A New Frisco Layout in the works

Discussion in 'General' started by pbender, Apr 11, 2017.

  1. pbender

    pbender Member Frisco.org Supporter

    So, my wife and I are in the process of buying a new house.

    There is a decent dedicated layout space in the basement (yay!) and it alread has finished walls (paneling, but I can live with that).

    I'm doing a little bit of track plan doodling, just to see what I can fit in the space.

    There are two basic concepts:
    1) Build a layout using my existing Free-moN modules as a portion of the layout. (This is the "safe" approach because this is what I've had for most of the last 10 years.
    2) Build something new, mostly from scratch.

    So there are two plans attached. These are rough sketches still, just seeing what will fit in the space. Both layouts are primarily Frisco layouts, but both feature interchanges with the Missouri Pacific.

    The first is a revised (and expanded) version of the Frisco Clinton subdivision. This is the safe option. It will require building several new pieces to go between my existing modules representing Blairstown, East Lynne, and Harrisonville) and for the first time, I'll actually be able to have staging at each end (a little, but in the early 1970s, there were only two scheduled trains that ran on the line...) (To see what I've done with this in the past, see: http://nscaleintermodal.com/layout/ClintonSub/ )

    The second plan is in some ways more interesting. It's basically a very large swtiching layout representing the Frisco's Ozark Branch (the orange Trackage in the diagram). The light blue trackage is the Missouri Pacific. The brown trackage is some joint track between the MoPac and The Frisco. (and this is layed out largely from prototype track charts, hince the "divided staging" on the end of the peninsula (these are all Frisco tracks, but different divisions). I've also included a short segment of the Frisco's Willow Springs Subdivision, with a pair of Staging tracks at the far end (this is so that I can legitimately run a passenger train every once in a while, otherwise it serves no real operating purpose). What's not shown in this version of the plan is most of the industry tracks. Off the central penensula, there are 3 large industries (a Kraft foods plant, a quary, and a power plant (which is shown). I think there is enough activity to keep 2 or 3 operators busy switching for several hours on this layout.

    I'm not sure what I'll build yet, but I have about a month to think about it before we move...

    Paul

    ClintonSub-NewSpace.jpg

    OzarkBranch.jpg
     
  2. w3hodoug (Doug Hughes RIP 03/24/2021)

    w3hodoug (Doug Hughes RIP 03/24/2021) 2008 Engineer of the Year Frisco.org Supporter

    Exciting news. Keep us informed Paul.
     
    pbender likes this.
  3. gjslsffan

    gjslsffan Staff Member Staff Member

    I am excited for you Paul. Always good to see a layout planned and built.
     
  4. Joe Lovett

    Joe Lovett Member

  5. pbender

    pbender Member Frisco.org Supporter

    Joe Lovett and gjslsffan like this.
  6. William Jackson

    William Jackson Bill Jackson

    image.jpeg image.jpeg Here is my new Frisco layout.
     
  7. William Jackson

    William Jackson Bill Jackson

    Sorry, no lights yet.
     
    gjslsffan likes this.
  8. yardmaster

    yardmaster Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    Congrats on the new house, Paul, and thanks for sharing the layout thoughts.

    I'm afraid I'm terribly ignorant about the Ozark Branch, but as I'm learning more about the Clinton Sub, I'm strongly leaning toward modeling it, myself, after getting sufficient "play" value out of what I currently have. Looking forward to more details as your planning progresses.

    Best Regards,
     
  9. pbender

    pbender Member Frisco.org Supporter

    So we closed on our new house on Thursday, so now more thoughts on the layout choices I have above.

    I've been thinking about a pro/con list of features for the layout options, here is what I have now:

    Ozark Branch:
    • 3 large customers ( kraft, ash grove lime plant, CU power plant ) many small customers
    • Mostly switching
    • Interchange with MoP.
    • MFA mill on joint trackage)
    • All trains run in yard limits.
    • Potential for mainline run ( WS sub )
    • If modeling early 1970s, MK junction was a CTC control point.
    • Grade that sometimes required doubling the hill between MK junction and Langston.
    • I've been collecting cars for this layout ( insulated boxcars for Kraft, coal hoppers for the power plant ) for a while.
    Clinton sub:
    • Chick train ( to 1967)
    • Mostly small customers ( mine at Harvey closed when? )
    • TT&TO, but Only 1 scheduled train each way.
    • Interchange with MP and possibly MKT, KCS, and KCPS
    • MP through freights.
    • Some of this layout is already built, so faster time to running trains.
    I've done a couple of alternate plans for both layouts.

    The harrisonville industrial peninsula more or less rules out a center peninsula on the Clinton sub layout ( with less than 10 feet between the walls, I can't even maintain 24" aisles, so it will basically end up as an around the walls layout.

    On the ozark branch layout, I should be able to limit the shelf to 8" in most areas, so the center peninsula works. ( the exceptions are really Kraft and Ash grove lime. Even the power plant can be modeled on a fairly narrow shelf, limiting myself basically to the unloading tracks ).

    Paul
     
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  10. gna

    gna Member Frisco.org Supporter

    I like plan 2, the Ozark Branch. I do have some questions:
    1. What will you do with your Free-moN modules if you pick option 2?
    2. Do you have an operating crew? Could you run the layout by yourself?
    3. Will that crew help you build?
     
  11. pbender

    pbender Member Frisco.org Supporter

    Relegate them to show duty. They certainly won't go away.

    I think I can keep 2 or 3 crews busy for a couple of hours. The crews would be either 1 or 2 people.

    3 crews would be 1 for the MoP and 2 Frisco. It helps having a couple of industries ( Kraft, for example ) that were switched multiple times each day ( from the information I have, The outbound side of Kraft was switched 3 times a day. Kraft had 11 car spots, per the track diagrams )

    If I go with the Clinton sub, operations is basically a one man operation.

    Quite possibly. I haven't thought that far ahead yet. I need to get back into the room and get better measurements. We get possession on Friday, so measurements will be easy at that point.

    I'm debating about some swing bridges or lift bridges.

    One would be at the end of the peninsula to so I can complete a loop with the willow springs sub ( and the Springfield sub ). This wouldn't be used regularly for operating sessions, but it will allow running some mainline trains ( in a circle... )

    The other would be between the shelf at kissick to a shelf below Springfield. This would let me get Cassidy and Ozark into the plan without cramming them on the end of the shelf with kissick. Traffic on this segment of the line was lighter than the traffic to Kissick.

    Paul
     
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  12. gna

    gna Member Frisco.org Supporter

    Well, they both look like good options to me, but I say a good bigger layout beats a good smaller layout. I'd build the Ozark Branch layout, but your situation may be very different from mine. Just poking around this site there are several people who seem to regret the big layout they started, or never finished their layout and wish they had tried something less ambitious. But if you've got the time, skills, and budget (not to mention the turnouts!) go for it.

    I don't know if you frequent other forums, but on the Model Railroader site there is a gentleman who goes by Cuyama who is quite accomplished at layout design and quite willing to critique plans and draw up alternatives. You could post over there, too, and see what he says.
     
  13. pbender

    pbender Member Frisco.org Supporter

    So it's been more than a few months since I posted anything here.
    I currently have modules mounted on shelf brackets in the space, but I'm thinking it might be time for a new direction.

    The problem with either of the two plans I've presented previously is that I really want to be able to run mainline trains, and neither layout presented here really provides that opportunity.

    So here is the first draft of a third option for the space, a model of the Springfield Subdivision on two decks.
    [​IMG]
    Going clockwise, The lower deck starts with staging (representing Monett and the Central Subdivision to Ft. Scott (with 2 tracks) ) then we turn back on the peninsula with a still not fully developed town site plan (this probably will be Marrionville, but that is still up in the air) and then to Aurora, and then some scenery only trackage to gain elevation.

    Aurora becomes the large focus of the operations scheme on the lower deck, with the interchange with the Missouri Pacific (with MOP represented by an oval with a passing siding) that crosses the Frisco on a diamond (and will disapear into a cut at one end of town, then head under the Frisco tracks) along with the jointly switched MFA mill complex. There are still some more tracks that need added here.

    [​IMG]
    The upper deck starts with a representation of Republic, then brookline, with the Springfield City Utilities power plant spur on the peninsula, then Nichols and a staging yard representing Springfield.

    Time period here would be mid 1970s. By that time the MP was using trackage rights from Aurora to get to Springfield, using the passenger main to get downtown (hence the track arrangement at Springfield... even leaving the diamond intact).

    Sometime in this time frame, Frisco started running unit coal trains of the 90 ton hoppers between mines in Kansas and the two CU power plants. From my understanding, the unit trains were made up of 31 of the cars and was powered by GP38s. The loop at the power plant is long enough for 34 of the coal cars, so that train would never enter Springfield Staging.

    I know I need more staging at the Springfield end of this, but I also need to deal with aisles that are way too tight for my liking....

    Paul
     

    Attached Files:

  14. yardmaster

    yardmaster Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    Paul, looks good so far. I think double-deck is a good option if long, mainline running is desirable in a smaller amount of space. If you're still looking at 2-3 crews at a time of 1-2 people each, then I think aisle width is probably a reasonable concern.

    Looking forward to more.

    Best Regards,
     
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