I was recently looking through NMRA Magazine and came acrfos she article on the train ferry Solano and was wondering if MR is going to do anything on car float operations in any of the up coming issues of MR?
I think it would make an interesting article because it seems that alot of folks are including such operations on their layouts these days but are not realistically trying to duplicate those opertions mainly because they don’t know how to. You also haven’t paid much attention to it since the early 1990s if at all if memory serves.
Didn’t MR have a car float article a few months back? Or was that RMC?
How is your terminal coming along, Irv? I’ve got mine roughly laid out, but it’s probably a long way down on the priority list in this big layout expansion. I did manage to get both the car float kit and the apron, although it looks like Walthers has gone through their production run of both kits and don’t plan to make any more for a while.
Check Model Railroad Planning 2003 for a compact N scale layout design by Bernie Kempinski based on NYC’s Bush Terminal. There have been a number of other articles in MRP, MR, and RMC since the “early '90s”. The best resource, as mentioned in another thread, is the Rail-Marine Information Group.
For the NYC area, Tom Flagg’s two Morning Sun books (New York Harbor Railroads In Color, Volumes 1 and 2, published 2000 & 2002) are excellent.
In any case, a more logical starting point for your modern operations would probably be the Western Pacific’s powered car ferry Las Plumas (as has been mentioned in other replies to you). Las Plumas entered service in 1957 (the Solano was built in the late 1800s).
Since you apparently have yet to develop a to-scale track plan, you also might be surprised at how much of an impact a very large car float/car ferry will have on the size of yards and leads to accommodate it. If you are serious about this layout, to-scale design might give you some indication if your desires are practical in your space.
Check Model Railroad Planning 2003 for a compact N scale layout design by Bernie Kempinski based on NYC’s Bush Terminal. There have been a number of other articles in MRP, MR, and RMC since the “early '90s”. The best resource, as mentioned in another thread, is the Rail-Marine Information Group.
For the NYC area, Tom Flagg’s two Morning Sun books (New York Harbor Railroads In Color, Volumes 1 and 2, published 2000 & 2002) are excellent.
In any case, a more logical starting point for your modern operations would probably be the Western Pacific’s powered car ferry Las Plumas (as has been mentioned in other replies to you). Las Plumas entered service in 1957 (the Solano was built in the late 1800s).
Since you apparently have yet to develop a to-scale track plan, you also might be surprised at how much of an impact a very large car float/car ferry will have on the size of yards and leads to accommodate it. If you are serious about this layout, to-scale design might give you some indication if your desires are practical in your space.
I am making lttle progress since the last time I wrote about the Hudson and Hartford here. It’s really a question of time and money at this point. I don’t have the time to work on it and even if I did the money hasn’t been available to do anything either. I need help and haven’t been able to get that either.
The concept hasn’t changed but instead of using tug powered car floats, i’ve been looking into slef propelled car floats. I thought I had that part taken care of when I came up with an WW II LST derivative that I thought would do he trick. But then the October issue of NMRA Magazine arrived and there was the Solano so back to the drawing board I went. Of course I realize that the rest of the layout may have to be redone to handle something that can haul a whole train including the locomotives as far as dock and yard facilities are concerned but the adventure has a great learning situation so far. Why not let it continue?
I have a model car float that I picked up on Ebay a couple of years ago and it is supposed to represent a self powered one. I haven’t found any prototype info on it but I still plan to use it on my layout. I also have a Walthers Tug model (yet to be built) that will be in the harbor as well. The car float was built by a modeler in Canada and does have a nice Charma to it but the details and workmanship could use some help. I will rework it when I get time for details; too much to do with basic layout construction now. I also have the docking pier he built which is in the photo as well.
That was a wonderful article on the Solano. I have yet to go looking for its abandoned hull on Google Satellite view but intend to do so (largest wood hulled ship every built according to the article).
I recommend the WK Walthers book Railroading Along the Waterfront. It is out of print but still seen at swap meets that include book dealers. It has lots of pictures and information and some practical ideas about incorporating a car ferry/car float into an operating scheme. A car float can act very much as a visible staging yard.
