can't believe that I am seriously considering this...a few months back I had the privilege of operating Rick Watson's incredible layout, and I have realized that The Playa Desnuda Branch (N) is limited in operation possibilities. I am seriously thinking about scrapping the layout and rebuilding it with shorter sidings and making it more difficult the switch on purpose. I plan to re-use my structures, as much track as I can salvage, and build a more switching friendly layout with better trackwork and electrical. The wall that the current layout is on is slightly longer than 12 feet, and the shelf is 16 inches...now comes the fun part of designing a new layout...I have added the current layout "SPINS"
You can throw a few curve balls at the process. Complicate things now and then. Have some situation cards. One which might take a switch out of service. Or a weight restriction on a spur, which requires use of idlers or lighter axle weight switchers. Men and equipment working at X, do not enter these limits. Car derailed on Z siding, switches spiked. Drawbar out on ABC RR Box car 123456, Y spur- must not be coupled onto or moved.
I have been re-reading the Santa Monica SPINS from 1975, and I have noticed more than a few options for increased, realistic switching. This section of Culver City could make a very interesting N Scale 4×8 (or 3×6) layout that is actually prototypical. The area that I currently have is 147″x16″, I still want to maintain the Washington Street yard before heading to the industrial section of Play Desnuda. I am hoping that I will be able to move the layout into a bedroom in the next year or so, as one of my kids is planning on moving out soon… I am also thinking about making the "mainline" curve to the front of the layout once leaving the yard and have it slowly angle to the rear corner over a roughly 8 foot run break away from the typical parallel lines.
Nope...Not crazy! Tackling projects like this is energizing. Like you, I've also tried to use prototype track configurations when setting up industrial switching areas on my layout. The TP&W Kolbe block on the lower level of my layout is a 20' x 18" industrial area that can take over an hour to switch (15 to 20 cars in, 15 to 20 cars out). I based my track plan on google maps satellite views from 7 or 8 years ago, but had to make guesses about the Lonza, Sherex, and CF track positions, because the current structures and tracks are totally different from the chemical plants that were there in the 1970s, the era I'm modeling. A few years ago, I found a Sante Fe CLIC Bulletin for Kolbe from July 1984 (comparable to your Santa Monica SPINS), and have included some pics for comparison. Kingston River Terminal: The prototype CF Industries relocated about 5 miles south several decades ago and the Kingston River Terminal expanded into where CF Industries used to be. Kingston River Terminal by ppuinn posted Apr 7, 2023 at 4:27 PM Photo Apr 07 2023, 3 59 47 PM by ppuinn posted Apr 7, 2023 at 4:16 PM Caterpillar Foundry and CF Industries: My version of CF Industries is located between Cat and Lonza on the northwest side of the tracks. Caterpillar Foundry in Mapleton by ppuinn posted Apr 7, 2023 at 4:27 PM CF Industries by ppuinn posted Apr 7, 2023 at 4:27 PM Photo Apr 07 2023, 3 59 37 PM by ppuinn posted Apr 7, 2023 at 4:16 PM Lonza: Lonza is still there, but the present track configuration is very different, so my version of the 1970s Lonza tracks looks more like the 2015 or 2016 version. Lonza by ppuinn posted Apr 7, 2023 at 4:27 PM Photo Apr 07 2023, 3 59 03 PM by ppuinn posted Apr 7, 2023 at 4:16 PM Sherex: Sherex is totally gone, and the current business' tracks are similar to Lonza's. Sherex by ppuinn posted Apr 7, 2023 at 4:27 PM Photo Apr 07 2023, 3 59 16 PM by ppuinn posted Apr 7, 2023 at 4:16 PM
