Wednesday 14 December 2011

CNS&M: Burnham Yard

So after much feedback from the CNS&M aficionados, and some reflection on my part, with help from Google Maps, I've revised the plan. Below is the current version of my lower yard layout plan.

Grey represents roads. Light brown buildings. Blue is for the backdrop, and the orange rectangle is an intrusion into the room.

It has been revised by removing the river, and changing the road structure to more closely represent Chicago city blocks in shape and size. This hypothetical yard would be near Franklin and West Chicago Avenue. However, since this idea is inspired by the Burnham Plan to remodel Chicago that was proposed in 1909, I'm leaning towards calling the layout Burnham Yard, but could be convinced otherwise.

The right hand side of the layout represent North, while the left side will be South, this means that viewing the layout we will be looking West. The plan remains to run trains in from the right hand side, around the hidden staging loop and into the front arrival/departure yard track. There is a run-a-round and I've added a caboose track, which is the short spur to the right hand side of the layout, near the front.

Cars can be cut from the inbound train and switched to all the spurs. The run-a-round allow the kick back spur to be handled too. in addition there is a team track for anything else to be unloaded on the right hand side of the layout.


The upper track layout has been simplified to capture the basics of what I want. The impression of elevated track that will see CNS&M cars running along it, and as and when maybe I will be able to get some CTA elevated cars too.

The two levels are not connected to each other, as I don't have the room to model the ramp. Trains can be run through the hidden return loop, or can be reversed once entering the staging area to represent a Northern bound train.

It is not totally ideal, but it is the best I can do in the space that I have. Unless someone can suggest any major improvements?

2 comments:

  1. Ashley,

    I saw your note on the Chicago traction list.

    I like this plan better than the original. I was having a hard time getting around the river crossing as an element. The location you discuss actually had a railroad running through it -- a branch or the Milwaukee Road, and it wasn't too far from the 'L' tracks that the CNS&M used to get north. So, I'd say that it's a plausible stretch. Bill Denton has done a very nice portable N Scale layout of the area. It's documented here http://home.comcast.net/~skytop35/Kingsbury/index.html It should give you some inspiration.

    Bob Myers

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  2. I've seen the Kinsgbury branch and very nice it is too. I've also had some feedback on the MRR forum about modifying the track arrangement slightly, too simplify it while maintaining the flexibility of the yard.

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