Thank you Specter3. I made the brackets at work. I am a manager in a laser cutting company ( Draughtsman by profession ) so I have all the tools available. The cost of the parts for me is comparable to timber, if not cheaper. The best thing is that it is so easy. I design and draw it on CAD, post it to the machine from my computer to be cut then bolt it together in the train room when I get it home. The bending and welding is all done by staff in the factory, before being sent out to a company that does the powder coating.
I have been busy with my track plan. Although the drawings are not complete, they do give an idea of what I envisage for my layout.
I have not given any of the places names as yet as I am still to finalise this aspect. The names in brackets will most probably stay, any help and advise will be appreciated.
I will give a brief description of a typical train making the journey across my layout, - please follow on the schematic and track plans.
The train will begin it's journey from the hidden staging on Level 4 ( Spokane ) headed towards Seattle. The staging comprises of eight tracks, two of which are the East and West main line, as well as three East bound and three West bound storage tracks. There should be space to hold 2 trains on each of these tracks, ( 12 trains in total ) .
I intend to install some type of camera and monitor system so operators can view each end of the staging.
The train will proceed up Helix 1 to Level 1, go past the timber mill and enter the first stretch of single mainline. After crossing the river it will return back to double track and enter Helix 2 .
As the train leaves Helix 2 onto Level 2 it will pass the Cargill grain elevator and the container port. ( Compressed to fit ), before travelling past the South Seattle Industrial park.
The Industrial park will be the main focus of attention on my layout. I got the inspiration for this from reading an article in the June 2002 edition of the Model Railroader magazine.
The article features the operations of Progressive Rail, a company that serves numerous customers in an Industrial Park who use rail transport to receive and despatch goods.
On my layout, this service will be provided by the Burlington Northern. I feel that it will offer a nice feature for operations.
The mainline reduces down to a single track again before entering Helix 1 for a second time to proceed down to Level 3.
On entering Level 3, the train moves past the Diesel servicing Facility and the Main Yard. I am thinking of calling this yard, Balmer yard although in reality this yard is located on the North of Seattle.
Beyond the yard the train passes a small town ( still to be named ) before entering the last Helix down to Hidden staging again ( Tacoma or Portland Oregon )
To close, I have included a couple of photo's to show further progress made on the layout over the weekend. I have completed the Level 1 corner curve and semi – completed the Level 2 Container Port module.
I intend to get to the hardware next weekend to purchase a sheet of masonite for the backdrops of these two scenes.
Keep watching this space.
Kevin
