On 10.10.13

This trackplan with end pieces can stand alone .

This skinny freight and passenger terminal has most of the features I could ever want on my end pieces.  I could take small portions of this to build a few end pieces all different.  Alternatively, if one can move a free-moN module fast enough in a non-pressure situation (home), you could use the same module for different terminals during operations - particularly one-man operations.

The Ship Channel Mod Evolves

Here is the latest with Google Earth used for the ships only:

Change in Track Plan

I worked out a system for analyzing operations on my track plan that I will detail in another post.  The point is that I quickly found nearly insurrmountable difficulties with my track plan.  Here is the new track plan:

Using Paint.NET Layers

Here is a track plan drawn with a broad brush for the actual railroad tracks at and near the Houston ship channel, a track lover's paradise - not to mention a ship modeler's paradise:

Tank car loading requires an even number of tracks; hence, a slight change frees one turnout that I placed in mainline to lead to junkyard perhaps.

Preparing for the Temple, Texas, Train Show

I like these photos so much that I shall post all of them until I can pick the two or three best.  The first seven were supposed to be a panorama, but only the first two worked to give Panorama 16.  I like the way tired old Instant Horizons was so effective in these photos.