180 degree flip?

If any cars will be sitting on those staging tracks within the lift-up section, I would rotate your design 180 degrees. This would make the lift up section part of the bridge scene instead. 

If no cars would ever be parked on the lift out then never mind.

Otherwise I've seen Eric mention this line before and like your take on it.

Nice plan

I'm not familiar with the line.  But that looks like a nice plan.  Are there any branches that continuous run connection near Helmick Foundry could represent?  If so, you could use the part of the connection that's not on the lift out as staging for the branch during an op session.

Tagged

Will be following as I am getting ready to start a similar version of this plan.  Any chance we can get some specs and G&Ds?

Steve

Yippee! Fairmont Belt Line under development.....

Nevin,

So very glad to see you "adopting" the Fairmont Belt Line! I've been a fan of the design ever since Eric shared it a few years ago.

Looking forward to your development of this design!

Tim Moran Akron, OH

Continuous Running cut-off track

I like the idea of making provision for continuous running. In my opinion it’s always a good idea to fit that into any layout that offers any opportunity to do so. I realize that continuous running has fallen out of favor with many of the big names of the hobby and many “state of the art” layouts avoid it to the point of making it impossible. 

I take a different view. Even if you have possible continuous running that doesn’t mean you have to operate it that way. But you can if you should ever want to. Rather like taking a life vest with you in the boat, even if you’re a good swimmer. You may never use it but it’s there in case it’s needed. A cut off or “sneak off” track such as is provided for in this plan can be disguised as a weed grown, buried in the cinders, rarely used spur. It just becomes part of the scenery in normal operations.

Barry P

Fairmont Belt Line first revision

Here is the second version of the FBL.  I found a 1930's valuation map in a WVU urban renewal project report on the Fairmont Belt Line on-line.  It is fuzzy and I can't figure out how to copy it, but it did give me some insights.  I made these revisions using it and re-reading some things from Eric's article.  Fairmont Mining and Fairmont Wallboard have been reversed and the trackage for Fairmont Mining & Machining resembles the prototype a bit more closely.  The Armour Packing/ Dickenson Building supply area now has the crossover included. I found a nice picture of the depot and freight station from across the river that will come in handy.  The only problem is that the Fairmont bridge appears to be on the other side of the station.  I want to use the bridge to end the station scene and run under it to staging.  I may leave it where it is.  

I love valuation maps, but they can be remarkably hard to find sometimes.  If anyone knows of a site where I can find these maps for the B&O let me know.  They may be on the B&O Hist. Soc. Website but I can't find them.

Nice!

i like the revision a lot.  And the continuous run track now looks like part of the Fairmont Wallboard complex, so it's more hidden than in the original plan.  Looks like a fun layout to switch.

Eric

Nice layout

Dimensions

The layout design is 11 feet by 28 feet and is designed to go into an attic space in our new home.  Some work will be needed on the room prior to it's construction to make it habitable.  The minimum radius is 27 inches and it is designed with Walthers code 83 turnouts mostly #6 but a few curved and #5's.  

Interchange

To me this looks like a great looking and well thought plan.  Just enough but not too much track. The interchange between Fairmont Milling and Monograph glass looks a little odd because it could easily be mistaken for the spur serving Fairmont Milling.  Is that the interurban interchange?  What does that track plan to the prototype interchange look like?

So I ripped off your plan a little

I'm in the same boat as you except only 16' long.  But I'm just guessing, and I adjusted to suit my needs, but something like this?

TIA

Steve

Prototype data

Nevin is using a Layout Design Journal article I wrote as inspiration for his Fairmont Belt Line. The piece was published about a decade ago. Here are a couple of images to assist readers in understanding the area at the end of the line. This is the upper portion of the mile and a quarter branch. The Monongah Glass complex is at the end and you can see the traction connection. Click on the image to review the full size.

Here's what the glass factory looked like. This is along the bottom side of the tracks.

Here's the building on the far side of the tracks. This was the box and warehouse facility.

The tracks went along side.

This is the machine repair shop. You can see a sliver of the box factory to the left of the phone pole. That's where the tracks were located. I believe all of this is now gone or has been converted to another use. I took these images about 15 years ago. 

The Fairmont Belt Line is a great prototype for a manageable sized layout with lots of operating potential for anyone modeling between 1915 and the end of steam. 

Eric

Mon West Penn Traction interchange

According to the B&O Valuation map on Eric's article the Mon West Penn Traction Co. connected to the B&O at the longer of the two tracks between the Fairmont Box company and the Monongah Glass company.  The MWP line curved very sharply to the north from that connection.  Eric is going to send me the complete valuation map for the FBL