Layout Ideas

[WM-N-fan]

I'm not sure what to do with my layout. I have 3 trains that run (55 car coal drag, 40 car mixed, and 10 car local + MOW stuff)
I really don't want a train over 60 cars (unrealistic because front can see back) and I have 25 engines waiting. I also don't want to spend over $150 on cars. Here is an engine list, maybe some one can be creative. I'll list engine and duties:

(Note: the duties are very loose, you can change them. I would like to hear some ideas.)
(*= runs great, ^= Good %=has problems @= in shops)

*Hallmark CR SD-60- Mixed
*KATO CR SD-80MAC- Needs work, occasionally have NS coal.
*KATO CR SD-80MAC- Needs work, occasionally have NS coal.
*KATO CSX SD-80MAC- Coal Drag
*KATO CSX C-44-9W- Coal drag
*Atlas CSX 8-40B- Coal Drag
*Atlas NS 8-40B- Mixed
*Atlas NS B-23-7- Mixed
*Atlas SeaB SD-50- Locals
*Atlas NS SD-50- Mixed
*Atlas CSX SD-35- Locals
*Atlas WM SD-35- (Everything when turn back clock) MOW/Loc.
*Lifelike FEC SW9/1200- U.S.Steel Switcher
^Lifelike CSX GP-38- Yard Switcher
^Lifelike ex-ATSF GP-38- Supierior Paper Switcher
^Lifelike D&H GP-38- Helper unit/needs work
@Lifelike BN GP-38- Retired for now
@Lifelike WM GP-35- Retired for now
*Lifelike AMTK F-40PH- Passengers
-Lifelike AMTK F-40PH- Passengers
@ Lifelike CS SD-7- Retired for now
@ Lifelike CR GP-20- Future NS yard switcher
* Lifelike EMD E-8- Passanger excursions, (turn back clock)
^Bachman ATSF GP-50- Shortline Locals
@Bachman ATSF F-7- Retired

 

[Tyson Rayles]

A track plan would be helpful. Have you tried actual operations? I'm guessing your layout is huge with as much equipment as you seem to have, if it isn't then to do operations you may find you have to much. Again a track plan would be helpful, one showing the various industries.

 

[WM-N-fan]

The camera is at work. Basically the layout is simple and easy to describe. The layout is a 12 ft. by 4 ft oval with various spurs (I will describe each), with a 12 track yard. There will be a 12 by 1 with tunnel loop mountain sub, with a pulpwood facility, and a small mfg. company. The overall layout is an industrial section South of Pittsburgh. These industries currently exist, and are built. Industries include:

St. Lawrence Cement:

A Cement plant with a quarry. Includes the kitbashing of a North Island refinery, ADM grain (Silos), Medusa Cement, an HO flood loader, and a Glacier Gravel. 2 Rotary kilns are being built. There is a 2 track siding, capacity: 10 cars (coal hoppers for kiln, cement hoppers too)


United States Steel:

A Walthers Blast furnace kit, with a coke oven, a DPM warehouse, an old coal loader (from old WM spur) a Supierior Paper Fraft Mill, and a power house. It has a 4 track yard and 2 passing sidings.
About 30 car capacity. A Walthers rolling mill will soon be added.


Supierior Paper:

A Supierior Paper main mill, a George Roberts Printing Company, part of a North Island kit, factory smokestack. About 14 car capacity.


ADM-Pillsbury

A large Flour mill, with an ADM elevator conviniently located next door (connected). About 8 car capacity.


3 Rivers Lumber:

A Valley Lumber kit. 4 car capacity (mainly box).



Valley Intermodal and Loading/Unloading

A 3 car siding (in the process of expanding), A truck unloading platform, An office (old caboose), a storage area, and a small warehouse.


Cargill Fertilizers and Foods

A 1 car spur, part of an ADM elevator kit. Small, customer. Built to compete with ADM.


Pittsburgh Scrap Metal

A 2 car spur, frequent customer. A little area, cement cointainers occasionally come through to be loaded.


Pittsburgh Scrap Metal Railroad Division

A 1 car spur, 3 car storage area old engines are disassembled here, and parts loaded into a small shed. Then taken by train to the locomotive shops.


CSX Industries:

MOW spur (5 cabooses, 1 gon, 1 ballast car, 1 box car)
Temporary storage.


Exxon Oil

Large tank, piping, occasionally a car. Part of shop complex. Used to fuel up locos from the engine yard and shops.


Hope this helps!

Here's a railroad roster:

-65 hoppers
-20 covered hoppers
- 3 gondolas
-30 box cars
-10 tank cars
-4 flat cars
-2 pulpwood cars
-5 special hoppers
-25 locos
-7 cabooses
-4 passenger cars
-3 cattle cars
-1 autorack

I'm sure I missed a few. Please ask questions.