Stein's Minneapolis Warehouse district 1957 (HO)

[steinjr]

An additional factor to take into account is that I need to have a section boundary somewhere in the region between the two crossovers I have today, to get sections of a suitable length for getting into or out of my small room easily, and I would prefer to not have a crossover straddling the section boundary. And that I didn't want to make too easy to switch - having longish tracks with several industries on the same track, where you had to pull cars at several industries to get things out of or into a third industry was fairly typical of the prototype.

I think that the version above would work best. Robinson's car wouldn't need to be moved in order to switch the other industries, and only the second industry in from each end would require re-spotting if the customers on the ends of the track needed service, the same as if the crossovers were facing the opposite directions. In fact, you could spot two cars at Robinson's if one was left over a switch - obviously, then you'd need to move it for switching the industries accessed by that switch, which would require extra moves through the un-blocked switch. Perhaps an operational possibility during Robinson's "busy season", with the single car shown in the drawing above being the "normal" scenario.

Good point(s) - I'll see if I can make it work with the two crossovers going "outwards" from Robinson instead of "inwards" towards Robinson when I re-lay the tracks here.

Keeping the switching district distinct from the main line in this area should generate more moves: not especially good for the prototype, but important on your layout where you want to keep the switching crews busy. If you find that they're too busy, you can always add a turnout or two in the future.

Again, good point.

I like the water/rail transfer idea, and would definitely include it were I to build another layout.

I would very much enjoy seeing what a modeler like you (or Kurt or many others here) could do with a water/rail transfer - I suspect it would be very convincing !

Smile,
Stein, heading down to the train room again