Planning for Operations on the 4th Subdivision: Trains and Towns

 

Eastbound "Mail Train" with a local freight in the siding at Willow Springs on the old layout 

My plans for the current model railroad include two scheduled passenger trains and several scheduled freight trains. Also, with my current plan, the logging railroad has trackage rights on the 4th Subdivision. 

One scheduled passenger train will be a "mail train" traveling between Port Gulick Bay staging and Chikamin with stops at stations between them and turning at Chikamin. It will be made up of the doodlebug and sixty foot RPO seen in the photo. The other scheduled passenger train will be a "milk train" that leaves from Ferndale Jct. staging, works the Carnation plant spur, returns empty milk cans along the way, and then turns at Chikamin to return. It will pick up full milk cans at stations, before working the Carnation plant and returning to Ferndale staging. 

At least one scheduled local freight will travel between Ferndale Jct. and Chikamin. Other expected daily freights will include the "Rock Train" with silica sand from east of Chikamin and limestone from the NP interchange and then returning with empties. A daily turn from Ferndale Jct. to Port Gulick and back may be scheduled. At some point, a weekly "stock train" may be added as an extra, and when needed an additional local may also be added as an extra. 

Benchmark footprint plan for the 4th Subdivision

Traveling from the west at sea level through farmland and forest to the east into the Cascade foothills, the 4th Subdivision travels through several towns with related industries. I will list them in order with prototype and modeling notes:

• Port Gulick 
• Look at Anacortes for industry details and ideas
• Mayger Old Fish Station at Columbiariverimages has backdrop ideas
• Passenger train and town industries into hidden staging to turn
• Harbor and wharf industries as modelagenic features
• Curtis 
• Features a lumber mill
• Look at Nooksack plans from Meadville layout
• Good stretch of scenery between Port Gulick and Curtis
• Ferndale Jct. 
• Hidden run-through
• Hidden fiddle tracks (see recent track plan)
• Walk through utility area (furnace, well, filter, etc.)
• Removable staging for work on utilities?
• Carnation Company is visible (have photos and plans of prototype)
• Nooksack
• Use existing Willow Springs module
• Extend passing track for seven car train?
• Everson as prototype for cannery
• Other industries? 
• NP interchange and logging junction in scenic section?
• Chikamin
• Use existing module, but extend it a bit?
• Redo all the track? (It is code 100 and Atlas switches)
• Replace turntable? 

Schematic sketch of 4th Subdivision (boxes represent scenic breaks)