Liberty Industrial Spur

[FCIN]

I want to much for my limited space.So,now,I'm reviewing all my options and the best route to take.

I think I do have your problem, at least I was able to get track laid and was able to operate, I now know a whole lot more about what I want, I still like the ISL, I just want a smaller one, I am also not concerned with getting the "perfect" plan anymore.

Very easy to fall in to the "too much in too little space" syndrome. I've had to rethink the number of industries on my own ISL a couple of times along with what the industries should be and the types of cars that they could realistically receive. For instance, I currently feel there is no need to have both a warehouse and the food service distributor; they both would receive box cars, but the food service distributor has a much better variety of car types and spot locations. I'm finding that having two industries that require switching daily, along with a couple of smaller "now and then" industries and off-line customers, is a pretty good mixture.

BTW, I am not interested in creating an extremely portable layout, just one that small enough that it can be moved once or twice, a 2-foot wide HCD is portable enough.

I think you've answered my number one question. I was getting the impression that you suddenly felt like you had to build a small portable layout and if that was the case, I'd sure do something like what Stein and Mike have suggested, rather than have to deal with trying to transport a 24in X 80in HCD.

Since you don't seem to really need to make the layout portable, then why not make the best use of the bench work you already have in place? Like Mike, (hey, that rhymes) I think that the removable staging track or cassette takes away from the scenery aspect, as when you're switching the first industry on your plan and the team track, the train is actually out of the scene most of the time. Makes me think of some one "behind the curtain" that reaches out and moves something on the stage, then disappears behind the curtain again.

I would suggest using the two HCD's that are butted together and add non rail served industries and maybe some general type scenery on the staging end like this:     Doing this, the train is always in the scenic area and the use of the non rail served industries gives you that concrete canyon look and helps to disguise the staging area - just as what alcanman has done with his Palmetto Spur. You could get this plan to a reasonable state of completeness in a very short time, just using structure mockups for all the buildings. If the plan suits you, then you could gradually replace the mockup's with permanent structures. Good projects to work on at school when you have time.

When laying the track, keep in mind the location of the joint between the two HCD's so that should you wish to move the layout, then you could take it apart at that point to move it in two sections.

As an after thought, the other HCD you currently have in place, could be used as a work bench or storage area for your equipment. If that won't fly, then just remove that part and go with the longer section.

The "Palmetto Spur" track plan, as simple as it looks, actually provides a lot of prototypical operation; at least as much or more than your current track plan. The majority of real industrial spurs pretty much all have a resemblance to the "Palmetto Spur" plan - just some would have more industries packed in to the available space while others might have less. Plenty of real life examples out there.