I am doing HO layout with a 2x7 or 8 section that will be a large grain elevator siding off the main route. Any suggestions on sidings?
Here is a plan of my grain terminal and a pic of the finished section. I find this layout gives me a great deal of operating capabilities. you can also see more info on my website Operating grain terminal
Colonel: Thanks. What kind of car movements would be consistent with prototype? How many cars do you put in the sidings at any time? How do pick-up cars?
Loaded hoppers (up too 20 cars long) are backed into the arrival road and the mainline locomotive uncoupled and either dispatched to the engine yard or coupled to empty hoppers standing in the departure road. The hoppers in the arrival road are then broken up into strings of 10 hoppers where a SW1200 leads the first group out of the arrival road and backs into the grain terminal road for unloading. The SW1200 then uncouples from the grain terminal hoppers and returns to the arrival road for the second string of loaded hoppers and backs them into the second grain terminal road. Once the loaded hopper cars have unloaded in the grain terminal road they are shunted to the departure road for classification. If another train arrives it is unloaded then stored in the transfer road until the departure road is cleared.
paul, this maybe a silly question but is this "site" actually attached to a functioning railroad, or is it a stand alone model. Please no offense. Actually i am considering something like this for my first build-up. Also see me post below about the 3X5 layout. Iam also considering a seroiusly detailed swithcing yard module. It won't function much, but will be 5-7 tracks and switches wide, wiht sander, engine repair house and all the other stuff. thanks much, shawn
No offense taken, yes itis part of a larger layout here is the total plan you can see the grain terminal on the top right of the plan
Colonel...would you mind giving some of the dimensions for you layout? I really like the looks of it and I'm thinking of incorporating some of your ideas in the layout I'm in the process of building. And is it HO or N scale? [ 19. March 2003, 14:42: Message edited by: Hoss ]
The layout is "N" scale and the dimensions are approx 14 feet long on one wall and further 12 feet long on the top section. If you visit my website there are lots of pictures and a history of the layout. The grain bins are actually electrical conduits glued together on a plywood base, the grain terminal is removal as it the whole grain terminal module as it currently sits over a pinball machine . Long term this module will be relocated as I will be extending the layout by amother 18 feet in the next few years.
