After numerous trips to and from the drawing board, I have established the base design for my "dream" layout. The focus is on the 1967-1975 era in LA (Lower Alabama). The focal point of the layout is the hub of the region, Dothan, which hosts a sizable yard and a plethora of shortlines and Class I's. The layout covers the area from Dothan to Ozark, including the two branchlines, Grimes to Abbeville, and Waterford to Elba.
There is almost no local industry on the mainline, aside from within Dothan and Ozark. A lot of the industry is concentrated on the various branchlines.
Here is what I have so far, in a 25'x27' room:
The Dothan yard is on the Right side, it is loosely based on the actual Dothan Yard. My only photo reference comes from an issue of Lines South magazine from early this year.
At the bottom end of the yard is a track that goes to the Left - this is the Atlanta & Saint Andrews Bay railroad which operates from Dothan to Panama City, Florida. It is bisected by the Central of Georgia/Southern Railway - located at the bottom past the diamond and up through the yard where the Hartford & Slocomb railroad begins.
Dothan's yard will serve as staging, and SCL tracks end just after the SOU overpass.
Moving out the top of the yard, there is a lead to Dothan's industrial park, and further down is where the Grimes Sub. veers off (it will rise to a second level, with the mainline dropping to a "main" level). The Grimes Sub. will be featured later. Moving along, the Elba Sub. breaks off and wraps around to Enterprise and Elba. The wye represents Elba, and a piggyback manufacturer (Dorsey Trailer) is located there.
Back to the mainline, the last spurs represent Ozark - I will probably add more to this area as I learn more about what was actually there. Staging begins just past this town, and the entrance is concealed by the Central of Georgia railroad's overpass (which was abandoned around the time frame of my layout).
Still a lot of work to be done, changes here and there. If anyone has ideas about how I can make this better I'm open to it
.
There is almost no local industry on the mainline, aside from within Dothan and Ozark. A lot of the industry is concentrated on the various branchlines.
Here is what I have so far, in a 25'x27' room:
The Dothan yard is on the Right side, it is loosely based on the actual Dothan Yard. My only photo reference comes from an issue of Lines South magazine from early this year.
At the bottom end of the yard is a track that goes to the Left - this is the Atlanta & Saint Andrews Bay railroad which operates from Dothan to Panama City, Florida. It is bisected by the Central of Georgia/Southern Railway - located at the bottom past the diamond and up through the yard where the Hartford & Slocomb railroad begins.
Dothan's yard will serve as staging, and SCL tracks end just after the SOU overpass.
Moving out the top of the yard, there is a lead to Dothan's industrial park, and further down is where the Grimes Sub. veers off (it will rise to a second level, with the mainline dropping to a "main" level). The Grimes Sub. will be featured later. Moving along, the Elba Sub. breaks off and wraps around to Enterprise and Elba. The wye represents Elba, and a piggyback manufacturer (Dorsey Trailer) is located there.
Back to the mainline, the last spurs represent Ozark - I will probably add more to this area as I learn more about what was actually there. Staging begins just past this town, and the entrance is concealed by the Central of Georgia railroad's overpass (which was abandoned around the time frame of my layout).
Still a lot of work to be done, changes here and there. If anyone has ideas about how I can make this better I'm open to it
.