The Little Rock Line

[Bendtracker1]

Thanks Scott!
Full?  Yes
Impressive?  It works.  It's used mainly as an open staging/fiddle yard.  Some of the guys will come over before an ops session and switch some of the trains but most of the time their switched by the 0-5-0.

A couple of post back there is a drawing of the layout and the yard.
Scattered throughout the thread are pics of the yard, so I gathered them all up here.









Here's a link the blog page that explains the yard and how I modified it for the layout.
It use be a staging yard for our modules.

http://thelittlerockline.blogspot.com/2011/12/redesign-of-main-yard.html

[Scottl]

Fantastic, thanks!

[Bendtracker1]

OK, I've made some good progress in the last month or so. Got through two ops session: April and August, got a a batch of Red and Black F units and RS's chipped and setup, cleared a bunch of small nagging projects off the workbench and got the skirting all hung!
So that leaves me with Malvern.

Earlier this week I decided to gather up all the stuff that I needed to get back to work on the buildings in Malvern that I started back in January.
Here is where I left off with the poured concrete Olin-Chlor building:

I had just gotten the "For Sale" cut up and I skinned the building with it:




The other night after acquiring some MEK from Menards, I sat down and started to cut and apply a bead around the top of the roof. Then I applied all the vertical ribbing and temporarily set the doors, windows and the unloading dock.




Once this was done, the next night I pulled out the airbrush!



As always there's more on the blog

[Bendtracker1]

I was wondering if I could get some suggestions and input?

Now that I have the Olin-Chlor building about done, tonight I was playing around with it trying to see what would work where.
I had a couple of the large Walthers storage tanks sitting next to it but came to the conclusion that they were too bulky and over powering for this small area. I tried moving things around to see if I could come up with something else, but nothing was clicking.

So I thought I'd snap a few pics and see if any of you have some ideas.










This is something I found on Google that gave me a starting point for the new building.
Knowing I didn't have acres of space I decided to model only a portion of the building and butt it up against the backdrop. Then fill in the area with a bunch of storage and transfer tanks.




Now I have several other kits at my disposal that I can hack up and bash something together. I also thought about using, buying or making some printed flats to add some depth. I have a couple of North Island Refinery kits that I thought I could use the stacks and piping out of which would give me some height. I also want some tall and horizontal storage tanks like what's in the above pic

But I'm just drawing a blank and was wondering if anyone had some fresh ideas for this area?
At this point not much is set in stone.

One thing I do want is to have an access road that comes into the facility from the lower right hand corner between the tracks and back drop, then it cuts across the track and shoots off the layout, just to the right of the blue tank car. It would be more of a secondary access road.

Where the four tank cars are sitting, there will be a raised loading platform between them.

Anything would be welcomed...

[Baronjutter]

Maybe a traincat tank loading catwalk thingy out front along the siding there, maybe some tank trucks too?  I think we have a tendency to want to over-fill our areas with stuff, but just a simple parking/loading area of a realistic-ish size would probably look great too.

[Bendtracker1]

Maybe a traincat tank loading catwalk thingy out front along the siding there, maybe some tank trucks too?  I think we have a tendency to want to over-fill our areas with stuff, but just a simple parking/loading area of a realistic-ish size would probably look great too.

I have a Model Power loading platform that is slated to go between the two tracks that the four tank cars are sitting on.  I say that as I've had one for a long time and was going to use it there.  But I wouldn't be against using one of the Traincat models either.  But there will be a loading platform there one way or another.

I agree with the over-filling of space, something that is all too common.  And that might be the case here; I'm trying to pack 10 lbs of crap in a 2 lb container?
At one point tonight, I had the feeling that the building itself was too large for this area or scene.  Maybe I should forgo the building, use it somewhere else, and fill the area up with storage tanks, piping and fencing? Maybe the building itself is adding too much bulk to the small area?

I do have two North Island kits that I could steal all the piping and at least one of the tall towers out of and use just them and the cooling towers. 

Maybe I shouldn't even plan on a access road at all?

[GaryHinshaw]

You might consider adding an extra track to model the spur that sharply curves towards the building, diagonally across the lot in this Bing image.  Its a good exuse for a little "street running."  You should also include the vertical cage and jersey barriers, and definitely go all out with the piping and unloading platforms.

Nice job on the structure itself.

[Bendtracker1]

You might consider adding an extra track to model the spur that sharply curves towards the building, diagonally across the lot in this Bing image.  Its a good exuse for a little "street running."  You should also include the vertical cage and jersey barriers, and definitely go all out with the piping and unloading platforms.

I think the building might be moved somewhere else?  I did find the two No Isl Refinery kits and wondering if I should just use one or both of those along with a bunch of storage tanks and a mess of piping?  It may then not appear as full as it does with the building.

Not sure if I can squeeze that track in, unless I take the turnout back away a bit?

BTW, how in the world did out find that same exact complex?

Nice job on the structure itself.

Thanks

[nscalemike]

I like the building and the layout as is.  I would agree with the idea of curving a track to the far side of the building and using the building to conceal it's ending, but I don't know if there is room.  Otherwise, my vote is to leave everything where it is, pave the lot between the building and tracks, and put some trailers in there.  Looks good!

Mike

[Bendtracker1]

I like the building and the layout as is.  I would agree with the idea of curving a track to the far side of the building and using the building to conceal it's ending, but I don't know if there is room.  Otherwise, my vote is to leave everything where it is, pave the lot between the building and tracks, and put some trailers in there.  Looks good!

Mike

Hey Mike, good hear form you.
I do too as it what I was originally thinking, but I also think I overbuilt it.  I did cut down the depth once already before covering it.
Last night I started to play with some new ideas.  I pulled out one of the No Isl Refinery kits I have and got started building it to a point where it will have some bulk to see if it will fit.
I'm thinking that if the track is placed in there, if I could get it to fit, might still take up too much real estate?  But in the replies so far, the idea of a paved lot with some trucks might work like what Barron suggested.

To add to that, I might cut the tall section of the building down once again and place it up against the left wall, then place the refinery where the building is now.  Then as Gary suggested, go hog wild with the piping, but I think it might look good to have them raised up over the parking lot on supports that run over to the loading platforms.  Then along the loading tracks to the right of the platform, have a string of tall or maybe horizontal storage tanks with more piping.

What I'm thinking is this will still leave me a bit of open parking with room for a few trucks waiting to load?

[jpwisc]

Allen,
I think the new building looks great. I also like the two bulk tanks. What looks off to me is the two cooling towers. Besides being a funny shade of green, they would be more at home at a power plant. Pull them out, put the bulk tanks where they are and I think you are good to go.
Karl

[Bendtracker1]

Thanks for your input Karl.
At this point anything is possible as nothing is set in stone yet.
Funny you should mention funny green, it's NYC green.  I chose that color as it was a lighter green that I plan to weather it down to a darker color with washes of brown and black.

If you look at the link that Gary listed and the pic I inserted [it's the same complex], they do make use of the cooling towers, their in view in Gary's angle, which is why I thought I would try using them.

Once I get the No Isl Refinery bulked up I'm gonna try that as well.  Gonna have play musical building and see what I can come up with.

[soo]

A,, I like the way it looks,,, my two cents,, add two refinery kits,,, some horizontal storage tanks.

You could also throw a industrial backdrop up from  http://www.realisticbackgrounds.com

Two of the traincat unloading racks would make that scene kick some serious rear.

Adios, Wyatt

[Bendtracker1]

Thanks Wyatt,
I've got one refinery almost done to a point where I can set it in place place to see how it will fit.
Not sure I'll have the room for two though unless I leave the building out.

I plan to have a good mix of horizontal and upright tanks for sure.

I think you're right about having a backdrop scene.  I looked at theirs and didn't see anything I liked, but a backdrop scene I think will be a key to the scene.

[Bendtracker1]

Well it's been awhile since my last update.
Along with some maintenance and other small projects, the building at Ohlin-Chlor in the previous post has been on hold as has everything else it seems since fall came around.

A few months ago my friend Steven decided to take the plunge into the Tab-On-Car forwarding system after watching the video by Mark Dance and playing on his buddies layout.   After getting all his stuff made up and in place, he had his first session with it with great results, I decided to give it a try as well and use my Wheel Report spreadsheet as the traffic generator.

We had the first dry run last weekend and I finally got the blog updates with all the pictures.
Here are a few shots.











The rest of the story can be found on the blog.

I also want to say thanks to Mark for answering some questions and shedding some light on this subject for me.