Further Update on the Florida Layout - Lower Level

Greetings followers of the Atlantic Pacific Railroad and my blog!

While they say a picture or video is worth a thousand words (or more), I wanted to get the diagram drawn for the lower level and start to identify some of the trackage you may have seen on the video.

Since the layout is going to have many industries, I figure I will have some indicative to both Florida, NJ and elsewhere. The upper level is scheduled to have six industries to be serviced, so adding more industries will make this a lot more fun to operate. 

The coal tracks and pellet tracks (A&B) remain the same, and are serviced by one track coming from the yard. The Lumber track (C) and Asphalt/Cement tracks (D) remain the same as well. No change to the passenger tracks (E). The new track design in areas F, G & H will have smaller buildings to be serviced. I may put a road on the left side of each so trucks can get to the structures. Track I will have one large industry/warehouse, probably for frozen foods (think Tropicana - hint hint). Tracks J is one that I wanted for the layout. This will be a Back shop and RIP track for one or two engines and a couple freight cars. Tracks K will be for oil / ethanol cars. Track area K will go to the turntable. That area, while not yet built, will hold the Atlas turntable and a couple tracks to the left of it for some engines. This track has a very important function for the overall layout, especially the yard. When a train comes into the yard, it will more than likely come in engine first. An engine can come up from the turntable area, pull out the freight cars and sort them on the other tracks. the engine then will back out, head over to the turntable to be turned for its next run. 

Some of the buildings/warehouses I want to add are ones that I will be able to use in my virtual operations with the guys (you know who you are). This way I can participate while I'm in Florida. Some freight cars that currently on the NJ layout may have to be at the ready (or duplicates bought, painted or transported every time I go back and forth). 

I may bring down some of my early era freight cars to put on the layout for some VO sessions. We shall see. 

Thanks for reading. More to follow!