The Little Rock Line

[jpwisc]

Allen,
This scene is going to turn out well no matter how you lay it out!

I wouldn't worry about having buffer cars between the loco and the tank cars. I'm not positive, but I don't think that rule came into effect until after the era you model (double check your timetables on that one).

[Bendtracker1]

I've never seen berms on spherical tanks.

You're right Philip, I did a little snooping and the only thing I found was some concrete pads with raised edges.

[Bendtracker1]

Allen,
This scene is going to turn out well no matter how you lay it out!

I wouldn't worry about having buffer cars between the loco and the tank cars. I'm not positive, but I don't think that rule came into effect until after the era you model (double check your timetables on that one).

Thanks Karl.
You may be right on the buffer cars, but I still might put the rule in play just to give the crews something else to deal with.

[Bendtracker1]

Riceland Re-do
After finishing up the basic track work for the Gavilon Fertilizer plant, I got started on ripping up the turnouts that lead into Riceland Industries this weekend.  I wanted to move the turnouts back down to the south end of Haskell siding. 

This has always been a troubled spot through the turnouts with frequent derailments and electrical issues, so hopefully this will resolve those issues.  This will also allow me to move the elevator and mill tracks back towards the backdrop and away from the mainline to give me a little extra room. Overall the track plan will stay pretty much as it was.






I'm still planning to leave the drill track (top picture next to the backdrop) in place for the Riceland switcher to use, but I'm working on another idea.  The whole purpose of the Gavilon plant was to add more work for the Haskell Turn because it never took as long to run as did the Winnfield Turn.

My thoughts now are to have the Haskell Turn switch out the Riceland elevator and mill tracks during it's run.  This means that the Haskell crew will be spending the majority of its time working in the town of Haskell.

[soo]

Big A,
Kickin' A and taking names!!
Every looks great. I like the walk through on the ops.
Great outstanding stupendous job!!
Me

[Bendtracker1]

@soo  LMAO!
Thanks Y-It! 

[Bendtracker1]

Last night I finished up the Riceland elevator tracks at Haskell.
Just need to get the power feeds attached.





I think I only have one more minor thing to address in the next town of Fordyce?
I just need to remove one turnout for the Dixie Woodworks spur and connect it to the Flappers litter track.
I want to do this for operation purposes and to give me a bit more room to hopefully get some street running on the layout.

More on the blog...

[SSW7771]

Looks good!

[OldEastRR]

I'm wondering why there's a tail track for the elevator. All the switches are trailing point so it's an easy in-out switching job with no runarounds. Local sits on the main while the loco drops off and picks up cars with 2 or 3 moves.

[jpwisc]

I'm wondering why there's a tail track for the elevator. All the switches are trailing point so it's an easy in-out switching job with no runarounds. Local sits on the main while the loco drops off and picks up cars with 2 or 3 moves.

This is a prototypical track configuration that allows the elevator to have its own switcher move cars without fouling the main. An elevator like this will have car placed, but they will be moving them all day long, loading and moving, loading and moving.

The local crews could handle some switching, but I like the idea of having the tail track to hold the switcher (maybe a nice SW1).

[C855B]

This is a prototypical track configuration that allows the elevator to have its own switcher move cars without fouling the main. An elevator like this will have car placed, but they will be moving them all day long, loading and moving, loading and moving.

The local crews could handle some switching, but I like the idea of having the tail track to hold the switcher (maybe a nice SW1).

You see this pretty much everywhere where the elevator has its own switcher. When not shuffling cars, the loco is frequently parked on the tail. A couple places I've run across even have a charging stand and power outlet for a crankcase heater at the tail track parking spot. Medium-sized and larger elevators will have a separate track for the RR to drop off and pick up cars without shoving into the loading area.

[Bendtracker1]

Looks good!

Thanks @SSW7771!

[Bendtracker1]

I'm wondering why there's a tail track for the elevator. All the switches are trailing point so it's an easy in-out switching job with no runarounds. Local sits on the main while the loco drops off and picks up cars with 2 or 3 moves.

What @jpwisc wisc and @C855B stated is pretty much what I have been doing with Riceland.
I wanted Riceland to have it's own switcher for two reasons.
1) I wanted Riceland to be it's own job.
2) I also wanted and easy job for any noobies or for someone who was a little hesitant about jumping in operations with both
    feet.

I have two Turns (locals) on the layout during a session.  The Winnfield Turn and the Haskell Turn.  The Winnfield Turn will take about twice as long to work as does the Haskell turn.  Recently it was decided to try and lengthen the working time for the Haskell Turn.  This is why I decided to add the Gavilon Fertilizer plant.  While I was adding Gavilon the thought occurred to me that I should have the Haskell Turn switch out Riceland instead of having the local switcher do the work, thereby increasing the work load for the Haskell Turn.

Hopefully, this should make things a little more even between the two Turns?

As you can see, I did re-install the lead track, but I moved the turnouts closer to the end of Haskell siding and when I relaid the elevator tracks I tried to straighten them out a bit and also installed #8 turnouts.  The lead track is still about the same length as it was before.

With this setup, the Haskell Turn can now work the elevator tracks (hopefully with a bit more ease) and if I decide to use the local switcher,  I just have to call it up and it becomes it's own job again.

@jpwisc, An SW1 would look good, and I do have one, but a few years back I picked up an Atlas VO-1000 for this job and customized for Riceland Ind.




 

[OldEastRR]

OK, I see. You've got two spurs, one of which I assume is for empties and the other for loads. The local just drops off/picks up cars from those spurs and then leaves the plant switcher to do the work. Logical.

[Bendtracker1]

OK, I see. You've got two spurs, one of which I assume is for empties and the other for loads. The local just drops off/picks up cars from those spurs and then leaves the plant switcher to do the work. Logical.

More or less, yes.
All the sidings are for empties.  Empty's are dropped off and filled.
When using the local switcher, the Turn picks up any loads and drops off any empties on the ladder track.
When the Turn switches the plant they drop off empties on one of the left two spurs and picks up any loads off the loading track.  Then shuffles any empties onto the loading track.