Birth of a freelanced layout

[ukguy]

The mainline will start at a dockside, sea or great lake, giving availability for a couple of roadnames using the port. The dock will include an independant yard to enable separate control of the area while the mainline can run.

The mainline will then head inland, passing through warehousing and light industry at the dock and a small town which has sprung up to facilitate the docks and dock workers.

As the mainline continues inland there will be a coal mine/processing plant with related industry/housing/stores giving rise to a branch line which heads off 'somewhere'. Small switching area around the facility.

The mainline will continue inland climbing slightly into hilly terrain giving oportunity for a trestle (I love how they look with a loco traversing a gorge/river). From here another branchline heads into the hills to a logging area (probably pine) with all the activity and related trackage on the branch enabling separate control of the area, as with the dock side. This will include a switching area for point2point but will also have a 'loop' 50% hidden for continuous running.

As the mainline continues it will pass through a small town/trackside industries on the other side of the logging area and after some more scenic route arrive at its final destination of the 'city'. First stops will be 'Grand Station' and frieght depots/warehouses followed by a yard including maintenance facilities, refueling, roundhouse, turntable etc.
The yard will be in the center of a loop enabling the train to either pull in and start switching or if I just want to sit/watch and drink a beer(or 4) traverse the perimeter and head off back down the main line to the docks.

The mainline will pass through each scene once on its journey although the actual mainline track configuration will resemble a 'C' shaped dogbone with an island breaking off for the port. Sounds complicated I know but I can see clearly in my head. Some of the main will be double track but I also want to have a single line heading along a coastal area.

The next step is to get this baby down on paper and start working out where the rest of the trackage is going to go. I'm not too big into switching right now but I maybe in the future so I am tring to build in plenty of oportunity for it on the layout, along with the ability to run 3 or 4 locos independantly on separate lines and just watch them do their thing through my scenery.

Hope this has made everything clear [:D], just wanted to share.

Have fun & be safe.
Karl.

[tommyr]

Sounds like a great plan. When you get it on paper how about posting it. How much room do you have to use for this dream layout?
Tom

[JohnT14808]

Sounds like something along the lines of three bedrooms and den in size!! Just the dock area could be a whole wall!!

[tommyr]

Just a few thoughts[2c][2c]
You say you are not into switching right now. IMO just watching trains run could become boring after awhile. Onmy RR I have several interconnected locations.
Eg. Logging branch-logs to log dump-sawmill- finished lumber to
boatbuilder
furniture factory
dock for shipping to wherever
fruit packer for fruit boxes
Coalmine - Ore cars to transfer dump to hoppers for transfer to ships at dock- to brewery to fire boilers
Stockyard- Cattle cars to slauterhouse- product to dock for shipment
produce wharehouse- reefers to cannery-product to dock.
I am trying to create a reason for existenice.ie a viable reason for it be there. Just somethings to think about. i'll get down off my[soapbox]now
Tom

[Morpar]

While the trackplan sounds good, there are some other things to think about when freelancing. Are you modeling a portion of a larger, more prosperous line, or a smaller line just getting by? How will the equipment all realate to each other? And most importantly, do you really care if it looks like a model of a real road or just a bunch of models all put together? The reason I ask, I am in the process right now of trying to figure all these things out for my freelance road right now. I have been collecting equipment for years, and my tastes run from the east coast of the country (N&W "A" and 2 "J" locos) to the west coast (UP FEF-3, Big Boy, and some SP stuff) and stuff in the middle (2 NKP Berks). How does someone try to tie all that together? I have oil-burners, coal-burners, big diesels, little diesels, modern diesels, plus electrics all on hand! I enjoy mountain railroading with coal trains, fast bridge traffic across the midwest, and the large, fast locos crossing the Rockies with perishables!
The next question then becomes how does someone design a realistic roster and numbering scheme, particularly if they are trying to use a whole lot of un-related equipment? And what about custom decals? How about designing a realistic looking herald? From my personal, recent experiences, I think it is easier to model a prototype instead of free-lancing! No more being torn at the LHS about wether or not to buy a certain piece of equipment. Did (or does) the prototype own it or not- end of decision! Same with decals, no need to have custom sets made if following most prototypes.
As for the trackplan, it sounds similar to the one I have in my head at this time. I currently don't care much for "operation", but I will leave it as a possibility when I do start building. My space will be about 30' by 30', when we can get a garage built, that is! Good luck!