Milwaukee Road Finalized Track Plan


M

milwsteve

Member
Here is the finalized track plan of my Milwaukee Road Iowa Division track plan,I am running the layout from Council Bluffs,Iowa to Savanna,Illinois from 1979 to the present as if the Milwaukee Road was still running today,and rebuilt the entire Iowa Division mainline with 132 pound rail.The layout will be 27'x24' U shaped with a single track mainline with 30" radius and a branch line with 24" radius and 6 spurs for the industries to be switched.I will have a 4 track double ended yard in Perry,Iowa and an 8 track double ended yard by Council Bluffs,Iowa with tracks for M of W equipment,a caboose and engine track,and a track for the diesel shops.I am including the Sabula,Iowa swing truss drawbridge at full scale length of 364' with a 50' plate girder bridge and 3 150' scale length truss spans.I will have about 90 freight cars on the layout,4 SD40-2's and 4 MP15AC's along with45 bay window cabooses.I am including a wooden A frame overpass bridge and a pair of Griswold Crossing signals with wishbone gate arms that will work,and the signals will have working LEDS on both sides,I am using 8 single headed searchlight signals for the block signaling on the mainline,and may use some double head searchlight signals also for the diverging routes.I hope to start construction of the layout later this summer or fall,depending on my disability claim,this will be the fourth time applying.I have Osteo Arthritis in my back,degenerative disc disease,and a bone in my back that isn't fully developed.I really like the trac plan,and I added a left hand and right hand turnout at Woodward for the Cargill facility to make switching Oscar Meyer,and Denniston Partridge easier.The track at Savanna will be used as a hold over track for the cars.I plan on using a reversing section for DCC at the Perry yard to prevent track short circuits.Pleas feel free to comment on the plan,any replies will be greatly appreciated.Widh I was able to begin building the layout now,but with just the wife;s income I can't.The layout will be 40" high with access hatches to help my back,I also have a 3' to 3 1/2' reach and we plan on building the layout away from the walls in the house my wife and I hope to rent later this year with a basement in it.I am working on figuring out the DCC system I am going to use it will be either the DCC by CVP or the NCE Power Pro
 
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Milsteve,

I haven't brought up your plan, but I will this evening, but it sounds like a good one. It seems my plans are always open ended because after four years of trying to get a layout together, I have yet to finish one.

I know what osteo-arthritis is all about. I have had my right hip replaced twice; once in 1995 and the again in 06'. Now I have to have a total right shoulder replacement. I feel like I'm held together with ducttape and baleing wire.

All the best,

Larry
 
It looks to me like you have a 7 foot reach from the aisle to the back of the layout. Is that correct?
 
Steve~ The layout looks fantastic, would be great fun to operate on it with all of the switching going on there. One thing that I did notice though, the corners look like quite a stretch to get to should a car derail.
 
Steve--

Good-looking layout plan you've got there, certainly PLENTY of yard tracks. One thing, however--if I were you, I'd DEFINITELY create some sort of access space for that big yard of yours--unless you're building the layout with a low 34 or 36" table height. That's almost a 7-foot reach should anything derail in the yard.

But I like the plan a lot!

Tom :)
 
I plan on having access hatches to reach the hard to reach areas.I will have the final plan in a day or two and I will post the plan when I receive it.Thanks for all the positive responses. Steve Church
 
Here is the first version of the track plan with the three tracks at the Cargill facility at Woodward,but a right hand turnout is added and the spur lengthened and the lumber yard moved over the ease the switching at Oscar Meyer,and Denniston Partridge which is the lumber yard.let me know what plan you like better.I am leaning towards the one with the right hand turnout and lengthened spur.
 
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Here is the other version of the track plan without the three tracks at the Cargill facility at Woodward,but a right hand turnout is added and the spur lengthened and the lumber yard moved over the ease the switching at Oscar Meyer,and Denniston Partridge which is the lumber yard.let me know what plan you like better.I am leaning towards the one with the right hand turnout and lengthened spur.
 
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