Shelf switching...Claremont Concord RR Building Supply

[nuno81291]

Hello asshats 

I want to graduate from my roundy-round and make a shelf style industrial switcher. After playing with inglenooks, timesavers, and dense trackage, I took a step back and said Keep it simple, stupid. So this is what I came up with. It is based on the Claremont and Concord's customer Lavalley building supply. Based on my research it appears they deliver wood by rail (photo with boxcar/plywood), and have 2 facilities for dumping covered hoppers (salt and sand? salt being the covered one?)

I translated this to my shelf size by taking an aerial shot from google maps, loading it in anyrail, and basically following the prototype trackage (with realignment by the building on the far left since I want to make the staging shelf less protruding towards the front...also less depth to that building).

I covered the existing structures (some cut off, and I believe this isnt very compressed based on my 'approximations'.

So... What do the asshats think? Any guidance? I was designing fantasy layouts until the prototype bug bit. I could picture a 44 tonner spotting cars in a layout I could try to heavily detail and hopefully take out on the deck for outdoor shots.

Plan would be DC since I haven't gone DCC yet...and with such simple trackage and no plans to join any Ntrak or nonexistant Freemon group I picture this as being my office side layout for stress relief/photos and some ops.

I blame this forum, and Lance Mindheim's beautiful work.

http://www.bing.com/maps/#Y3A9NDMuMzY3Njczfi03Mi4zNDEyOTcmbHZsPTE1JnN0eT1yJnNzPXlwLmxhdmFsbGV5JTIwc3VwcGx5fnBnLjF+cmFkLjgw

http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo=2012020212231627126.jpg&order=byrail&page=4&key=Claremont%20Concord
http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo=2012020212224027106.jpg&order=byrail&page=4&key=Claremont%20Concord

[wm3798]

Pondering something similar in my office.

Hard for me to think so small though since I run a ReStore and there's a hundred hollow core doors just outside my office...

I like the proto reference.  Should make for some intensely detailed scenery.
Lee

[High Hood]

I translated this to my shelf size by taking an aerial shot from google maps, loading it in anyrail, and basically following the prototype trackage (with realignment by the building on the far left since I want to make the staging shelf less protruding towards the front...also less depth to that building).

Looks like you've got a good start so far.  May I ask how you did that above though?  It looks like designing LDE's would be much easier with that approach.

[nuno81291]

Gladly,

I went to google maps, in earth mode. Scaled the browser map size until it roughly seemed like the scale of the benchwork I had in Anyrail. Did a screenshot/printscreen of the map, saved it in MS Paint. I then loaded it into the benchwork rectangular image in Anyrail. I then literally just outlined the buildings, rail and road. If I could have the staging turn more dramatically like the prototype for a future L shape expansion it would be great, however I revised it to go more horizontally because the space it will be in dictates it.

Hope it works out for you. I just happened to have gotten lucky translating the proto size to N...

Another tip: use the scale zoomed in to 50 or 100 foot and compare any rolling stock in the photos/maps you find...This can help you make sure it is close to scale in your Track planning software.

Mike

[ednadolski]

Looks interesting but ya gotta do code 40 rail and a hand-built turnout!   

Ed

[primavw]

I could be wrong and have never built a switching layout, but how do you plan on moving even a small cut of cars from one siding to the other?

[nuno81291]

I could be wrong and have never built a switching layout, but how do you plan on moving even a small cut of cars from one siding to the other?

Via clamping or hinged staging cassette to the left right before the points.

[wazzou]

Wouldn't it be simpler to just make the shelf another 1' or even 18" longer?

[tappertrainman]

My only thought is to consider your reach over the buildings to the rear track.  Depending on their height, etc. it may be annoying to uncouple cars in those spots.  Other than that I think it's a great plan and following Lance Mindheim's practices is a top-notch idea.

[timgill]

Nice plan. I'm a big fan of the Mindheim-mindset of going simple with the track plan, and really spending time creating a sense of place with detail and attention to the "commonplace."

My own shelf-switcher uses two staging cassettes on either end; one of them serves as a tail track for a runaround, much in the way yours will. in retrospect, I wish I had just extended the shelf itself to include the tail track.

FWIW/YMMV, etc. That said, I would second the recommendation to make the tail track part of the layout itself.

[nuno81291]

Thank you for the suggestions everyone. I will certainly have to be mindful about track spacing/coupling behind those buildings.

And in regards to the runaround, I was deceived by Bing maps showing the switches for the run around, however a Youtube video pointed it out to me that this no longer exists. However there appears to be a facing point siding a bit down the line from the supply (that looks to have been a run around at some point..)

I am considering building this as 2 modules...however I need to make sure my space can allow for it, I am considering a sceniced but less accurate version of this storage spur (it appears they park some cars related to this industry there based on you tube videos).

I need to pay this place a visit.

Mike