Easy to follow progression of layoutWell, with college bearing down on me next year (visited Clemson University this past Friday
Upside is I really want to go there...GOOOOOO TIGERS!!!), and never having finished much of a layout, I decided this past summer to quit belly-aching about what to do and commit to a plan. The basic layout is a 30"x80" HCD, with the plan being a heavily modified version of the old MR 4x8 HO project railroad The Alkali Central. My RR is the freelanced White Tail Southern, which runs from a connection with Norfolk Southern in Aiken, SC, to the fictional town of White Tail in the northern portion of Aiken County (I got the name White Tail from a band t-shirt for the now-on-hiatus Sent By Ravens, a Christian rock band from SC, which has White Tail Deer and the SC state on the shirt). Just outside of White Tail is the main reason the line exists, an industrial park rating several industries (still need to figure those out).
The story goes that the Norfolk Southern was preparing to abandon a branch line in the mid-eighties in Aiken County, which had seen much of the local traffic in White Tail dry up and the big plant on the line, the White Tail Cement Block Co, make a move towards more trucks. However, several local businessmen saw an opportunity to make a move for some money, and purchased the line, along with a large plot of land just north of White Tail. In short, a plastic pellet facility decided to locate itself in White Tail, which also includes a transloading area and a Purina Dogfood distribution warehouse. The Cement Block Co. still receives cement and some other aggregates via rail, while also shipping out cement blocks that way as well. The industrial park has several industries, including a local supply warehouse for several area grocery stores, a medium scrap yard, and some other industries that are ytbd.
Now, the back story doesn't apply too much to the layout, which features most of the above industries except the industrial park (which on my layout doesn't exist for more than an excuse to expand my freight car roster). I did make some modifications to the Alkali Central plan; rather than a crossover, I changed the main industrial trackage into a switchback, and added a spur on the big industry. The main line on the outside has been chopped into a spur which represents the NS interchange in Aiken and a car storage track in White Tail. Unfortunately, I used some Unitrak I had on hand for the curves, and had to solder the code 55 to it. One joint doesn't like BLMA rolling stock, so I'll be replacing that part with Atlas code 55 track.
Here's the trackplan: (both Alkali Central and my layout)
Operationally, the local will start in White Tail, make up its train, and do five laps counterclockwise, arriving in Aiken (which is also the White Tail Trackage). the local then makes the interchange and does two laps before switching out the cement block co, completing three more laps before arriving back in White Tail, where it switches industries. I can also include cars bound for the industrial park if I want.
Scenery has been started. I have kitbashed the Purina plant and scratchbuilt most of the plastic pellet facility. I have also started the hills and some of the foreground scenery in White Tail. More scenes will be planned as the others are completed.
Finally, I know there are some limitations to the plan, but overall I'm just building this as a stress-reliever for high school and my job (I spend time with/mentor an autistic boy whose father has MS and is disabled). While I know there could have been a few other changes to the trackplan for better ops/expandability, I will probably be dismantling this layout before heading to Clemson, because my little bro will be swapping rooms with me (I may start a small layout based on the industrial park for when I come home/am home for break or co-ops/internships). The main goal for this layout is to work on scratchbuilding and scenery techniques, along with being able to run trains and have a touch of ops.
