Challenge #3 - Vintage Chemical & The Philadelphia Belt Line

[keeper]

Actually, I'd need two of em.



Those are the "loki's" at the Rohm & Haas plant my grandfather used to work at and which serves as much of the inspiration for this endeavor.

A bit OT, but those locos remind me of this one:

https://www.ostertalbahn.de/fileadmin/_processed_/b/b/csm_332-312_ffccd29b1d.jpeg

Thomas

[John]

I'm going to have to steal some of these ideas .. I'm planning on removing the blast furnace, rolling mill, and electric furnace from the M&O ...  I have too many other kits that need to be built and used ..

[John]

[thread drift = JFRT sprint]
The question is: Who will host the next Op's session.  Me, you, or Dave.
[/thread drift]

If the walking dead don't take over, I'm game for a session as well

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I'm going to have to steal some of these ideas .. I'm planning on removing the blast furnace, rolling mill, and electric furnace from the M&O ...  I have too many other kits that need to be built and used ..

Oooh! I like that idea. I always liked your inclusion of them since the M&O is large enough to do them justice, but there are so many cool industries out there (in fact I'm working on a book for the CRHS on that right now).

For example, start here and work northeast up the Delaware River: https://goo.gl/maps/wwVx8Zo9EuZ3WN8N6

[wm3798]

Not sure you could ever get a decoder into these simple machines, unless you did one as a trailer to hold the electronics, but you could have fun having a switchable DC/DCC siding where main line trains could drop off a cut of cars from the DCC line,



Then use a couple of these guys right out of the box and run them on a 9 volt battery to switch inside the industrial tracks.  The newest version, while still chonky girls scale wise, actually run really nicely, even through turnouts.

Lee

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Ok, while waiting for some structures to arrive from Jersey and Japan I'm moving onto another set of modules: a yard.

I'm thinking I'm gonna call this "Aramingo Ave". There was a real Aramingo Ave yard in Philly. It was a PRR "Truc Train" yard and now is where Conrail interchanges with Railserve, the contractor who switches the Advansix (but always Barrett's Chemical) in Bridesburg.

Here are some pics at the mockup phase. I'm planning on doing a third center piece that's just straight track. Buildings are all FPO.

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

I have two potential things I wanted to talk through.
1. I like having a mix of through and stub tracks, but does it make sense to have the stubs facing this direction or the other? The other way is trailing point for right hand running, but this end lets me be point to point with the chemical plant which lets me use it as a drill track.
2. The crossover arrangement leading into the yard. They're currently setup like a "mainline" so trains can get into or out of it, but given the way I'd use this I'd imagine that they might be useful being the other direction so I can use the front track as another yard track. Thoughts?

[Point353]

Ok, while waiting for some structures to arrive from Jersey and Japan I'm moving onto another set of modules: a yard.

I'm thinking I'm gonna call this "Aramingo Ave". There was a real Aramingo Ave yard in Philly. It was a PRR "Truc Train" yard and now is where Conrail interchanges with Railserve, the contractor who switches the Advansix (but always Barrett's Chemical) in Bridesburg.

Here are some pics at the mockup phase. I'm planning on doing a third center piece that's just straight track. Buildings are all FPO.

(Attachment Link)

(Attachment Link)

I have two potential things I wanted to talk through.
1. I like having a mix of through and stub tracks, but does it make sense to have the stubs facing this direction or the other? The other way is trailing point for right hand running, but this end lets me be point to point with the chemical plant which lets me use it as a drill track.
2. The crossover arrangement leading into the yard. They're currently setup like a "mainline" so trains can get into or out of it, but given the way I'd use this I'd imagine that they might be useful being the other direction so I can use the front track as another yard track. Thoughts?

What are you trying to achieve?

Is there a prototype track arrangement that you want to replicate as closely as possible?
Will one of the yard tracks always be empty so that you can use it for a run-around track in order to access the facing point stub tracks?
Will whatever way freight that switches the stub tracks make a return trip so that it could switch the stub tracks by crossing over from the outside main track?

Try some operations with the track layout you have now and see if it seems to meet your needs and/or otherwise appeal to you.

[wm3798]

You could add a turnout this side of the crossover (without changing it) at the front edge, and create a p/u-s/o track opposite yard.  Lots of snakey S curve switching, but that would give you your extra yard track with the added bump of creating a stop for your thru trains.

Lee

[chicken45]

Ok, while waiting for some structures to arrive from Jersey and Japan I'm moving onto another set of modules: a yard.

I'm thinking I'm gonna call this "Aramingo Ave". There was a real Aramingo Ave yard in Philly. It was a PRR "Truc Train" yard and now is where Conrail interchanges with Railserve, the contractor who switches the Advansix (but always Barrett's Chemical) in Bridesburg.

Here are some pics at the mockup phase. I'm planning on doing a third center piece that's just straight track. Buildings are all FPO.

(Attachment Link)

(Attachment Link)



I have two potential things I wanted to talk through.
1. I like having a mix of through and stub tracks, but does it make sense to have the stubs facing this direction or the other? The other way is trailing point for right hand running, but this end lets me be point to point with the chemical plant which lets me use it as a drill track.
2. The crossover arrangement leading into the yard. They're currently setup like a "mainline" so trains can get into or out of it, but given the way I'd use this I'd imagine that they might be useful being the other direction so I can use the front track as another yard track. Thoughts?

@Lemosteam will enjoy his prototype Gallitzin station being put to good use!

[Ed Kapuscinski]

FINALLY!!
My Slevin has arrived.

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[Steveruger45]

Cool, looks almost American.  Just remove the barrier/fence and put up vertical anti-ramming poles painted yellow and it would be American.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Cool, looks almost American.  Just remove the barrier/fence and put up vertical anti-ramming poles painted yellow and it would be American.

That's the plan! I'll also be redoing the base as well.

Good call on the posts though. I hadn't thought of that. Also gonna need some parking space barriers too.

[Steveruger45]

That's the plan! I'll also be redoing the base as well.

Good call on the posts though. I hadn't thought of that. Also gonna need some parking space barriers too.

Yes, that’s what I would do too, plus some signs in the windows, “Special, Coke 2L $1.25” then in smaller type, “ plus tax” for example.

[Point353]

FINALLY!!
My Slevin has arrived.

(Attachment Link)

Just in time for July 11th.

[davefoxx]

Yes, that’s what I would do too, plus some signs in the windows, “Special, Coke 2L $1.25” then in smaller type, “ plus tax” for example.

Those signs will depend on Ed's era.  For instance, if this was for his 12/1985 layout, I think that's around the time that three-liter bottles of Coke were all the rage.

DFF