Scotts-dale Division Layout Version 3 - Ro-Ro Elevator

Version 3 of the SDD was developed for the same space and with the same requirements as Version 2. The major change was the concept for staging.

In July 2006, I attended the NMRA National Convention in Philadelphia. At the National Train Show, there was a booth displaying the Ro-Ro Elevator. It is a method of vertically staging trains with 9 shelves. In N scale each shelf is wide enough to hold two tracks, providing sufficient storage for up to 18 trains. When I returned home I sketched what the new layout would look like and was sold. I promptly ordered a 6 foot unit.

The Design

For the design of version three, I started with Verision and replaced the transfer table (which was under construction) with the Ro-Ro Elevator and re-arranged the approach tracks. Since the fascia not longer needed to hide the transfer table, I curve the front fascia. Also, I had gathered more research on coal mines and coal preparation plants. This research was used to improve the branch line. Below is the resulting design for the layout.

Like Version 2, the bulk of the layout consists of Scotts-dale Division (old branch) line which is shown in light blue. The line serves two coal preparation plants (one flood loader, and one single car loader), one older tipple with multiple tracks, and one tipple for truck loader. 

The Scotts-dale Division yard and engine facilities dominate the third wall. The facilities are located at the junction between the regional line and the NS main line. The NS main appear from staging briefly, intersects with the SDD at the shared Arrival and Departure Tracks, then disappears back toward staging. The facilities include an old roundhouse and turntable that are now the SDD's shops for basic work. (Overhauls would be contracted with the NS Roanoke Shops.) Also include are scale track for weighing coal loads before passing on to NS. The yard includes two arrival/departure tracks, four classification tracks, old caboose track, and an industry / team track.

Operational Concept

The operational concept was to have a dispatcher, yard foreman, and two or three engineers. While this design provided more operating potential than Version 2, the layout was still not sufficiently large to support this number of individuals. The Yard Foreman would have been a good job preparing empties for the mine runs and processing returning loads into eastbound trains. Likewise the engineer for the branch line train was a well designed job; it could probably support two mine runs operating at the same time.  The mainline was too short to make the dispatcher or mainline engineer jobs worthwhile. The concept was to make up for the short mainline run with lots of trains from staging, The Ro-Ro elevator was configured to support 14 staged trains, with two free slots and one shelf configure for continuous loop during open houses.