The Mill Loop

[Tad_T]

I should be writing my notes up in documents anyway. Then I could use my scribbles later.

I aspire to possibly write some articles. And even though that I don't know diddly about how to do it, I would like to one day have an AD&N website. I have a good collection of AD&N source material.

I have crawfished on one of my Givens. I decided that I am not going to use a door. I had a door layout that I built and I was never happy with the door.

Even though I have the ability and the tools to build benchwork, I just do not have the time right now. So I ordered some modular open grid benchwork kits with 48" legs. I ordered a 36" x 48" module and a 36" x 36" module. That will give me a 36" x 84" layout. I am going to use foam on top of the benchwork. Then if this does workout, maybe it could be incorporated into a larger layout later or the benchwork could be reused.

Here is a geometry check based on Doodle's @wm3798  ideas.



I used the double crossovers because I happen to have them new in the package. I do not have any single crossovers.

This is a parts list



I'll post some more details on the proposed operations later.

Thanks,

Tad

[packers#1]

Overall I like where this is headed, and I think the spaghetti bowl of track is becoming a lot more of a spaghetti bowl with a purpose. The one thing that’s bugging me though is the 4 track yard; this tracks look very very short, and I don’t really see what sort of use you’re going to get from it. Since you have the 360 degree access and have moved the plant to the one side, could you put the yard on the other side and extend it? Or perhaps add a bit of a module extension (drop down or otherwise) to get a bit more length

[wm3798]

I think the little yard can be useful for blocking traffic to the various parts of the mill. 

The little staging runaround is short, the various sidings are short, so there's really no need for class tracks in the fiddle yard to be long.

And again, Unitrak.  If you don't like it, take it apart and try something different.
Lee

[nkalanaga]

I'm with Lee on the yard.  Those are probably for in-plant use only, and don't need to hold many cars.  And not only for blocking and other sorting activity, they could also be used for "extra" cars, which won't fit the destination track.  Example, order two tankcars of a chemical, and only have one unloading spot.  Stick the extra there, it will be in-plant, and one won't have to wait for the serving railroad to bring it from their yard.

[Tad_T]

This may look a little weird, but it does add some yard capacity.

[wm3798]

The down side to that is the limited switching lead before you foul the main.
As a switching layout within the confines of a mill, this isn't a major issue, you won't be holding up passenger service, for instance, but if you want to have one train circulating while wou switch to set up the next one, it could be a problem.
Lee

[mkearns]

IMHO the runaround at front formed by the double crossovers is getting pretty short. It appeared to me that you lost some length going from the singles to the doubles. It worked OK when all the spurs and sidings were equally short, but with some of the discussions turning toward possibly lengthening the yard tracks you might want to think more about how the runaround will be used.

It looks to me - perhaps unintentionally, as I know you're roughly working from the prototype sketch - like this plan has evolved into a loose derivative of the Carolina Central trackplan. Consider some of "Steve's Trains" variations on the plan. I particularly liked how he increased staging toward the rear/top of the layout.

https://www.steves-trains.com/post/n-scale-track-plans

[Tad_T]

Looks like a bunch of track, but so does the real thing.

There were nearly 10 miles of track and 127 manually operated #8 turnouts at Crossett with just the AD&N tracks and the Georgia Pacific mill tracks. That does not count the foreign road trackage from the other three railroads in Crossett.

Are you going to try to model a little of each area of the complex or pick one part to represent with the rest off the layout in some form of staging?

I would like to model a little bit of all of the Mill Loop.  The other yards and interchanges will be represented by staging.

The one thing that’s bugging me though is the 4 track yard; this tracks look very very short, and I don’t really see what sort of use you’re going to get from it.

The yard has enough straight track to hold about ten 50' cars. The variation that I tried could hold about 14.

The down side to that is the limited switching lead before you foul the main.
Lee

That's a very good point and besides that the double lead just looks weird.

IMHO the runaround at front formed by the double crossovers is getting pretty short. It appeared to me that you lost some length going from the singles to the doubles. It worked OK when all the spurs and sidings were equally short, but with some of the discussions turning toward possibly lengthening the yard tracks you might want to think more about how the runaround will be used.

It looks to me - perhaps unintentionally, as I know you're roughly working from the prototype sketch - like this plan has evolved into a loose derivative of the Carolina Central trackplan. Consider some of "Steve's Trains" variations on the plan. I particularly liked how he increased staging toward the rear/top of the layout.

https://www.steves-trains.com/post/n-scale-track-plans

Really, the only way that I can figure to fix the capacity of the yard is to have some type of yard extension module. Possibly with T-Trak type connections.  The AD&N had three yards at Crossett. Pond Pass Yard, which the stub yard here represents, New Yard, and Front Yard. New Yard and Front Yard were used for storage of cars such as @nkalanaga mentioned. The Pile Yard, which would be represented by the two tracks at lower left, was considered a GP Yard.

This is a version, V5, with a lengthened run-around and with the staging extended. I had to make some changes to be able to extend the runaround.

[wm3798]

You could create your TTrak connection down in the lower left corner exiting stage left.

Since you're working in an alcove, you might have to bend it to get out the front edge, or do some other such acrobatics. 
My suggestion would be a simple but relatively long 2-3 track staging siding that affords the opportunity for a connection to the outside world without a lot of complexity.  A couple of shelf brackets and a 1x6 should do the trick.

3 tracks would actually be a minimum.  One to store/sort, one for outbound and one for inbound.  One of the tracks should always be clear.  A run-around at one would also be useful, with enough of a tail to catch two of your typical locomotives.



The blue option would turn into the room where you could set up a temporary set of TTrak modules, or if possible, you could follow the straight route down the wall next to the layout.

Or something.

I like the way this is working out. 
Lee

[Tad_T]

I’m actually not working in an alcove.

The alcove is just the spot where my desk/workbench is.

[Tad_T]

Layout Description

Name:The Mill Loop
Scale: N (1:160)
Layout Size: 36” x 84” + probable extension module for the yard
Prototype: The Ashley Drew & Northern Railway Company
Era: 1979 - late 80’s
Style: Tabletop/Free Standing
Benchwork: Open grid modular w/2” foam
Height: 52”ish. I’ll have to measure exactly once benchwork is assembled
Track: Kato N Unitrack
Minimum Radius: 11”
Minimum Turnouts: No. 6’s on main layout, No. 4’s for the yard
Control: MRC Prodigy Advance2 Wireless + WiFi


On Monday through Friday the day shift normally had three switching crews, the evening shift had two crews and the graveyard shift had one crew. On Saturdays there were two day crews and one evening crew. Sunday had one day crew.

Power for the layout will eventually be SW type switchers. The “All Day & Night” had 5 SW’s. I have the equipment, it needs detailing, painting, and decals. Working on getting the decals now.

Standing in until then will be my stand in GP28’s which are actually GP35’s.

The AD&N only ever had 16 diesel units. My plan is to model all sixteen units. I have all of the equipment on hand. Now I just need to get to modeling.

Rolling stock on the layout will be box cars, Thrall Door cars, bulkhead flat cars, tank cars, covered hoppers, pulpwood racks, and woodchip hoppers.

Tad

[Tad_T]

And I got a notification that my benchwork is shipping today.

[Tad_T]

Benchwork arrived today. And I ordered the track pieces that I did not have.

[Tad_T]

I pulled the carpet in the train room. I also got some paint and the rest of the shelving that I needed to put up over the desk/workbench. I want to get that done before I assemble the benchwork.

We plan on putting new flooring in that room, actually all of the bedrooms.

This is what was under the carpet.

[Tad_T]

The rest of my track pieces came today.