So I have made a few posts about designing an N scale switching layout using elements from the CSX Clearwater subdivision located west of Tampa. I believe they were a bit big to be realistic in building for only one train, so I made an attempt to prioritize what elements I needed and trim up the layout to a more reasonable size. Have a look! Any cronstructive criticism is welcome!
My goodness! What a sweet urban industrial layout…[tup]
That’s my “dream” ISL…
I’m not sure if I’d call it criticism, but I’ve noticed that the Acre, Rock-Tenn, Weyand, Carrols and Cox spurs are all trailing for a train Eastbound. (Assuming Eastbound is traveling left to right when facing the layout.) Will there be enough track East of Cox for the train when it’s swollen with pick ups? From Suburban Propane to I-275 is double track and it looks like it has a lap siding configuration. That’s good for runaround moves for the facing spurs. Since there’s no way to turn the loco I suppose it has to simply use a runaound in the lap siding to get to the West end of the train. To do that it’ll have to push the train down there, park it on one leg of the lap, then run around to work the spurs at Donnelly and Suburban. After that it can pull it’s new loads West, couple up to the rest of the train and pull it into staging. I presume an 0-5-0 awaits to break up the train. Cassette anyone?
I’m no layout designer, but it looks workable. There’s room to add a couple of parallel tracks in staging should you ever desire.
My wife and I lived in Safety Harbor a few years ago, and the sound of the train horn in the distance at night was always a comforting thing. I was glad to see railroading when I rode my bike in Clearwater near the tracks at Old Coachman Rd near Belcher. Nice to see another Florida layout. That state has a rich rail history that’s under appreciated.
Lou
Lou,If the layout is DCC there is no need for a runaround…You can consist the engines and put a engine on both ends of the train and that’s exactly the way I would operate a modern CSX.
Larry,
Shows how old school I am! Never even occured to me to do that. Question though, do both ends have crews? How do you handle facing/trailing turnout situations?
Lou
Lou,There is one 2-3 man crew…The trailing engine is like a caboose during trailing point setouts…If the setout is facing point the engineer walks back to the trailing unit and the crew proceeds to make the setout.
Now if the crew is using R/C then the crew dismounts pulls the train ahead until the setouts clears the fouling point and they proceed to uncouple the train and does the required work.
I watched a short line do the same work and the engineer and conductor just switch rolls.The conductor ran the trailing unit while the engineer did the ground work.Very smooth.After they made the setout the conductor returned to the lead unit.
Shows how old school I am!
I’m old school too but,have a working knowledge of DCC from operating on a friends DCC layout and from experimenting with my MRC Tech 6…The T6 handheld throttle allows DCC operation up to 6 engines.
By using the DC start and top volt setting you can consist regular DC locomotives.Of course once off the T6 they return to regular DC operation.
Well Larry, thanks for learnin’ me something. I guess if you model the new stuff, you use the new tech! Our OP probably knows all this, which is why he designed the pike the way he did.
Lou
Lou,
If I may add, Larry (Brakie) is our Forum member,resident officiendo,for ISL layouts. [Y]
Cheers, [D]
Frank
I would go with HO scale, but whatever floats your boat.
If the engine can run around the train, they could run long hood forward, or you just have two MUed locomotives, (you don’t even need DCC, as long as they run roughy the same speed).
Quite true for normal mu operation but,for the operation I was talking about you would need short blocks near each industry so you can isolate one of the engines while using the other to make the setout-its just easier to consist then toggle back and forth between the engines using DCC since you have a engine on both ends of the train…
Note that even today, many more real-life railroads use runarounds as opposed to using two separated engines on each end of the cut of cars.
Quick somebody better inform NS,CSX and other roads that real life railroads use run arounds not engines on both ends of the local…[swg]
The use of two engines eliminates time consuming runaround moves and whats left of the cabooses(aka shoving platform) used on long reverse moves…
One man with two R/C locomotives can do the job of 2 or 3 on short locals.
Larry, read my post again, you missed the point.[swg]
I didn’t say that real-life railroads never use engines on each end, only that it is still more common to use runarounds. And for eras earlier than about 1995-2000, it would be even more likely to see runarounds used rather than a separate engine at each end.
Agreed but,today its becoming quite common to see a “noisy caboose” on the end of a local if there several facing point setouts or long reverse moves back to the terminal.This also saves on making a runaround move of your train before making the return trip…All good for the bottom line you see and less time needed fouling the main which is good for traffic flow…
Did you know NS is now using some DPUs on the West slope instead of manned helpers? IMHO manned helpers on the slope may become a extinct species in the next few years.
On the prototype even from which this layout is based a CSX shoving platform is used for some parts of the work. They are really common around the Tampa area for locals. Since this layout is based on hand picked elements from the large clearwater subdivision (which is essentially one long industrial spur), I’ll have to come up with a plausible operating scheme for this layout. Though I do intend on keeping two GP39-2’s or the occasional GP40-2/GP60 on point just like the real O701 local [:)]
There’s some excellent videos featuring 0701 on you tube.
Nice choice.
I’ve spent hours watching those videos, coming up with what rolling stock would best match the prototype. Also helped that I have official 2001 CSX track charts of the entire subdivision!
FWIW: We began using engines on each end on the Conrail Local serving the NJT North Jersey Coast Line,(WPSA31), back around 1995 to eliminate a long and time consuming runaround. However, when the same local was serving the Southern Secondary or the Freehold Secondary/ Hightstown Industrial, we used runarounds or long shoving moves. It was purely situational. Today, from what I understand, they operate with engines on both ends pretty much everywhere.
Joe
woooo! Very nice! If you could get hold of a CSX employee time table that would help in planing your operations.
I spent a life time of devotion to ISLs and I get excited over well plan ISL like yours…
My other passion in the hobby is the study of short lines.
Takes all kinds I guess. [(-D]
Bayline: 2 things are missing: (1) the location of the Suncoast Model Railroad Club -and the MinnReg Hall-, off 62nd and (2) a few old houses with cars up on cinderblocks in the front yard! Other than that, it’s a very nice plan- wish I had the space! Cedarwoodron