Model Railroader Salt Lake Route Project Layout

[vt_railroad_guy]

I've been thinking....

Currently I am building a small layout on a HCD based on the Carolina Central.  I'm not too far into it yet and I'm already thinking about a possible expansion.  I was looking through some back issues of MRR the other night when I came accross the Salt lake Route series they did a couple years back and it got me thinking.  I really think building a single track version of this layout with a long passing siding in the front and a handfull of industries to switch (maybe a papermill instead of intermodal yard on the back side of the layout) would be a really fun layout to operate.  Locale would be northern maine and prototype would be Bangor and Aroostook and Maine Central RRs.  What do you all think?

Here is the plan from the Kato website for reference.



VTRG

[conrailthomas519]

Single track most definitly and you could always modernize that idea... Maine Central Guilford paint. Atlas has done alot of them and readly available. The Paper Mill would be a great choice for primary subject. Rumsford, Maine paper mill comes to mind on the one side. On the otherside Auburn, Maine.

[MichaelWinicki]

That was a well done series.

The center divide concept was a winner.

I like the plan with the idea of single track, but I would consider adding a staging track or two (if you can get away with it) on the back side in order to be able vary operations even more.

[coosvalley]

Maine Central Guilford paint. 

Please no....just......no............ ...........

[Bsklarski]

Please no....just......no............ ...........

LOL yes I have spend many months changing that layout around to be more "New England". With some changes in scenery, it can be done!

[vt_railroad_guy]

Please no....just......no............ ...........

Lol, I'm not a big fan of Guilford, so I'll keep it in the lates 70's/early 80's. 

[Ian MacMillan]

Locking this thread for mention of Guilford!

[CVSNE]

OR.  . . . you could build the Androscoggin Central - I hear it's featured in a Kalmbach book

[vt_railroad_guy]

OR.  . . . you could build the Androscoggin Central - I hear it's featured in a Kalmbach book

I have actually thought about doing that as well....

Giving more options is NOT making it easier to decide! 

VTRG

[coosvalley]

If you want to model Maine, may I suggest adding maybe a woodchip or pulpwood loading area, perhaps on the less populated side?

On a side note, I've really been considering an era change, From the MEC in 1980, to 1985ish.....the early Guilford era really opens up some locomotive modeling possibilities.....one of my favorite parts of the hobby......(we need a duck for cover icon