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Reworking Otto Schouwstra's
Van Gelder Zonen
 Otto Schouwstra's 60x45 cm industrial tram layout, Van
Gelder Zonen, Papier, won the Expométrique "Grand Prix"
in 1996. It is one of the classic micro layouts, depicting the log-loading operation
in a large paper mill. Van Gelder Zonen (Van Gelder & Sons) was a real mill in
the Netherlands, served by a very attractive narrow-gauge rail system until 1960.
The tiny layout is built in 1:36 scale and runs on 16.5mm gauge tracks, representing
a 60 cm gauge prototype. Featured operation is an automated log loading sequence
from a motorized overhead crane (shown at left). Another outstanding feature is a
synchronised sound system--matching both the operations of the motorized crane used
to load the logs and the diesel engine sounds of the locomotives. In addition, background
sounds of birds and the mill machinery are played continuously!
For more information and photos, see Otto's web site.
Otto generously gave me permission to reproduce the Van Gelder track plan and a photograph
in this Gallery. In addition, he good-naturedly agreed that I might rework the track
plan to serve other operating patterns and to run in different scenery from the original.
This exploration shows that a good trackplan can provide inspiration for a nearly
endless variety of individual versions from different modelers.
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The first Make-Over is called Van
Smelter Werken (Van Smelter Works).
This layout represents a very different operating
scheme from Van Gelder Zonen, though it is designed for the same space and the same
scale, 1:36 running on 16.5mm track to represent 60 cm (2-foot) gauge prototypes.
It could also be built in Gn15, On30, On18, or HOn30 scales.
We are looking at the back corner of a large ore-smelter operation. The basic operating
plan is to load open wagons with the spoilage and waste materials of the smelting
process. Operation requires two small switching locomotives (located at B and D)
and a bottom-dumping ore car. We can begin describing the cycle with the ore car
empty, high atop the tip (at A) about 20 scale feet above the lower track.
A simple capstan operation pulls the car to the Car Elevator, where it is lowered
to ground level. The Car Elevator may be hidden inside the Smelter building or, if
you want to build a scale mechanism, it can be fully visible outside the building.
The locomotive from D moves to the "main line," reverses, runs up to couple
with the ore car on the Elevator, and hauls the car to C where it uncouples and returns
to D. The second loco then leaves B, couples to the car and pushes it to E, beneath
the tip. This action triggers the latch of the hopper, and the car is filled with
spoil material. The car then hauls it back to C, uncouples, and returns to B.
The loco at D then comes out to the main, reverses, couples to the car at C and pushes
it onto the Elevator, then uncouples and returns to D. The Elevator rises, lifting
the loaded car to the tip level, where a capstan operation runs it out to the tip
and triggers a dumping of the contents into the undertrack hopper. At this point
the cycle begins again.
Cleverly using a single car to represent an endless parade of ore cars, the Van Smelter
Werken line is continuously busy, making it an excellent layout for exhibition and
train show use!
The second Make-Over is called Van
Welder & Sons. This one is a steel structures fabricator.
Some track has been added to the Van Gelder Zonen
layout, bringing the dimensions to 60x50 cm. Although designed for 1n20 (3/8"
scale running on 16.5mm gauge), this layout could be built as a Gn15, 1/36n2, On30,
or even as a HO standard gauge industrial tram.
A hidden fiddle siding and loco siding behind the scenes provide opportunities for
an amazingly wide variety of operations on this tiny layout. The basic operation
is to bring carloads of steel structures from the concealed interchange spur at lower
left, into the factory at the upper left. When the sliding factory doors shut, the
concealed arc generator produces spectacular showers of sparks, indicating that major
welding is being performed. An appropriate sound track could add to the illusion.
While the traverser is hidden, it can be slid to the rear, and cars loaded with complete
welded structures can be brought out to the interchange track when the doors are
opened again. In a variation, structures can be brought out from the plant via a
working overhead crane and loaded onto empty flat cars at the upper right. Similarly,
the "rejects" can be brought out from the factory and dumped onto the scrap
pile (in itself a fascinating model!).
A little thought will show a variety of additional operating themes that can be worked
out on this very flexible micro switcher!
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Pete's Pallets: Theme
and Variations
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Pete's Pallets (above) is a well-known industrial micro layout from Australia,
created by Pete Heininger.
It's OO9 scale (HOn30) and measures 410 x 610 mm (16"x24"). It's a small
industrial tram serving a factory that makes pallets. And Pete acknowledges it was
inspired by Otto Schouwstra's Van Gelder Zonen. |
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With Pete's permission, I thought it might be fun to take this basic plan and translate
it into other scales, designing industrial trams to serve different industries. The
first result of these "variations on a theme" is above at right -- Pete's
Pachyderms. This 60 cm square layout, designed with 6-inch radius curves for
Gn15 trains, is an "Elephant Care" facility.
The giant pachyderms are brought in through the gate (top left) in specially-designed,
welded-metal, reinforced open elephant cars. After the last car clears the turnout,
the points are thrown and the train is backed into the Wash & Dry Area building.
As the train runs very slowly through, this automated (but hidden) facility cleanses
the animals, spraying them with water and soap, rinsing, and gently drying them.
The pachyderm passengers emerge into the Loading and Unloading area, where they may
be offloaded (using the heavy crane) and led into the Exercise Yard. Or they might
continue around the loop to the Food Warehouse for a buffet dinner on the train.
With a steady stream of Preiser or Model Power G-scale elephants to handle, Pete's
Pachyderms is a lively place!
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a different sort of industrial setting is found in Pete's Potatoes, a smaller
layout (40 cm square) using 4" radius curves in On30 (O16.5) scale. The diagram
(at right) is drawn to the same scale as Pete's Pachyderms (above).
Tubs of potatoes are either brought in from outside via the gate or fresh picked
from the on-premises Potato Patch. They're hauled into the Processing Area (interior
hidden from view for fiddling) where they're supposedly cleaned, sliced, fried, frozen
and packaged into "Pete's Pommes Frites"--one of the world's premier brands
of frozen french fries (chips).
The finished product emerges from the left side of the factory building and proceeds
immediately to the Ice House for storage before being reloaded and shipped to the
hungry epicures of the world.
Empty potato tubs are returned to the Materials Storage yard, where supplies used
in the manufacturing process are also unloaded (often using the yard crane) and stored.
Looking for an unusual experience? Try defrosting a package of Pete's Pommes Frites!
(Note: these two layouts, while lighthearted, are intended to demonstrate how
a good plan can be varied widely to suit the needs and moods of its builder. Any
plan in this collection can be treated in the same way, and should be.)
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Making Over a Familiar
Plan in a BIG scale
Terry Allen started with a very familiar plan that
he was originally thinking about for a OO9 (HOn30) layout, and squeezed it into a
4'x1' baseboard in Gn15 (1/2" scale running on 16.5mm gauge). He calls it Dumping
Ground Tramway I.
This little layout gem proves beyond a doubt that
everyone has room for a large-scale layout!
The standard gauge wagons, into which the Gn15 tipper cars dump their cargoes, are
built at a lower elevation than the slimgauge line, which adds scenic interest to
the layout. Actually, in this adaptation, the "standard gauge" idea might
well be changed to "meter gauge" -- LGB wagons runing on 1.75" gauge.
The kickback siding can be hidden to provide a "secret source of surreptitious
supply" for the narrow gauge skips (John Armstrong's apt phrase in quotation
marks).
Next, taking a closer look, Terry decided that he'd like to have the locomotive on
the conventional end of the train for journeys both to and from the fiddle track
-- so he produced a makeover, Dumping Ground Tramway II.
The runaround loop adds flexibility to this small
plan. But Terry wasn't done yet ... he figured that a canal boat in 1:24 scale would
be about 35 inches long (89 cm) and about 3.5 inches wide (9 cm) -- an impressive
model, especially on a four-foot baseboard! Thus was born Dumping Water Tramway.
One of the delights of a little switching layout
like this in a big scale is the details that can be added. Terry points out that
many dolls' house accessories are made to 1/2" scale. He plans to "have
a scale Narrowboat as a setpiece in the forefront of the layout with the back cabin
visible to the public. I can use ... dolls' house furniture and fit out the cabin
complete with stove (working using a smoke unit maybe?)."
At present, this last makeover is the one Terry plans to build. But who knows?
Stay tuned for future makeovers! Note: if you like this layout, by all means
change it to suit your desires and build it in your favorite scale -- 1/32, O, HO,
or even N. A good plan always deserves a good makeover!
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Enlarging a Small Plan: a Starter
HO Micro
the Grimes & Dusts Railroad is a small-town
branchline terminal that was originally designed by Maurice Grimes to fit in a space
about 36"x12" (90x30 cm). I have enlarged it to 48"x10" without
improving at all on Maurice's excellent design, in order to make it easy to build
with commercial sectional trackage and a standard Atlas 9-inch turntable. In this
form, it's a good operating railroad in micro size (under four square feet), that
can use easily obtainable and relatively inexpensive HO and OO rolling stock and
locomotives.
Turnouts are 3 Peco short-radius right-hand turnouts and 1Peco short-radius Y turnout.
You can use standard Atlas Snap Track sections to make the rest of the trackage (as
shown), or substitute flexible track from almost any manufacturer. Rolling stock
would best use 40-foot cars (U.S.) or two-axle goods wagons (U.K.), with passenger
service taken care of by a gas-electric car (U.S.) or a DMU (U.K.), which turns on
the turntable for its return trip.
The "main line" appears from beneath a roadway overpass at the left, coming
out from behind the freight house and into the switching area. If possible it would
be very helpful to add a removable two-foot (60 cm) track extension to the main line
at the left, allowing trains to be assembled "off-stage" and run onto the
baseboard under their own power.
There are lots of switching opportunities in this little terminal -- three or four
industries can be represented on the backdrop, perhaps with their loading docks modeled
in low relief and served by the kickback siding at the top. The freight house has
a constant flow of cars and wagons in and out, and represents a real challenge to
switch while the passenger car is in town!
All in all, the GDRR is a busy and active little railroad. It illustrates the fact
that most micro layouts -- even the ones with hand-built track and switches -- can
be replicated using commercial turnouts and track ... but you'll need somewhat more
space. For the GDRR, the enlarged version is still within the micro layout size range,
but that isn't always the case. It's often necessary to exceed those limits. If you
do, we promise not to send the Micro Police around to your house. Have fun!
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A dual-gauge makeover
 Jeff Hartmann, from Long Beach, California,
has made over the Stubbier
Yard plan from this Gallery, adding
dual-gauge shunting and including an impressive transfer crane based on the East
Broad Top's "Timber Transfer" in Pennsylvania (right). This busy
little layout models the transfer point between standard and narrow-gauge railroads
back in the early part of the Twentieth Century.
The Dual Gauge Stubbier Yard has only one cardinal switching rule -- the narrow
gauge cars can only be moved by a narrow gauge locomotive and the same limitaton
goes for the standard gauge cars. The layout can be operated by two people -- one
controls the narrow gauge locomotive and the other the standard gauge.
The engineers will have to cooperate with each other as they do their switching.
The track at the rear of the layout is used as a fiddle yard by both. The tracks
in the yard are spaced so that the two-track traverser will line up with any two
adjacent yard tracks. The three online industries are served by both gauges.
The narrow and standard gauge engineers will probably have a lot of challenges as
they move cars about the yard. The layout builder will have a challenge, too, if
he intends to make the Transfer Crane a working model! For more information on Jeff's
modeling projects, visit his interesting website.
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