The First Train to Yuma

We reached our first milestone for the District layout.  The first train under power ran across the Talladega Creek section. For the most part it was uneventful. After soldering a few rail joints to relieve some power shorts, the locomotive moved back and forth across the whole section with no problems.

I have made a deal with myself for this layout.  I am not going to get into a rush to get benchwork up and throw track down just to get trains running. As I stated in the first blog post. I really want to concentrate on taking my modeling to the next level. My plan is to take it one section at a time and get the trackwork and the scenery down to really try to get the most out of each scene.

LAYOUT STATS

Employee Timetable for the Anniston District from 2008

AMERICAN TALC

 The next project lined up for the layout is the American Talc plant located at mile post 94.7 in Alpine, Al.

Here are a few photos from google earth of the plant and layout

As I am cramped for space to begin with on this layout. The plant will be built as a low relief structure. I think I will still be able to capture enough of structure detail to make it a decent representation.

Decisions Decisions

While the first scene, Talladega Creek, has been completed. Much of the rest of the layout design is still being tweeked.  The layout will be operated in modern times, but i am trying to decide weather to back date the scenery just a bit to include several industries that are no longer in exsistance that were rail served just add more operation to the layout.  Also im am planning to have my fictional shortline, the Alabama Central that was featured on the old Central City Beltline layout to be included on this district. The Alabama Central will have trackage right over the District to Anniston for mostly run through trains and set outs and pickups at talladega for NS.

Here are a few shots from the first completed section of the new layout.

Talladega Creek:

The Layout and History.

Welcome to the blog for the new NS Anniston District Layout.  For this new layout I wanted to move away from the freelanced layouts I have done in the past and give prototype modeling a chance. I also want to try to improve my quality of modeling products.  I really want to take my modeling to the next level.

The new layout is based on the Norfolk Southern's N line Anniston District.
The modeled portion is from Childersburg Alabama to Ironaton Alabame which is just Talladega, Alabama. This portion covers from mile post 81 to mile post 97.9. On the prototype, the line continues north east to Anniston, Alabama but that section of the line is not in service and is currently used for car storage.
Currently, Norfolk Southern operates three trains a week, train Id A84, on the Anniston District to service American Talc located in Alpine, Al at mile post 94.7. American Talc ships Bulk talc power in covered hoppers and packaged talc in boxcars. NS also services The Precision Strip Metal Fab plant at Talladega, Al located at mile post 81. PS received coiled steel rolls.  At that same location there was a Georgia Pacific plywood plant that is currently closed. The GP plant will be modeled as if it were still in production. GP receives pulpwood on bulkhead pulpwood flats and ships out various grade sheet plywood in boxcars and centerbeam flats and bulk woodchip in woodchip hoppers. The GP will be the biggest customer serviced on the layout.

Below is the current plan for the track plan. The room size is 10x15