AC&Y - The Akron Service District (N)

[Steve H AC&Y]

Greetings. I've been interested in and working on one version or another of the AC&Y for the last 20 or so years. It's kind of frightening to write that. Time moves on, and fast. The current version is the first one I've felt confident enough to call "permanent".

Most railfans have at least heard of the Akron Canton & Youngstown. 170 miles from Delphos to Akron, OH with a short spur to Mogadore, OH. Not too big. Not too small. The perfect size for a not too big layout space.

I'm building in phases. Phase 1 is the top level. Brittain Yard in Akron is the only classification yard on the railroad. The main goes West out of Brittain as does Spur 4 serving the rubber industry, notably General Tire, Goodyear Tire and some related businesses. East out of Brittain is the Mogadore Valley Industrial District, essentially an industrial park developed by the AC&Y. Brittain Yard and Spur 4 are currently operating. MVID is only benchwork right now.

Here's a rough as -built plan. I'll post photos as I get something done that is worthy.

Welllll. It appears I'm in a time out loop.

[Steve H AC&Y]

Here's the As-built I mentioned above.

[Allen]

Steve H AC&Y ,
First off let me give you a warm welcome to RMR and secondly thank you for sharing your layout with us.
I've followed along with your build on another forums. Like you've said, I've heard of them, but can't say I've seen many folks model the AC&Y.

I'm looking forward to seeing more pics of your layout and watching the build continue.

[Michael Whiteman]

Very interesting shape on your new layout Steve. It should be fun to operate for sure. You are fortunate to have all this room available. I assume you'll have the lower level as storage and staging? Looking forward to following your build.

[Paul S.]

Welcome to RMR, Steve!

Nice to see a less-modeled prototype such as the AC&Y. What are you doing for locomotives, seeing as F-Ms are rare in N scale?

[Steve H AC&Y]

The "interesting" shape is a result of room constraints and existing sections. Most parts of the layout have been used for other set-ups in other spaces, all of them smaller than my current space. I treat curves as expendable sections and make new ones to fit the need. So far it has worked out.

The only FM not available RTR is the H20-44. There are options, but I'm picking the low hanging fruit first. Currently under construction are a few of their Alco switchers. When they get to the photo ready point I'll post. The AC&Y roster is pretty small. Probably never more than 20 units.

[Tim R]

Regional railroads, as they're called now, are good subjects for models. Not too big and not too small.

[Greg]

Welcome to forum Steve!

I have seen your layout on the interwebs. It just feels well thought out and it just “ flows”

looking forward to more

Greg

[Steve H AC&Y]

One of the earlier version of my AC&Y layout incorporated sections representing the route from Litchfield to Spencer, OH. Spencer was a major interchange with the NKP (W&LE) prior to and after the N&W takeover of the NKP in 1964. Between the two stations and just East of Spencer the AC&Y crossed the East Branch of the Black River. Here's a several year old photo of the last two units AC&Y purchased new eastward at the river crossing.

[Paul S.]

I really like that photo, Steve. It has "it", as in magazine cover.

[Steve H AC&Y]

Thanks Paul. But: Not vertical format, not enough pixels, not enough. . . . . The list goes on and on it seems. 😉

[Steve H AC&Y]

Here's a bit more about "The Vision" if you will. As mentioned at the beginning Brittain Yard in East Akron was the primary yard and engine service facility on the AC&Y. My version fulfills the same functions as the prototype did, just on a smaller scale. Like most model RR yards, I fit in what I could while trying to make it as functional as possible.

From the right side of the photo going left: Running Track, A/D 1, A/D 2, MVID build track (Mogadore Valley Industrial District) and the rest of the yard. To the right of the yard ladder is the Main running track with direct access to the A/D tracks. The two track in the front are, from left to right, Spur 4 (to the tire plants) and caboose track.

The other photo shows the engine service facility. The iconic (at least in Northern Ohio) AC&Y diesel shop is mocked up as is the turntable. From right to left: Yard lead, Main, Engine service support, engine track, Spur 4 and caboose. In the distance you can see the holes in the wall to Spur 4 on the left and the rest of the world on the right.

Inbound trains bring car loads of raw materials to Spur 4 and the MVID, AC&Y empties and loads for transfer to the B&O, Erie and NKP (at Mogadore at the end of the MVID) Outbound trains take away what the industries produce and return empties to the foreign roads.

[Steve H AC&Y]

Operations
Car forwarding practices have always been of interest to me. Through the AC&Y Historical Society I've had access to interchange reports, waybills and station agent logs for select locations. The transportation series in the OpSig journal filled in some holes, to the point where I plan to implement some basic car service rules. I plan to use switch lists to guide the work per the customer's direction (pull, spot or hold cars and at which location) and Conductor's Train List (as the AC&Y called it) for use by the train crew deliver cars to the customer.

To that end I've created a simple spreadsheet that generates the Switch List and Conductor's Train List after some input from and manipulation by the traffic manager (me). The Yardmaster position will be required to handle empties returning to the yard per some simplified car service rules. It's still a work in progress. More as it develops.

[Steve H AC&Y]

The hole in the wall on the Brittain end will be disguised by the Akron Expressway, which is correct as it was on the prototype. When a Spur 4 jobs pops out on the other side of the Akron Expressway he's at The General Tire plant. The aerial photos shows the lay of the land and the industries I plan to model, which includes just about all of them on Spur 4.

The front part of the General plant main building is mostly modeled. Some details yet to go. The smaller building is the original Admin building. There is more to be done going left from the main building. Some of it will be as it was. Some of it will be prototypically imagineered. The whole thing is gone now so who's going to argue?

The last photo is a 1940's era view of The General from the side the AC&Y would approach it. You'll notice a problem. The plant would be in the aisle in my miniature world. The model is a mirror image of the prototype and the loading spur has been changed to a trailing point switch so I could fit it all in. Folks who've lived in Akron all their lives look at the model and recognize it immediately, mirror image and all. So it works!

[Chuck kansaspacific1]

Steve:

Although you had to do a mirror image because of your space, the model certainly reproduces the prototype in an outstanding fashion. Looking forward to seeing more of your work.

Chuck