Model Railroading > I've laid out my town, but what to do with these tracks

The first two images are just nice shots from my layout, but the bottom two I need some help and ideas. 
So, I've done a lot of work on a small city scene, and I've created several spurs and even a switchbackof sorts to create interesting switching, but I have a few tracks butting up to a mirror that I'm not sure about.  I thought folks here might have some suggestions what I can use them for.  The building with a smoke stack sitting awkwardly on top does not need to go there.  It's a scratch built project that has been misplaced and is looking for a new home.  

Ideas I've had for the tracks so far:  
One can be a cabose track
One can store a locomotive, (either between runs or a switcher)

Since the tracks butt up to a mirror, they look longer than they are. What would you do with these 3 tracks running through the middle of the photo?

Edit:  I must add that this is a late mid 1940s scene... we are talking nearling the end of WWII, ALL steam railroad.   Absolutely no diesels on the property.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/19/21 07:09 by steam290.

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The track to the left of the caboose can be a team track where trucks can back right up to the boxcars to unload. . Just fill and pave the open area next to the track up to rail level. You could also put a dock between the tracks to go with the team track theme. Check out this image;

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/6b/03/27/6b03274daff7b519b85729c81e1b2e17.jpg

You can be a little bit tricky with it by painting the far side of the truck a different color, so the truck reflected in the mirror appears to be a different truck. I've seen that done before.

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/19/21 09:05 by funnelfan.

If a team track I would straighten it out some.

Well, that's a good idea!  I could also move the makeshift factory building and put a team track on the other side.  I may use the track on the far left to store switchers and helper locomotives since that piece of track is isolated with a cut switch.   I had originally thougt about putting a small engine house on that outside track. 

It could go:
1. Switch engine storage.
2. Caboose track.
3. Team track 

Thoughts?

funnelfan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The track to the left of the caboose can be a team
> track where trucks can back right up to the
> boxcars to unload. . Just fill and pave the open
> area next to the track up to rail level. You could
> also put a dock between the tracks to go with the
> team track theme. Check out this image;
>
> https://i.pinimg.com/originals/6b/03/27/6b03274daf
> f7b519b85729c81e1b2e17.jpg
>
> You can be a little bit tricky with it by painting
> the far side of the truck a different color, so
> the truck reflected in the mirror appears to be a
> different truck. I've seen that done before.

tomstp Wrote:
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> If a team track I would straighten it out some.

There is actually a reason the track curves to follow the contours of the other tracks.  They butt up to that mirror, and I have to put a building, or rock outcropping or something over to the left of that track in order to hide the outside edge of the mirror.  The main is to the left of the photo and will enter a tunnel at the Mirror's edge.  That flare in the track is to accomadate the rock outcropping or building that will absolutely be sitting on that piece of realestate.  Maybe I should have mentioned that in my initial post.  As you can see from the last photo, the track used to be straight, but I curved it to accomodate whatever goes there to hide the mirror's edge. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/19/21 09:21 by steam290.

The row of cabooses looks interesting.  Do you have a "crummy" close-up photo to show us?
jb

Reason for suggesting straightening the track is to make uncoupling easier on the team track.  But, I understand your problem.

Thanks! Yeah, and one problem is that I’m squeezing as much stuff into a fairly small space as absolutely possible.

Posted from iPhone

Sure!  I'll post a photo of my cabooses when I get home today. 

boejoe Wrote:
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> The row of cabooses looks interesting.  Do you
> have a "crummy" close-up photo to show us?
> jb

That three story building to the right of center serves no apparent purpose as far as the railroad is concerned.  I'd cut some loading doors so you can ship and deliver to it.

-Johjn

What i'm thinking about doing is making it slimmer and moving it to the background.  Then, I can build a different building to fit in that location.  it is 100% scratch built, using castings of a wall section I built from foam core, brick sheet, and an unused windown from the walthers dockside warehouse kit.  It originally was built for a specific location, but after deciding to remove it from the original space, I've been constantly moving it around and reconfiguring it, trying to find it a new home.  Once I've found it a new location, I can detal it and make it look a little less wonky.   And, thank you for the suggestion and opinion.  I'm building this railroad almost intirely unassisted, so it's nice to have other's feedback. 

LarryDoyle Wrote:
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> That three story building to the right of center
> serves no apparent purpose as far as the railroad
> is concerned.  I'd cut some loading doors so you
> can ship and deliver to it.
>
> -Johjn