Building an ENGINE SERVICING FACILITY DIORAMA

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Has anyone built the ENGINE SERVICING FACILITY DIORAMA like the one thats in the Walthers new book, or maybe something like it. I emailed them about a overhead drawing that will show were the items will go. I plan to build it on an 5 X 10 diorama. I bought all the Walthers “Cornerstone” series buildings below including

MODERN ROUNDHOUSE

(3) MODERN ADD ON STALLS

SAND HOUSE & TOWERS

MACHINE SHOP

MODERN 130’ TURNTABLE

MODERN COALING TOWER

CINDER CONVEYOR & ASH PIT

“WOOD” WATER TANK

2

Sounds like a fun idea. I have built engine service facilities on two previous layouts; haven’t got to all of it yet on my new S scale layout, but have finished the scratchbuilt roundhouse. If Walthers doesn’t respond, check at your local hobby shop, they should have resources that will help you. If they don’t then just remember that the railroad wants to be effecient in their setup, so facilities would be set up to process/repair locomotives as quickly as possible.

good luck

Randy

3

Kalmbach sells a paperback book called “Guide to Locomotive Servicing Terminals” (or something like that) that has a lot of information on how to arrange the various components of a terminal. The book includes several diagrams of terminals on various layouts that you could use as a guide for placing the structures you have.

Also, the link below has an overhead shot of the Walthers’ layout that gives a rough sense of where things go:

http://www.internethobbies.com/wahosccoseen.html

BTW, one other recommendation I would have would be to build a 6 or 9 stall roundhouse rather than the 3. The 130 ft. turntable is huge and makes a 3 stall roundhouse look a little small when placed next to it.

4

Why settle for a diorama when in the same space you could have an operating layout? Simply provide couple of staging tracks on each end of your engine terminal. One side would represent the nearby passenger terminal, the other side the division point freight yard.

Operations would center on locomotives coming into the engine terminal (from staging) and being serviced and sent back out on the road (returned to staging). And, don’t forget, your engine terminal is also an “industry” requiring the delivery of supplies (coal, diesel fuel, sand, etc) and the removal of empty cars and waste (ashes, used oil, trash etc)

-George

5

Check the 2005 and 2006 Walthers cataloges. One of them had a story about building the diarama.

6

whitman500 ,

Thats exactly the pic I have been looking for.

PA&ERR ,

I am building a big layout and want to be able to work on this from all sides. I want to be able to just place it in the spot were I am building.

Thanks

7

I have a small steam/diesel servicing facility and service track on my 4 x 8 layout. I didn’t really have the room for the roundhouse and turntable but I do have everything else. (No inspection pit yet.) It was a challenge to figure out how to place it all so that it seemed credible.

Tom

8

I see from your profile that your in PA. Here’s some pictures of the HO engine servicing of the layout at Steamtown (Scranton):

9

I seem to recall that Modelrailroader several or more years ago had a layout trackplan that was approximately 4x8 which was an engine servicing terminal that serviced both steam and diesel. I tried finding it on the magazine index, but had no luck - probably not using the right keywords.

10

Its in the 2005 catalogue and is very informative on how to build it. I’ve been gathering up the pieces I need to build the same thing.

TBat55, that is the biggest Roundhouse I’ve ever seen. Do you have any more detailed pics?

11

Whitman, thanks for the link.

Terry those pics, ouch. Filled with envy now :smiley: LOL

Thanks guys

12

I saw the same pic and hope that will be my winter rpoject. I have a place for it, maybe?. Some of the pieces are not currently availble. Complete with a new engine to sit on it, I figure a thou might get it. I hope those building one will post pics and variations.