Liam_uk

I decided to start ballasting the main run round area in the industrial area. I looked at a few pictures and saw the mix tones within the ballast so tried to emulate that. managed to get a little help with the ballasting: Next I am going to weather the rails and ties. Then crack on with the building in the top left hand corner. I haven't ballasted any of the spurs as I will do that after the track detail and buildings are in place. Few questions I have: - If I was to have a hopper car spotted outside an industrial building, would they simply empty the hopper into a grate inbetween the rails? - Thinking of the area in front of the run round, I was thinking of it mainly just being a simple grass area, but near the level crossing would I get away with some sort of diner? It would just be to add interest into the front area.

Its been a few months since I last updated. Well this has been mainly due to me doing some work on the upper deck, however that has now stalled. Ive managed to get some 2 bay hoppers, up to 4 at the moment and looking to get some more.

Today's job:

Few locos seen switching the Spur on a busy Monday.

I plan to have a grade crossing on the entrance area to the industrial area, (the lower track goes to the cement silos, the upper track to the 2 Industries). I have used OO gauge vehicles to get an idea of width for the crossing. The question is, what are the rules that determines whether the crossing need just signs, or lights or lights and full barriers?

This shows the curve behind the cement silos. Another view of the corn syrup distributor area. This is 22 inch wide and apart from this industry will be mainly scenic. I'll be adding lighting under the top deck at some point in the near future...

Part of the curve from behind the cement works The corn syrup distributor track is now in place. This idea has been taken from another layout I've seen on YouTube. I'll have 2 spots here with unloading pipes and the building will be a loading facility for further distribution by road

I've finished laying all the industrial area tracks now all the way to the curve that will eventually connect to the yard. I have left the lower end not pinned down sonincan move it into position when I lay the yard tracks

Thank you everyone for the feedback and conversation. It's really good to see people talking about their experiences and thoughts. It has really helped when building the layout and has been the most useful resource I have found to help me. I'm going to try with just an uncoupling stick and see how I get on. If the rear spots are difficult to uncouple due to access with cars in front and the top layout I'll revert to magnets for those spots. This is how the layout sits. I have used the area people would normally use for storage as an extra layout but only on 3 sides: Again due to using my phone I'll have to put a few posts with various pictures of progress....

I had been thinking this as it'll only be 1 engine in steam principal. I had been thinking of BBQ skewer if space allows between the levels. I may have to install 1 or 2 magnets

Final one for today. I will add LED lighting once the tracks are wired up and running. Each point is drilled for point motors to be potentially added at a later date.

Cement spur with the actual facility 3ft (in HO!) Away from the switch Back tracks aren't laid yet as I ran out of time before nursery run time

Coming along with the industrial area tracks now. Taking a bit longer than planned as I have to synchronise my banging and drilling between my partner's work meetings. The manufacturing industry from the far side has now been moved to the top corner with 2 spots. All laid apart from the top left road. This will now become the building supplies company with 2 spots. Minus the cut of cars The cars on the Transload road are just to see how many spots it would have.

Track laying in the industrial area began today.... Unfortunately I forgot to grab a picture or two. However I'm hoping to get up into the loft and day some more over the weekend and will grab a picture

I've also put the corn syrup distributor at the top of the old yard (at the beginning of the industrial area).

There is a gap here but that's just cause o haven't got a piece small enough to fill the gap:

I've also laid the track out in the industrial area. The cars represent the number of spots per industry (apart from the cement terminal which will have 4 spots). Again due to picture size it'll be over a few posts

So the the track gang came today and removed the old yard...

That looks great

the space for that side is approx 17ft6 x 18 inch

I do like that design

So I have had a reconfigure and think. I did 2 designs 1 as the end of a large yard and the second as its own local yard. There is a single line Mainline along the rear. Each yard has an Inbound and Outbound road (the local yard also has a run round), then 3 sidings for sorting. The local yard also has team track/caboose road for the shoving platform. There is also a loco area. Hopefully for once Im closer than normal on making it more prototypical.

that sounds an awesome idea. I had wanted to make a scenic yard but I was going to have it separated by a scenic break. Ill have to pen a few ideas as I can lay the opposite side whilst drawing the yard up. Ive also had a look at the links and videos you shared, and like the shoving platform to give extra operational interest..... Thank you for the feedback.

Evening All, Few questions, changes and alterations..... Firstly you may (or may not) have noticed Ive removed the Norfolk Southern tag. Looking around and (finally...) listening to what has been said, most industrial spurs seem to be worked by either 1 Mainline Railroad company or a short line company. With this in mind, trying to make it more prototypical (and the fact I havent actually got any NS stock as yet), I thought that having the industrial Spur worked by BNSF would be the way to go. It also means for variety I can use BNSF, SF, BN and leased locos. Again with this in mind it leaves me with a few choices that Im not sure about, (mainly due to lack of knowledge). Would a spur have 2 ways into it or another spur from one spur? I am just thinking as I have the junction with 2 ways off the scenic area do I use these in one the ways mentioned or do I make one line a long siding for an industry and just have one way into the scenic area. Also looking at the yard (picture before I had fully laid the track): With the main run that I have just started having a larger run round for which all the industries branch off of, does this makes my small 5 car run round a bit redundant? I am also struggling to see why I would have a yard or loco stand. I basically copied this part off Thomas Klimoski's Georgia Northeastern industrial spur, and this had the the yard to sort the cars out which had come into the spur and the loco stabling for the shortlines locos. So I'm thinking the loco stands are probably not be needed? Also, would the yard still be useful/prototypical or would it be a bit pointless as the cars would have been sorted before coming from the main yard to the spur on a local. Again thank you for taking the time to read, hopefully not getting to infuriated with my lack of knowledge, and help in advance. This time I will try and read EVERY post not just skim read. Im just looking at buildings to make shells of before laying the back spurs on the main run, but hopefully this week I will have the cement siding, run round and transload facility laid, or at least the track cut to size and the points sorted ready to be laid as these will be at the front of the boards.

Period is probably 2000s onwards. I had bought these cars as I intended to have the grain silos. However I'll now use them for the transfer facility and I suppose they could be used for the exchange yard traffic. Looking back through the comments I missed a comment from F-uniy mad regarding the cement terminal and cars: "don't forget that cement, being a heavier product than grain, travels in shorter covered hoppers. You may well have more than 2 spots available on the cement works spur. Cement hoppers are often 2-bay, rather than 3- or 4-bay like grain hoppers."