As a modeler, I think I’ve advanced past my “Junk Mtn. RR.” I’m thinking of modeling Amtrak’s Bear complex, as a fictional railroad, However I’m going to loop the tracks so I can have trains fly by without them flying off the table and breaking (Which happened to a friend and I had to fix his car) I think it involves a decent amount of switching and mainline running, so I can explore my options, As well as add in a few not exactly prototypical per say things like a small museum to display some of my older models and the yard will be owned by my freelance. I’m thinking it will be set in the early 2000s, as a lot of my equipment was in service around then. (Screenshot from rail.guide
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Also Unsure how to loop this so my trains don’t fly off when they reach the end, thinking of putting a loop in behind or in front of the layout to make it point to point, making trains appear to “Vanish” behind the 2 curves at the end of the layout. Also going to use Atlas Flex Track and turnouts, and add 36" radius curves when I can. Currently unsure what to do for buildings, but I might get some lighting from Dioramo.
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You’re on the right track, using Atlas and striving for 36” curves.
Rich
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Possibly you should remember what the yellow light means.
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Sorry, My brain went to SMT’s Cursed Acela
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Actually, your screenshot shows Amtrak’s Wilmington Maintenance Facility, which has the Locomotive Shop and the Roadway Equipment Shop. The Bear Complex has the Car Shop and is maybe 10 miles southwest of the WMF. To view the Bear Complex type “Porter DE” into Google Maps and the Complex will be just northwest of the red arrow. It is labeled National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak’s official name). It is a couple miles from the Northeast Corridor. From what it seems you want to do the WMF might be the best one to model. The WMF is the former PRR Wilmington Shops and the Car Shop was there until some time in I guess the 1990s when Amtrak moved it to Bear (Porter). Hope this helps.
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Amtrak Bear Carshop Sign by Edmund, on Flickr
This is at Davis tower. The track off to the left is the siding that accesses the Bear maintenance complex off the NEC main:
AEM7 937 at Davis Tower by Edmund, on Flickr
Cheers, Ed
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I think I’m going to do the Wilmington complex in the early 2000s as my Fictional’s shops
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Anyone have some pictures of the shops?
Unfortunately, Google Maps Street View is not helpful, due to trees and distance from I-495. I hope someone will come up with some cool on-plant photos for you.
DFF
Thanks!, looking for some pics myself and buildings that match
I’d use Pikestuff kits to kitbash those metal buildings. You can then paint them however you choose.
DFF
I generally browse Flickr as my first stop for photo searches:
180929_39_wilmington by akmyers83, on Flickr
16-3766 by George Hamlin, on Flickr
Once you find a particular photo that is helpful look further to see if it is part of an album or gallery on the same subject:
Bricks by Don Kalkman, on Flickr
Cheers, Ed
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Looks at Walthers website. In particular, search ‘Cornerstone modern warehouses’ for modeling ideas and kits.
Rich.
I did not know amtrak had Bricks, Thanks for the advice!
The ‘bricks’ of course are the Pennsy E44s made by GE. I really have hopes that they will be produced (Rapido are you listening?) as I’d really like to add some to my ‘motor’ roster. The closest you can get to them without going brass will be the Bachmann E33 or Virginian EL-C which were later sold to the New Haven and then Penn Central.
Amtrak GE E-44 501 (PRR 4464) at Wilmington Shops, DE, Jul 1987 by David Sheppard, on Flickr
Presumably Amtrak intended to use these in M-of-W service but there are few accounts of them ever leaving Wilmington Shops.
A few of them lasted into the ‘Blue’ Conrail era.
Another Day at the Office by Doug Lilly, on Flickr
4610 is one of the former Virginian/N&W/ New Haven/ Penn central/Conrail E-33s.
Cheers, Ed
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Do you know if they have any of the buildings with the slanted roofs?