BN Fort Worth Division 2nd Sub

[Rivet Miscounter]

Starting Fresh, in N-Scale again.   This time, setting back the clock before BNSF to 1989 in the north central Texas locale.   That locale, of course, isn't breaking news.   The dates have changed over the years but the "Fort Worth & Denver" part never really has, for the most part.   But the move to BN is pretty significant.  (as is the return to N, but I digress...)  I've essentially modeled BNSF since returning to the hobby in 1999 after the typical "high school/college sabbatical" that many model railroaders undertake.   But my roots lie in early-teen Rivet Miscounter standing alongside BN's Fruitland Siding with scanner and camera in hand, listening to the dispatcher issue track warrants for trains coming out of Fort Worth, Wichita Falls, Childress, and Amarillo. I remember being amazed that I had all this technology that allowed me to know when trains were coming, and then being rewarded by a massive BN coal train or all the funky new Intermodal equipment that flew by in a blur.   

This was mid 1980's, and as the decade pushed later, BN would become a little more 'hep".   There was already the peculiar cabless B30-7A(B) units and the the very distinguished GP50's with orange "tiger stripes" for a splash of color to the very drab, spartan BN paint scheme.   But then the color spectrum really exploded, with the weirdo power-by-the-hour Oakway SD60's and LMX B39-8E "sharks", and--ahem--Innovative Intermodal that saw BN marketing creativity burst out with BN America.   Add the fuel tenders to the mix, and a coal-induced spike in pool power from MKT, Santa Fe, and SP.   BN was actually COOL! 

So, that's where I'm at.   1989 means:
-SD40-2's were still KING.   The Oakways made their statement in the coal realm, but if you're wagering on consists, the safe money was on SD40-2's across the board.
-Tiger Stripe GP50s were still common throughout the year
-Oakway and LMX units were everywhere, and the as-delivered gray-nose LMX's started their bloody-nose conversions.
-The very early stages of the BN White Face scheme had begun, as the massive GP-conversion projects started and the GP50 also got the directive.
-BN America started in March, with a large number of "Phase I" 48ft containers kicking things off and more 48's arriving throughout the year.
-The Maxi-III doublestack cars staked their claim in a burgeoning 48ft equipment market, and supplementing a nice mix of 1st gen doublestacks, early spine cars, and a transitioning 89ft flat car fleet.
-MKT power was still present, although waning exponentially as the decade closes out.
-BN's "Triclops" SD60M's hit in Nov/Dec of '89.
-Cabooses were hanging on for dear life on the BN in Texas, thanks to state laws that kept them in place around the region much longer than most areas.
-A few other items, in simplistic terms: no ditchlights, (even BN's porch-mounted strobe-flashers didn't start until 1990) no conspic stripes, no US Flags, no TTX, no 53ft trailers/containers, no aluminum coal gons, no BN 3-Bar logo

No layout planned at this point, per se.   I am part of a FreeMoN group, and I will be building modules eventually to that purpose.   I am buying locos and cars to build a few trains.....a couple of coal trains, an Intermodal, and a general manifest train.  That's all for now.

[eja]

Sounds like fun.  Keep the pix and progress reports coming.

[TravelingCarpenter]

Great to hear!!!
Looking forward to see some cascade green deuces run!

TC

[Rivet Miscounter]

Looking forward to see some cascade green deuces run!

Me too!   I have four of the ScaleTrains on reserve, due early next year.   At that point, my roster should look like:

ScaleTrains SD40-2 BN Stripes #1 (Due Early 2023)
ScaleTrains SD40-2 BN Stripes #2 (Due Early 2023)
ScaleTrains SD40-2 BN Stripes #3 (Due Early 2023)
ScaleTrains SD40-2 BN Stripes #4 (Due Early 2023)
Atlas SD60 Oakway #1 (Purchased)
Atlas SD60 Oakway #2
Atlas B39-8E LMX #1 (Due Late 2022)
Atlas B39-8E LMX #2 (Due Late 2022)
Atlas GP30 BN Stripes (Purchased)
Atlas GP39-2 BN Stripes (Purchased)

Beyond that, will be casually searching for a handful of the newest run of C30-7's...and then it gets complicated.  GP50s are a must, in some form or fashion, as are B30-7A(B)'s.  Likely 2-3 of each.   Those final two will be a challenge for sure.

[Rivet Miscounter]

I am 95% sure that I have made a decision about an eventual FreeMoN module.

Although cliché, I'm actually planning to model my hometown of Bowie, TX.    Trust me when I say, it's not for sentimental reasons.  The simple fact is, it is an extremely model-able small town, with a lot to offer from a model railroading perspective.   All without being too overwhelming, or requiring too much compression for what should be a relatively small, 2-or-3-section module.

Here's the reveal:

A wider perspective that shows the MKT-UP and FW&D-BN crossing in the far top left corner and down to a signature highway underpass on the southeast side of town.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Bowie,+TX+76230/@33.560139,-97.8547908,1033m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x865262a8f10ec663:0xc89c1413bd1f8859!8m2!3d33.5589953!4d-97.8486457!16zL20vMDEwNm0z

A more zoomed-in view of the downtown "yard" area.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Bowie,+TX+76230/@33.557775,-97.8494134,577m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x865262a8f10ec663:0xc89c1413bd1f8859!8m2!3d33.5589953!4d-97.8486457!16zL20vMDEwNm0z

Couple of notes:
1. You're gonna want to pan northwest from the UP and BN crossing to see a key scene...an infamous pair of highway underpasses that--still to this day--have the marks of their predessor roads (Fort Worth & Denver/Burlington Route, and Rock Island Lines) displayed cleanly on their girders.    And, on the BN line you'll see a nice cut between the crossing and the highway bridge.
2. Looking at the yard, imagine that in the 80's both of the wide spurs actually connected back to the respective main/siding tracks. (to form two "wings" if you will)   Where the northwest wing came back in near Montague and Lindsey streets, there was a small grain elevator/feed facility.   There was also a short spur adjacent the mainline on the northwest side of the main and coming off the "wing" near Cowan Street.   So with a little modeler's license there could be as many as 5 industry spots in that space.
3. And speaking of modeler's license, panning southeast from the view shown you'll see a non-rail served industry called Bowie Industries which manufactures Hydromulchers and Oilfield Pumps.   This company was founded by my grandfather and while I generally have no real sentimental attachments to my hometown anymore, that does have special meaning to me as you can imagine.    So, I am considering making it rail-served for a potential 6th spot for switching. (or more likely just doing a more believable 3 or 4 spots in the downtown area.)
4. You probably will notice the plastic pipe plant that is just north of the diamond.   That is an extremely recent development, but it's not something that *couldn't* have been in play in the late 80s and rail served.   I'm undecided about how far I want to go with the fudge-factor but it's at least worth mention.

List of other elements under consideration:
1. The yard, as it existed in the 1980s and with the track arrangement as described above.  This includes Bowie's quaint little "sea green" BN yard office.
2. Bowie Industries, as if it was rail served.  Bulk steel in, hydromulchers on Farm Implement Flats out, boxcars of pumps out.
3. Bowie Milling Co., receiving covered hoppers
4. Midwestern Mud, receiving boxcars of palleted bentonite
5. Agribusiness on the southeast side, which I believe was a peanut dryer/elevator facility.   Not sure of the specifics of that and its relationship to rail, and it technically was not in play during the 80s but close. (from research so far, late 70s)
6. Team Track on the northeast side, which offloaded what I think was cattle feed from covered hoppers at times, would embellish with offloading agricultural equipment possibly.
7. Berend Brothers Feed Store.  Not rail served but iconic for the scene near the yard.
8. Ideas for other Non-rail businesses: US Post Office, Bowie Lumber Co., Sonic, Pizza Hut, Allsups Convenience Store, Body Shop, Realty, Newspaper, Coffee/Donut Shop, Widlakes Auto Parts
8. (Continued) Longhorn Cafe, Slack Ford/Lincoln/Mercury, et al, Calvary Baptist Church, Bowie Marine/Car Wash, Various homes/trailer homes, Laundromat, Pete's Suzuki
9. MKT-UP and FW&D/BN Crossing
10. Iconic Hwy Underpass (just the BN/FW&D bridge, not both) and Adjacent Rock Cut
11. Hwy Underpass near Allsups Convenience Store

So I want to get feedback on how to best translate the above to a FreeMoN module.   My initial thought is trying to get it to fit into two 6-foot sections.   I'll provide some additional visual aids in time.   I don't anticipate starting this until at LEAST late this year.  I am still planning to "finish" my Z layout in time for the NMRA convention, and then I've committed to build a return loop module for our FreeMoN group.   I expect construction of that module and this one will be somewhat concurrent though.   Anyway, point is there's time to ponder on this for at least a little bit.

[Rivet Miscounter]

Here's a compressed mockup from the Google Earth pics.
[ Guests cannot view attachments ] [ Guests cannot view attachments ]

Thoughts:
1. This would still be just a starting point of something way more compressed, and definitely not as wide.
2. I feel like 3 6ft sections will end up being the makeup of the module versus 2, but regardless I may look at both scenarios as an exercise.
2. I have no problem changing the angle of the MKT/UP crossing a little bit, to save space.

[wm3798]

I like the concept of the first group of modules.
But I'm always getting stuck as to how a modular group deals with operations.  I mean, unless it's run with military precision, how do you schedule trains over a railroad that is going to be different every time it's set up?  How do you do pick ups and set outs with locals when the rolling stock and even sidings can belong to 10 different people?  It makes my head spin to just think about.

I guess the obvious answer is to start as you are, with an interesting scene and track layout that can eventually be part of a larger home layout, where the sidings can be worked by your trains coming out of your yard on your schedule, then when it's show time, you unclick the modules and set up at the arena, and let chaos ensue for the viewing pleasure of the unwashed masses...

From the nature of the consists you're building, it sounds like you'll mostly be running long trains from staging to staging, so maybe I'm overthinking it. 
I guess my question is, once the modules are done, what's next?

Lee

[Rivet Miscounter]

Hi Lee, thanks for the reply.    All great questions.   

Regarding ops, I'm probably about as curious about all of that as you are.    I do know that in all of the discussions I've been privy to, a lot of it is regarding exactly those questions.   I think there are various ways that rolling stock is being kept track of, not all of which are synced up.   A good bit of it is simply extensive planning and manpower to manage it all.   I think some efforts to standardize on, say, JMRI Ops for instance.   The group I'm in is just starting out so I've been trying to just get us to focus on our own m.o. first and foremost.  But of course our first big test is the NMRA Ops Road Show in August in DFW, TX.  So sort of trial by fire.   If nothing else, I see us doing a "way freight" of sorts that just takes a train across the modules, picking up and setting out 1-for-1 similar purpose cars.  And ducking the occasional run-through.

And that's basically what I'm looking for at home, too.   More mainline/passing-siding ops, as you deducted.   If I did not much else, I would probably have the Bowie module in between two passing sidings going into staging on each end.   I don't have room even for that.  If I'm lucky I can get 12ft of modules along one wall of a spare bedroom for now, and that's sort of my plan.  I could do some basic switching of the few industries and just overall have a place to display models and continue refining the modules I guess.

What's next is always the million dollar question.  I'm honestly just hoping I can get these two or three sections built and be able to run some trains every once in a while.

[amato1969]

... be able to run some trains every once in a while.

This! 

[squirrelhunter]

I like the small town with junction vibe. I think having an interchange track will add some operational variety for sure.

I haven't updated the layout engineering thread on them in years, but this was kind of what I was shooting for here https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=39615.0 except in T Trak instead of FreeMoN. I've actually added another double to the set and have a short siding made with a double and two singles that I may pair with two triples to get a crossing and a wye. The idea being the local would work from the junction to the small town and back.

As far as operations, I think if the layout doesn't have that many cars spotted, you could just use a hand generated switchlist. If you are moving 10 cars or less that seems like it would be manageable. Honestly if there is only one local on the line and no yard, it seems that the main job would be dodging mainline freights.

As an aside, I didn't know there was a FreeMon club in DFW now- were they at Plano last nonth?

[Rivet Miscounter]

I like the small town with junction vibe. I think having an interchange track will add some operational variety for sure.

I haven't updated the layout engineering thread on them in years, but this was kind of what I was shooting for here https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=39615.0 except in T Trak instead of FreeMoN. I've actually added another double to the set and have a short siding made with a double and two singles that I may pair with two triples to get a crossing and a wye. The idea being the local would work from the junction to the small town and back.

As far as operations, I think if the layout doesn't have that many cars spotted, you could just use a hand generated switchlist. If you are moving 10 cars or less that seems like it would be manageable. Honestly if there is only one local on the line and no yard, it seems that the main job would be dodging mainline freights.

The Free-MoN group is not necessarily DFW.   Right now it's guys from Denton, Dallas, Fort Worth, and Temple...roughly.    Did not setup at Plano...only semi-official setup thus far was at the RPM this past year.    And that was one member's module/sections and two helping with setup/teardown.

I'm still pondering the whole modeler's license/embellishment thing.  Part of me wants to keep it pretty true to the prototype.   The interchange would be massive stretch...one existed up to the early 60's I think, but that's almost a solid 30 years prior.  So would the fabricated industries...just not sure I want to do that.   Definitely considering many different options for sure.