Author Topic: Intermodal Facility on a new small layout - need some suggestions  (Read 3240 times)

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HuskerN

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hi guys,

First of all, this is my first topic on railwire.  I am thinking about my next layout project and would like to design something within my 4x10 parameters that has worked well for me.  I am favoring a layout set in the desert southwest, and would like to focus on intermodal on the UP, but would also like to have some BNSF mixed in as well.  Kato has some nice equipment already on the shelves and coming soon with the 40 foot wells.  I also have a couple piggy packers coming.  I want to design a small intermodal yard within the desert theme and need some suggestions on design.  Obviously 4x10 doesn't give me a lot of space, so I need something that is large enough to look realistic, but not too big that it dominates the entire layout.

I thought you guys might be a good resource for some brainstorming help.

Thanks,

HuskerN

www.nscaleaddiction.blogspot.com

Denver Road Doug

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Re: Intermodal Facility on a new small layout - need some suggestions
« Reply #1 on: October 29, 2011, 08:16:46 PM »
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Well, I am not overly familiar with UP Intermodal outside of the North Texas area, but at the risk of insulting your ability to Google here are the key terminals that you would want to base your research: http://www.uprr.com/customers/intermodal/intmap/index.shtml .   El Paso or Tucson are probably good options. (and Las Vegas, Sparks, and Salt Lake City....also "Phoenix Express" sounds interesting? EDIT: Looks as if the Phoenix Express thing is not an actual yard, but a marketing term and smooth paperwork mechanism for driving trucks from Tuscon to Phoenix.  See http://www.uprr.com/customers/intermodal/featured/tucson/faq.shtml#current )

Modeling-wise, I would suggest something that you already seem to have a good grasp of:  keep things simple.   Typical model intermodal yards tend to involve too much track, IMHO.  I would focus more on the surrounding facilities/grounds, properly situated containers, the truck entrance, etc.  I would have one lift track and one storage track and that would be it for that size layout.  Both would need to be long, but no need for a six track storage yard and 3 lift tracks, even if you had the space.   I doubt there exists an inland "shared" facility so BNSF would have to be a run through situation I think.  But who knows, all kinds of strange crazy things go on in railroading.
« Last Edit: October 29, 2011, 08:22:39 PM by Denver Road Doug »
NOTE: I'm no longer active on this forum.   If you need to contact me, use the e-mail address (or visit the website link) attached to this username.  Thanks.

Sokramiketes

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Re: Intermodal Facility on a new small layout - need some suggestions
« Reply #2 on: October 29, 2011, 08:29:00 PM »
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Port of Quincy (Washington State) is a modern inland Intermodal facility on the BNSF.  It's not in your geographic area of choice, but UP probably has something similar somewhere.  http://www.portofquincyintermodal.com/id3.html


chuck geiger

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Re: Intermodal Facility on a new small layout - need some suggestions
« Reply #3 on: October 29, 2011, 09:25:35 PM »
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Port of Pasco. Washington has one as well

http://portofpasco.org.s82735.gridserver.com/import/PortPasco/images/bpic.jpg

BNSF with UP interchange in Kenniwich, WA
Chuck Geiger
provencountrypd@gmail.com

GaryHinshaw

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Re: Intermodal Facility on a new small layout - need some suggestions
« Reply #4 on: October 29, 2011, 10:09:10 PM »
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There is a relatively new BNSF facility outside Stockton CA that is not quite in your bullseye, but I always thought it would make a good compressible prototype for modeling.

-gfh

James Costello

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Re: Intermodal Facility on a new small layout - need some suggestions
« Reply #5 on: October 30, 2011, 08:04:23 PM »
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Model Railroading covered a small intermodal yard here:
http://www.trainlife.com/magazines/pages/385/28379/september-1995-page-57

UP's Council Bluff's facility often got a mention on the modelintermodal mailing list:
http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=41.23542035635669~-95.83641285425553&lvl=17&dir=0&sty=a&where1=Council%20Bluffs%2C%20IA&form=LMLTCC

UP's (former SP) facility in Portland at Brooklyn Yard is my "small" favourite facility that I intend to model one day:
http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=rkf8hw4scnkb&lvl=18.228434779506532&dir=355.9720770455733&sty=o&where1=Portland%2C%20OR&form=LMLTCC

Otherwise for a SW feel, maybe UP's facility in El Paso or both UP and BNSF intend on building new facilities in New Mexico.
James Costello
Espee into the 90's

Day One

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Re: Intermodal Facility on a new small layout - need some suggestions
« Reply #6 on: October 30, 2011, 09:56:44 PM »
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UP's (former SP) facility in Portland at Brooklyn Yard is my "small" favourite facility that I intend to model one day:
http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=rkf8hw4scnkb&lvl=18.228434779506532&dir=355.9720770455733&sty=o&where1=Portland%2C%20OR&form=LMLTCC


Off topic here but, the cool thing about that yard is that the round house is home to SP 4449, SP&S 700, ORN 197, a PA1 in NKP paint, and several other cool bits of railroad nostalgia. What better way to show off excursion equipment than modeling the prototype! A great mix of old and modern! Unfortunately though, UP is reclaiming the round house and going to knock it down. The engines are going to be moved and housed in a new facility near OMSI a few miles away. They broke ground on the new facility about a week ago. 

Here's some good shots in and around the round house.
http://www.dochemp.com/roundhouse.html

HuskerN

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Re: Intermodal Facility on a new small layout - need some suggestions
« Reply #7 on: October 30, 2011, 10:30:53 PM »
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thanks for the help guys.  Now if someone could just provide the trackplan that I need, I could start building next week!

This will give me some good info to study for awhile.  I have two 4x10's completed so far and both were simply ovals.  I have toyed with the idea of doing some type of folded dogbone, but since I require fairly generous curves for my modern equipment, the space gets filled up in a hurry.  I like the idea of having some hidden staging on a lower level of a dogbone design so that I'm not constantly handling equipment every time I want to change trains.

James Costello

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Re: Intermodal Facility on a new small layout - need some suggestions
« Reply #8 on: October 30, 2011, 11:17:53 PM »
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You can always start with the Model Railroader project layout - probably the simpliest intermodal yard set up for a small layout.
James Costello
Espee into the 90's

chuck geiger

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Re: Intermodal Facility on a new small layout - need some suggestions
« Reply #9 on: October 31, 2011, 02:13:19 PM »
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Husker love your work
Chuck Geiger
provencountrypd@gmail.com