The next topic is a steel mill. Steel mill
It has been suggested that we put a steel mill on the bench on the south wall,, from the fire door to the furnace. Coal, ore, lime, junk in and steel rolls, wire coils, beams, and pipes out.
This will be the first in a series of posts regarding future operations on our layout. This is your chance to help plan our layout, let me know if your interested. We will soon be laying track, so this is urgent or the opportunity maybe lost
The first topic is passenger service, something I know nothing about. I best I could design would be a 3 track, double ended yard to hold 2 passenger trains, in front of the station.
Do we want to set up a an in-depth passenger service, with different consists and train lengths? If so, is there any volunteers to research what we would require as far as hardscape and track arrangements? I would think there would be room for a passenger terminal on the west wall, I would be glad to work with you on the track plan. If someone would like to take this on and present different options and requirements to our members, it could add another operational dimension to our layout.
Foam roadbed has all been painted. The cabinet, castings, electric supplies, and shelves were stored under the benchwork. Some buildings were unboxed. Starting next week all the major industries will be, as we find them, will be put into test locations so a track plan can be finalized. Actually the loop by the door can be laid, wired, and ballasted, as it's location is fixed.
The branchline island was test fitted.
Since the mid fall of 2020, some of our dismantled layout has been stored in a former Erb Transport reefer trailer on Doug Brown Welding property on Dufferin Street in Woodstock. A friend of Don Stoddart, Doug was very gracious in allowing us the use of this lockable location when our backs were up against the wall in having to remove the layout from its Devonshire location. This spring, Doug pulled the trailer out from its background location, took the wheels off it and plans to store incoming metal products in it. Hence, our need to clear out our stuff and take it to our new Woodstock Fairgrounds location. Don Stoddart, Rick Owen, Rob Ross and Glen McDonald did that task on Tuesday, June 15, 2021
After some shuttling of items back and forth from the trailer to the Fairgrounds in our three vehicles, we are down to the last item, Don is ready to help Rob carry a table formerly in the Devonshire layout office to Glen's van. Then we can shut and lock the trailer doors for our last time and Don can thank Doug Brown one more time and we are "outa there".
The final loads arrive from the trailer to the Fairgrounds location and Rick Owen is right there to help Rob park and carry the items in to our new layout location. There are still many bins of layout content stored in member basements, garages, etc. that will be brought back at times needed during the layout reconstruction. Pandemic numbers are falling as we get vaccinated and soon we can get back to regular work sessions.
The outline of the branchline island, elevated town was cut out. As it covered parts of 3 benches, they were removed from the layout, taped and glued together. It was flipped over and 1 x 4's were glued to the foam, using the lines of the benchwork that had been traced on them. The mainline will be laid and scenery will be applied before the island is put in place. The island will also be finished, wiring and all, before it is permanently put into place.
It was decided that the ore train staging track would be a siding, not a passing track, with the turnout near the throat of the loop. This siding will be electrically separated with an on/off switch, so the engine can be stored there.
I like the idea of tracing the frames and maybe dabbling on adhesive to hold the foam and benches together. My idea for the raised town, inside the loop area is to cut it out, glue the foam together, about 3 feet, flip it over on a table and build a new frame on top of it. That way we get it bench as close to the curved edge as possible. Flip it over on a table and fully complete it, wiring and all before adding back to the layout. A narrow strip of thin plywood or foam, that sits on the lower foam, but attached to the upper bench, would support the cliffs, when it is moved. This could be applied to all of the raised areas. The wiring will have to be self contained using holes and a block terminal at one end. See the illustration for a cross section view.
An idea plan. Note the ore train staging track in blue, this train would be hidden behind the town site. Suggested roads are orange, the green lines are contour lines. This town is an island, 4 inches above the mainline, with an access hole to get at the back mainline track. The tunnel on the left suggests that the branchline continues. Suggested buildings and industries are in red. The black lines are the mainline. I will use this colour scheme in all my plans.
