First Layout - (another) Miami Industrial Switching shelf layout


M

mschreuder

Member
So after many years of reading the magazines and procrastinating, I finally decided I wasn't getting any younger and I ought to get busy and build something - but what?

Givens & Druthers:
- A roughly 9' x 9' space at the end of my basement office that was 'politically' acceptable, but could also eventually be expanded into a fairly large adjacent basement storage area.
- I want to start off with something that can be (mostly) completed in a reasonably short time (1-2 years).
- I don't want to have to spend an inordinate amount of money until I know I will be in it for the long haul.

My first thought was HO scale, since that was what my dad worked with back when I was a kid, but I couldn't see how I could do much in the space available. I then started looking at where N scale had gone over the years and was very intrigued. I could pack quite a bit into the area I have available. But then I started thinking about all of the track, turnouts, controls, locos, cars, structures - the $$$ would start adding up very quickly.

Then I ran across photos of Lance Mindhiem's beautiful work (http://www.lancemindheim.com/index.htm). I was absolutely mesmerized by what he was doing with a unique prototype and a very simple trackplan. I briefly considered trying this in N scale, but quickly realized I would go blind trying to scratchbuild the structures and scenery to get the look I wanted. Shortly after, I ran across this website (http://www.the-gauge.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=169) of a gentleman named Kurt and some beautiful work he is doing on a similar layout in Germany - I was hooked.

So here is the trackplan I have come up with. Across the north end of the room a "mainline" comes out of the north wall at the west end and exits at the east end. This will provide access to a small staging area in the storage room, but could eventually be expanded to a continuous loop, or extended 16 ft. past the staging yard. The remainder of the layout will have a half dozen warehouse type industries very similar to those in the above websites. I will only need a single CSX switcher and maybe a dozen cars or so at first. I plan to go to DCC and sound as soon as possible. Turnouts on the main shelf will be manually controlled, those in the staging area will have Tortoise machines. I expect that virtually all of the buildings will be scratchbuilt.

I know, it's not terribly original, and frankly I plan to shamelessly copy a lot of what these other talented modelers are doing. But I've never scratchbuilt a model structure before and this seems like the best way to get started - copying from the masters. This will be a case where imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I'm sure once I start getting the hang of it I'll be striking outmore on my own ideas, but for now this seems like the most productive way to get started.

SO - any comments on the trackplan would be greatly appreciated!
 
like the plan you got there!! I like how you left room for future expansion as well, thats always a good idea lol

I know a few people who have been greatly inspired by Lance's work, myself included... He really does some of the finest work ive ever seen in the modeling world
 
Another Lance fan here, the guy's brilliant!!

Anyway, I like how you've kept things simple, even a simple layout can be very challenging to construct and maintain so I don't see the need to make things complicated unless its for operational purposes. Best of luck with this one and keep us informed of its progress!
 
I like the plan. You won't be tied down laying track for years, which gives you a lot of time for detailed scenery. Lance Mindhiem's layouts tend to be very simple in terms of trackwork and some of the trackwork doesn't even make sense. That dead end spur along the canal opposite the warehouse on the other side of the canal is a good example. Even though it doesn't serve a real purpose, it's a great scenic opportunity. Most of Lance's fans don't really think he builds the best track plans, just the best scenery around the track he does have.
 
That looks like it will be a fun layout to operate on.

One thing I noticed is the 2nd [from the top] 24-inch rectangular building has a switchback spur running beside it. This might make it awkward to switch if both 24" structures are RR customers - there is only room for a loco and 1 car in front of the 'top' building. I'd recommend getting rid of the track beside the 2nd building, along with its turnout, since prototype railroads always try to avoid trackwork that requires extra moves.
 
ShortLiner - thanks for the link, that is a very clever idea.

CSX_road_slug - Good catch on that switchback being a little short. Thanks!

I did a little messing around with the plan this morning and came up with version 2. (actually it's about the 15th version...) I've now got all the points facing the same direction, so it actually opened things up a little to allow a little overlap of the sidings on the east side to allow a little more length to the sidings. I added a spur along the north side withthe points facing the 'wrong' way just to make it a little more interesting. This seems to open things up enough that I could have two engines working this.

Thanks for all of the ideas - it really helps getting a few more sets of experienced eyes looking at this!
 
M.

Like the layout plan(s). For some reason I prefer the first. I am also doing a version of Lances "East Rail" section. Lance is an extremely talented modeler and his Voodoo & Palmettos layout proves that you don't need tons of turnouts to have an interesting, yet prototypical layout.

I have attached a photo of the actual Seaboard Warehousing/Archives America structures, They are extremely large and joined by a breezeway, but the entire spur can be modeled as a layout. Three to four tracks lay between both buildings. If you follow the spur North from the Seaboard buildings, you will see Guixens and Colmar Storage(Green Building) on the right of the spur along with several others. The spur curves to the left and then meets up with the main.

Larry

http://www.bing.com/maps/default.as...0&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&scene=9193601&encType=1
 
Thanks for the comments Larry. I've run across pictures of what you're working on in other posts and it looks really nice so far.

I'm a little torn between the two plans myself. I think the first plan does have a problem with the length of the spur in the northeast corner being a little short for the switchback. After looking at the second plan for awhile, I'm wondering if the additional parallel tracks from the norheast down the east side might start to make things a little too congested for the look I am going for. I'll have to play around with version 3 a little bit see if I can reach a better compromise.

With the second plan I can't decide if the points all facing the same way would be an advantage or disadvantage. I guess I would like to hear some opinions of people with MRR operational experience on the pros and cons.

Thanks!
 
Having all your points facing makes it easier to switch industries as long as the switch job always comes for the same direction. With your layout, it looks like that would be the case. It's also much easier to get all facing points to work correctly compared to a mix of the two since you mostly have to work on just the points to stop derailments. Now, if you want to make it harder on the crews, a mix of training and facing points gives them a lot more moves for each set out.
 
nice. i also was very tempted to go with N scale to get more railroading into my limited space until i saw the actual models in the store - way to small for my liking.

the links of the layout posted are simply amazing even though in my understanding a layout should be continuous running and have elevation changes (i just can't get rid of this idea). you obviously not bound by those limitations and your idea still looks like good use of space, and plenty opportunity for scenery.
for some reason i do like your first layout better even with that trouble-reachable spur. seems cleaner to me for the lack of better word. but then again the other guys probably know better as i wouldn't know what to do with non continuous layout in first place.
 
Chris, it's just those dead chicken voodoo things that give me the willies about doing a model in south Florida. :eek: Otherwise, there are some pretty interesting roads to model and lots of industrial areas.
 
mschreuder said:
Thanks for the comments Larry. I've run across pictures of what you're working on in other posts and it looks really nice so far.

I'm a little torn between the two plans myself. I think the first plan does have a problem with the length of the spur in the northeast corner being a little short for the switchback. After looking at the second plan for awhile, I'm wondering if the additional parallel tracks from the norheast down the east side might start to make things a little too congested for the look I am going for. I'll have to play around with version 3 a little bit see if I can reach a better compromise.

With the second plan I can't decide if the points all facing the same way would be an advantage or disadvantage. I guess I would like to hear some opinions of people with MRR operational experience on the pros and cons.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

In the last couple of months, I have been leaning towards a small river scene where I can have a container yard similar to the Antillean yard that Lance eludes to in his new Miami Downtown Spur. A small container ship (Sylvans new model coming out next year) would be a nice addition to the river complex. Since Antillean does use ships with onboard cranes, small land based lift cranes would take up less room.

Larry
 
Well, here's another shot at it. I moved the run-around track up to the North wall taking advantage of the 'mainline' track. The industry spurs are a little longer, which might make for a tiny bit more running time as the switcher shuttles back and forth between them.

One thing I am pondering is how to handle the industry on the inside track of the northeast corner with it's back facing into the room. A skinny building against the backdrop is easy, but does anyone know of any examples of how to do the skinny building when the back side is facing out into the room? I had thought maybe making a plain back on the building painted to match the benchwork fascia board, but I have trouble visualizing how that would look. Of course the other alternative would be to just let it be a team track and not worry about it.

Thanks for all of the comments and advice so far, it is really helpful!

Larry - I know exactly what you mean about the Antillean Marine yard on the Miami river. It would be a really cool scene to model. I briefly considered doing something with it in the south corner where I have the canal right now, but I decided it would be way too small of an area to do it justice. Maybe that will be in the phase 2 expansion...

btw Anton, love your homepage and everything it stands for :)
 
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If I understand your building dilemma correctly you want a backdrop flat but not against a backdrop, rather against the aisle? The two options I can think of are to make the fascia follow the building's outline and the other options is to simply leave it and then create and model an interior for it. It's a great opportunity to add some really nice detail. Just my 2c worth.
 
That's an intriguing suggestion to leave the back off and just model the interior as a cut-away. The building will probably be just a simple single story warehouse, so a forklift and some stacks of palletized 'stuff' would be about all I'd need. Nice Idea!
 
BTW - I don't know if any of you guys has noticed, but Lance now has 3 books available (see his site)- I have the first two and they are very good indeed
 
Maybe a background building like this is what you're looking for:

09330000003192.gif


You could open up the doors and make shadowboxes for the interior. It's a modern building that should fit your era also. It's available from Walthers at http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-3192.
 
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