What could possibly be more local, in this year of Model & Railfan Local 2020 than my front porch? After two years off after five years of front porch layouts, COVID-19 is bringing modelling back to the stoop! What really drove the revolution was the revelation of the Linden Ford Inglenook trackplan that I came across online. The modelling done in such a small space impressed me as much as the track plan, but I was off and running. Running about eight feet to the front door, that is!
A sweeping curve and four spurs in 20x52 inches in this British prototype. Mine would be...Canadian prototype. First was the search for a board. I don't mean a board of directors! I still had a former porch layout partially dissambled in the layout room, so out it came. It was a little misproportioned for the original, but did I let that stop me? No, I started torsion for misproportion distortion.
I used some wye switches to spread the tracks farther in a smaller space. I would have no room for that sweeping curve. More freelancing ahead! I really dislike switching on curves anyway, especially with the good ol' X2F couplers that I'm so enamoured of. So, in the interests of operating reliability and space, I decided to flatten the curve! Flattened to become a peninsula, with track designations shown:
That's a proboscis-like peninsula. I need to be able to fold this thing away...more freelancing!
I added a door hinge from some old folding closet doors, making that peninsula into a gone-insula. And, rather than having to set up a separate table, I Robertson-screwed the board to a spare tan-coloured plastic patio table. To fold the straightaway, just slip off the track joiners, loosen a bolt, and fold!
Folded and ready to put away:
Now, what is the prototype for this layout? We're not in England anymore, and I want something local. How about a power plant for a local industry? Yes, that's it! The Fossil Fuels & Peninsula Railway is born! Oil get right on that! Coal me, we'll do lunch! The story is - a local industry, maybe a paper mill, needs fuel. But the manager can't decide whether coal or oil would be better. So they get both! (The FFP Railway - that reminds me of French Fried Potatoes, Farm Fresh Pork or maybe even Fresh Frozen Plasma!)
Adding structures and minimal scenery. The train arrives on the main. With three coal hoppers, three tank cars, or an occasional visit from a box car, a gon, or even the company business car. They've developed a very quick method of unloading the fossil fuels. Like, one minute per car. So the cars are rotated, empty outwards, next load in, and they're kept coupled together. Also, during switching movements, the train must make it all the way out to the peninsula before reversing. Nothing to do with the unloading, it just extends the switching time somewhat!
I'm still working on the modelling, scenery and backdrops. I don't see these outdoor layouts as scenic wonders. That's not the point for me. It's getting trains running outside, in a plausible, interesting and eventually scenic way! Here's one of my Dad's paper backdrops and a fossil fuel car I lettered for his fictional pike.
I also brought out a few generic crew members. I'm considering positioning them in prototypical locations to throw switches and couple and uncouple cars. Also to extend the switching and model prototype operations. I'm also trying a written list of which car gets spotted next for each fossil fuel. Especially for hoppers, since I don't remove the loads from them!
Loading dock view, with oil and coal on in the picture!
Running extra...
Check out this CN-to-VIA rebranding video at Pointe St Charles in 1978. Citypulse reporter Glen Cole reminds me of a Dan Aykroyd character! I think Mr Cole was a train fan; this was probably a dream assignment for him!
It was great to hear from Trackside Treasure's Pop-up Canada Day and Covert Covid contest winners upon receiving their prize packs. John Fenner wrote back on this nice Union Pacific maxi-postcard. Thanks, John!
Speaking of unique passenger cars, aficianado and Trackside Treasure reader Bill Staiger kindly sent me a copy of an article from the Baltimore & Ohio Magazine publicizing the 16-duplex roomette, 4 double-bedroom 1954-built Pullman sleepers that are reminiscent of Canadian Pacific Chateau cars. There were 11 in the series, used on the Capitol Limited, National Limited and Diplomat: Bobolink, Cardinal (below), Gull, Kingfisher, Mockingbird, Oriole*, Quail, Robin, Swan, Thrush, Wren. *Oriole preserved at the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum. Some went on to Amtrak and RBB&B circus train use. Good-looking cars - like a Chateau car saying, "Here's lookin' at you, kid".
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