What's the plan Stan?

I thought that I should record the overall layout plan. So I took a photo of a plan print. At least I will have a record of what I am doing.

I used my CAD system to draw this so that I don't take any shortcuts. Model trains are very sensitive to radii and this scale needs 30" minimum. No cheating.

The layout is divided into two parts. The bottom on the plan is Dolores Colorado, between 4th and 6th streets. This is where the station was (and still is although reconstructed). I am going to model that area fairly accurately, with some modeler license. I needed to compress the scene into the space available, but will get the buildings included that I wanted. The station is the prime one, as is the goose barn in the rear. If you are wondering what a goose barn is, it held the "Galloping Goose" the RGS ran. They had 7 of them - very strange contraptions made of old Pierce Arrow cars and box vans on cobbled together railroad underpinnings. They were called the geese because the waddled as they went down the track. I have two - numbers 2 and 7.

The other side of the layout is a small switch yard for staging trains, and space for a large cattle stock pen. Dolores was a stopping spot for cattle trains when the stock was moved down from the high country in the fall. Since I will be modeling the fall of 1950 I need a spot for them.

Operations will be simple - make up a train and come into Dolores from the right and switch cars to the various industries and warehouses. Pick up empties and go on back to the switch yard. Trains will come from the south (right to left form Durango, CO) and north (left to right from Rico, CO). Just a small slice of a small railroad, but lots to build and operate.