to have things lined up before you go down in there.  The middle track on the south end would have probably stayed clear, to enable shoving ahead to spot. 

By zooming in closer, there is a roll-up door on the south end of the building next to the lead, and track peeking out.  The switch seems to be long gone. 

Stein's plan has it pretty good.  If there is room, more curveature would be nice, but it seems to capture the flavor pretty good.  Could use pretty sharp turns, 18-22" radius in HO scale.

Must have taken a while to switch the place out when all the tracks were in, and things were busy.  I think the switchback lead holds 5-6 cars plus 1 engine.  

Sir Madog:

 ... Just because I have started to love drawing up new track plans - here is one more idea, taken from MR´s book "48 Top-notch Track Plans".

 Did not know that I still had the book, bought more than a decade ago.

Here is the plan:

 

 Mmm - this one doesn't have a lot of industry spots, and has quite a few switchbacks to get into the two uppermost industries. But it definitely has scenic possibilities - I like the junction look and the RR overpasses over the road - those really say "urban".

 Smile,
 Stein

Sir Madog:

 ... Just because I have started to love drawing up new track plans - here is one more idea, taken from MR´s book "48 Top-notch Track Plans".

 Did not know that I still had the book, bought more than a decade ago.

Here is the plan:

 

I have that book too and it has several interesting plans (Art Curren's Break The Rules for instance).

I have looked upon this plan many times and each time a buzzer went of in my head suggesting something was wrong. Only this morning while once again reflecting upon it did I notice that Larry Forgard, the designer, probably intended to give the impression of a double track line. I always assumed this was a junction of a single track and double track line but it isn't. It is a junction of 2 single track lines where one line has a runaround and leads to serve industries which give the impression of double track. The key is the crossover at the right side, opposite the bottling plant. Oh well, better late than never.

If I would build this plan, I would change the orientation of that crossover at the right side. Either move it to the right so it is a junction of double and single track or move it to the left of the junction switch (making it a junction of 2 single track lines) so the runaround does not interfere with a train running from right to lower left.

I would also build it in N-scale, probably at least 6 feet long or 2 meters even to make sure I could use them as modules.

greetings,

 So it´s just another plan on the path to my "ultimate" plan. I hope I do not run out of food for thought, as planning and collecting ideas is all I can do for the moment. I have to get rid of that ... tremor in my right hand first, before I can start any work...

 ... borrowed again, from you, Stein!

Those two highways passing over the track give a lot of "urban scenery" and depth to it ...

 I'm really torn as to what looks/works better - a railroad overpass over a road somewhat perpendicular to the track, or a road overpass over the tracks. I really like the railroad bridge over the street approach, maybe because there are many around here. But the street bridging the railroad is a great way to disguise the end of the module and/or break it up so that the track lengths seem longer. I guess both are in order!

                                            --Randy

 ... just because a new month has started, here is another plan/idea... (We should make a contest out of this)