RECENT TWEAKS to the PLYWOOD EMPIRE ROUTE

The elimination of one siding simplified East End trackwork without detracting from operation. I had to cut down the mountain a bit and move Oil Creek a bit (again) in order to lengthen one of the remaining two sidings (to provide adequate space for switching) but I'm pleased with the result, both esthetically and operationally.

This siding was eliminated:

Overall view now. 

The control panel on the facia operates the

 Scrapyard Lionel Electromagnetic

traveling Gantry Crane.

There are four customer spots, three in this pic.

Rear left to right the Buckwheat granary,

and a tank rack for the Sunoco fuel oil dealer.

In foreground is the Scrapyard siding

which has switching space for six cars. In this pic

the orange covered hopper is being stored off-spot 

and the Mill Gon is being loaded with scrap steel.

The fourth customer car spot is at the end of

the scrapyard siding. I need to add a building flat

 loading dock there for a boxcar.

The bridge over Oil Creek.

I like the forced perspective in the foreground photo.

Looking South from the mountainside above the tunnel.

That tower is a leftover from

a busy past when this railroad

was a Mainline.

The West End siding has three customer car spots at the Paint Factory,  a [resin] tank rack, a [boxcar] loading dock and a spot for a covered hopper of titanium dioxide pigment. Space is available for storage of two more cars.

Interesting and satisfying Operation on the Plywood Empire Route is now implemented with just three track switches. A fourth switch (hidden beneath the mountain) is only necessary to create a closed-loop for continuous running.