I really like...

the coal dump. It looks really good. Can you describe how you built it, with pictures?   Thanks,    John

Nice addition to the layout.

Nice addition to the layout. Small but functional and looks like it can handle coal as well as aggregates.

BTW, I was given a picture of a gas electric car on a Kansas MP branch and though the branch was only ten miles long, they turned it on a wye with the mainline junction and a turntable at the end of the line.

Thanks, for sharing, you're going to have a great little layout there.

Barry

John Winter, It was an

John Winter, It was an afternoon project and I never thought of taking pics until after.

I originally started the project with having a more cruder dump in mind, but after some research, I decided to go with a dump somewhat similar to a little coal bunker without a lid. The area I'm modeling has had substantial decrease for the use of coal now that most homes and businesses are using oil or are in the process of having their coal furnaces converted.

I made a small grade raising the homosote roadbed by a scale foot. I cut out a section and put wood ties on the inner sides. The back wall is actually still the homosote roadbed with a tie glued at the top. I filled the joins with spackle then sanded them to create the appearance of concrete. The track is ME and I spaced them by hand by cutting between the ties with a rail cutter carefully so not to nick the rail. I popped out the ties where the rail goes over the pit. I glued a long turnout tie under the rail where the two supports would go. I also sanded down the area in the pit and in front of to create a dip of about 5 scale feet in pit and about 3 in front of it. I will be making some sort of apparent drainage later for the area. 

The fences for the coal to be piled against, and the retaining walls are made from recycling an old coal trestle I scratchbuilt (seen below) that I had to part with from an old shelf layout.

Barry, I'd love to have room

Barry, I'd love to have room for a wye. Now I have to dig through my boxes to find the coal conveyor belt kit.

These are some pics that I

These are some pics that I will use to get the look of the area around Stonehammer, I like to model this rock that looks like it was blasted for the tracks to go through. I'm thinking it would look nice around the turnouts in where the team track and track to the turntable is. Also a little bridge on the way to the turntable crossing a creek.

John WInter, I just visited

John WInter, I just visited your blog. Nice layout and I like what you did with the turntable.

Creek

I'm also thinking of cutting a creek into the foam and have a bridge like this going over it.

I pulled out some structures

I pulled out some structures form my old layout and put them on the module to get an idea of the scale/size of the scene I have to work with. I'm not going to have many stuctures on this layout.

Also unpacked some rolling stock and put them on laid and unlaid track to see how many cars will fit on my teamtrack and depot track - 

Depot track can fit 5 cars

Team track can fit 4 cars

Have no idea if it would be approprite to have a speeder shed near a branch line terminus.

And room for a hopper and tank car on the coal dump/oil track.

The lead track alongside of it can fit my largest steam loco. RDC, and doodlebug.

"Have no idea if it would be

     The SP had a speeder shed on the Santa Cruz branch until around 1960 when they eliminated the section gang.  Good start on your scenery, those are nice looking buildings.......DaveB 

Dave B,Thanks. I'm not going

Dave B,

Thanks. I'm not going to go overboard with structures though I am going to put a bait shop and a Simpsons-Sears catalogue office nerby the depot. I'm going to scratchbuild the catalogue office. May even add a post office. These structures will hide my lead track in case I may extend it someday into the closet.

Little freight shed

I'm going to put this little freight shed from my last layout, seen just below...

... on my module near the end of the cinder platform along side the team track's end. I have to tweak it a bit and build a ramp for folk to get up onto the shed's loading platform.

"I'm not going to go

    Yeah, Spacing is the key to believable modeling, similar to basketball. One doesn't have to be the best modeler or the best athlete if they understand spacing:> ) .......DaveB 

DaveB,I concur though it is

DaveB,

I concur though it is hard to do so. 

I've narrowed it down to two spots where I might put a water tower with a stone base; either between the turnout that goes to the TT and the turnout for the tream track. Or just after the TT's turnout on the main track on the 36 inch radiius curve that eventually leaves the module. I have to do some research to see if it is protoypical for a water tower to be on a curve.

So far the list of structures to go on the modules:

Module 1:

Depot

Small freight shed

Very small coal shed in front of coal dump like this one seen here:

Simpsons-Sears Catalogue office

Marine and hardware store

A small pickle works on the spur off the runaround track

And some sort of structure that emphasizes that Stonehammer is in a coastal community on a narrow peninsula; something like this that is not so intrusive.

Module 2:

Water tower

Speeder shed,

 and a derelict structure in a field.

 "I have to do some research

If the water source was on the curve  they'd certainly put a tank there. The Santa Cruz yard that had the speeder shed had a water tank just at the end of a long curve. It also was a coastal location, on the bank above the yard ladder was a large vat and davit that the net fishermen used to treat their long nets. Also was a few little summer cottages up there to add to the coastal vibe.....DaveB

DaveB, A coastal vibe; I like

DaveB,

A coastal vibe; I like that. Your input is always greatly appreciated.

I tweaked and repaired the little old freight shed from my last layout.

I put a ramp on it. Still needs to be painted and weathered.

I'm in the midst of deciding where to locate the shed along the team track. It seems it would be better in the middle instead of the end of the track.

DaveB, The water tower should

DaveB,

The water tower should look nice between the curved tracks - one to the future 3rd module and the track to the turntable. The track against the wall is just temporary; for storing some of my cars I have to repair and tweak; some of them got damaged over the years in storage.

Freight building location

First, thank you for posting your layout blog here! It's been an interesting "journey" so far.

Second, I'd think about the guy that would have to man the freight building. If the station master (at the depot) also has to open and close the freight office, then the two buildings would be close together. If the majority of the freight brought by the railroad for that building is LCL (less than car load), then there's the likelihood that the freight is handled while the train is in town and the LCL car isn't set out.

A lot of team tracks that I've researched had no structure. The freight was loaded or unloaded from a truck or wagon into the car. Multiple trips may have been needed to finish filling the car.

The building you're using looks great, by the way! Looking forward to further updates!

Respectfully,

Tim Moran Akron, OH

Greetings Tim,Thank you for

Greetings Tim,

Thank you for the informative post. I know little of how railroads operate. My grandfather worked for CNR Telecommunications during WWII, but didn't educate me much on the ongoings at a depot.

I must confess that the little freight shed is modeled after one that was in the middle of nowhere on a branch line with no depot. I so do not want to part with it : )

What do you think about me shortening the team-track to hold only two cars then placing the freight shed at the end of the cinder platform and up against the main track?, as seen below. This situates the shed about 130 scale feet from the depot. Or should I consider shortening the cinder platform? I made the platform this long to accommodate a doodlebug, RDC, and the odd consist of a coach, mail car and reefer. as this community is a tourist destination in July and August. I'll be modeling the month of July in 1956.

Freight building location, part 2.

Hello again,

Keeping the freight building on the end of the team track as you initially showed it would be a logical location based on the information you've shared. I wouldn't shorten the team track length. Having the building on the team track gives a specific spotting location when switching the siding and adds to the thinking process.

Thank you for letting share a few thoughts. Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Tim Moran Akron, OH

I agree with Tim's thinking

I agree with Tim's thinking of the freight house location by keeping it close to the depot. If the freight house is to handle any perishable traffic especially, in winter it would need some heating ability to prevent freezing. Also keep in mind the agent wouldn't look forward to trudging through the snow in cold weather a long distance to handle LCL shipments inbound or for distribution. This is why many rural depots included a freight room along with waiting rooms and office so that everything connected with the agency could be handled in one location and the agent, often the telegraph operator would be close to communications.

This aside, I really like your thinking about putting a small terminal together and your use of small structures and equipment. In order to be a prototype, model railroader, you need to think like a railroader and a businessman to understand how things work(ed). You seem to have accomplished this. BTW, what are using for an oil distribution facility, tanks, pump house, standpipe, hoses, truck loading facility?

Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing your progress with us. Your terminal reminds me of many places I ran through/switched as a railroader in past years.

Barry

I agree with Tim's thinking

I agree with Tim's thinking of the freight house location by keeping it close to the depot. If the freight house is to handle any perishable traffic especially, in winter it would need some heating ability to prevent freezing. Also keep in mind the agent wouldn't look forward to trudging through the snow in cold weather a long distance to handle LCL shipments inbound or for distribution. This is why many rural depots included a freight room along with waiting rooms and office so that everything connected with the agency could be handled in one location and the agent, often the telegraph operator would be close to communications.

This aside, I really like your thinking about putting a small terminal together and your use of small structures and equipment. In order to be a prototype, model railroader, you need to think like a railroader and a businessman to understand how things work(ed). You seem to have accomplished this. BTW, what are using for an oil distribution facility, tanks, pump house, standpipe, hoses, truck loading facility?

Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing your progress with us. Your terminal reminds me of many places I ran through/switched as a railroader in past years.

Barry

.

Looking good Deemiorgos. 

Can't wait for updates.

Tim, the team track is back

Tim, the team track is back to having the ability to handle four cars.

As the layout is only a point to point layout, having specific spotting locations is a good idea for interest and my brain.

Merry Christmas and wishing you a Happy New Year.

Deem

Barry, I can envision that

Barry,

I can envision that agent cursing while treading through the slush.

My depot has a very little freight section with a freight door.

I haven't decided on the oil distributor.  I'm still researching and it seems small tanks will do, which will work out since I have little space for it. The distributor will be the same outfit that distributes the coal.

I'm  now thinking where should I load pigs. On the team track? Down the main branch line past the water tower ? I was thinking of a earth ramp to load them.

Also researching how to build a small pickling/salting business to put on the siding that comes off the turnaround track. I though it would make a challenging spotting location.

Thank for your informative reply!