WFS Layout Update

Shelving the Layout

The Wetterau Food Services Micro Layout baseboard will turn 10 years old in 2024.  Construction of the layout was completed in February of 2016.  It is hard to believe the completed layout is already 8 years old as well.

Sadly, the layout has spent most of its life stored in a Rubbermaid storage container.  Its last train show exhibition was back in June of 2019.  I did set it up back in January of 2023 in my house, but that was temporary.  The layout was out for about two weeks, then it went right back into its container.   

This Christmas season, I have made the decision to shelf the layout.  Now, that doesn't mean it is going into the trash bin, but it does mean I am setting up a shelf in my layout room to display and operate the layout as part of my Owensville Terminal OASIS District layout!

I am currently in the process of setting up a shelf in the layout room that will make a connection with my OASIS District switching layout.  There is only one trivial problem with connecting the two layouts. The WFS is based on a prototype location that is nowhere near the location of my fictitious Owensville Terminal Railroad.  No problem, since I can alter reality and move the WFS from Desloge to Owensville, Missouri.  My layout, my reality!!  

The operating premise will be basically the same for the WFS, although I am going to change things slightly.  The original set up for the WFS features the grocery warehouse along with a spur track that leads to a glass container factory (hidden staging).  The warehouse set up will remain the same.  The hidden staging tracks that ducks under the over pass will also remain, but they will no longer connect to another industry.  It will now represent a siding track that reconnects to the main out of view.  I can use it to store empties and use it as a fiddle track.  Cars can be fiddled on and off and/or stored on this hidden track.  The main track will now connect to the OASIS District section via a curved staging track that will be removable when the two layouts are not being operated.  The following track plan shows the set up for the two layouts...

Here is the operating scheme I envision for the two layouts.  The OASIS District feature an industrial yard that serves several industries located in Owensville.  It receives inbound cars from an interchange track (bottom of track plan) and transfer runs from the staging track (area in gray). The yard crews will conduct transfer and switching operations at Owensville, then they will head south to switch the grocery warehouse located several miles away.    This local will pick up and set out cars as needed at the warehouse, then return to the industrial yard with any cars that need to be transferred back to the main classification yard of the Owensville Terminal Railroad (offline location).  This operating scheme could easily keep two to three people busy with lots of switching opportunities to boot. 

Construction should go quickly and I hope to be operating the WFS again on a regular basis as a home layout.  The layout is not going to be permanently attached to the shelf, so it can be packed up and exhibited at train shows as well.

I want to give a special shout out to Mike Kieran for making the suggestion to use the WFS as part of the Owensville Terminal OASIS District Layout.  Thanks, Mike!!

I will be posting shelf installation updates as progress is made.  Stay tuned!

The Completed Layout Turns 5 Years Old

 

New Tail Track for the WFS

I have constructed a new tail track section to accommodate the Mopac Gp15-1 loco. The layout size has increased from 531 square inches to 535 square inches. Still well under the 576 square inches (4 square feet) micro layout footprint.

Photos of the foamcore tail track construction:

Time to run some trains before packing it up again. Maybe train shows will come back in 2021.

Tom

Warehouse Switching

 

Updating the Layout

Displaying the layout at a train show has been a bust for 2020 and quite possibly for 2021 as well due to COVID-19.

I pulled the layout out of storage earlier this week and set it up to run some trains. The layout had been in storage for 16 months. I am using this time to update the layout.

My newest locomotive is too long to operate on the tail track when coupled to rolling stock longer than 40'.  I never planned on using longer wheelbase locos, but I could not resist with the Mopac Gp15-1 loco. The prototype loco actually operated on the rail line that served the Wetterau Food Services warehouse. It more than likely switched the warehouse too. I'm going to extend the tail track by 2" to accommodate the new loco. This is an easy change with the foamcore baseboard. I will need to build a new tail track section.

I am also adding crossbucks to the road that crosses the track.  This is something I wanted to do for a long time, but never got around to doing it. I purchased a sign kit from Blair Line LLC off of eBay. These are simple to build. The posts are wood and the crossbucks are printed on thin styrene. 

I'm hoping things will improve with the COVID-19 situation, and I can get the layout back on the road in 2021!

Tom

Road Trip Review 6-8-19

WFS at the American Heritage Railroad Train Show in Greenville, Illinois


It's been a couple of days since the train show and here are some thoughts about the trip... 

I was able to set up the night before the show and it was a big help. The layout takes about 40 minutes to set up, clean the track, and hook up the DCC system. I also purchased a new sound-equipped loco for the layout from K10 Hobbies in Maryville, Illinois on my way to Greenville. The new loco runs at incredibly low speed (a huge plus for realism), and the sound unit enhances the experience.

New Power 

Friday Night Test Run

The only downside to the new loco is its length. The WFS was designed for small switching locos, so the longer length of the loco prohibits the use of 50' boxcars with it on the tail track. No problem for this train show since I brought along plenty of 40' boxcars.

The venue was ideal for the show. It was climate controlled, so no issues with heat or humidity. My placement at the show was a little cramped, even with a small layout. Traffic flow was good, but my location next to a vendor created a bit of a bottleneck between our tables. Overall, it worked out okay. A good number of people did stop by to view the layout.

Several people were curious about the layout. Some commented, "it's just a switching layout" and passed by quickly. Many children stopped to view the layout. The 30" benchwork height worked out well. I let several of the kids sound the horn. That really brought a smile to their faces! Overall, the children were on their best behavior. Unfortunately, at the very end of the show, two little kids were a bit rambunctious and accidentally knocked one of the covered hoppers to the concrete floor. A little girl became really excited about something at the back of the layout and pointed her finger at it. As she was pointing, her hand bumped the covered hopper. It must have spooked her, because she quickly jerked her hand back and pulled the car to the floor. Thankfully, the new sound-equipped loco wasn't knocked to the floor. Fortunately, the covered hopper wasn't destroyed. The top came off, a hatch broke loose, and the metal weight came out of the car. I had it back together and on the layout within 10 minutes. This old Con-Cor car has taken the plunge at least 4 times and is still operable with very minor damage. The mom of the children was apologetic, gathered her children, and quickly left the train show after the accident. It really wasn't a big issue, because the car only cost me $3 and is over 15 years old. No harm done anyway, since I was able to glue it back together.

Overall, the show was an enjoyable experience, even with the freight car incident. I may attend this show again next year. I will be looking into installing a plexiglass barrier on the benchwork to prevent another accident. It would have been a major bummer if the new loco would have taken the plunge!

Tom

Road Trip 2

The Wetterau Food Services Micro Layout will be displayed this Saturday!

6th Annual A.H.R.R Train Show
to benefit the American Heritage Railroad
June 8, 2019

American Farm Heritage Museum
(I-70 at Hwy 127 - Exit 45)
1395 Museum Ave.
Greenville, IL 62246