OaklandCountyCustoms wrote:Chris, I took my "layout" to the GVRR show last weekend. Those from this board that went will be able to tell you, what you see is what you get. All i have completed is a little backdrop and track for display/photos. Its 3 feet long and 9 inches wide. I was experimenting with scenic details. thanks for the compliment though. Once i finally build an ACTUAL layout i will post pictures... i've been in the planning phase for 3 years now and haven't nailed a peice of wood yet! I'm determined to have boxes of trains in storage and never run them! haha. I have changed directions on my layout, i was going to do GTW/CN in the Pontiac area with a huge yard and do yard to staging trips, but then i started thinking about a switching layout...then i started the shortline project and thought why not make a shortline switching/through-route? So i think that is what i am going to do. I have had alot of help on this board researching the LSRC and the businesses they serve so i think i will be doing a freelanced "Saginaw Bay" area which will allow for Jct's with the GTW/CN, MMRR, CM/HESR, and TSBY...so i'll be able to fullfill alot of desires on one layout. The mainline will be just over 1 scale mile. plans include hidden staging yard, 10-15 tracks (9 feet long). Yard with engine shops...look for "For the Gipper" C-420 after being on fire in the deadline area. Industries along the main will include scrap yard, grain co-ops, plastic factories, cement factory, DTE coal powerplant, fertilizer/chemical company. Since i planned an automotive GTW layout i have a slew of autoracks so it may not be prototypical, but my LSRC will be doing some through freight with autoracks to interchange back to GTW. Thats about it with the planning for now. 1 old city "downtown" feel, farms, woods and other rural accents. As far as painting yours CSX locos go, i would ask rdenman62@comcast.net, the creator of this thread. I've seen his N scale work and its top notch and reasonably priced. can't go wrong there.
Chris, if you're looking for a reason to use those autoracks on a shortline, you could run a repair shop. Even though it's not exactly prototypical for Michigan (anymore), on the TP&W's east end in Logansport, Indiana, there's an independent rail rebuilder company. I believe it might be served by NS although both companies' tracks run in the vicinity of the lead to the industry. On various trips to the Logansport vicinity, I've noticed a lot of autoracks in their facility. It probably helps that they have a paint booth on site too... You wouldn't have to model the facility though, as long as you could plausibly show that the cars destined for this shop were coming and going from the shop. In addition to the autoracks, this particular prototype services just about every other type of car as well, giving the modeler an excuse to run just about any conceivable car on the layout...
