La Mirada, CA Industrial Switching Layout Progress

Hi guys, this will be the thread where I post my progress of building the small HO Scale switching layout i have been planning. It consists of 6 modules (each numbered in the attached trackplan), which their dimensions are as follows:

Module #1 is 78" L x 24" W
Module #2 is 45" L x 24" W and is at a 45 degree angle
Module #3 is 96" L x 24" W
Module #4 is 96" L x 24" W
Module #5 is 96" L x 24" W and is at a 45 degree angle
Module #6 is 82" L x 24" W

All track is Central Valley Tie Strips with Micro Engineering Code 70 Rail. Turnouts are Walthers Code 83 #6, #4 WYE's, #6 3-Way Turnout, #6 Double-Slip & Atlas Code 83 12.5 Degree Crossing. Minimum Radius is 24" throughout the plan

**The top Orange rectangles that cross the Blue Rectangle on Module #3 are bridges. The Blue Rectangle is the Drainage Ditch. The Top Orange Rectangle will be one of the BLMA Concrete Segmental Bridges, the bottom Orange Rectangle a Plate Girder Bridge.
**All other Orange boxes are Buildings (each building has the company that occupies the building in or next to it)
**Red Lines are the BNSF Mainline. There are 2 Mainlines that run through, I have only included one. The mainline will be Concrete Ties.
**Yellow Tracks are La Mirada Yard Tracks. The real yard has 8 tracks, mine has 5
**White Tracks are Run-Around's
**Blue Tracks are Yard Leads or other Leads for Switching
**Purple Tracks are the loco/caboose track


Industries

Ill start explaining the industries from far left to right.

Majestic Management is a company that does not see Rail Traffic. The siding next to the building will be used to store loaded hoppers for Spartech Plastics
Spartech Plastics is a company with 2 unload tracks. Each track will hold one hopper. This industry will have to be switched often pulling empties out then pushing loaded hoppers from the storage track in.
Complete Environmental Products is an industry that no longer receives rail traffic. The switch is partially torn out, which will make for a fantastic detail i think!
US Gypsum receives boxcar loads and has a large concrete loading dock. 2 Boxcars at a time can be spotted here.
Pactiv Advanced Packaging Solutions is another Plastics company. There are several boarded up cargo doors along the back of the building, and I believe they only receive hopper cars down at the other end of the building, which will not be modeled. The 3 storage tanks will be built but again, they are no longer used. Exterior Piping and boarded cargo doors will be modeled on this one.
Airgas is a company that spots tank cars. 3 Cars can be spotted here at a time.
Latex International does not receive any rail traffic
The Small Square Building next to the end of the Purple Tracks is the yard office
Rohm & Haas Co. is the long skinny rectangle next to Weber Distribution. The long skinny rectangle is a tank car unloading platform.
Weber Distribution can spot several boxcars cars at a time
Tropical Asphalt can spot several shorty 2-bay Covered Hoppers at a time.
Montebello Container Corporation can spot 4-5 boxcars at a time. The second Montebello building which is located directly across from Georgia Pacific can spot 3-4 boxcars at a time.
Gesma Enterprises is a industries that spots tank cars. 1-2 tank cars can be spotted here behind the boxcars for Montebello, which is how it is laid out on the prototype.
Italcal Trading does not receive any rail traffic
Leader Automotive Inc can spot 2 boxcars at a time
Georgia Pacific can spot several cars at a time on the track nearest the building. The second track nearest the building is used as a storage track for additional loaded boxcars that are switched in when the needed.
Estenson Logistic LLC can spot several cars at a time. This industry spots cars rather oddly, and each car much be spotted exactly. There is space between each boxcar spotted, so the cars must be tied down individually, which will make for some interesting details.

In my next post I will post the start of Module #4, which is the module I have chosen to start with

 

Its not much to show, but you get the idea lol

I used the all of the remaining Central Valley Tie Strips I had laying around. I will have to order some more of them. But I did have enough to get the right side of the yard laid out. The BNSF Mainline will run along the back, and will be up on roadbed so it will be slightly raised from the rest of the yard. The bottom track in the picture is the siding for Estenson Logistic LLC. The second track from the bottom is the yard lead (which is the blue track on the plan just above Estenson). This track was stopped short, and where it ends the first turnout will be placed.

Ill be ordering the turnouts as well as some more Central Valley Tie Strips and the Concrete Flextrack for the BNSF Mainline i need for module #4 tomorrow, and they should be in sometime next week.

 

I always enjoy seeing new threads started at the beginning stages.I am look forward to following you on this.I am curious as to why you chose modular?Will you be connecting these to other modules in your area?

 

Thanks Thomas!

The only reason I went with modules was because I am still living at home and dont have room for a layout. Ive tried doing layouts in my room before, but its just too hard living in the same room, not enough room to do what I want LOL

With modules, I can hang them on the wall when not working on them or when not using them. Ive got 3 other modules that are on my wall right now including my Photo Diorama, CAT Equipment Rental Module, and Ford Auto-Assembly Plant Module. Ive got them all on Heavy Duty Shelf Brackets, but im going to take them down and replace them with the track standards with the brackets to save space and get the modules stacked better.

 

Thanks for the reply Bob!

The module construction is very simpe, its 1x3's ripped out of 2x4's. I made 1x3's out of the 2x4's so that i could get nice and straight lumber. The 2x4's were squared off on 2 sides to form a square side, then they were pushed through the table saw and the end result was a square 1x3. Its a simple box frame with cross supports at 2-1/2' from the ends (4 supports evenly spaced down the 8'). Each support is both glued and nailed with a nail gun for extra stability. There is no plywood top to the module, just the box frame to keep it supper light. A layer of 1" blue foam was glued to the top for added support and to form the module base. Its a pretty strong lightweight module and its how I will be building the others as well.

Thanks for the comments on the plan, I do think this will be enough to keep me busy and allow for some different switching rather then switching the same 2 or 3 structures over and over like most small switching layouts lol. The prototype has 2 BNSF Mainline tracks that run past the yard, with 8 yard tracks, one of them being the track that the train from the mainline pulls into for drop-offs/pick-ups. If I do end up using these as part of a larger layout, I will definitely re-work it to have a pick-up/drop-off track off the mainline

 

Looks like a good plan to me Josh, and it's giving me ideas for the remainder of my layout :thumbs_up: Looking forward to watching this one develop.

Mike

 

Thanks Mike

Got some more work done on Module #4 of this project today. i laid the rest of the Central Valley Tie Strips and placed the Walthers #6 Turnouts and Atlas 12.5 degree crossing. The last turnout to go on this module will be a Walthers #5 WYE, but it is not in stock and backordered till August, so I wont have it for a while...

The mainline was laid out down the length of the module. Its Atlas Code 83 Flex with Concrete Ties laid on Woodland Scenics Foam Roadbed. This will be the only elevated track, and it is only slightly elevated.

Im waiting for Micro Engineering Code 70 Rail to come in, so as soon as that comes in ill be able to lay the rest of the track and complete the yard. After that, ground throws will be installed, and then it will be ballasted.

Here are some quick pictures that show the recent track laid with some Cushion Coil Cars and 53' Thrall Gondolas on the track to give you an idea of how many cars this yard will be able to hold.

 

Attached below is a picture of the section im working on right now

 

I put the legs on the module today, there folding legs on hinges. This module is 8' long, and well it is pretty hard to handle, and while it was pretty light before, its now pretty heavy with the addition of the legs and leg hardware. Im going to live with it, but I have reduced the size of all the other modules down from 8' to 5'. Here is a new look at the trackplan showing the smaller module sizes. Ive also re-done a bit of the trackwork (some had to be re-worked when the modules were made smaller so turnouts were not on module joints) and ive also added a new structure to the extreme left of the layout. While not prototypical whatsoever, A Rolling Mill was added in next to Spartech Plastics. Reason being, I have a bunch of coil cars and gondolas that I want to be able to run and use, and well they need a place to go LOL.

New module dimensions:

Module #1: 24" W x 60" L
Module #2: 24" W x 60" L
Module #3: 24" W x 72" L
Module #4: 24" W x 63" L
Module #5: 24" W x 96" L
Module #6: 24" W x 60" L
Module #7: 24" W x 60" L
Module #8: 24" W x 60" L

 

The plan and work look good, Josh.

I have a question about one of the industries so I Googled it. "Airgas distributes industrial, medical, and specialty gases, welding supplies, safety products, and tools online through over 700 locations nationwide." I wonder if the tank cars are stored for one of the other industries because our local Airgas here has no rail service. I see their delivery truck around town every so often with its' load of oxygen, acetylene, helium, and whatever other cylinders and it never seems full.

 

Thanks Larry

The Airgas Facility in La Mirada is serviced by rail. 30,000 Gallon Tank Cars are spotted and unloaded 2 at a time. I have a couple pictures:





The pictures dont show it too well, but 2 tanks can be spotted next to the building and are unloaded via overhead pipeline. A third car is stored in front of the 2 just inside the gate. Im not sure if it is unloaded with the other 2, they may have another overhead swinging pipeline to unload this third car, but i couldnt see it when i was there

 

That is quite interesting. Our Airgas is in a typical commercial/light industrial building across the street from a Cargill soybean processing plant and a long block from a huge Quaker Oats cereal mill. I wonder if your Airgas plant is filling tanks that other facilities (more like retail outlets which ours seems to be) are distributing.

 

That is quite interesting. Our Airgas is in a typical commercial/light industrial building across the street from a Cargill soybean processing plant and a long block from a huge Quaker Oats cereal mill. I wonder if your Airgas plant is filling tanks that other facilities (more like retail outlets which ours seems to be) are distributing.

 

Larry that sounds like what the one in La Mirada is, a larger facility (although this facility was really not that large and doesnt take up alot of space) that distributes to smaller retail distribution centers. I didnt see alot of small tanks, just say a few tanker trucks and the tank cars. So im assuming product comes in by rail, some kinda processing is done to make the final product which is then shipped by truck from the facility to smaller distribution facilities

 

Got the Micro Engineering Code 70 Rail in yesterday and laid them down on the Central Valley Tie Strips last night. Then set some trains down in the yard to get a feel for how its going to look. Here are some pictures... Where you see the 60' BNSF Boxcars is where the large long structure will be (refer to the latest picture of the plan on page 3)

 

Josh,
I really like your plan, I'm always drawn to plans that have non-typical designs. I'm curious about the decision to use the CV tie strips, was that based on the fact that you had some on hand or price compaired to flextrack.

2slim

 

Thank you! The plan is based off the Prototype in La Mirada, CA

I went with CV Tie Strips because they are very well detailed and the ingenious method they use to connect strip-to-strip with no seams is what really attracted me. With Flextrack, you have to cut some of the end ties and then replace them with modified ties. With the CV Tie Strips, each end has a male and a female, both of which are half ties and when joined with another Tie Strip combine to make a complete tie and a seamless transition to the next Tie Strip. It is impossible to tell where one strip stops and the other starts. They are also feature tie plates with spike detail! All you have to do is set the rail in between the tie plates and secure in place with your choice of adhesive (I use CA Super Glue)

The Tie Strips accept Code 83, Code 70, and some code 55 Rail. I think they also make some strips that accept Code 100 rail, but im not entirely sure of that so dont hold me to it lol

 

Josh
What colors are you painting the ties & rails? Painted my CV tie strips w/ Folk Art raw sienna purchased at Michaels. Will use the ME code 83 weathered rails you sold me but have some unpainted MEs that need weathering.