I'm wanting to use the basic plan of Model Railroader's Salt Lake Route for my next layout. There's a few things I'd like to change however, and I'm looking for advice. For those who haven't seen my previous post about it ("New Layout Visions"), here's my theme: Name: Pacific-Midland System Theme: Rock Island/Milwaukee Road Merger Era: Late 1980s-Early 1990s Locale: Western Montana, freelanced stretch of the Pacific Coast Extension The scenic side of the layout will be of a mountain pass. Tunnels will be on the ends like the original plan, but I'll scrap the one in the middle of the scene. High above on the mountainside, a highway will run parallel to the mainline. The other side of the layout will feature a small town. I'd like to capture a Montana version of something like Minturn, Colorado. Here's what I'm looking for: 1. I need an industry to replace the intermodal yard that reflects the time and place of my railroad. I'll probably cut it back to two tracks instead of 4. There's quite a bit of room here so it can be somewhat large. 2. I want to replace the engine house with another industry that fits my time and place. Engine servicing will be for helpers and will include a small sand tower and fuel tank near the yard office. 3. I'd like one of the industries to use tank cars. 4. I want some kind of non rail-served structure on the mountain pass side of the layout that will add lots of visual interest. I've thought of a mountainside observatory or a tall cell tower of some sort, but would like some other ideas.
A resort? Maybe a fire lookout tower? http://www.summitpost.org/calx-mountain-lookout/501554 Or something which would represent a small portion of a ski area?
How about a brewery to replace the intermodal yard and maybe a grain elevator to replace the engine house. For the non rail point of interest you could add a gas station and local watering hole along the highway. That might be enough to make that side more interesting.
Great ideas A lookout tower would make a cool scatchbuilding or kitbashing project. An old gas station/trading post would also be fun. I think I have some issues of Model Railroader with a series on building a really nice brewery. It has an old brick building as the brew house and a modern warehouse for storage and shipping. Takes tank cars, too.
Don't see the point of having the double Xover in its location. Would have single Xovers on either end of the sidings. They could also be put on the curves. Make sure there's sufficient space between the intermodal tracks since containers & are loaded on/taken from chassis'. Same thing for handling trailers.
You could base the layout on the MRL/GN Mullan Pass line: 1. Cement plant (Ash Grove @ Montana City), lumber facility (Laurel Yard @ Billings, MT), etc. 2. Any number of small rail-served industries to choose from - alcohol warehouse (Montana State Liquor in Helena, MT, Orrison Distributors in Cheyenne, WY...), dry goods, agriculture, team transfer, etc. 3. Montana Propane and Conoco Phillips (both in Helena, MT), Phillips 66 (Billings, MT), Commerce City Refinery (Commerce City, CO), etc. 4. Abandoned railroad mainline (such as Milwaukee Road) adjacent to the in-use one with bridges intact, but tunnels sealed and separated by a river Looks like a neat project. Good luck!
Thanks 3DTrains, this is really helpful info! Your abandoned right-of-way suggestion reminds me of a picture in a recent Model Railroader issue. It had a scene where the railroad (I think it was called the Tennessee Midland) used a bridge that had been built to accommodate a double track mainline that had never been finished. The abutments protruded quite a ways out past the single track with vegetation growing up the side. Looked really cool and unique, and I'm sure it's happened somewhere in the real world.
