the Jersey Regional Manufacturers Railway
This layout's design is a broad culmination of what I have gleaned from a lifelong hobby - handlaid track, feeder to every piece of rail, reverse loops as a design element and operations grounded in personal experiences. An old Penn Line set, a new Revell set, Westcott's 'HO Railroad That Grows' and a sheet of plywood, circa early 1960s was my start. This, my fifth layout, was started eight years ago and is 100% DIY.
The North Vernon Cutoff Loop is hanging off the edge. Having the open reverse loop high in the mountains allows for excellent views of trains, just as any great train watching spot should. This loop is 32, 55-foot cars in length. Longer trains must do some interesting switching in nearby Social Circle's tiny yard before entering the loop. The train is arriving in West Social Circle, where the main line passes within 15 feet of the backs of buildings of an artist conclave area including art shops, non GMO/gluten free eateries, galleries, and studios. Add in lots of pedestrian traffic that can be on or near the tracks. Slow speeds, lots of bell ringing and horn blowing helps the trains become noticed. Urban legend has it that paintings have actually fallen from gallery walls when "those darn noisy" trains pass by.
On the trip down the mountains, trains often work in South Monroe. Here the train has left a cut on the main. The train has slacked off and started easing slowly through downtown Monroe proper. Waiting on the yard lead is a local crew ready to enter the main and couple up once the train clears the area. What is a boxcar doing in a hopper train? It is a block car. Instead of standing trackside looking for, and possibly missing, a particular car number as the train rolls by, the trainman just looks for the odd car and that is his cut. This is a trimming move required for the train to turn itself in Blueberry Yard.
Blueberry Yard contains a cut-off track that was originally used to turn inbound steam locomotives arriving on passenger trains. Known as the "slide," this short steep (5% grade) track now allows inbound trains to change directions within yard limits. Then the trains can drill the old passenger terminal trackage, turned stub ended freight yard, seen in the distance.This loop is 22 cars long and the shorter length is why the trim move was made in South Monroe. If the trim is required to be delivered to Blueberry, the trim cut will be made here and worked by a yard job.
And the final pleasantness of the "slide" is this train set under-n-over. It is important to include stories when designing. Folksy tails like in Photo 1, operating narratives as in Photo 2, sensible contrivances per Photo 3 and personal preferences no matter the oddity as in this photo.
Psst...wanna see a snap of some brat track?
Main line out of Blueberry Yard. Takes easing along to get in/out of the yard. Bad track plagues the JRMR mainline at a few locations. Shhhh...I like bad track!
I hope you enjoyed the tour! BJB
This layout's design is a broad culmination of what I have gleaned from a lifelong hobby - handlaid track, feeder to every piece of rail, reverse loops as a design element and operations grounded in personal experiences. An old Penn Line set, a new Revell set, Westcott's 'HO Railroad That Grows' and a sheet of plywood, circa early 1960s was my start. This, my fifth layout, was started eight years ago and is 100% DIY.
The North Vernon Cutoff Loop is hanging off the edge. Having the open reverse loop high in the mountains allows for excellent views of trains, just as any great train watching spot should. This loop is 32, 55-foot cars in length. Longer trains must do some interesting switching in nearby Social Circle's tiny yard before entering the loop. The train is arriving in West Social Circle, where the main line passes within 15 feet of the backs of buildings of an artist conclave area including art shops, non GMO/gluten free eateries, galleries, and studios. Add in lots of pedestrian traffic that can be on or near the tracks. Slow speeds, lots of bell ringing and horn blowing helps the trains become noticed. Urban legend has it that paintings have actually fallen from gallery walls when "those darn noisy" trains pass by.
On the trip down the mountains, trains often work in South Monroe. Here the train has left a cut on the main. The train has slacked off and started easing slowly through downtown Monroe proper. Waiting on the yard lead is a local crew ready to enter the main and couple up once the train clears the area. What is a boxcar doing in a hopper train? It is a block car. Instead of standing trackside looking for, and possibly missing, a particular car number as the train rolls by, the trainman just looks for the odd car and that is his cut. This is a trimming move required for the train to turn itself in Blueberry Yard.
Blueberry Yard contains a cut-off track that was originally used to turn inbound steam locomotives arriving on passenger trains. Known as the "slide," this short steep (5% grade) track now allows inbound trains to change directions within yard limits. Then the trains can drill the old passenger terminal trackage, turned stub ended freight yard, seen in the distance.This loop is 22 cars long and the shorter length is why the trim move was made in South Monroe. If the trim is required to be delivered to Blueberry, the trim cut will be made here and worked by a yard job.
And the final pleasantness of the "slide" is this train set under-n-over. It is important to include stories when designing. Folksy tails like in Photo 1, operating narratives as in Photo 2, sensible contrivances per Photo 3 and personal preferences no matter the oddity as in this photo.
Psst...wanna see a snap of some brat track?
Main line out of Blueberry Yard. Takes easing along to get in/out of the yard. Bad track plagues the JRMR mainline at a few locations. Shhhh...I like bad track!
I hope you enjoyed the tour! BJB
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