Do you have an intermodal yard on your layout and how large is it?
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No. The layout is early to mid 1950s.
Yes, we have one on the club layout. It is about 20ft long, has two tracks, two intermodal cranes (not yet operational) and a truck arrival/departure facility complete with truck scales.
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I had one but just replaced it with a small classification yard. My old one had two tracks was pull through and was about 20 feet long. I just didn't feel it did a good enough job of representing the types of intermodal yards that I liked in this area. My new yard has 4 tracks and is longer and has a longer yard lead. It will support my plans for better operating sessions.
Art
Yes....it is around 4 feet wide by 14 feet long end to end. Here are pictures I took a long time ago and it is more complete today...but it gives you some idea.....
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Paul, let's see some pictures of the club's intermodal yard, so far I've only seen some in the background of other pictures. Thanks.
Jack
h
My 10 ft long intermodal yard is two tracks sandwiched between the double track mainline and a frieght passing track.
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I simply love these!!!! I want to build that! The NLOE layout is fascinating. I keep thinking about getting the Lionel HIJack but don't know if it would work well with the Railking boxes? Great pictures!
Originally Posted by Mike McCutcheon:
My 10 ft long intermodal yard is two tracks sandwicked between the double track mainline and a frieght passing track.
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Not currently, but if Lionel makes a command control intermodal crane (which I am hoping for someday) I will be adding one then.
Originally Posted by rtr12:
Not currently, but if Lionel makes a command control intermodal crane (which I am hoping for someday) I will be adding one then.
If that's so then I would start getting ready. It wouldn't surprise me if we see one very soon!
Someone above indicated that a layout representing the mid-50's could not have an intermodal aspect. Actually, intermodal was being done some by then, and I believe the earliest TOFC equipment dates back to the 1920's. This 1920's effort was pretty experimental, of course.
So, a 1950's layout could represent early TOFC. Just needs some research.
I actually have three, one each for the BNSF, the UP and the CP.
This is the BNSF Midway intermodal facility (St Paul, MN). Only the two middle tracks are part of this one.
The two tracks in the center of this shot are the mains. The next four tracks to the left are Union Pacific's East Minneapolis terminal. As well as conventional intermodal, this is also the Twin Cities Triple Crown terminal.
Although this shot shows the yard full of mixed freight, this will be The Canadian Pacific's Shoreham facility in NE Minneapolis.
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Originally Posted by tr18:
Originally Posted by rtr12:
Not currently, but if Lionel makes a command control intermodal crane (which I am hoping for someday) I will be adding one then.
If that's so then I would start getting ready. It wouldn't surprise me if we see one very soon!
That's along the same lines I was thinking (and hoping), especially after the release of all their new updated accessories in recent catalogs. I certainly hope you are correct. 
Great pictures - lots of hard work to make the yards, my new layout will have two yards, one for each side of the layout. Problem is fitting everything in on the design. The TT has priority
Originally Posted by tr18:
Originally Posted by rtr12:
Not currently, but if Lionel makes a command control intermodal crane (which I am hoping for someday) I will be adding one then.
If that's so then I would start getting ready. It wouldn't surprise me if we see one very soon!
I would bet on that one too!! After seeing what they did with the gantry crane it seems highly likely and very doable.
In the meantime I just bought the UP one from a forum member so I can start building my yard. If figure that since it was designed for less than scale containers it will be a great static piece. Depending on how/if they re-issue the intermodal crane I would be in line to get one. I hope they make it with at least two attachments for the pinchers (don't know the technical name) that hold the containers. One for the older less than scale containers, one for scale containers.
Great work and photos guys. It's getting the creative juices flowing.
If Lionel updates the mi-jack, I hope they use an electro-magnets for the container lift chassis.
@Dr. Jack The NJ Hirailers intermodal yard is having an upgrade as we speak. I'll try to get some pictures up soon.
Originally Posted by PAUL ROMANO:
@Dr. Jack The NJ Hirailers intermodal yard is having an upgrade as we speak. I'll try to get some pictures up soon.
Some Construction pics
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Sorry I messed the message text up.
These pictures are a few years ago (10/12 years?) brings tears to my eyes am I that old? When I had a more modern era. Now I'm back in the 50's!
I scratched built the crane from a old MR article still have it never finished it but every now and then I add a bit more detail to it.
I still have some Intermodal cars but never use them maybe another time and place........
Thanks Roo.
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Still a work in progress after all theses years.
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Cape Cod Northern - I always enjoy seeing pictures of your great layout. Really like the way that you have integrated industries into your layout.
Art
Art,
Thanks for the kind words. The layout concept did not start out with operations in mind but as I got more enthused and involved in switching operations, additions and modifications to the trackplan were made to accommodate the heavy switching now that I most enjoy. All I had to do was to come up with industries that could "play with each other" which I think I have now accomplished. I declare the trackplan is now done (after some fifteen years) and I will be slowly moving onto landscape/scenery.
I am amazed at all the great modeling of Intermodal Container Operation on the Layouts pictured above in this neat thread. It does appear that lots of property is required for realistic operational Value. It's really proving that the new generation of Model Railroading with Command control is here to stay. Oh What Toys We Have.....
One thing for sure, with Lionel making a Moving Magnetic Crane, possibly all of these type accessories could be situated near each other for a Dynomite Scene and Command Performance Operation....Great Thread, Lots of Fun.....
Hi Everyone.
Yes I am enjoying this thread as well just ignore the two rails on my layout to me three or two it's all modelling.
I think the reason I like the thread is it's something that I can relate to.
In West Australia we have one main Intermodal yard (I call them container yards) there are some boxcars on a separate private siding but not much else I'm afraid we are in a remote area compared to the rest of Australia.
Thanks.
Roo.
I know its probably been asked before, I have actually two questions. 1) are there any containers that are seamless with others? Meaning, is there a huge difference between the Railking boxes compares to the atlas boxes? What would fit in a railking well car? The second question is what sort of modifications do people do to the Lionel HI-JACK that helps it work with other makes of containers?(if at all) Thanks everyone for your help!!!
A lot of nice and interesting intermodal facilities.
JJMMAGOO, I was wondering where you got the loader in the picture.
John H posted:
John, I found it on eBay. A company named Joal makes them. It's 1/50th scale. It fits nicely. I just fixed it. My 7 year old was having some fun with it. There are always plenty of listings for this. Some cheap some really expensive. I got mine for like $50.
At the NJ HiRailers - as Paul pointed out we are in the upgrade process. I just templated the entire yard area. We moved that to 1/4 plywood and are rough cutting now. We are about half way done. We are also installing and wiring the switches to the panel.
If Paul doesn't post pictures this week - I will try to take a series.
K
PSU1980 posted:At the NJ HiRailers - as Paul pointed out we are in the upgrade process. I just templated the entire yard area. We moved that to 1/4 plywood and are rough cutting now. We are about half way done. We are also installing and wiring the switches to the panel.
If Paul doesn't post pictures this week - I will try to take a series.
K
Can't wait to see what you guys do with the yard!! Always great work from your club.
Here is my tiny intermodal yard. Next layout it will be much longer.
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Roo posted:
That is very impressive! Love the hijack. Did you build that scratch or is there a kit or a model available? Well done!!!
bigtruckpete posted:PSU1980 posted:At the NJ HiRailers - as Paul pointed out we are in the upgrade process. I just templated the entire yard area. We moved that to 1/4 plywood and are rough cutting now. We are about half way done. We are also installing and wiring the switches to the panel.
If Paul doesn't post pictures this week - I will try to take a series.
K
Can't wait to see what you guys do with the yard!! Always great work from your club.
Here is my tiny intermodal yard. Next layout it will be much longer.
Impressive looking boxes right there. I know this was mentioned in the old post of intermodal, I run all MTH Railking intermodal cars. What is the difference between the Railking containers and the premier? I guess the different specs? Also from what I have noticed is the Lionel containers are smaller. What brand is closest to Railking? Is k-line? Thanks!
I don't have enough room on the layout for more cars but seem interested in collecting containers till I one day expand.
jjmmagoo posted:bigtruckpete posted:PSU1980 posted:At the NJ HiRailers - as Paul pointed out we are in the upgrade process. I just templated the entire yard area. We moved that to 1/4 plywood and are rough cutting now. We are about half way done. We are also installing and wiring the switches to the panel.
If Paul doesn't post pictures this week - I will try to take a series.
K
Can't wait to see what you guys do with the yard!! Always great work from your club.
Here is my tiny intermodal yard. Next layout it will be much longer.
Impressive looking boxes right there. I know this was mentioned in the old post of intermodal, I run all MTH Railking intermodal cars. What is the difference between the Railking containers and the premier? I guess the different specs? Also from what I have noticed is the Lionel containers are smaller. What brand is closest to Railking? Is k-line? Thanks!
I don't have enough room on the layout for more cars but seem interested in collecting containers till I one day expand.
The Railkings are very short and much too narrow to work with the ROW, K-line,Atlas, Lionel (HUSKY STACK), or MTH premier containers. All the others I mentioned "sort-of" work together, with a few annoying compromises.
The only competing manufacturers whose containers lined up well were the Atlas and the Weaver 20ft'ers. Atlas now has both toolings so the fits will be perfect going forward.
jjmmagoo posted:Impressive looking boxes right there. I know this was mentioned in the old post of intermodal, I run all MTH Railking intermodal cars. What is the difference between the Railking containers and the premier? I guess the different specs? Also from what I have noticed is the Lionel containers are smaller. What brand is closest to Railking? Is k-line? Thanks!I don't have enough room on the layout for more cars but seem interested in collecting containers till I one day expand.
Collecting the containers is the way to go! Around the yards they get stacked 5 high so you can create quite an impressive display even in a small area with just a few cars. Remember the yards and ports tend to have more containers than cars. So I like your strategy of focusing on the containers.
As far as the sizing from the manufacturers is concerned I can't offer too much guidance. I have the MTH Premier, Atlas and the Lionel that come with the "scale" size cars.
bigtruckpete posted:Collecting the containers is the way to go! Around the yards they get stacked 5 high so you can create quite an impressive display even in a small area with just a few cars. Remember the yards and ports tend to have more containers than cars. So I like your strategy of focusing on the containers.
As far as the sizing from the manufacturers is concerned I can't offer too much guidance. I have the MTH Premier, Atlas and the Lionel that come with the "scale" size cars.
Each one of them has something "off" about them in their measurements. One thing often discussed is that the MTH 20ft'ers are too wide to be truly scale, and thus they won't fit in the bottom of the Atlas Twin Stack/Bulkhead cars. The Atlas containers are neither regular cube, nor hi-cube but somewhere in between. The Lionels are too short, but the correct width and height.
From a layout of long ago.....this layout came down in 2003......the pics are from 99 & 02.
Have not had the room since......
Peter
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PSU1980 posted:At the NJ HiRailers - as Paul pointed out we are in the upgrade process. I just templated the entire yard area. We moved that to 1/4 plywood and are rough cutting now. We are about half way done. We are also installing and wiring the switches to the panel.
If Paul doesn't post pictures this week - I will try to take a series.
K
Kevin, can't do it this week, please post intermodel yard pics.
D500 posted:Someone above indicated that a layout representing the mid-50's could not have an intermodal aspect. Actually, intermodal was being done some by then, and I believe the earliest TOFC equipment dates back to the 1920's. This 1920's effort was pretty experimental, of course.
So, a 1950's layout could represent early TOFC. Just needs some research.
I too take a wider view of "intermodal" when it comes to modeling eras. My grandfather was superintendent of transportation for the (Dravo) Union Barge Line in Pittsburgh, PA in the 40s and 50s. Working I suspect near Brunot or Nevel Islands, and downtown offices, too. He managed barges between Pittsburgh to New Orleans. From what little research data I've been able to uncover, it seems like there had to be RR lines involved at least at the Pittsburgh end for loading the barges. (Although of course they could have come from one of the other rivers.) In one case, a company-owned short-line, part way down the Mississippi River was used for unloading goods. Unfortunately, I didn't write the RR name down and I haven't found the web page that mentioned it since then. Anyway, I also think that trucking was just starting to be involved, too. Just some vague thing my mother said once when I asked about trucking.
I may have written this elsewhere, but my mother remembers Heinz goods being transported south on the barges, so it wasn't just steel and coal, or military/war effort items. Since she says the ship captains got butter while her family had olio, I assume this memory was from during WWII. Those in New Orleans or the captains would sometimes send grapefruit and rum cakes with peaches on the return barges to her family as gifts. Other goods are unknown.
The intersection of trains and barges/diesel/paddlewheelers are popular with some of you fine modelers, so maybe this little shipping tidbit will help in your intermodel operations? Meanwhile, I'll keep searching for a stronger barge-RR intermodal connection for this area and time period. My father briefly worked on the boats and barges and took a ton of photos. If only I could track down his scrapbook and scour it for RR lines in the background and on the docks!!
Tomlinson Run Railroad
