Prototype roundy-roundy begging for N

[randgust]

While looking at the railroad news yesterday (NS lost a bridge there - https://www.komu.com/news/video-logjam-demolishes-brunswick-railroad-bridge )  I noticed something else.  This is the NS main line that ties into BNSF.

There's what looks like a grain elevator complex there at Brunswick, MO - check out Google Earth, with a nice oval with relatively tight curves.   And at least on the Google Earth imagery, a unit grain train on the oval that is all the way in, and long enough that the power is about six carlengths short of touching the very last car - the entire train is on the oval.

I've seen unit train loops before but this is rather unusual to see one with a unit train stuck on it where it's almost a continuous circle, and there's even two exit switches on the circle to tie into the main.   Someplace there's an Atlas 101 Track Plans that this came from.

This is an HCD prototype for sure, and you'd have to show the shots to prove it.     And you can even run long trains....

[NtheBasement]

Google maps has the same aerial: https://www.google.com/maps/@39.4299146,-93.1481305,561m/data=!3m1!1e3
Not much opportunity for switching on such a layout. 

[NtheBasement]

Also what is probably going on in the photo...  The train came in from the west and had to pull thru the loop once to clear the main.  Second pass is for loading which is too slow, would leave the main fouled for too long.  They've got about 500 feet left for more cars in their unit trains.

[kc9jts]

Another example would be some of the ore processing plants in Minnesota.
 Unitac: https://goo.gl/maps/UhZrZ1dxDV2styei6  <raw ore trains in from the Thunderbird mine; loaded taconite out.
 Minorca: https://goo.gl/maps/nrq8aaagjk82fFR38

[C855B]

... Not much opportunity for switching on such a layout. 

I've shared this before: https://goo.gl/maps/JnNd2bqMBRz35fPT9

There might be a couple of switching projects in there.   

[Missaberoad]

All of our new grain elevators are of similar design...

The "super terminals" that killed the country grain elevators in Western Canada are themselves being phased out and replaced by loops.

The elevator staff is trained and runs the train around their loop for loading.

[sd45elect2000]

The Milwaukee had a loop that went in a circle at Fox Lake Wisconsin, There were several shippers within the loop as well as the Fox Lake depot.

I think there was another at Beaver Dam Wisconsin.


Randy

[davefoxx]

This loop at Delaware City, Delaware, as a destination for those unit trains of oil tankers, is double-tracked!  Wanna race?

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.5928144,-75.6571054,795m/data=!3m1!1e3

DFF

[Steveruger45]

This loop at Delaware City, Delaware, as a destination for those unit trains of oil tankers, is double-tracked!  Wanna race?

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.5928144,-75.6571054,795m/data=!3m1!1e3

DFF

And has an S curve too

[Sharky_McSharknose]

Here's one close to my neck of the woods: The loop to Ardent Mills (formerly NEMCO) in Ayer, MA. It even has a couple of sidings branching off.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ayer,+MA/@42.5637683,-71.5284454,511m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x89e395318d7f52ab:0x6ab31675ea33c40f!8m2!3d42.5611947!4d-71.5899054

https://www.ardentmills.com/our-facilities/massachusetts/ayer-mill/

[chuck geiger]

M.C.?

[samusi01]

Going further west:

Swan Ranch industrial park: https://www.google.com/maps/@41.077404,-104.8933623,2888m/data=!3m1!1e3

Lots of industry there, UP/BNSF interchange.

One just south of San Antonio, most likely originally intended for frac sand: https://www.google.com/maps/@29.2953938,-98.4333098,1108m/data=!3m1!1e3

[dem34]

Going further west:

Swan Ranch industrial park: https://www.google.com/maps/@41.077404,-104.8933623,2888m/data=!3m1!1e3

Lots of industry there, UP/BNSF interchange.

One just south of San Antonio, most likely originally intended for frac sand: https://www.google.com/maps/@29.2953938,-98.4333098,1108m/data=!3m1!1e3

Hmm, mathed out the bottom one. still looking like a 32" min curve, could be fun as a moving diorama deal but would still be a good chunk of space if you attempted to to go max Rivet Counter.

[OldEastRR]

It ain't prototypic.

[CRL]

One just south of San Antonio, most likely originally intended for frac sand: https://www.google.com/maps/@29.2953938,-98.4333098,1108m/data=!3m1!1e3

And another west of San Antonio — oil tankers, hoppers, flats & a huge pipe yard.

Google Earth Link

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