Last weekend I managed to complete the wiring of the industrial area. So I have been busy operating. This area is basically it's own little layout within another layout.
Just to position wagons in the area, it took 1 and a half hours.
Here is GM30 entering the industrial area, using Lance Mindheim's operational theory, all movements across unprotected level crossings such as this require the train to stop and the crew needs to red flag the crossing before the train can continue across the road. Replicating operations such as this, is more prototypical and gives operators a local procedure, which as per prototype will be avoided. For example it will be easier to bring small rakes of wagons, and shunt within the unprotected crossings.
Open fiddle yards, again another Lance Mindheim design feature. As can be seen GM30, is in the "fiddle yard", and as the rest of Alice Springs yard is not yet built, then this area behind the NTFS depot will do fine. This operation has also convinced me that I need storage draws below the layout. Other advantages to open fiddle yards are:
More space for scenery.
less cost in regard trackage, as the fiddle yard can be one track.
Easy access, this can't be under estimated.
Here's a picture of the whole area, from Right to Left, Golden North Dairies, The three green tankers are at BP's siding. The two small tankers are at Caltex siding. The Three Mobil tankers are at Sabadin's siding. A tanker is a Kleen Gas, the coil wagons (these wagons won't be used in the finished layout) at the steel distribution siding, next is Adelaide Brighton Cement.
Further around the corner, is the NTFS siding which goes right through the their yard, crosses Ghan Road and into another Freight Forwarders yard.
Given the amount of work involved in this area of the yard, I think there is the capacity for two full time shunters in this layout.
I will post a day in the operational life of the industrial area soon.
Thanks
Scott
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