new year new layout 1990s container terminal and tmd

[Sean 130]

so with the arrival of some new murphys diesels over christmas the old micro layout had to be lifted, however, it had become far more than a micro layout and i fully intend to bring it back at a later time using the lessons learned and actually sticking to the spirit of a micro layout. but for now i want to model somthing that my slowly growing stable of irish stock would both run and look at home on.

after much consideration a shunting layout was the way to go but i havent fully settled on a layout plan until the last few days and now that i have some track laid i think it will be very fun to operate indeed.

as mentioned before, I really just like to sit and watch train runs, but its hard to find the 3-4 foot needed for a continous loop of second radius track, so the layout will be semi modular with the ability to remove the fiddle yard and later add a portable loop of track that can be lifted when the layout is not in use. but for now heres the track plan until i get a hold of a better camera.

 

 

so essentially trains will enter from a fiddle yard on the bottom right most road, this will be a continous run in a later iteration of the layout however for the moment it will end as a siding at the end of the baseboard. this siding will function as an oil depot with tanker trains running in and out. there is also a level crossing to allow road traffic in and out of this area which will be later built up.

 

left of this siding we have a goods loop and headshunt with an overhead crane for container traffic. the loop is designed for 2 longer items of rolling stock such as a set of coaches or 2 conflats however here it is holding a set of 4 2 foot flats. I will probabaly add a second track running under the crane here but i am unfortunately out of points for the moment.

 

at the other end of the layout will be a 2 road tmd building with some sort of fuelling stand. this tmd will require regular deliverys of fuel from the depot at the other end of the layout. beside this depot are 2 sidings which serve both the tmd  and the container yard, and therefore could be occupied by anything from coaches and locos awaiting work, to container rakes to permenant way sets. and as previously mentioned fuel deliveries.

As 130 will operate the layout regularly i may opt to install a turntable in the rounded area of the track plan. the other open part of the layout will be modelled as a general industrial area

4 20 footers sit in the goods loop

mm130 looks right at home amongst her stable of home made friends. a second lane can be added to the engine shed later

203 shunting a single container.as the crane line is also used as the layouts headshunt it must be kept clear at all times. this is why containers can be kept at the tmd sidings.i must also finish the crane.

 

as always feedback is appreciated and im looking forward to putting a bit of work into this one as im quite fond of how the operating scheme will work out for me. I feel for a small area it surely packs a lot of operating potential.

 

 

 

 

Edited January 18 by Sean

[Rob 146]

Best of luck-   l like the idea of a 1990's layout so look forward to seeing this!!

[Patrick Davey 285]

The home made friends look very good!  Impressive work!

[David Holman 2,613]

Apart from the sharp curves, there looks to be plenty of operation potential here, with up to five sidings to give traffic variety. My exhibition layouts keep me amused with just a loop and two sidings, plus another deemed off scene, so should be lots of fun to be had here.

 Enjoy!

[Sean 130]

watching youtube videos of inchicore and one distinctive building with a 2700 poking its head out stood out to me so ive started a little project to convert my hornby shed into somthing similar.

if anybody knows the building im on about and would have more close up pictures of it they would be greatly appreciated.

i like this atmos, will look like a nice little yard when it all comes together.

short container runs look great too, so these along with a couple of IRM flats and a few bells etc will look great on this. there are also 9 dapol tankers under construction(and 5 vans for the micro ) so there will be no shortage of stock to run on this.

want to do up 4 in the alexandra road 40mph livery for fuel transfers on the layout. and other 5 can be generic for runs in and out of the layout.

Since train lenghts are fairly limited this gives me excuses to acquire smaller runs of prototypical rolling stock to run on the layout without breaking the bank. PWD stock in particular would look the part in any of the sidings.

 I have also opted for the turntable so theres a dapol kit on the way should fill the little free space nicely.

 

 

not a huge amount to report from the oil depot side of the layout cut up a few kitchen roll tubes and an old dapol tank to try and turn into big static tanks at a later time.

and finally not really 90s but the little deutz that could

 

So whilst i havent really done much i have fashioned up 3-4 little scenes of interest on a very small layout, so im pleased with that.

 

Edited January 21 by Sean