Duluth Steam - Track plan

After the sketch I decided the next step was to mess around with some track and draw up a trackplan to see just how it would really work out.

Five feet by 18 inches and it all fits perfectly.

When I tell you that the curve into the power station is 10" inches you will all hold your hands up in shock and horror. But I will just laugh. You know why? Because I tested it. Just now. A Walthers Hopper and Factory direct trains Trackmobile will navigate a 10" radius curve. Quite comfortably.

This is one of the keys to making more of a simple trackplan. I'll write about that more at a later date when I get less distracted by good ideas.

Looking at the trackplan I can now outline the operation of the layout for you.

A short train appears from the right hand fiddle yard and leaves a couple of hopper cars in the siding in front of the steam plant, before disappearing off into the left hand fiddle yard. These could be seen as hoppers carrying coal into the power stations or bringing "fly ash" (the waste by-product) out to be dispatched to cement plants where it is used in the manufacture of cement.

Loaded coal hoppers in, empty ones out. Empty ash hopers in, full ones out. Perhaps periodic delivery of boxcars to the front siding too. The power station can be quite the busy place. In addition in Duluth, the plant is alongside the North Shore Scenic Railroad, so if you wanted you could run preserved railroad passenger trains as well.

So, all in all there is an awful lot going on on this small layout.