Chicago Union Station On our Layout w/Pic's

Pops,

That looks fantastic. With the canopy, it's just perfect. Right now i'm really wishing it were mine! Can't wait to see what comes next.

Thanks!
Nick

POPS! that is a magnificent building, I do not know what it cost but it is worth every penny of it. I think it won the " I got to have that" award for 2011.
Can not wait to see that area finished. Bravo!
John

When this Grand Station area is all lit up, Oh What a Spectacular Sight This will be. I like, and I like it a lot. The tall water tower, the white one, is also very nice. Well, Its all very nice. Keep us posted on the developing part of this unique layout. Thanks for sharing the pictures. Congratulations on a Job Well Done. Leapin, Larry...

Bill:

Between you and Art, you have really given us some wonderful initial photos of the CUS. I especially like the interior lighting.

You have a terrific space to place the CUS and I agree the Jim (BridgeBoss) sheds really add to the scene. You are making us passenger trains guys very happy to see what you are doing to make a magnificent station area.

Nice job, Bill.

Bill - Very Nice! I'm glad that yours finally arrived.

It looks great with your magificent train shed. You have a lot more real estate around yours to work with and I like how you are doing it. Just be careful and not let those refinery people encroach on your city too much.

I haven't turned my lights on yet and I am a little concerned about them. First they look too bright to me and second I'm not sure that I like the white, flourescent look. I think I prefer the warm white, more incandescent look. It would be a shame to have to take the lights out and replace them. We can probably use a dimmer or cut the power to knock them down a little. I wonder if we could paint them with yellow paint and achive the same look?

Well, I know that I am being way too nit picky but this is such a great station that I want to make it look right. You are doing a great job with yours. Thanks for sharing pictures.

Art

It's beautiful. Like how you added the passenger shelter at the lower level.

Bill, Super nice. Beautiful!


Ralph

Pops
That looks awesome with the train sheds Great pics and greaaaattttt layout

Looks great! Really cool looking all lit up.

Thanks for sharing. Hope to see more as your layout progresses.

Bill....thanks for the pictures you sent me!! The whole scene with the shed is fantastic!! Jim's sheds add so much to a passenger facility and the CUS looks so nice in the position you have provided.

Art....the lights are nice but I also like the incandescent look. A friend of mine paints the leds with a very light yellow fingernail polish which changes the color almost perfectly to a incandescent yellow. You may want to experiment with that idea...

Alan

Hi Bill. Wow, that new station looks trumendous, love the interior lighting affects, really compliments your layout.

jim r from bridgeboss

Nick b Thank you for your comments.....I hope you can find a buyer for your brand new unused Grand Central Terminal priced to SELL. Good Luck Nick

John P Thank you!! You are right on target about "I got to have that" for the CUS. WE DO HAVE A LOT TO DO TO MAKE THIS AREA LOOK THE WAY IT IS INTENDED TO LOOK. THANKS AGAIN.

Larry, Thanks for those nice words!! Larry I can't wait to get all the buildings powered up. I think it will give the whole layout a different look. When we get more buildings lit up I will post more pictures. Thanks again

Brian Thank you for your nice comments!! I know Art has lots of GREAT THOUGHTS on details for his area.

Brian & Art, I was worried about the lights being too bright, however after seeing them today on the layout I think they will be OK. All of my lighting up to now are the MTH STYLE and the Grain of wheat style which of course look more incandesent(I like the warm white look also). I have a ton of the grain of wheat style with a shade to use on my Train Sheds. I thibk surrounding the CUS with that style will actually make the CUS LED's help to draw attention to the CUS. Now I am looking into a Parking Structure 10 feet away from the CUS so I think that will give some balance. The LED'S wOULD NOT BE TOO HARD TO CHANGE OUT IF REQUIRED.

Art, if the color is still an issue maybe I would fine some lite yellowish plastic or glass and locate it at the LED's to try and get some different color.

Art another thought is that if these things don't help maybe you remove one LED from each of the 3 in each strip.

Brian, Bridgeboss JIM's work of the Train Sheds does enhance my area. I do REALLY LIKE Passenger Trains. I also like my freight so Alan G's Oil Refinery supporting our Tank Train Cars will help to balance this area. The Grain Mill and silos and Coal Mine will also offer more balance for freight. Thanks again Brian for all your support.

Art I had to chase off some of those Refinery workers today as they had come over to Mel's Dinner to eat and then wanted to check out the CUS. I may have to hire some of Daley's Blue men & women
Art thanks for your support and comments.

Matt, Thank you very much. I need to give the credit to CSX AL and LEAVINGTRACKS AND CHUGMAN for their approaches to the Upper level Passenger Stations and lower level tracks. They all looked so GREAT that I wanted our layout to capture that "SPECIAL" look. Thanks again Matt

GTW RALPH Thank you for your nice words. Our layout will look a lot better when we get a chance to have you use your TALENT with the Camara.

Ben, Many thanks for your thoughts. Bridgeboss Jim did a GREAT job on the Train Sheds and TWD's Rodger and crew have done a WONDERFUL JOB ON THE CUS.
Alan G. HAS/IS creating some very nice items to enhance our layout. Can't wait to get more progress done. Thanks again Bem

Johnny, Thank you!!!! The lights do add some magic to the looks of the layout.

Alan, THANK YOU!!! Alan you are so right about Jim's Train Sheds adding so much to the realism. I also like the way the CUS is working with the Train Sheds. Mnay thanks Alan for your comments.

DADAD1043 Jim THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR CREATIVE EFFORTS IN DESIGNING AND BUILDING THOSE WONDERFUL TRAIN SHEDS. The nice Look of the CUS and Train Sheds would not be possible without YOUR WONDERFUL SKILL. Thank you JIM

That's a mighty fine looking station you've got there, Bill.

That's a great piece - I honestly like it better than the GCT. Very nice size to work with, and you've got it placed very well. The canopy adds even more to it.

Great scene!

John

Pops,

Awesome!!!

Joe

Kane, Thank you!! I am really happy with it

JohnBoy, Thank youvery much!! I am Happy with the C US and the way the location is working out. We have some thoughts on lighting and details around the CUS to enhance the area. Will take a little time yet. Thanks again

Joe Very nice Compliment, Thank you.

Pops,

I really love that CUS as everyone does. Placing it next to and above the shed is perfect. My favorite photo is the shot with Mel's diner in front. That captures the mood so well. When can I come over?

Eliot

quote:

Originally posted by Popsrr:
Nick b Thank you for your comments.....I hope you can find a buyer for your brand new unused Grand Central Terminal priced to SELL. Good Luck Nick

Pops, You sure are welcome. It really looks great. Not sure i understand about the GCT for sale. That's not me. If somebody who says they're me is trying to sell you one, don't buy it!

Nick

Eliot you would be welcome when you are in the area. However we still have a LOT to do on this table and have not started on table 2 yet. When both area up and running you would be welcome to see our layout.
I also like the picture with Mel's Dinner. That does help to set the time frame.
Thanks for your comments.

Nick b sorry for some reason I had thought you were selling a GCT. Nooo nobody has approached me on the topic. I had read it somewhere on the form and must have mixed up the names...SORROW ABOUT THAT

Bill,
The station looks real nice there. It goes very well with your train shed.I am glad there is a station so close to the refinery so all the workers can take the train.
I will be starting to work on some more things for you.

Alan

The Station and train sheds really compliment each other. These as well as the impressive refinery on your layout provide some nice eye candy.

Alan G Thank you for your comments. The ABC team has also provided a 24 hour Dinner for the Refinery workers to grab a quick bite. Maybe I should add a bridge from the pole building to the Mel's area
Alan I look forward to working again this fall and winter with you on some more projects

Keith Thank you. I really do like Bridgeboss Jim R Train Sheds. I liked them so much I bought 16 of them I am using them also as Covered Train Shops.
When I saw the TWD CUS I had hoped that it would make a nice compainion for the Train Sheds. I think they compliment each other. I have some lighting work to do on the Train Sheds.
Alan G's WONDERFUL WORK on the Oil Refinery is an added plus for this area of the layout.
Keith thanks again for you kind remarks.

quote:

Originally posted by Popsrr:
Eliot you would be welcome when you are in the area. However we still have a LOT to do on this table and have not started on table 2 yet. When both area up and running you would be welcome to see our layout.
I also like the picture with Mel's Dinner. That does help to set the time frame.
Thanks for your comments.

Nick b sorry for some reason I had thought you were selling a GCT. Nooo nobody has approached me on the topic. I had read it somewhere on the form and must have mixed up the names...SORROW ABOUT THAT

Hey guys that's me selling the Grand Central Terminal on the sell forum... check out the weekend special!

Pops the CUS looks great!!! The train sheds and station together are out of this world nice... Great job!!

RD Thanks for your comments. I now remember that you had it posted in the sell area. Hope you are able to sell so you can get what you are looking for. Again Thank you!!

pops, do you have a track plan posted somewhere? i would like to see how the station/shed integrates into rest of the layout (flow of passenger trains).

Gee popsrr, looks like you are CUSsin up a storm on this thread!

Forrest - That is an excellent thought, I was wondering the same thing.

Bill - Is your passenger terminal a pull-through or a back-in style? I wanted a pull-through but I did not have a long enough straight section available to have switches on both ends and still have long enough sidings for a normal length train. Plus, I have been reminded that the real Chicago Union Station is a back-in or stub style yard.

When you have a chance, please take some pictures from track level so we can see how the station and your beautiful sheds look together.

Art

quote:

Originally posted by Forrest Jerome:
pops, do you have a track plan posted somewhere? i would like to see how the station/shed integrates into rest of the layout (flow of passenger trains).

Forrest I don't have the plan on one picture but I have some of it to share below.
The layout has 3 main loops running around the outside edge.The track divides up as it comes into the Train station area to have multiple tracks at the passenger terminal.
The layout is on two tables. The first table has the Passenger Station, Village, Oil Refinery and a Staging yard for freight.

Table two has mainly Shops and some indistry and a intermodal facility.

The 3 Loops run around the outer edge of table 2 also.

In between table 1 and 2 is a transition area where a lot of elevation changes start to occur.

Bill, that is absolutely stunning!!! Nice job and the lighting looks great- thanks for posting!

Art and Forrest this picture is of the under shed deck plan.

quote:

Originally posted by prrhorseshoecurve:
Gee popsrr, looks like you are CUSsin up a storm on this thread!

quote:

Originally posted by Jeff78rr:
Bill, that is absolutely stunning!!! Nice job and the lighting looks great- thanks for posting!

Jeff Thank you very much. We still have so much work to do WOW...The harder we work the BEHINDER I GET

back in or pull through...

and the answer is: both! clever stuff, pops!

quote:

Originally posted by Forrest Jerome:
back in or pull through...

and the answer is: both! clever stuff, pops!

Forrest Thank you. I still have some issues to clean up under the Train Sheds.

Below are two pictures showing the length of the train sheds (12 feet long)plus the area under the CUS and the lead track to the switches.

Bill - Thanks for the additional pictures. You really start to appreciate how impressive the train sheds are when you look at them at track level. It will look awesome when you are done.

I think the length that you need for a "normal length" passenger train is between 12 and 14 feet. I consider normal 2 to 3 F units and about 8 cars. I know some would say that is too short, but I have found out that designing a model railroad is an exercise in making compromises. To me it would be very frustrating to have trains that are too long to fit on your yard tracks or not fit on your mainline passing sidings. So, you make your sidings as long as you can and then adjust the lengths of your trains to fit them.

Art

Art:

I agree that seven to eight passenger cars makes good sense. Most manufactures offer a 4 pack with an add on 2 car set. Lionel in the past added an additional Station Sounds car that made theirs a seven car set. For the past several years Lionel produced 18" coaches. With the K-Line 21 inch cars, your train will be a little longer but still looks good with 8 cars.

Both you and Bill have the right idea for the length of your platforms.

Art you are welcome for the additional pictures.
You are right that it takes a lot of space to do the passenger terminal. I started out with 10 Train Sheds which were about 13'4" long. But to fit the CUS and give some additional space for the retail shoping area I removed one Train Shed. So I now have 12 feet of train Shed and about 5 feet under the CUS and Mel's Dinner and about 3 feet of lead on the exit track.

I am using K-Line 21" ATSF and an ABA & ABBA to haul these units. The 12 feet of train Shed gives me room for about 6 cars and maybe 2 more under the CUS and Mel's dinner and let the engines sit on the lead track. So I am tight on space but that is about all I can fit. Like you said we have to find how to balance what we want to do with what we can do.

My CN & GTW Passenger units are run with mostly shorter MTH cars. However I do have a nice GGD CN/GTW heavy weight consist that uses 20" cars. The other thing I will try is the mixed cars that another thread discussed.

Our layout has over a hundred feet of track per loop so I hope that we can run 2 or 3 passenger trains at a time per loop. I think we might run the 21" K-Line ATSF on the outer loop and the CN/GTW Passenger units on the middle loop and some LONG Freight on the inter loop.

I have 201 foot long mainlines and I feel comfortable running two trains at a time on each with dependable operators. Any more than that and you are asking for trouble based on my experience.

Art

Art i looked at your CA Zephyr vid tonight and WOW what a GREAT LOOKING SET OF CARS