CSX Big Flat Subdivision

[mu26aeh]

I have lived in the Gettysburg, PA area all my life, so my modeling preferences follow as so.  Growing up, we lived about 300 yards from the Chessie System (former Western Maryland Dutch Line).  I had a large rock, about the size of a small sedan, I would race to when I heard a train approach.  Traffic along the line is numerous boxcars and covered hoppers with a few tankers and centerbeam cars thrown in as well.  The line also has 3 interchanges, one at Highfield (Maryland Midland), Gettysburg (Gettysburg Railroad), and a third at Porters Siding (YorkRail).

My model railroad is loosely based on the area.  I have a branch line with a large paper mill (PH Gladfelter is a major customer for YorkRail in Spring Grove) that I have 2 Gettysburg engines to power this line.


The CSX mainline features a yard, ADM grain elevator, New River Mine, printing companies, a lumber distributor, and a flour mill.  I had a member of Trainboard help out with the layout design, but have a few issues with things now that benchwork is built and 90 % of track is laid.  Good thing is not is permanent and I can change things rather easily.

[mu26aeh]

Problem I am having is the plan calls for a 2+% grade on an S-curve leaving the yard, which sometimes the trains have a problem pulling.  Also, I'm thinking the yard is too big for the size layout I have.  Perhaps some of the layout design guru's can help out with some ideas, or redesign.  I have included a picture of the rough measurements I am working with.



The area by the geothermal heat pump, to above the workbench, I have marked as a spot for future staging, as seen in the layout plan

[mu26aeh]

Progress in the wrong direction.  I have torn out everything from the exit of yard at bottom, all the way around to the right hand side of layout.  Back to drawing board.  In other news, I did purchase a Kato P42 + 5 car set to run on my torn up layout.  Hopefully that will aid in get a new plan and track laid.  If anyone has any ideas/suggestion, feel free to comment.  Even if it means completely changing the plan, as more then half of track is gone at this point.

[Specter3]

Progress is progress, if you tore it out it was because something didnt work right for you, in this process you have learned more about what you want and how u want to get there. Chin up! Go forward!

[mu26aeh]

Spending the day in the basement, working on a new plan.  Very refreshing down there vs the muggy 80 F , 90% humidity outside

[DKS]

Well, if it was me, I'd utilize the space a little differently. Some of this might not be feasible depending on how things really are, but it's what comes to mind.

I'd scrap plans of using the walls to the left and above the recliner--I think it's too much effort to reach (given the need for access to utilities), and makes the space seem cramped. Instead, if possible, I'd move the workbench into that area, and utilize the entire right wall of the basement. I'd also think about maybe using the shelving area for a staging yard.

Like this--

[mu26aeh]

I'm kinda locked in to the area shaded in the original mock up.  The lower right corner is where my electric panel is located.  One thing I hate about this basement is all the utilities are spread across every wall.

[DKS]

In that case, then I'd still not try to add benchwork to the left and above the recliner, and pretty much stick to things as you have them in your first drawing, and just enlarge the main blob. If there's one thing that no longer having a basement has taught me, it's that having one too often gives rise to the temptation to completely fill it.

[Ian MacMillan]

...it's that having one too often gives rise to the temptation to completely fill it.

I can echo this. I learned quickly with my old house that trying to fill an entire basement ended up being more of a chore than fun.

[basementcalling]

I can echo this. I learned quickly with my old house that trying to fill an entire basement ended up being more of a chore than fun.

Guilty as charged I think.

Objects may be larger in basements than they appear on paper.

[mu26aeh]

I'd say I'm probably guilty of this as well.  On the original drawing, not every industry is on the layout, those were just building footprints the designer had in his layout design program.  I'd taken some out, or changed to buildings I had myself.

I have found a few examples I'd like to draw from, two being from Byron Henderson's website www.layoutvision.com

http://www.layoutvision.com/gallery/id40.html

http://www.layoutvision.com/gallery/id47.html

Also some areas from Rochelle Sub of Daryl Kruse, luckily I still have an old MR that has track plan in it.  No longer have DVD, step-grandfather has that and I'll never see it again.

Something in between would be nice, as my area is roughly 11x14 not including the paper mill area or staging.  Toying with the idea of flipping the coal mine and yard.  Perhaps having the mine on a dead end branch line, coming from the yard around or thru the divider.  My biggest problem is using grades to have the mine feel like it's in the mountains. 

Here is a overview of the layout as it was

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Just wish I had the money to pay some of you to come and build it 

[mu26aeh]

Decided at this point to keep it simple, leaving yard and coal mine where they are.  Coal mine will be accessed by a branch line, only have to go upgrade to get there, not up and down via the main.  Will use scenes and rock cuts to give the idea of higher terrain.  Got cork down around the whole main, and track back down to a small section, about half the main line.  Was able to run my Amtrak set back and forth for testing.

[mu26aeh]

Task accomplished as I now have a branch line running up to the New River Mine.  The mine tracks can hold 12 cars.  It's a dead end track to the mine, so I have a passing siding/run-around track that can hold 12 cars and a caboose, plus have another switch off this one that I will have hold a few extras or stash the caboose while switching.  I've also included another siding facing opposite that could hold 2 or 3 cars, debating on another industry there. 

Trackwork along the main is pretty much done, to the point I can run trains again.  Next is work on a few sidings along the main, and getting some more flex track so I can reconfigure my yard.  Stole some yard tracks for the new branch line.  Maybe pictures later this week.