Seaboard Central 2.0

[Dave V]

Temptation...

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_sac=1&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.X%28etwnc%2C+et%26wnc%2C+tweetsie%29+on30.TRS0&_nkw=%28etwnc%2C+et%26wnc%2C+tweetsie%29+on30&_sacat=180250

[seusscaboose]

Jim,

I tend to lean towards watching them run.  This, however, fits well with what I think of when I think of the Seaboard System in the early- to mid-1980s.  It was a high speed double mainline racetrack for hot intermodal trains, the Tropicana Juice Train, Amtrak trains, including the AutoTrain, and manifest trains.  But, I have to figure out if I'm going to model a yard (e.g., RF&P's Acca Yard and Brian Park Terminal at the north end of the SBD) or just use staging yards.  Let's face it, yards can be space hogs, so this has to be calculated appropriately.  I have a lot of work to figure this out.  I've been perusing my twenty-five year-old copy of "Track Planning for Realistic Operation" by John Armstrong for the last week.

Thanks,
DFF

Tell me when you want to and we will go see the Canadagua Southern in its current configuration

[davefoxx]

Temptation...

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_sac=1&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.X%28etwnc%2C+et%26wnc%2C+tweetsie%29+on30.TRS0&_nkw=%28etwnc%2C+et%26wnc%2C+tweetsie%29+on30&_sacat=180250

Whoa, ET&WNC No. 12 (or Nos. 11 or 14) and a couple of ET&WNC and Linville River passenger cars, including the parlor car, "Azalea," would be sweet.  You bastard.  Seriously, my wife would kill me right now, especially considering that I just destroyed a significant chunk of the layout last week.

DFF

[davefoxx]

Tell me when you want to and we will go see the Canadagua Southern in its current configuration

I'm free after the Daytona 500 this afternoon.   

DFF

[MVW]

Jim,

I tend to lean towards watching them run.  This, however, fits well with what I think of when I think of the Seaboard System in the early- to mid-1980s.  It was a high speed double mainline racetrack for hot intermodal trains, the Tropicana Juice Train, Amtrak trains, including the AutoTrain, and manifest trains.  But, I have to figure out if I'm going to model a yard (e.g., RF&P's Acca Yard and Brian Park Terminal at the north end of the SBD) or just use staging yards.  Let's face it, yards can be space hogs, so this has to be calculated appropriately.  I have a lot of work to figure this out.  I've been perusing my twenty-five year-old copy of "Track Planning for Realistic Operation" by John Armstrong for the last week.

Thanks,
DFF

So start with staging. Will you "recycle" trains, or do you envision a "one and done" approach? In other words, will your Juice Train just go through from south to north, or will it make a return trip as well?

Or maybe I'm barking up the wrong tree. I guess I should ask first, are you interested in something akin to a traditional ops session? Or more interested in an scenic playground for your trains? If it's the latter, you may be best off concentrating on scenic elements, rather than railroad infrastructure elements, as you play with designs.

Jim

[davefoxx]

I wish I knew, Jim.  I have much to consider.

DFF

[Rich_S]

I'm free after the Daytona 500 this afternoon.   

DFF

Please tell me you are not a Denny Hamlin fan? 

[davefoxx]

Please tell me you are not a Denny Hamlin fan? 

Nope, all my favorites crashed out.

DFF

[wazzou]

Nope, all my favorites crashed out.

DFF

I'm picturing him as a Junior guy, or Danica.   

[davefoxx]

I'm picturing him as a Junior guy, or Danica.   

Heh, not exactly, although I will admit that I was a longtime Dale Earnhardt and Mark Martin fan.  It's harder to follow along with the retirement/passing of the drivers I grew up with.  I'm going to pull for Chase Elliott this year, the son of Awesome Bill from Dawsonville.

DFF

[wazzou]

Yeah, same here.  I grew up a Petty fan and have pulled for everyone in the 43 since. 
I was excited about Bobby Hamilton in the 43 way back when and Bobby Labonte as well, but everyone else, I pulled for but wasn't real excited about. (Jeff Green, really?)
I am pretty high on Aric Almirola.

[GimpLizard]

Danica has fans?

(Okay. Before anyone gets all "You sexist!!" on me, I admit, the girl can drive circles around me and most everyone I know. However... she isn't a Cup caliber driver. Not saying she doesn't have a right to be there. Just that she doesn't deserve the amount of press she gets.)

Oh, and I'll second that Chase Elliot vote. Truth is, I'm okay with just about anybody except Hamlin. Unless, of course, their last name is Busch.

Now back to our regularly scheduled forum thread.

[mcjaco]

I posted this over in Ed's thread as well.  This was the plan for my buddies past "rail fan" layout.



90% staging. 

I planned an built a similar layout when I jumped to N scale for an imaginary BNSF line with "medium" traffic, an Amtrak Superliner in both directions, and one local.  It was basically one town, and staging through the back, double ended.  That way I could watch trains just run through if the urge was there, or could do some switch ops.  At that time I was totally a lone wolf, so it had to keep multiple interests at any time.

Oh, and the On30 thing is biting me hard.  I am seriously considering the jump.  After visiting a Hawaiian plantation RR the past summer, it's calling to me!

[davefoxx]

I'm trying to get the ballasting finished on the layout.  There's only two spots remaining, (1) the turnouts at the southern end of Aberdeen's yard to repair the track replacement after tearing down the expansion, and (2) the Aberdeen & Briar Patch Ry. (ex-Southern Ry.) interchange and around the adjacent A&R enginehouse.

The turnouts are finished, and I have started to add some weeds to the yard tracks:


The interchange is finished, but I ran out of ballast and cannot finish around the enginehouse (the side you cannot see in this photo).  I also painted the concrete floor of the enginehouse earlier today.  I'll get back to the enginehouse itself soon:


DFF

[davefoxx]

I'm home with a sick child today, so no significant modeling time.  However, I was able to shoot a quick video of a typical Seaboard System local, consisting of a GP38-2, a B30-7, a handful of freight cars, and a former SCL caboose.

In case you're wondering, here's the new slimmed down Seaboard Central in its entirety:



DFF