The Original Plan
The space is 14' x 22'. The minimum radius is 43" with easements. Grade is 4 percent. No track can be closer than 6" to a wall for access. Maximum train length is 96". The layout will be operated in two static years (depending on my mood): 1948 with 4-8-0s as motive power and 1968 with Geeps.
This first drawing is the lower level. The engine servicing facilities are at Bristol on the island. The first vignette is Abingdon. The short modules along the side walls are transitional and mostly scenery.
You will notice that one track from Abingdon goes to Damascus and the other continues to White Top. This was done to enhance operations on the layout. While this is not strictly in accordance with how the branch actually ran, Sanborn maps of Damascus confirmed that the line split just outside the city with one line going due South to the depot and then onto several industries while the other line continued East onto Creek Junct and White Top.
No attempt was made to model Bristol with any accuracy. I just need a place to originate traffic.
This second drawing is the upper level. The section over Bristol will likely be reduced to 12" in width. The White Top module will also likely be reduced to 24" wide and the Abingdon module extended to 30" wide. This will result in a 6" setback of WT over AB and make the lower scene easier to see.
The turntables are 24" wide (96') at both Bristol and White Top. I know there was no TT at White Top but I have to turn the locos somehow. According to sources there was a TT at West Jefferson and, apparently, at Damascus for the pusher.
The Revised Plan
I decided to drop the double deck over Abingdon and push every scene back one module eliminating Bristol and elminating the grade. I then simplified the track plan as much as possible while retaining the "flavor" of the branchline. The final result is shown below
Based on this plan I contracted with Tom Thorpe (of Curved Benchwork renown) to assist in the construction of the benchwork. If you've never seen Tom's benchwork, it looks more like furniture than benchwork.
The Revised Revision
Once we got started on the benchwork, Tom made several suggestions about the trackplan, most of which I incorporated into a revision. He felt that the track was too linear. "Stanza lines" he called them. So, I rotated Damascus 3 degrees to the north at the east end, rotated White Top 2 degrees north at the east end and then reconnected Creek junction with a gentle "S" curve. I also decided I really, really did not like the drop-leaf turntable and revised the plan so that the east end of White Top was wide enough to accommodate the turntable permanently. The result of all this is shown below. Compare it to the plan immediately above. These subtle changes will make a huge difference in the way the layout looks.
This is the benchwork underlying Creek Junction. After leaving Damascus, the ground level drops 10 inches to permit me to build just one of the many trestles that actually dotted the branch. I felt it wouldn't be right not to have a trestle. The trestle is to the right of the module, while the Creek Junction boxcar depot and water tank are to the left.
