Container Port Ideas & Images


beiland

Well-Known Member
Container Port Ideas & Images

I'm open to ideas & images to use for my container port that I wish to located in this area on my upper deck, just down from the SantaFe train station. This west coast port will be the imaginary origin for the container trains that will travel east to Baltimore located on the lower level.

index.php


index.php




The shelf space is only a total of 18” deep, and the space between those two boards is about 6 feet in length.
index.php



index.php

(that foil shaped rectangular opening was a window that will be covered over with blue solid board matching the other wall covering)

I need one thru track on that upper deck area that can 'mask' some of the trains that are carrying coal, etc, that would NOT be passing in front of the container port, nor the SantaFe station. So I am imagining that track to be installed back very close to the back wall of that deck area,...and hidden from view by some sort of a view block, or multiple stacks of containers.

I'm imagining 2, maybe 3 tracks running down the front edge of that container area, one that will be the other mainline of two, and one that will be a Santa Fe passenger train track.

So that's at least 3 tracks I have running down that length of upper deck. That does NOT leave much area for container operations, and or container cranes, ships etc. I'm thinking that most all of the ships, cranes, etc will have to be painted background images? …..maybe something like these?
index.php



index.php


Does anyone have some good reference photos, or know of good background images that are available??

I have PLENTY of containers I can use to create stacks in the area. And likely I need at least one spur track to hold container cars? Any ideas will be greatly appreciated.
 
That's strange. ......But I was just now with this posting experimenting with first posting them on TrainBoard/TrainImages which was suppose to do a good job??

When I tried to delet the photo I was seeing, it did not work,...so I will repeat the posting with photos that should show up.
 
Last edited:
Container Port Ideas & Images

I'm open to ideas & images to use for my container port that I wish to located in this area on my upper deck, just down from the SantaFe train station. This west coast port will be the imaginary origin for the container trains that will travel east to Baltimore located on the lower level.

DSCF4292%2C%20upper%20deck%20plan%2C%20700.jpg




DSCF4292%2C%20partial%20upper%20deck%20700.jpg



Limited Space
The shelf space is only a total of 18” deep, and the space between those two boards is about 6 feet in length.
DSCF4529.JPG


DSCF4531.JPG

(that foil shaped rectangular opening was a window that will be covered over with blue solid board matching the other wall covering)

I need one thru track on that upper deck area that can 'mask' some of the trains that are carrying coal, etc, that would NOT be passing in front of the container port, nor the SantaFe station. So I am imagining that track to be installed back very close to the back wall of that deck area,...and hidden from view by some sort of a view block, or multiple stacks of containers.

I'm imagining 2, maybe 3 tracks running down the front edge of that container area, one that will be the other mainline of two, and one that will be a Santa Fe passenger train track.

So that's at least 3 tracks I have running down that length of upper deck. That does NOT leave much area for container operations, and or container cranes, ships etc. I'm thinking that most all of the ships, cranes, etc will have to be painted background images? …..maybe something like these?
PVC%20printed%20backdrop2.JPG


PVC%20printed%20backdrop1.JPG


Does anyone have some good reference photos, or know of good background images that are available??

I have PLENTY of containers I can use to create stacks in the area. And likely I need at least one spur track to hold container cars? Any ideas will be greatly appreciated.
 
I guess this is a simple question from a simple person, but what is wrong with those images that you have just shown? They look awesome!
 
Brian -- Are you a brain surgeon by any chance? Your RR is going to really be a masterpiece with the work you have done and planned too! I enjoy seeing and reading your planning and construction.
Sometimes I tend to think that you "overthink" certain things; however, I do realize that you are looking for other feedback and to an extent - just thinking out loud - I hope! (lol)
That's an awesome container port in those backdrops. If I still had my Cannon SLR and the 600 telephoto, I would wander down to the LA Port and see what I could come up with?
Meanwhile, I will "scratch around", what's it called, Pinterest?
 
I’ve never been to one of those huge port terminals but have been to plenty of smaller ones.
They can be as simple as a single track in a gravel lot to four or six pairs of tracks spaced out.
The one I worked in for awhile had four tracks made up of two double tracks.
You only need access from one side at a time so two tracks together allows two trains to be serviced simultaneously in a small space. Hope that makes sense, I skipped my afternoon coffee!
 
A view such as you show in your example with the ship in front of the cranes puts your terminal in the water. That may be a problem for you because the only way to get the proper view of things is from a street view.

I was looking thru quite a number of google images of container yards/ports yesterday, but as you've mentioned Russ, many of them are not the best viewpoint for my needs.

My original thoughts were that I would have a LOT of containers stacked in the foreground, then the cranes & ship(s) in the background,..painted on the backdrop.

I didn't think I would have enough space for the train loading equipment. But I ran across a few images I had saved that has me rethinking if I could limit some of those large stack of containers to those at the 'view block' area along the rear wall,...then provide some train loading equipments in the foreground??


Layout-9-19-10-DSC_4595.jpg




JMRL_12-17-07_DSC_8689.jpg
 
Ans believe me, after looking at thousands of pic and becoming x-eyed, that is about the best one there. That is why I think the one you showed to start with is so awesome!
 
For sure following this, since I'm doing Intermodal too. One thing I have been doing is using Google maps in satellite view. It has helped with track planning and getting a perspective form street view as well. I have specifically been looking at the port of LA/LB, which I used to pull into when I worked in the shipping industry. I was playing with street view and was able to capture an image of it and I thought of this thread.

I don't know if this will help you, but it might be another way to get an image for a back drop.

https://goo.gl/maps/oLq1g6aXa7xUtxSJ6

-Z
 
Didn't realise you could do that. Often use 3D streetview to get a better idea of where turns etc are and what places look like when preparing to go there.

Once I get the view I wanted from streetview, I would do a print screen or use SnipIt or SnagIt to get the image. Then maybe do some cropping if needed.

So there are an extra couple of steps. I don't think you can just save the image directly.
 
I don't know if this will help you, but it might be another way to get an image for a back drop.

https://goo.gl/maps/oLq1g6aXa7xUtxSJ6

-Z
Interesting view,...one could crop out that other stuff in the lower foreground and let ones's own layout fit there along with some stacks of containers (and/or images of them).

May have to get you to help me with that photo stuff as I am not welled versed in it.
 
I think I am going to pursue this newer idea of less containers, and more tracks and container cranes in my limited space. Going to play with ideas today.


I may even have to stack up containers over that hidden track at the rear so it appears the stacks continue right on back to ship unloading area. But I'm thinking those containers in the back rows could be glued together in several large 'clumps' so as to be removable in clumps for any derails etc on that hidden track?

Need to take into consideration the adjoining 'Santa Fe Station structure', so I may do a quicky mock-up today.
 
I may even have to stack up containers over that hidden track at the rear so it appears the stacks continue right on back to ship unloading area. But I'm thinking those containers in the back rows could be glued together in several large 'clumps' so as to be removable in clumps for any derails etc on that hidden track?
A good idea. Make a tunnel of them, with the back made out of plywood or stiff card, so as to make the stack look wider.
 
Need to take into consideration the adjoining 'Santa Fe Station structure', so I may do a quicky mock-up today.

A few days ago I was working on ideas for my container scene that is going to set adjacent to this station. I wanted to get a general idea of how large this station was going to be. I got out the 'footprint' images of Walthers and tried to approx the missing dimensions.

I started with those large windows/skylights,..
DSCF4540.JPG


Then cut up up some scrap foam board I had,..
DSCF4542.JPG




DSCF4544.JPG




DSCF4550.JPG


DSCF4549.JPG


That tag of paper near the corner of the room is a small photo of the outdoor park area that will likely be made into some sort of view blocker for that curved track in the background.

The only height dimension I had to work with was that of the tower given by Walthers. I then had to guesstimate the roof height of the building itself. I think I got it too tall?

I threw in that extra window in the end of the building, feeling it was kind of missing something in that big blank end.

I'm also debating with myself as to whether to represent this side of the building as the back or the front?....working on those thoughts.
 



Back
Top