The Little Rock Line

[mu26aeh]

Thanks!

Here's an older track plan, the only thing that's really changed is the yard in El Dorado.

How wide are the different areas ?  Looks like maybe 4 ', 2 ' on either side of the backdrop ?

[Bendtracker1]

Nice Allen - that gives a really good sense of the overall layout.

 
Thanks Gary!
I had a couple of friends in TX and NC who have asked me to do this so they could a better idea as well.
Still pics are nice, but it's hard to put the puzzle together in your head. 

Questions: how many turnouts do you have on your pike?

 
On the main layout I have about 65.  All are Peco mediums and longs, both straight and curved.
All that are on the mainline are longs.
Mediums everywhere else. The crossover at Winnfield uses two mediums.  Only the local uses it for a run around, but I might change that.
There is one Atlas #6 that is spiked that comes off the curve that after leaving the yard and just before Tioga Jct.  I wanted to try one to see how well it holds up. So far, so good.  I've used a couple on our modules and they have held up very well.

The yard was built using Atlas #6's [and a few Peco mediums] years ago before I started construction.  Surprisingly enough, they have given me very little trouble! 

What are your plans for scenery?   

Scenery?  What's that?   
The layout is set in Arkansas and Louisiana, so I plan for a fairly lush and wooded appearance with low rolling hills with a few higher areas.  I've always given thoughts to using Kudzu for much of the ground cover, much like Dave Foxx is using on his currant Seaboard layout.

From I've gathered, most of the trees in the area Loblolly Pines and typical deciduous trees. There are a lot of lumber companies in the area and Loblolly's are popular and fast growing.

[Bendtracker1]

How wide are the different areas ?  Looks like maybe 4 ', 2 ' on either side of the backdrop ?

I apologize as the drawing is not to scale, but that is about correct.
All of my turnouts are manual so I wanted to keep them in easy reach and not have a huge area to cover with scenery.  The widest area is on the south end of El Dorado yard [or the top in the drawing] . 

Here's a shot of El Dorado that gives a better indication of size and depth.  From Don's hand to the backdrop [just behind the buildings] is about 30"-32"



I plan to have the actual town of El Dorado raised about 3" and then there will be one track with a couple of turnouts that will run up to the town and will be set out from the backdrop about a 12" so they will be within easy reach.  You can see the temporary loop I have in place to give me an idea of what I'm planning.

Most of the other areas run from 16" to 20" deep on average.

[soo]

Glad you got the red and black units going, I always thought about a 2 era layout,, maybe someday.

The video was cool,, gives more a reference to the minds eye.

Keep it up!!

Wyatt

[Bendtracker1]

Thanks Wyatt!   

I don't know if I will keep at it using a two era time theme or not?  The Red and Black scheme was the first paint scheme that got me hooked on the Rock Island, so it was treat to see them running, especially the FA's.

Maybe I'll just run them all!

[GaryHinshaw]

Maybe I'll just ______ them all!

 

[Bendtracker1]

"RUN"

oops

[mu26aeh]

How deep is the Little Rock/Alexandria yard area/engine shops loop ?

[Pesto]

Just had another ops session last weekend, all went well with the older Red and Black power!
While the layout was clean, I decided to shoot a quick video of the layout.
You can see it on the blog;

http://thelittlerockline.blogspot.com/2014/08/video-layout-tour-aug-2014.html

I just watched your video layout tour--very enjoyable!  I was struck by the way that, even though all the scenery is not done, having fascia and backdrop completed everywhere gives the layout a cohesive, unified feel that makes a real difference.

Two questions:
1.  I noticed that many of the sidings had a round piece of paper on a toothpick or something next to them, but couldn't read the text on them.  I'm assuming they are something for use during ops sessions?
2.  Very briefly, around 3:30-3:52 of the video, heading from El Dorado toward Calion, up against the backdrop behind the far end of a switching lead from the yard....is that....Garfield!? 

[Bendtracker1]

How deep is the Little Rock/Alexandria yard area/engine shops loop ?

The section that ties into the main layout is 48"
The narrowest width of the yard [in the middle] is 29" wide.  The two sub yards have 9 tracks each and then there are two by-pass tracks.
The yard benchwork is made up of four sections;



I think the loop around the engine house is around a 15" radius.

[Bendtracker1]

I just watched your video layout tour--very enjoyable!  I was struck by the way that, even though all the scenery is not done, having fascia and backdrop completed everywhere gives the layout a cohesive, unified feel that makes a real difference.

Thanks!
I've had several folks make that same mention.  I never noticed it that much as I see it everyday.  But now that it's been mentioned, it does kind of have that look.  Now to get some green down.

Two questions:
1.  I noticed that many of the sidings had a round piece of paper on a toothpick or something next to them, but couldn't read the text on them.  I'm assuming they are something for use during ops sessions?

Yep, they are toothpicks with two Avery dots applied to them and stuck in the ground next to each track.  It calls out the max number of cars that each siding can hold or needs.
I did this after a few of the sessions, as we had a couple of the crews trying to cram all the cars onto a siding instead of picking up enough cars for return to make room for the set outs.   
They're just temporary.

2.  ....is that....Garfield!? 

LOL!  Yep.  A good friend of mine had him clipped to his rearview mirror for years.  When he passed away about 6 years ago, I inherited all of his trains and Garfield must have been in one of the boxes.  So I clipped him to the backdrop so he could watch over the layout as it grew.  At the last ops session, one of the clowns gave him a coupler pic to hold on to and I never even noticed until someone else seen it after I uploaded the video.   

[Philip H]

Hey Allen,
When you figure out how to model loblolly pine, I'll need a couple hundred.  Please deliver an appropriate price quote.

[Bendtracker1]

Hey Allen,
When you figure out how to model loblolly pine, I'll need a couple hundred.  Please deliver an appropriate price quote.

Should I figure on delivery and installation as well? 

[Bendtracker1]

Over the long Labor day weekend I finally managed to get the rest of the skirting hung around the layout!  I recycled almost of the skirting from our modules.  I used Velcro to hold it in place.  I'm really happy how it ties things together and hides all the shelving and other crap under the layout for a nice finished look. 







This one is actually black as well, the exposure changed a bit when I uploaded the pic to Picasa.

[Scottl]

It does really make a difference, nice.  The first photo hints at a rather full and impressive looking yard- any photos of that?