I the previous entry I described some of the big layout begun in the early 2000s. By 2015, there was so much unfinished and there were some design problems that were annoying. The duck-unders were really a limiting factor to enjoying the pike. It was getting more and more cumbersome crawling under to access some areas when I wanted to work or operate. It was feasible earlier, but everyone ages and it was getting to be a chore rather than an enjoyable pass-time, and I wasn't running or operating very much anymore. It seemed that everything was at a stand-still.
At the same time, there were postings on forums and groups involving layout size, having time to complete a layout, and other areas of satisfaction. I was considering reducing the size for a while, sometimes just going into the layout room and pondering different scenarios.
The big kick-in-the-pants came from reading a September 2015 post on Lance Mindheim's blog: http://lancemindheim.com/ If you want to read the entire post from the blog.
In it, he poses three points that I will paraphrase here of interest in my case:
1. Satisfaction of Assembly "... taking a pile of “nothing” and toiling to make it “something” can be tremendously rewarding ... and what aspect of the hobby do you enjoy most?” Structure building is consistently at the top of the list..." Building structures and rolling stock, scratch building, kit-bashing and detailing have always been my most enjoyable aspect of the hobby. So much time has been and would continue to be in layout construction that it diminished that aspect for me.
2. Visual satisfaction "... to be transported to a time and place...scenes, real or imagined,... a compelling reason to create them in miniature. In short, we just like looking at what we’ve created... " I do very much enjoy a completed or nearly so scene. It is greatly satisfying taking and viewing a train through areas like that. Again, the size of the layout leaves so much to do with the time available, and there is always maintenance on what is already done.
3. Operational satisfaction "... type of operations you enjoy ... (... switching, locals, etc...operational satisfaction may just mean...switching a few industries.) If that’s the case, you don’t need a layout that will sustain a four hour session." Really, this is for me. I like making up a train and switchlist, heading out of the yard to a commercial area, and picking out loads and empties and spotting cars where needed. I did enjoy the mainline when I wanted to see trains just go 'round and 'round, and will probably miss seeing the passenger trains operate, although I think I may be able to establish a commuter run. So much of the mainline remains to be completed, and the passenger terminal is only a two track skeleton. Both of these are taking time from my main satisfying interest.
I was able to come up with a Point-to-point plan of an imaginary urban line between Chicago and Riverdale on the very far south side. This allowed plenty of yard and commercial switching, and eliminated all duck-unders.
Here are some photos of clearing out the main yard at Chicago and elsewhere on the pike and moving it all down to Riverdale for storage out of the way.
It is early morning on the big day and CY&P RS-1 160 is already at work with moving its train down to Riverdale.
Alco S-2 27 is tacking on a caboose in Chicago.
Another S-2, 22, is seen here southbound in Brighton Park. As you can see, this area was pretty rudimentary. The old Brighton Park was a scissors cross-over that allowed trains from the freight yard or the passenger terminal to access the main line west, and also incoming freight or passenger trains to obtain the freight yard or passenger main leads.
Big Fairbanks Morse H24-66 Trainmaster is Riverdale bound with a heavy transfer on the "High Line" with the Chicago yard below.
A Baldwin AS-616 A and B set is in Blue Island crossing on the double track truss bridge over Chicago Junction. Chicago Junction is where trains entered or left the continuous run double track main.
Milwaukee Road SD7 509 moves a reefer block into Riverdale across the Cal-Sag bridge at Blue Island.
Finally, CY&P Baldwin VO-1000 "Ten Spot," is leading an all caboose train onto the "High Line" toward Riverdale.
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