Dan's Layout

TruckLover

Mack CH613 & 53' Trailer
Dan i really like the Orange, looks GREAT!! :thumb: :thumb: :mrgreen:

Atlas Freeware was a great program and very easy to use :mrgreen:
 

tomustang

Has Entered.
Dan,
Did you try using a single post beam?

Image1.jpg


It might work, if you cut back on the wall and separate the road in the center for the beam....
 

sgtcarl

Member
Smoley hokes!

Tom: When I saw your bridge photo, I almost fell out of my chair!! If it were half again as tall, it would look exactly like the US 460 bridge over the New River just a short distance from my house!!
 

tomustang

Has Entered.
Tom: When I saw your bridge photo, I almost fell out of my chair!! If it were half again as tall, it would look exactly like the US 460 bridge over the New River just a short distance from my house!!
Actually a lot of our local bridges are built like that, I'll have to stop by the Rt33 bridge that crosses the Lehigh and double check the posts and see if their similar as well
 

Dan85

New Member
tomustang - Thanks Tom, the thought of some sort of single column support had not even crossed my mind. With the correct plastruct stock, those shapes should be fairly easy to replicate and it should fit right where I need it to!

- Dan
 

doctorwayne

Active Member
Great looking layout, Dan, and nice work on that snow removal equipment.

The bridge problem should be easy to solve by following what the prototype would do: it's difficult to tell in the pictures, but it looks like you have a support under the mid-point (roughly) of that truss bridge, something that's not required under such a bridge. Simply swapping the truss into place where you now have the two girder bridges, and placing the girders where they can use that unnecessary support pier should solve the problem. You may have to move the piers somewhat to accommodate the new arrangement, but they should be well out of the way of that lower track. Another, less likely, alternative would be to place supports parallel to the lower track, then rebuild the girders as skewed bridges, but the first solution is more prototypical (and doesn't block the street, either), and doesn't involve cutting and splicing the girders.

Wayne
 

Russ Bellinis

Active Member
tomustang - Thanks Tom, the thought of some sort of single column support had not even crossed my mind. With the correct plastruct stock, those shapes should be fairly easy to replicate and it should fit right where I need it to!

- Dan

Dan, the January issue of MR has an article on building a concrete trestle for the magazines MR&T company layout that is identical to the single post beam Tom shared.
 

Dan85

New Member
Russ Bellinis - Thanks, I will have to grab that issue. I would eventually like to do an elevated highway through the layout.

doctorwayne - Thanks! It's winter in Western New York and since I can't be out plowing (for lack of snow) I guess I just have to be content with building them!

I read through your suggestions and switched the bridge around so that the truss bridge is first. I believe others hinted at this solution as well, but I was reluctant becuase I liked the current setup. Anyways, this actually is a really good fit for the problem. Also about the piers, you're completely right - there would not be piers in the middle of a truss bridge like that. I do not know what I was thinking.

Picture201393crop.jpg


Temporary mock up, I will probably add another single track truss bridge in the future, partially sliced at an anlge to fit flush against the wall.




Ok, since you guys are on the ball over here, let me bend your ear about a few design issues I've been mulling over.


First, Corners. How do you guys attack them? I can't decided whether to build a structure that eliminates the 90 degree corner (such as a wall at 45 degrees) or work with it. Furthermore, both corners have curved track going through them which limits building space to an awkward shape. Also, there is no room for turnouts before the turn, preventing me from creating sidings off of the turn.

West Corner.

Picture201391crop.jpg


I did this mock up tonight. Might reshape that god awful building into something better. But I can not see putting smaller buildings in front of it as it'd seem too crowded. So I'm not sure how to fill that void?

Any thoughts on one large custom building to fill the corner or a few different buildings?

Any thoughts on replacement windows? For some reason, the entire structure became warped - seriously every wall is warped. So this building (if used) will require a complete rebuild. I think I used Testors glue on this building and I've noticed a fair amount of warping in other buildings too.

East Corner.

Picture201395crop.jpg


The setback is a bit odd to work with. I have a few background buildings I could run along the edge, but nothing looks good so far.

Also, I have to keep it to one track as a second one leaves absolutely not room for building.

:v8: please forgive the half finished buildings, especially the roof in the last picture! I don't finish buildings 100% until I'm satisfied with their shape/position on the layout.:v8:


- Dan
 

Go Big1

Member
When I looked at that picture of the west corner, all I could think of was Josh's (aka Trucklover) layouts, and thought that the dead space between the buildings and the track could be a great location for some trucks! What about modifying some of the windows on the building on the left, turning the windows into dock doors. That way you could park a bunch of trailered semi's in the area between the tracks and the buildings.

Just a thought.
 

TruckLover

Mack CH613 & 53' Trailer
First Off Dan, GREAT work on that bridge, i really like the change :thumb: :thumb: :mrgreen:

I really like your layout, it reminds me of real life in a way because everything is so close and compact together, and i know of alot of industrial districts like that. And man your weathering really pays off on your buildings!! :thumb: :thumb: I really like how you have layed everything out so far, and i give you kudos for doing it all with no plans, cuz i know how hard that can be :eek: :thumb: :thumb:

When I looked at that picture of the west corner, all I could think of was Josh's (aka Trucklover) layouts, and thought that the dead space between the buildings and the track could be a great location for some trucks! What about modifying some of the windows on the building on the left, turning the windows into dock doors. That way you could park a bunch of trailered semi's in the area between the tracks and the buildings.

Just a thought.


Mike that is a SWEET idea for that corner. Dan if you could bash some doors out of those walls, on the wall that "is behind the other building". i think would work better because it would give a more straight shot for trailers to back up into.... But of coarse, that is your choice :mrgreen: I see room for 3 truck docks there on that wall

Now for the other picture, you dont necessarily have to model building fronts for this stretch of area, building backs would be beliveable. You could do that whole strech with building backs, with just walls and windows of factories, and maybe a couple of small "personel doors/emergency exits). i think that would be your best bet for that area since a track going down there is out of the question....

In the bottom right of the last picture you posted, can you get a track in that space?

BTW, what did you use to make that blue building in the last picture? I really like all the way you layed that out!! :thumb: :thumb:
 

Dan85

New Member
Good ideas guys...here's something I came up with that incorporates trucking:

Picture201411crop.jpg


Might just do the trick. Unforunately, there is a lot of work to do on that building...


That large blue building is made from both of Walther Peterson Tool Specialties and the other one Laughston Shipping (?). Its loosely based off of the American Axle plant in Buffalo.

Although, I kind of feel like the positioning of it on the layout isn't quite right...

Picture200574crop.jpg


- Dan
 

TruckLover

Mack CH613 & 53' Trailer
Dan i like the new building arrangement :thumb: :mrgreen:

Question though, is that how the truck docks are going to be? I dont think ive see that before where the truck backs into the building, although it does look pretty cool like that and is interesting :mrgreen:

thanks for posting the front side of the blue building, i really like it and i think its a good fit for that spot. I especially like how there are 2 large roll-up doors for rail cars and then another spot for rail cars on the far side. Very cool kitbash you did :thumb: :thumb: :cool:
 

Ralph

Remember...it's for fun!
The blue building is so interesting. I like its angular lines and the curved spurs leading into the loading docks.

Ralph
 

cnw1961

Member
Dan, even before I read Mike’s post, I thought that some trucks would look nice in front of that building in the corner. So I really concur with Mike’s suggestion and I like what you made of it. Looks good :thumb:.

Like Josh and Ralph, I can’t see anything wrong with the blue building – very interesting structure and it seems to fit in perfectly where it is right now.
 

Dan85

New Member
Thanks for the compliments on the blue building guys! So a lot of the weekend has been spent working on the "West Corner". Hours and hours of shifting buildings and walls back and forth until I found something I liked.

Well, here's what I've got so far: I changed the last two feet before the bridge in order to accept a "dummy track". Basically it's just there for looks, no way to run anything on it - yet.

So here is the process:

The area looked like this before:

DSC_0003crop.jpg


Where that Conrail trailer sat, I began installing track with a 30/60 degree(?) junction to cross the main line.

Picture201420crop.jpg


Mocked up

Picture201421crop.jpg


Moving forward

Picture201423crop.jpg


Finished product, just needs joints filled and weathering.

Picture201424crop.jpg


- Dan
 

diesel

New Member
too much planning????

Creativity=Planning+execution of plan

the make it up as you go along only comes out right for experienced people.
the oopps, well that looks ok thing is called a 'happy accident'.

I don't mean to bust your chops here, but I am a professional designer and yes, these are the rules. If you break em, so what right? Ya, but be honest about your results.
 
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