Switching Operations - Modern Day HO scale layout Model Railroad

Today is my first operations video on the Vernon & South LA (VSLA) layout. We switch out an industry and encounter some challenges along the way.
Any products discussed I am not compensated for in any way and just mention them because I like them and the are good products for me.
Iowa Scaled Engineering Products
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www.iascaled.c...
www.iascaled.c...
Lance Mindheim Design Service
www.shelflayou...
lancemindheim....
Some weathered cars shown in the video were done by
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Ending Prototype Photo Credits (Thanks!)
Jonathan Brier
Layout Information:
Designer - Lance Mindheim www.shelflayou...
Scale - HO (1:87)
Railroad/Location/Era - Los Angeles Junction (LAJ), BNSF, Union Pacific (UP) Modern day, Los Angeles, CA and Vernon, CA.
Type - Point-to-point switching layout with continuous running in the background. Around the room with a peninsulas on IKEA Ivar shelving.
Room Size - 29ft x 13ft (9m x 4m) located in a basement room
Track - Microengineering Code 83, with Code 70. Turnouts are ME, Peco, and Walthers #8's, #6’s and #5’s
DCC System - NCE Powercab and SB5 Booster, operating with a Iowa Scaled Engineering (ISE) Proto Throttle. Primarily run Soundtraxx Tsunami2 Decoders and some ESU Loksound

[@sawyerberry8709]

Very cool switching ops! FWIW I used to work for PCA at a different plant and you have the loads and empties backwards though. That’s a box plant, so the hi-cubes bring in paper from the mill that they make into corrugated sheets that are then cut into boxes. The regular boxcars are loaded with all the scrap paper from making the sheet and boxes which is then recycled. Otherwise good representation of what’s going on!

[@sawyerberry8709]

Also, if you want to add in some other car types, some of these full-line box plants will get in starch in covered hoppers or tank cars of glue. The starch is used to make the adhesive that holds the cardboard (or corrugate, to use industry terms) together, and the glue is used when gluing boxes together on either a Flexo-Folder-Gluer or a Folder-gluer line.

[@VSLAModelRR]

Thanks so much for the info! I wasn't sure so I made a guess, but that makes sense.

[@VSLAModelRR]

@@sawyerberry8709 Awesome. On Google Satellite view, this facility has a large tank that looks like a fuel/oil tank outside as well as a tall tank, looks like a plastic pellet tank. Guessing those might be for the glue and starch maybe? Oh man, this industry just got better!

[@sawyerberry8709]

@@VSLAModelRR yessir, definitely at least for the starch. I wouldn’t run it every session, as they’ll also get delivered by truck (same with the paper rolls and shipping out the baled paper), but gives you some variety for sure! Super fun industries to switch, I’m modeling a box plant myself.

[@sawyerberry8709]

@TPW900GP35 while I was working there I wasn’t really aware of any finished boxes going by boxcar anymore; with order quantities and the amount of locations they have box plants in now that’s primarily done by trucking lines. But certainly within the realm of possibilities to imagineer, although it would need to be a big and consistent customer to justify such a service, for those who may want to add that in.

[@Rainsborough1]

Can you do a Video on your rolling stock? Manufacturers, weathering, upgrades, why you selected them for your layout, adding details etc, how to create a roster for your railroad etc

[@TwoRailfans]

Definitely need to take breaks from work on the layout to just run trains. Great work on the graffiti.

[@chattanoogasouthernrr]

Nice and tight switching trackage. I likey! 😁

[@justn2trains]

Great video! The collection of rolling stock is nice too 👍

[@GenxDiorama]

Follow! Studying operations on h0 shelf layouts. Will have my oen operations video’s in the near future…

[@VSLAModelRR]

Just have fun, don't take it too seriously. For me it's relaxing, I turn my mind off and just switch cars.

[@garymartz7587]

Looks like a great operating concept. I bet you are going to have fun building and operating this layout!

[@VSLAModelRR]

Yeah, this section back here has some areas that make you think a little which is nice

[@LanceMindheimCustomModelRailro]

Looking great Ken. You've really gotten a lot done recently.

[@VSLAModelRR]

Thanks Lance, been working a lot on it, that's why I need a break to run some freaking trains. That area is so much fun to switch. You have to put some thought into what you are doing but its not a puzzle or anything.

[@jimh7557]

Wonderful weathering on your rolling stock.

[@VSLAModelRR]

Thanks. Full disclosure, most of those were NOT done by me. But I agree, they do look great

[@Christiane069]

Very nice op. How about switching one of those spur, and a switch of the refrigerated cars on the opposite side, with some tank cars going somewhere else, just for the fun of it.

[@luiscalzadilla5028]

Nice

[@ConductorGoldy]

Love the open door on the boxcar, heard those had separate doors but have never tried to open any on mine. How do you like that BLI GP39? And how did you make those paper rolls?

[@VSLAModelRR]

Good eye on the paper rolls! I used 5/8 and 1/2 dowels cut lengths of stacks of 3,2 or 1 and then that super thin black tape around where the lids would be. And the tag is just some white stickers cut to a square with a marker line. I have some footage of making them for a future video on the building. BLI is fine, I put a Tsunami2 in there but it seems to run good. It's perfect for me since LAJ runs a few of those today. On those aurora 50ft cars, if you get the top off the doors pop right out. The top is little challenging just need to get a flat exacto blade in there and fiddle a little bit to pop it off.

[@ConductorGoldy]

Thanks for the info. I really like those rolls, simple, effective, and they look great. Will definitely have to make some for my box plant!

[@VSLAModelRR]

@@ConductorGoldy Yeah, that scene is like 30 inches from the front so I wasn't too worried about super detailing but they really pass the eye test.

[@25mfd]

@ 12:58... how'd you get that plug door to open on that car... that pretty cool

[@VSLAModelRR]

Its the Aurora 50 footers. Get the top off and the doors pop right out. Then I glued some tiny magnets and the back of the door, and on on the car right by the door opening and I just let the magnets do their work. I am working on a Layout Update video, I can add that to it!