Good luck

So how big will the expansion be???

Good Luck!

Looking forward to seeing where this goes!

Me too..

Good Luck James!

Andrew

What's the scope

Expanding

I'm finally getting started on my long-planned expansion of the Grimes Line to include a portion of the IAIS Fleur Yard in Des Moines. This will replace, and supplement, the former staging area on the layout.

It's not a large expansion, only about 8 linear feet. But it should add significantly to the overall operating scheme of the layout. Everything you see from the end of the sky backdrop to the white wall in the rear will be replaced.

Not bad for a beginner (cough).

More to come,
James

Do you have have a track plan

Current Plan*

* = Subject to change

James

Fun times ahead

I'm really looking forward to seeing this take shape James!

I don't recall if I shared these before, but here are a few shots from that area, moving east to west.  We were eastbound on the rear platform of the Hawkeye at the time, but I thought the shots might make more sense ordered as though we're moving westbound.

Fleur Yard on the right, with Fleur Drive overhead and MLK Jr. Parkway in the distance.

Fleur Yard west lead on the right.  Original Grimes Line connection in the distance. 

East end of Fleur Yard connector on the left, with west yard lead and original Grimes line connection on the right.  Andy Brown photo.

 Present day Grimes line junction.

 West of the Grimes line junction, with the mainline to Council Bluffs on the left and the Grimes line climbing away on the right.

Careful!

I've enjoyed following progress on the construction and operation of your layout, through the blogs, videos etc, and it certainly makes me envious of the simplicity, even though mine is fairly basic. I did wonder what you would do now the layout is "finished"!

It looks like it but I'd keep the yard simple. I found having one too complex had a negative effect on the rest of the layout, as it seemed a chore to operate.

But be careful James, too many turnouts and you might get approval for having your layout in GMR 2015.....

Brian

Update

Just an FYI, I realized that I actually uploaded an old version of the plan. The newer, correct version is now up. This version is a better representation with less compression, and focuses on the west end of the yard.

Thanks Joe! In the past few months I've walked that yard many times, but it's always good to see more pictures of what I'm aiming for.

The third picture is more or less what I'm modeling.

I'll be up to 15 total. Hopefully that moves me out of beginner status.

James

I think

the cutoff is 16 and above for intermediate, 15 and below for amateurs.  Not until you hit 32 do you hit semi-pro.  and 48 for pro.  Sorry, James, you're still a long ways off.  

Goodbye, little yard

Awww...that little yard never had a chance.  Stricken from the post after only 4-1/2 hours.  I'll kinda miss the little guy. 

Prototype Fidelity

Don't feel too bad Joe. This should be a better use of the space while being a better representation of the real thing. Wouldn't want to be accused of Breaking Prototype.

James

Prototype fidelity

I don't think anyone would have held that against you.  Not me anyway!  Heck, I think I might have even suggested the arrangement you used in your first version.  I've been guilty of far more egregious departures from accuracy on my own layout, e.g. Hillis siding overlapping with Hancock.

And

I look at both of your layouts and all I see is stunning realism.  

Inspiration

On the contrary Mr. Atkinson, it was your original sketch that convinced me I could make the yard work. The changes were based on making it fit in my available space, and realizing what I needed to best match my operating scheme.

More to come.

James

Question about the plan

One quick question I had was whether or not the track on the lower right that leads under the bridge (the one that the programming track is connected to) has any operational purpose on the layout? Will cars be staged on that track in preparation for being pulled into the yard connection?

Also, the way you've chosen to model the line to Omaha is interesting, but I can't help but wonder if it would appear less awkward if it were brought closer to the yard a hair to allow the track to Omaha disappear off of the front edge of the layout instead?

Great design either way though!

Track Questions

The Original Grimes Line track serves as car storage on the prototype. It'll do the same on my layout. In my modeled era there was an occasional well car or ballast hopper spotted on the track. My hope is to generate some additional moves/tasks for the Tramp to perform during a session, but not distract from the primary goal of serving customers on the Grimes Line.

It's a case of making it fit in the available space. My top priority in this "expansion" is to not distract from the rest of the layout. Everything in the yard needs to serve the Grimes Line first and foremost. Mainline operations are not a concern.

What's important to know is that, per prototype rules, the Tramp cannot occupy the Grimes Line without verbal permission from the dispatcher. They can, however, move on the main between the yard and the junction switch since it's controlled under Yard Limits. My hope is to have crews replicate the process of pulling up to the switch, request permission to occupy the Grimes Line, then unlock and throw the switch. The process will be reversed on the return trip.

Since the junction turnout will be locked and cannot move without permission, it's located as far away as possible from the yard to give as much lead room as there is space available. It's a tight fit, but it should work.

James

Now there's a neat detail! 

Now there's a neat detail!  On Joe's post of prototype photos, the one listed as "East end of Fleur Yard connector", I was very interested to see the greenery between the rails, from what I assume is spilled grain.  It stood in stark contrast to the rest of the right-o-way.

Thanks!

Thanks for the explanation!  I really enjoy how you've managed to bring real world operations into an expertly compressed track plan that is so elegant. So inspirational! 

Luck!

You won't need luck. It'll be fine...

I like the planned changes. I also like the photos shared by Joe. The variation in greenery in the ballast from track to track is interesting - reflecting different drainage or other environmental factors, I assume. I look forward to seeing how you duplicate it.

Cheers!

- Trevor

Main vs Yard

That's another feature of the prototype yard worth mentioning.

The main thru the yard is a joint UP/IAIS track, to allow the Union Pacific to reach their Perry Sub and Hollingsworth Spur branch lines (which in itself would make an excellent switching layout). Ownership has bounced around over the years, but that track has always been a mainline.

As Trevor mentioned you can see a clear difference between the main (the track on the left) and the yard tracks in all of Joe's photos. Yes, mainline operations are not important to me or in the scope of this layout, but the track in question will definitely LOOK like a mainline.

James

I look at both of your

Very kind of you Dave.  Thank you.

I'm not sure of James' plans, but I believe he could do as you suggest with the west yard lead and be on solid prototypical ground.  Even in just visiting DM occasionally, I often see cars in the yard there.  The connection runaround was harder to see from the roads I knew of into the area, so I'm not sure how it was used, but it certainly would seem to be the easiest place for road trains to make pickups and setouts when capacity allowed.

The west lead could also make a handy place to tie down the 708 between sessions.  Hopefully James will share more about his operational plans at some point.

I'm guessing you're right about the spilled grain Milt.  I see that here and there on the IAIS, often near low or rough spots in the track like we see near the east connector switch in my third photo.  I suppose they provide just enough of a bump to occasionally shake a little grain loose from worn outlet gates as covered hoppers pass.  The growth seems to remain short (and is gone the next time the weed sprayer passes by), so it's easy to recreate with a little fine ground foam.

Ops Plan