Would it be a cool idea to make my whole layout a ‘scrap yard’? One train would go around carrying old Life-Like cabooses. While another one went and carried old Life-Like freight cars and Passenger cars. I also have a crane car I could find a use for. Does anyone know if they use cranes to lift the cars off the tracks? [xx(]
Here’s a link to a site concerning Larry’s Truck and Electric, which has become a rather well-known Locomotive scrapyard (and reseller too). Several photos of the grounds, a little description of what they do, and also some suggestions for a layout based upon this scrapyard
http://www.trainweb.org/lfnwfan/html/Larry’s.htm
Another famous scraper, Naparano in Newark, NJ - I don’t remember them using railroad cranes, but I think I just saw the usual rubber wheel forklifts and cranes (I could be wrong, as it’s hard to view many areas of Naparano from Public streets). Here’s a picture to show what I mean http://octrainguy.com/naporano1.jpg. In the back you can see what looks like an blue excavator, so perhaps you can use a Boley or Norscott or Kirbri one for that purpose.
I have a few pictures of a regular metal recycling yard in Erie, PA that had some rail cranes in use. One of the advantages is that they can arrange the gondolas wherever they need them. Tell me if they will help you and I will scan them up.
I also saw some rail cars that were delivered to a regular scrap yard here in Georgia. They let them sit on the dirt for a while before finally getting around to them. One of them was a bethgon that had snapped in two in a wreck. Sorry no pics though. [:(]
My suggestion would be to simply model a regular scrap yard with rail based cranes, and then throw your rail cars into the mix.
BTW, I really like the idea of the whole layout being a scrap area. I would set it up as a switching layout. You could have a mainline with some sidings on one edge. Then have varous tracks snaking through the layout. I would have lots of gondolas with crushed autos, and other scrap coming in. Then emptys and those loaded with the scraps once they have been ground up. For operating you could move the various loads around.
I would have large piles of scrap autos, another pile of misc metal, and maybe another section of old rail cars.
Maybe get some trackmobiles.
Norscot makes some really good Cat tractos that you could use. I would try to get a wheel loader and try to kitbash some forks. Also look around for some of those heavy duty forklifts. Here are the Norscots:
http://www.walthers.com/exec/search?quick=Norscot
Also, this is an absolute must for most scrap yards around here. Get a a couple or more to reach areas out of the range of your rail crane. I could probably round up some pics of them in action if you want them.
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/526-55080
Again, it sounds like a very good idea. I think that it has a lot of potential, and it could keep you busy for as long as you want adding details.
Thank you for the ideas