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A layout with only one turnout which offers diverse
hour-long operating sessions without “make work”
complexity? A layout that could be built in two week-
ends and then morph into something that provides several
years’ worth of craftsman projects?
Is it a gimmick? Absolutely not. It's all a matter of selecting the
right theme, understanding prototype operations, and under-
standing the fact that car spots, not turnouts, drive a layout's
operating potential.
The plan below is an almost full-scale rendition of a bakery in
Miami serviced by the FEC. Depending on the day, you'll see
two to five boxcars, two to four vegetable oil tank cars, and a
grain hopper spotted at the plant.
The layout lends itself to numerous 20- to 60-minute solo oper-
ating sessions, perhaps several times per week as a means of
winding down after a long day. On a complex day of opera-
tions, a session would likely stretch longer than an hour.
An hour not long enough or sophisticated enough for you? My
guess is that 90% of model railroaders don't operate an hour a
YEAR, so let's put things in perspective. Thirty to 60 minutes a
night several nights a week would be very rewarding.
Although I haven't seen them work this plant, I'd imagine an
inbound train of loads would first pull the entire cut of cars cur-
rently spotted, empty or not, and then put them on the sorting
track. At that point a protracted series of push/pull moves to
“sort the deck” would be employed to re-spot everything. The
fact that the crew would have to keep the surrounding streets
clear adds another twist. (Note that all railcars are incoming
loads/outgoing empties. Outbound product leaves via truck).
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