SDD Track Plan

The track plan is a heavily modified version of the Appalachian Central (AC) by Lional Strang. The layout was published as part of the book Project Railroads you can Build by Model Railroader books in 2001. The the AC was designed to be 5 1/2 x 7 feet. I expanded it to fit my space. This allowed me to make several modifications.

First modification was to increase the minimum radius. The AC as designed had an 11 inch min. radius for the main line and 9 3/4 for the branch line. For my layout the minimum radii is 12.5 inches with easements and the visible mainline is 15 inches (sidings may be less). The increased radii will allow running manifest trains such as intermodal and auto racks with more realistic overhangs.

Next modification was addition of a coal marshalling yard (shown in green). Modifications to the staging track arrangement (pink) were required to increase the number of mainline trains that could be run. I increased the number of mainline staging tracks and made some double ended. I eliminated the branch line staging tracks to save space and add another mine; however, I might change it back to staging.

Industries were tailored to include a small power plant (coal fired of course) instead of the cement company. I added a flood loader to the brach line in the turn back curve. I added a mine at the end of the branch line. I added a team track at the front of the layout. I'm still looking for a place to add an ammonia nitrate unloader.

Finally, I added a reversing loop so that the layout would meet NMRA requirements for the Civil and Electrical AP programs.

The goal of this layout is to provide both mainline and mine turn operations, but on a smaller scale than the dream layout. The concept of operations is that the yard at Scotts-dale is a small marshalling yard. Mine turns are dispatched from Scotts-dale to mines. Mainline operations are primarily moving empties to Scotts-dale, then returning with loads received from the mine turns. For a little variety, it is assumed that the mainline has through connections on each end, thus occasional freight trains, roadrailers, and even an Amtrak train might run through if their primary route is out of service. Hopefully the layout and space will work to keep three or four operators busy for two to three hour operating session.

An enlarged version of the layout is available here. The magnifier is powered by the CSS/DOM-based Draggable Magnifiers scripts. These scripts were developed by Mihai Parparita. For more information about these scripts see his web site, Persistent Info.