| A variety of C&M power ready to roll, Cabooses are still required on every train |
| The Layout |
This track plan was drawn in the old Abracadata program "3D Railroad Concept and Design".
The plan only shows the approximate location of the mainline and the approximate track
height above the floor. Yard and town details are generally not shown, however,
considerable industry and related switching is located in Cadillac, Traverse City and
Petoskey with various sidings and industries along the main, outside of the towns.
The layout is mostly triple deck and utilizes a partial mushroom approach to isolate sections
of the railroad from each other. The mainline is in, as well all staging tracks and trackage in
each major town, however, changes in industrial trackage are ongoing. Because of the
multiple deck design, I was careful not to put operating areas above or below each other. In
most all cases, track above or below an area where switching will take place is a simple run
through track with no switching activity, in an attempt to minimize the "body contact" in the
layout room.
Here are some basic facts about the Chicago & Mackinac as of early September 2005:
Scale: HO gauge
Location: California basement (20' X 21' garage)
Locale: Western Michigan, Grand Rapids to Mackinaw City
Era: 1967
Min. mainline radius: 30"
Length of mainline: approximately 300 feet
Track: Code 100, flex-track
Roadbed: Cork
Turnouts: Peco insulfrog and Shinohara, Mainline Minimum #5, mostly #6.
Control System: Wireless EasyDCC
The plan only shows the approximate location of the mainline and the approximate track
height above the floor. Yard and town details are generally not shown, however,
considerable industry and related switching is located in Cadillac, Traverse City and
Petoskey with various sidings and industries along the main, outside of the towns.
The layout is mostly triple deck and utilizes a partial mushroom approach to isolate sections
of the railroad from each other. The mainline is in, as well all staging tracks and trackage in
each major town, however, changes in industrial trackage are ongoing. Because of the
multiple deck design, I was careful not to put operating areas above or below each other. In
most all cases, track above or below an area where switching will take place is a simple run
through track with no switching activity, in an attempt to minimize the "body contact" in the
layout room.
Here are some basic facts about the Chicago & Mackinac as of early September 2005:
Scale: HO gauge
Location: California basement (20' X 21' garage)
Locale: Western Michigan, Grand Rapids to Mackinaw City
Era: 1967
Min. mainline radius: 30"
Length of mainline: approximately 300 feet
Track: Code 100, flex-track
Roadbed: Cork
Turnouts: Peco insulfrog and Shinohara, Mainline Minimum #5, mostly #6.
Control System: Wireless EasyDCC
| The following track plans were drawn awhile back but still represent the spirit and basic design of the C&M Railroad. |
| LOWER LEVEL TRACK PLAN This is the southern sub running from the main yard at Comstock Park (right of diagram),north to Walton Jct., through the town of Cadillac. Detail of Comstock Park Yard are not included in plan. Yard contains 10 tracks plus a diesel engine facility plus a passenger terminal . (see construction photos) Cadillac utilizes a shadow box effect and occupies most of the "U" shaped peninsula. Just north of Walton Jct, not shown on the track plan is the Kalkaska branch. While facing the layout, (from Comstock Park Yard), North is always to the Right |
| GRAND RAPIDS INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT Grand Rapids Industrial District is on the way south from Comstock Park Yard on the way to Fort Wayne (staging) under the peninsula. (7 track loop) This section is directly underneath part of Petoskey and utilizes the mushroom design concept. When working the GR Industrial District, you are pretty much isolated from the rest of the railroad. |
| UPPER LEVEL TRACK PLAN The upper lever runs from Traverse City to Mackinaw City, through the City of Petoskey. Petoskey is 68" off the floor, but it is accessed via a 17" raised floor, making an operating height of 51". Petoskey is pretty much isolated from the rest of the railroad. It is located above the Grand Rapids Industrial District and above part of Cadillac as well as the Fort Wayne Staging and the single track main line between Cadillac and Walton Junction. Details of industrial trackage are not included in Petoskey along with the siding and industrial trackage in Traverse City. |
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