Model Railroading > Layout Tour

Working on some LEDs I took a few engines for a test shakedown, so I thought it would be a good way to do a tour. I have spent most of the year, thus far upgrading all my engines to LEDs and sound, if they weren't already equipped.  I have been using Big Al's LEDs with great success.

I model NS in the late 90s before the Conrail Merger.  However, I model the Atlanta-Washington mainline through NC (more or less), so most trains to/from the Northeast had Conrail power due to the potty rule.

First up we find NS 214 streaking by Pomona Tower (Greensboro, NC) passing 222 beginning to work Pomona Yard.

Second an overall view of the Greensboro Area and Pig Yard

Third a view of the fictional Pomona Yard Engine Shops.

The overall layout is a loop around the walls, with a pennisula.  Its an odd shape, 38 feet long and 20 feet wide at the widest portions, roughly 650sf, and nearing 3.5 years old.  

All track is code 83, minimun #8 on the mains and 36" curves.  Number 6 turnouts on the yards and sidings.  I think I have somewhere around 1200 feet of track and 140 turnouts.  Digitrax DCC.  90% of the fleet has sound.

I finished the room myself, so there is plenty of lights and a separate mini-split for temperature control.  

There is a 12 track staging yard under the pennisula with a wye at the end to allow for "north or south" bound departures.

Sorry for the quality of the pictures, I just snapped some Iphone pics as I walked around.
 



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 07/26/15 16:13 by SOU3921.

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Following NS 222, with 4610 leading, we find 222 departing Greensboro off the yard lead at Elm.

Adjacent to Elm, not in real life, is the Cargill facility, here we find a slug set working the elevator.

We have gotten ahead of 222 and find 128 waiting to depart Montview (Lynchburg, VA).





 

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Next we find V17 working the quarry at Shelton, NC.

Here's P30 arriving at High Point, NC (real place, fictional industry) to work the paper mill.

Finally 222 arrives just in time to get stabbed to a late running Amtrak 19, the Cresent.

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Right on Amtrak 19 heels, is NS 265, the now non-existant Triple Crown train.

Here's a picture of the unfinished staging loops.

One more for now, Elm on the left looking at Lynchburg on the Right.

Thanks for looking.
Cooper

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OMG... thats great.

Steve H.

Excellent!  How do you like the foam roadbed?  I assume it's the Woodland Scenics stuff?

-Sean McCaffery

I love under construction tours.  There is a lot to learn.

Great layout and photo's!  What's the size of your layout / layout room?

sphauler

 

I like the Woodland Scenics foam stuff, I really like the sheets for yards and other large area uses.  Its much easier to work with than cork/homasote, in my opinion, and the gray looks halfway decent in the absence of ballast.

The layout is odd rectangle, 38 feet long and 20 feet wide at the widest portions, roughly 650sf.

That looks awesome, strong work.

Jon in Az

I always really enjoy your updates.  Beautiful work!  Nice to see someone else with a fondness for cabooses too! :-)

Joe Atkinson
Council Bluffs, IA
www.iaisrailfans.org/../Sub4WestEnd

Righteous looking layout! Lots of switching/run through possibilities.

SantaFeRuss

Right on Coop!

Todd

Really great progress!  I enjoy the roster especially, as a fellow modeler of the 1990's.  Great selection of power; those 211/212 and 213/214 trains that used to run to and from NJ could literally have anything in the consist.  

Thanks for sharing!
~RGDave
www.onondagacutoff.blogspot.com

Looks great!

Looks great Cooper! Love the C31 & C32P Cabs.

Russ

What a great layout. I to used the foam roadbed and really liked it, easy, quiet, and looks good. Plus no sanding the one side when you split cork. Please keep giving progress photos. May I ask where you purchased the wall mounted storage cases? I am looking for some additional ones and those look longer then the ones I have.

Thanks

Is that every heritage unit on the wall?  Outstanding layout.

There are a couple of bay window cabooses in there too, it's like where's Waldo you have to find them.

I got the showcases from the Little Showcase Factory. Unfortunately, he went out of business.  I wish I had done the whole Greensboro side wall in showcases..maybe in the future.  I like building diesels and rolling stock and have way more than I need, so what isn't running, I like to show off.

Yes, that is all 20 Heritage Units, plus 1218 and 611 and the River Street Rambler (I did live in Savannah, very briefly).  The Heritage Units, plus a few regular NS ES44ACs and SD70ACe's are the exception to the mid to late 90s.  

Thanks for the comments.

Cooper

Thanks for sharing.  Very nice to see a neat prototype modeled!