Conrail Ft. Wayne Line and Lordstown Secondary Layout

[conrail98]

Maybe the Reading Cluster?
http://thecrhs.org/OnLocationWithConrail/HardCoalCountry

Man, you had to do this. I went back and one layout/plan I always liked was one Byron Henderson did for MRH in one of the first year or two of its existence, the "Schuylkill Haven RR", freelanced plan based out of Cressona. You can see his write up here,

Phil

[Ed Kapuscinski]

  It's what I do. 

I've always thought that the area would be really great to model. With the MTL SW1500s, the key elements are all available now (if you can find some CR MP15s).

[glakedylan]

growing up in Schuylkill County and my father working in Cressona, this project really brought back lots of memories.
great work!
thanks for sharing
Gary

[conrail98]

It's what I do. 

I've always thought that the area would be really great to model. With the MTL SW1500s, the key elements are all available now (if you can find some CR MP15s).

Yeah, now you made me pull out my Reading in the Conrail era and I'm even more intrigued, especially since Cressona had 4 locals out and a couple of runs to Reading in 1986. It's also "old time" no unit train coal switching. Now to start playing around with some ideas. Once I start, I'll do a new thread,

Phil

[conrail98]

Been working on a few plans with a couple of folks ranging from the Ft. Wayne Line back to adaptation of a plan for Hershey to a new one of the Boston Line between Palmer and Springfield. Still cleaning the basement so progress won't ramp up again until towards the summer, which is my preferred building time anyways,

Phil

[pjm20]

MR released a plan for the NS in Hershey in N Scale a few years ago.

[conrail98]

MR released a plan for the NS in Hershey in N Scale a few years ago.

That's the one. I've been in touch with Bob about that and/or working on a Ft. Wayne line plan,

Phil

[conrail98]

I think it's a definite to transition over to the Boston Line. The scenery, the train mix, ops on a not-too-large scale. Should be good,

Phil

[conrail98]

I reached out to Bob Sprague a month or two ago (about the same time the Hanover Sub plan was being done) about coming up with a plan around the Ft. Wayne Line. After some back and forth here is a preliminary design for a layout based on Mansfield and as far east as Wooster with some modelers license to get the large grain elevator in Mansfield into the fold.



We're still finishing up some of the details but I'm excited about this. Yes, it's as large as my original footprint but it is very simplistic in its design,

Phil

[mu26aeh]

I reached out to Bob Sprague a month or two ago (about the same time the Hanover Sub plan was being done) about coming up with a plan around the Ft. Wayne Line. After some back and forth here is a preliminary design for a layout based on Mansfield and as far east as Wooster with some modelers license to get the large grain elevator in Mansfield into the fold.



We're still finishing up some of the details but I'm excited about this. Yes, it's as large as my original footprint but it is very simplistic in its design,

Phil

You'll be very happy with the end product !  I'm certain !

[conrail98]

After a few more back and forth over a couple of emails over July 4th, here is the final plan delivered to me this morning. I can't thank Bob enough and now to clean the basement and get this thing going!



Larger link here

Phi

[Chris333]

Wow looks great for switching.

[mu26aeh]

Just a thought here, and maybe you and Bob had discussed it, but are you planning to shove to the Int. Paper sidings ?  Maybe a runaround can be worked in near/at Landmark ?

That looks like another great plan by Bob !  I will definitely go back to him again if he's still doing them and I get around to enclosing my garage and turning it into finished space.

[conrail98]

Just a thought here, and maybe you and Bob had discussed it, but are you planning to shove to the Int. Paper sidings ?  Maybe a runaround can be worked in near/at Landmark ?

We put the runaround down there on the "main" in Wooster. You can see the crossover that would allow for the runaround and any WBs to be able to go around a parked local there. So in operations, I figure it would be a double move up the branch. Shove or pull first and vice-versa second. Should make for an interesting switch work. That branch is actually wrapped around itself in the prototype but we straightened out on the plan,

Phil

[conrail98]

So over the last two months, I've spent time organizing and cleaning the basement. Today, during lunch, the fruits of my efforts paid off as both sides of the basement are cleaned and organized enough that I can get started on building out the benchwork for the plan Bob gave me.



Now, if only there was a way to convince the guys to come over to help out assembling the benchwork, hmm



 

- Phil