|
|
|
|
Layout
|
|
|
First of all, the large yard represents 2 yards..Eureka Yard in Houston (on the left side of the map)and North Yard in Ft. Worth (on the right side). You can see where the "end" of each yard is. Leaving Eureka Yard going North, you cross Tower 13, and the old SP line, now UP; duck under IH-610, known as Loop 610 in Houston, then going out West towards Brookshire, Texas and the IGLOO Corporation's plant, we cross the Brazos River. These bridges parallel IH-10 and each bridge is different! We continue thru Sealy, crossing the former ATSF, now BNSF's Galveston District main, thru a 14 foot curve and the countryside of New Ulm, and a short siding then on to the Lower Colorado River Authority's (LCRA) Fayette Power Plant near LaGrange. In LaGrange, the trains run down thru town at street level, past the depot, and 10' from the front yards of houses. The line continues North thru Smithville, which has a yard and the LCRA's railcar repair facility, where they work on their coal car fleet of 1600 cars. Next, we go into Taylor, crossing the ex MoPac line, now UP, between San Antonio and Longview. Granger is the next town we pass, with the Badlands Co-op Gin, and the important Georgetown RR (GRR) interchange spur. GRR hauls a lot of aggregate from the Texas Crushed Stone open pit mine in Georgetown, Texas, visible from IH-35 just north of Austin, Texas. Around the curve into Temple, and the beautiful MKT depot which still stands! There is a Budweiser distributorship, Cargill Elevator, a unique chalkboard business, and a plumbing supply company. From Temple we go into Waco, and the businesses of Hoffman Wholesale Grocery & Hoffman Bananas, both divisions of the Hoffman Food Group. Serviced also is the Bardcor Corporation, a paper wholesaler. The tracks cross the Colorado River again, and also duck under IH-35. Enjoying some time in the country going thru the curve, as we ease into the southern edge of the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex, as we pass a business or two, and a large grain elevator. Around the curve, and then thru Tower 55 in Fort Worth. Notice there are 4 entrances to the staging. Staging will allow the turning of trains, storage, and allow rotation of empty and loaded coal and GRR trains. Staging leads are labeled A,B,C,D; and are located on both ends of the lower wall, on the GRR interchange track, and the LCRA power plant lead. There is a scene divider wall separating the scenes, but does allow for eye contact for those above 6 ft tall, and with a 18" open space between the top of the wall and the bottom of the valance, sound and air circulation is not a problem. 
|
