I’m planning to model the Norfolk Southern in Greenville, SC. on two doors. I have a lot problems to create it. First what industries/businesses does NS operate. Second I live nearly Arizona and never visited the city I’m modeling. The internet gives me little to no help at all and I really need help making it a reality.
I would like to have the Greenville Amtrak station with the freight yard, probably 2 to 3 industrys/businesses nearby and this location if its possible. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GX7MeQ4QzXA Because I don’t know where this location is and I can’t find it around Google Maps. My track would be double to/or single main line when appociate.
I live in Spartanburg, right alongside the line you plan to model. NS runs a lot of through intermodal trains as well as autoracks originating in Alabama. They also operate a train from the BMW plant in Greer to Charleston via the W Line. Also the state ports authority is building a new inland port near the BMW plant. Container traffic for the port will com in from Charleston via the W Line.
The line does see its fair share of locals and way freights too. I have seen some interesting equipment on it including high hood SD40-2s and GP38s.
I live in Greenville and see the locos running every now and then. I want to say mostly box cars, but I think there is some tank car traffic too, definitely hopper too. I know CSX has pretty good hopper and tank car traffic in Greenville. NS switches out the Mitsubishi plastics resins plant just east of town with hopper cars, closer than BMW. It also has a siding serving a steel distributor and goes down to Donaldson center for a variety of business. I know that somehow it delivers to a Michelin plant South of Clemson, SC–been in the plant when it delivers–box cars inside the building.
WE have as many as 6 railroads with engines that can run in/around Greenville, SC!!! CSX has a transload facility not far, j
Not sure where that video is, but the Amtrak station is easy to find on maps. Just center on Greenville and ask for the Amtrak Station in the search bar.
Looking at Bing or Google maps there are some spurs in that area (Donaldson Center being one) that would make great switching layouts on their own. The whole Piedmont region from Charlotte through Spartanburg and Greenville is a railroad paradise in terms of routes and possibilities. I’m modeling a proto free lance 50s branch in the Piedmont as my layout.
What traffic does NS serve in the region? Besides the already mentioned autoplants, chemicals and pulpwood/woodchips are big in the area. And of course there typical smaller businesses that receive by rail. During the textile days, not only were there textile plants, but major machinery manufacturers and chemical fiber plants. Don’t know if it’s still there, but the old Celenese plant in Greenville would make a massive focal point for a model railroad.
I provided you some(not all) company names, the Celanese plant is now the Mitsubishi plant in Greer, SC, just east of town. Simply put in the plant’s name and city, you will get a map on google, then an address. You will see rail to that facility and then simply follow that rail back to the Greenville yard via the online map. You can also use google earth (which you have to download an application first) to get more terrain info,etc. As an example, here is the google map view showing the rail yard, etc for the Celanese/Mitsubishi plant served by NS in the area.