My project to research and design the layout space based on the N&W line into Cincinnati (Norwood), OH, has once again made some progress, and the focus continues to become sharper, in my mind.
As I think I may have mentioned before, this whole layout needs to be able to move in the future. With that in mind, and allowing for the idea that the layout “could” or maybe I should say “should” be designed to at a minimum fit in a truck that isn’t a full-on shipping container, I obtained the inside dimensions of a U-Haul truck. Assuming that either a 20 or 26 foot long U-Haul truck was employed to move, I need to plan for less than 19’ long, and for about 6’ at a maximum “deep” on the ends of any protrusions. Ok, so that makes for a really nicely sized “U” shape. While I know the overall target has adjusted several times, bringing the HOW of moving a layout into focus early in this process means I have a narrowed focus. Even if the layout eventually moves with a moving company, this size should be movable for them in a moving truck.
With that out of the way, it’s important to also keep in mind that eventually there needs to be a way to go from one deck to the other on this layout. We’ve been discussing just that here, and decided on a temporary helix for our location now, with the idea that later on, when we have landed in 8 or 10 years in our permanent location, that we may add a larger helix and expand this whole layout. For now, a smaller helix, and running point to point with fiddle-staging at the other end of the runs, is pretty much where we need to go right now.
Now, some actual information on what will be on the upper deck of the layout in Cincinnati, OH.
The area selected to model has the following companies along the stretch of the railroad:
Unnamed Coal Bins. – Coal / Coke
2nd Unnamed Coal Bins – Coal / Coke / Ice
The Cook Paint & Varnish Co. – Paint & Varnish
The A.M. Lewin Lumber Co. – Lumber and Hardware
The H.W. Roos Co. – Metal Parts and Shores Mfg.
The Cincinnati Cement Products Co. – Cement blocks
The Union Gas & Electric Co. – Electric motors
The A.S. Boyles Co. – Paint & Varnish
The Wet Wash Laundry Co. – Washing Machines
Cincinnati Sewer Pipe Co. – Sewer Pipe
The Ault & Wiborg Varnish Co. – Paint & Varnish
The Rebhun Last Co. – Shoe lasts
The Ulland Coal Co. – Coal / Coke
Victor Safe & Lock Co. – Safes and office furniture.
The J.P. Humphries Co. – Road building materials
Norfolk & Western Freight House – General merchandise
In addition, I want to add some kind of connection to the Ohio River, but that will come in another post.
It’s safe to say in the space I have, fitting all of those companies in, even just from this list of 16, might be difficult. Some consolidation will most likely be necessary.
I have yet to locate any really good photos of just about any of these industries. I have found some advertising materials for the Victor Safe & Lock Co, along with the N&W track diagrams and the Sanborn maps for that location. I also have the N&W track drawing for how they served the Rebhun company through the Ault & Wiborg Varnish track along with those Sanborn maps. I’ve been able to locate some items for sale online that were made by several of the locations in the list, but not anything showing their buildings or any part of the area. I did finally just recently find a photo of the N&W freight station. Locating what these places actually looked like has been a challenge.
At this point, I’ve mostly concluded that finding actual structure photos may not happen. I don’t know that there were many photos that would have been taken in the area anyway, as it’s not a particularly tourest-oriented area. That seems to be reserved for Mt. Adams in Cincinnati and the inclines that operated there. However, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. There are photos of Cincinnati from M. Adams that can instruct on what the businesses might have looked like, and the Sanborn maps indicate the materials, so the two combined can start to really paint a picture of what this portion of the layout will look like as I being to doodle track plans.
In the interest of keeping things interesting on the layout too, a few things will probably be left off. Their shipping will move to the N&W Freight House, and the companies will be used as off-line receivers of shipments instead of on-line and modeled. While it pains me to cut down on the number of industries, as I’ve already discarded many that would have been absolutely fascinating to model, as with any model railroad, space limitations are a ruling factor.
When deciding what to include, I’ve taken my pruning scissors, as it were, to things that feel somewhat redundant to me. If you look at the list above, you will see that there are 3 paint and varnish companies, 3 coal / coke companies, essentially 3 building materials locations with a concrete block, sewer pipe, and road materials companies, on the list. Simply cutting 2 from each of those lists we cut the numbers by 6. The reality of layout space, and also the added reality of train length and sheer number of cars, makes some of those choices for me.
Pairing the list, I’ve arrived at the following set of 10 industries to model. You’ll see here, too, some of my notes on shared trackage.
Victor Safe & Lock Co. (Multi-track)
(These 2 industries share 1 siding)
Ulland Coal Co
Cement Warehouse (Some maps list a “Coney Co” at this location)
(These 2 industries share 1 siding)
Rebhun Last Co
A.S. Boyle Co (Wax & Hardwood Finishes)
(These 3 industries share 1 siding)
Union Gas & Electric Co
Cincinnati Cement Products Co. (Cement Blocks)
H.W. Roos Co (Adjustable Shores)
A.M. Lewin Lumber Co (2 tracks)
N&W Freight House
Take into account my previous post about interchange, and add connecting to the CCC&STL, PRR, and B&O here, and this is still a very busy part of the layout.
With that, it’s now time to draw.
-JD
