Cool

I've changed layouts three times in under 25 years.  With each move people ask about how much of the last layout I will incorporate into the next one, and it's been zero each time.  Were I to move again it would still be the same answer.  The idea of rebuilding the same layout in a new space has no appeal.

Plus, having visited your existing layout, I can see how you've learned a great deal as it's progressed.  The new one should be a superior product because it can incorporate the additional knowledge gained.

Say it ain't so Joe!

                                                                           100 years ago tomorrow......

Congratulations Joe!

I am glad I got to see your current layout in person and really I look forward to seeing what unfolds on the next edition of "Joe's IAIS."

All the best with the move!

Moving on

Hi Joe, It has been great following the progress of your IAIS West end layout. While I never got to see your layout in person, I feel that I have been there seeing your photos and following your blog. I appreciate you documenting your thoughts, research, and construction of your layout, it really has inspired me. 

I think you have a great plan moving forward, using your favorite portion of your current layout, and then building the new towns. It sounds like you are really looking forward to the new layout possibilities. While it is never fun taking down a layout, the excitement and fun of building something new soon outweighs the loss of your old layout.

Good luck on your move and I look forward to following the progress on your new layout. Time to kick it into notch 8 and get moving .

Thomas Klimoski

Modeling the Georgia Northeastern     

Joe, it is sad to see that

Joe, it is sad to see that beautiful layout go but I bet your next one will be amazing.

Sure would be nice if there was an in depth video of it before it is gone,

As Tom said, kick it into notch 8. I look forward to seeing your progress.

Jeff

Thanks and good luck

Thank for sharing the layout. I’ve enjoyed watching the progress and learning lessons. Looking forward to your next endeavor. The skills you have accumulated will make that new layout even better. 

Kind of been there Joe. Back

Kind of been there Joe. Back in 2012 I lost my job and at that time prospects were not real good. I had been out of work 6 months and thought I may have to move from Iowa so I tore down my existing layout. 6 months after that I was re-hired and started to build my present layout.

It is painful but starting from scratch again does have benefits.

Good luck on the new layout. I think will be every bit as good (if not better) than the previous one.

Greg

As much as it will be missed

I look forward to the new one.   I love seeing your work progress

Steve

Congratulations!

Congratulations and good luck on the new house and new layout!

Mixed Feelings

I had hoped to see your current layout in person one day, but as Rob says, with all your experience from this one, the new one should be that much better.  Looking forward to seeing your progress.

Sad to hear about the west end

But the next chapter should offer a lot of fun for you in the enjoyment factor.

You already have the power

Solid Plan

Hi Joe,

It was great to see your progress on the west end and I am excited about what you come up with next. We are planning on moving next spring so I know what you are feeling. If you are like me, the current layout has been a test bed for discovering new techniques and developing improved modeling skills. You learn what works and the good things become a new standard. 
 

Glad to see you have identified the most satisfying part of operations and are developing a plan that will allow you to get the most enjoyment out of your layout. Very smart on your part! For me, my favorite part is yard operations, building and classifying cars. I find it relaxing and stimulating. Slowing the pace down where things aren’t too hectic and operating in real time instead of racing against a clock. 
 

Your new plan looks solid. And you are already off to a great start.

Congratulations!

Tim G

Change can be good

Joe,

I am sad to see the current layout being torn down. However, I am psyched to see what you do with the next one. Watching you take a prototype scene and recreate it on the layout has been a joy and inspiration. 

Good luck with the house sale. Looking forward to your planning of the new layout.

Fran Giacoma

Thank you

Thank you all very much for your encouragement and kind words.  I forgot to mention in my initial post that I'm also planning to fully model the Atlantic Spur, as shown in the track schematic above.  This will be the realization of another goal I've long pursued:  Modeling the elevator itself at Atlantic rather than just the first few feet of the spur, shown below on the current layout.

Doing so will also allow me to give that elevator's little 45-tonner, shown above, some room to stretch its legs and actually play an active role, shuffling cars to be loaded and then building the outbound cut for the IAIS to pull.  The Adair elevator has a little Plymouth switcher for similar duties, and I just picked up a Walthers model to represent it.

Sad and Glad

Oh man, I am sad to see such an amazing layout go away. It was on my short list of layouts to visit one day,  but I am equally as excited to find out and follow along with what comes next!

Missed it by that much...

I was in Des Moines over the weekend, and I thought about contacting you to see if a quick visit might be possible. 

Missed it by that much. 

Randy

Sad and happy...

Joe, I'm sad to see the end of the West End for sure. But I am very happy to be looking forward to what you'll do next!

I want to thank you for all the inspiration I've got from your layout and your excellent creative and technical work. I've stolen borrowed some great ideas from you in recent years that have added to my enjoyment of this great hobby. 

Onward!

Pete   

Thank you

Matt, Randy, and Pete, I really appreciate your nice comments.  And I'm sorry to hear that I missed you Randy!  A visit would have been fun for sure.

We found out Monday that our offer on the new house was accepted, so this actually seems like it's going to be happening.  I've begun gathering items off the layout and sorting out what will go with us, and the relief I've felt as I've added to the "to sell" pile has really confirmed that this is the right move for me.

The End

Today I'll be taking down the last pieces of the West End:  The High Bridge and Harry Langdon Blvd. overpass sections for the buyer to pick up next week, and the Atlantic yard segment to take with us to the new house in 11 days.  Surprisingly, I've still felt very little sadness about the tear-down.  About the only time it's been hard was when our granddaughter was staying with us and operated the last train on the West End.  I thought that was fitting, but was sad that, as excited as she was about doing it, this was going to be the last time.

Here's a pic of Quinn taking that last train, a westbound grain extra led by IAIS 403 (GP10)-602 (GP38)-103 (SD20), out of Atlantic yard.  I'm holding the ProtoThrottle, and she's at the controls, including blowing the horn...with gusto!  Quinny likes her train horns, so she started on it as soon as we left the yard and didn't let up until we got to Hancock.  

It was also fitting that this consist recreates my very first IAIS cab ride, a couple decades ago when such things could happen.

For a glimpse of what's next, please see IAIS's Sub 4 - A new beginning .

The West End moves east

The friend who bought the Council Bluffs sections of the layout came by yesterday to pick them up, so I thought I'd share a few pics to prove that even layouts that were designed to be stationary can be moved.   I'm very, VERY thankful that things went as well as they did, although it took about twice as long as I planned to complete the removal of the layout segments and take down and load the associated backdrop sections.  Four hours with minimal breakage wasn't bad.  The only significant damage happened when I forgot that the roof of the Bluffs enginehouse wasn't attached, and when we tipped that segment to go through the door, the roof came off and took the scratchbuilt pumphouse next door with it.  Fortunately, it'll be good as new once two seams are re-glued.

Thankfully, that same friend owns a trucking company, so he brought over a 26' container strapped to an air-ride flat for the trip.

First pic:  Council Bluffs depot area in the back left, UP's Pool Yard at front left, and IAIS's Bluffs yard at front center.

...with the S-shaped High Bridge/Harry Langdon Blvd. overpass scene now in the back right.  My friend screwed this segment into some cribbing to elevate the ends over the previously-loaded parts. The plywood and backdrop segments to the left look more precarious than they really were, as the three boxes were each full of magazines and weighed about 80 pounds a piece.

The West End's ride to eastern Iowa:

Atlantic and the other segments I saved, along with all the rail, turnout points and frogs, lumber, Homasote splines, and 1x2 grids I salvaged from the portion of the layout between Atlantic and Council Bluffs, are just about ready to head for our new home.  Three more days!

Seeing those beautiful layout sections being saved

JUST MADE MY DAY!!!!

Now that's the way to

move layout sections! ....DaveB

Move

Thank you both very much.
Rick, that’s really kind of you. Such a relief to get these in the truck in one piece!

Dave, yep, my friend really had the equipment planned out well. He gave me the interior container dimensions in advance, so we had the loading order and orientation on the first three segments worked out before he ever left home.