Layout Planning in Stages

When it became time to design the track plan for the Parr Terminal, I focused on creating prototypically scaled scenes and accurately rendered track configurations. I couldn't have asked for a better area to work with, as I quickly realized that the layout would allow a virtually 1:1 scaled version of the prototype. With minimal compression, the scenes will better capture the feel of this busy industrial shortline.

In the 2010 edition of Model Railroad Planning, there is an excellent article by Bill Kaufmann on designing a track plan for the Richmond Pacific. Several authors including Ted Thorson, Byron Henderson, Bill Kaufmann, and Seth Neumann, tackle the challenge of packing the operations of the Richmond Pacific into a layout. I wanted to focus my rendition of the Richmond Pacific with prototypical scenes, choosing only a selected portion of the shortline to model. I wanted to facilitate enough switching for a short operation session but also create familiar scenes one might find on the prototype.

The following aerial images show the LRT area I chose to model. I decided not to include the loading docks alongside the Richmond Inner Harbor, due to space constraints. They could be incorporated in a future extension if desired.

Richmond LRT - Satellite Image

Richmond LRT - Area of Modeling Interest Outlined

Zooming into a selection of the area, I want to show how I am accurately transcribing the satellite imagery into the track plan. I used aerial images from Google and Apple, scaling them appropriately, and drawing the plan right on top of the existing images, making changes where needed. Below is a composite of several captures from satellite imagery. The result is a detailed aerial view of the first section I am modeling. I will faithfully reproduce this scene to scale proportions. The only deviation I had to make in the plan is moving a switch to complete the runaround track with enough room for two locomotives to fit on the tail end of the runaround. While this makes the runaround shorter, it makes it possible to operate the first Phase of the layout in just 10' of length.

Composite Satellite Image of Phase I

This first phase of the layout will focus on the area adjacent to Amtecol Lubricants and California Oils. This area will be built with two 5' by 2' modules.

Parr Terminal - Phase I

The second phase of the layout will include the street running section on Wright Avenue, built from two 4' by 2' modules. The Cemex cement terminal will be the main industry in this section. It is possible to utilize staging cassettes at either end of the layout to simulate the BNSF interchange or Seaver Yard.

Parr Terminal - Phase II

The third phase will replace the removable staging cassette at Sims Junction with a proper staging lead. In future editions, a staging yard could emulate operations with the BNSF Richmond Yard, however, this layout plan eliminates "invisible" parts of layout design, including staging.

Parr Terminal Phase III

The advantage to planning in a modular fashion is the ability to focus on small sections at one time and expand as space allows. Each phase also allows for new techniques to evolve, i.e. how to model the street trackage, the staging areas etc. I will also describe in future writing how this design also allows for easy storage and transportation of each module when not in use. I also wanted to plan as much flexibility into the design as possible. You may notice that in my track plans I have not drawn any walls. While the layout will likely have a backdrop along the top edge of each drawing, the layout could stand by itself without any backdrops. 

Planning the layout in stages allows for consolidated expansions, with reachable goals in each phase. Additionally, the layout could provide plenty of operation with only Phase I completed. The latter additions add interest and operations, offering expansions in multiple directions as space allows.