I’ve been adding to the layout in recent months, and I am including a rural branch line. If say so myself, it’s loads of fun. Each of you is invited to ride the gas electric car (doodlebug) on it’s trip from the junction with the mainline at Valley Heights. The destination is Hinterland at the end of the branch line.
The following view shows the westbound Prairie Zephyr. Passengers will transfer from the PZ onto the doodlebug.
The second picture shows the Prairie Zephyr heading out of town.
Next, the doodlebug departs…
…and up the branchline…
…past the cornfields …
The arrival in Hinterland. Here we see the industry in town is a manufacturer of work boots. The factory receives hides from my slaughterhouse, and tans the leather here. Then it makes the boots from the leather and from inbound materials. It then ships boots by box car.
Here’s the local freight train with its GE 44 ton switcher hauling tow carloads of workboots to the mainline.
Finally, here’s a view of the waycar (Burlington’s term for caboose)
I’m jealous. I’ve been looking for an N-scale Hoodlebug (PRR) and all I’ve found is one that is twice retail on eBay. I’ve been told that they have been on closeout for a while for around $25, but I’ve not found one.
Really neat sequence!!! I am trying to fit a doodlebug into my passenger ops. I always had the same concept in mind of passengers transferring from a passenger train to a doodlebug and heading down a branch line.
Holeeey cow!! nice work! In the photo of the doodlebug departign Iwas looking hard for the backdrop/layout intersection… I was thinking it was between the 2nd and 3rd houses, then I realized the whole row od houses was on the backdrop. incredable work!
That was delightful! And good to have a mini-tour of at least part of your very handsome layout. That Doodlebug is a real winner, and I LOVE your Burlington E-units. Really handsome work there.
Hey, if that little Doodlebug of yours decides to take a cross-country promotional tour a-la the Pioneer Zephyr, the Rio Grande Yuba River Sub would be VERY willing to host it into Northern California, LOL!
Very interesting and similar to the branch line I have planned when I get my mainline fully scenicked. Like you, a doodlebug will serve the branch as a secondary passenger train. The terminus of the branch line is a resort town whose population swells during the summer necessitating a standard passenger train for commuters. Theoretically, in the off season, the doodlebug can handle all the passenger traffic. The big industry in the town will be a winery, but a cannery and a creamery will also produce some traffic. Midway between the terminus and the interchange with the man will be a second town at the summit of the line whose main industry will be a sawmill.
There were many problems to solve. One is I am following foundation walls of the house that jogs back and forth. Most of the layout is “shelf style”, but there are areas planned that will be away from the walls. Much of this addition is very narrow to allow room for an aisle I’ll need when I build in middle of the room. Also, the plans include two-level construction so that my steel mill cars have a storage yard under the mainline and branch line.
Making scenery look realistic with such a track plan in Midwest farm country was quite a challenge. Some of you may recall I posted a thread on rock strata and one on backdrops. It helped to have curves in the branch line instead having it be parallel to the mainline.
Tom mentioned running to California with the doodlebug. Now that would be an adventure. Neat!
Just looked at your thread again and I can only hope to do as well with scenery as you and some of the others on this forum. One word. WOW!!! [^][tup][bow]
