The first space option is a single outer bay of a three-car garage. This is roughly 10' by 22' (see drawing below).

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1 Bay Area SIG Meet Design Challenge 2006 Thanks for being part of our third Design Challenge. We are trying a couple of new wrinkles this year to respond to attendee feedback and hopefully encourage more challengers to enter designs. This time around, the challenge is to design a model railroad based on a reallife bay area industrial short line, the Richmond Pacific (formerly Parr Terminal). This workmanlike railroad operates about 2.7 miles of its own trackage in the Richmond, CA harbor area and connects with both BNSF (former Santa Fe) and UP (former Southern Pacific). It primarily handles bulk commodities such as coke and scrap metal. Challengers will be able to choose any era of this railroad's existence as inspiration and may include as much or as little of the connecting railroads as desired. courtesy Richmond Pacific Railroad In recent times, the railroad also operates on extended trackage rights over the UP to serve a number of customers in the area. This larger operation encompasses 11 miles of trackage. In response to feedback from attendees, we will be offering broader latitude this year in terms of space, scale, and other parameters. In order to create some design challenge by constraining the space, however, challengers will be asked to choose from one of three real life spaces/configurations. The first space option is a single outer bay of a three-car garage. This is roughly 10' by 22' (see drawing below). The second is the footprint of the classic 4'X8' layout. Assuming one edge of the 4X8 would go against a wall and allowing for 2-foot aisles, this permits approximately an 8' by 10' area bounded by two walls. Note that it is not a requirement to design a 4X8 for this space, in fact, we would prefer that you design something more creative in the same footprint. The third space option is to create a sectional or modular design which can be set up on two 30" by 72" banquet tables, arranged in any configuration. Designers choosing this space option should show in their designs how the layout would come apart for transport and storage. Each designer should prepare a short information package to describe their design: a hand-drawn or computer rendered to-scale trackplan on a single page; and one (preferably) to two additional text pages describing the concept and design as well as the operating scheme. Designs may be rendered in color or black and white, but check to be sure that any color renderings reproduce adequately in black and white for possible use as handouts. Electronic information packages are preferred, but hard-copy is permissible. The goal of this design challenge is to explore the various approaches that result when multiple designers begin with the same inspiration, but are free to make choices regarding scale, scope, era, emphasis, concept, etc. Each designer will have five to ten minutes to orally present his or her design during the SIG meeting on Saturday, February 11 th, Elements of the information packages may be used by the organizers to create a Powerpoint presentation for the meeting. Following the oral presentations by challengers, a panel will discuss the various designers' approaches. As in years past, there will be no winning or losing designs selected -- this is an investigation of alternatives. This year's designs may be featured in the commercial press or the Layout Design SIG's Layout Design Journal. 1

2 The Richmond Pacific Railroad Formerly caller the Parr Terminal, this railroad is operated by the Levin-Richmond Terminal Corporation primarily to serve the company's dry bulk berths in the Richmond Harbor. Generally speaking, bulk loads such as coke and scrap metal (outbound to ships) and bauxite (inbound from ships) are loaded or unloaded by gantry cranes from two large ship berths. The railroad moves the commodities between the dock and interchanges with the BNSF and SP nearby. There are also a few commercial customers located along the Richmond Pacific's tracks. For simplicity's sake in this discussion, we'll refer to the railroad as the Richmond Pacific (its current name), although designers of earlier eras may use the appropriate name for that time period. Detailed background information on the Richmond Pacific (including maps) will be ed or surface mailed to challengers who contact Byron (contact information below). Original Parr Terminal area in blue broken line Equipment of the Richmond Pacific Overview of current RPR operating area (courtesy RPR) Freight cars come from the connecting railroads. A variety of small switchers have been the primary motive power over the years. Small four-wheel and six-wheel industrial locomotives were used in the early days and as freight cars became larger, the railroad moved to at least one ex-atsf Alco S-2, then to cast-off ex-sp SW900, NW2e and SW1200 engines. Recently the Richmond Pacific leased a partially-restored GP-7 (#713) in Western Pacific Perlmann green from the Pacific Locomotive Association. Recent photos of this unit at work show it trailing a blue-and-white extended-vision cupola Richmond Pacific caboose. 2

3 Layout Alternatives Challengers may choose any scale or era for their design. For this year's challenge, major alterations to the history of the Richmond Pacific are not permitted. Thus, re-imagining this workaday industrial shortline as a transcontinental Class 1 carrier in competition with the SP would not be appropriate. On the other hand, combining, eliminating, or selectively compressing features of the real railroad is certainly expected and acceptable. Since the original Parr Terminal railroad operated in an area about ¾ mile square (not including interchange), one could likely model nearly that entire railroad to-scale in the largest space option in N scale. But including the trackage rights and sections of the connecting lines would demand more compression and selection, of course. Some "editing' of the prototype elements will probably provide the most interesting layout. One of the interesting challenges/opportunities in this prototype is that much of the traffic moves in open-top cars. Challengers are encouraged to come up with inventive ways to deal with this in the model environment. Constraints Overall, designers should probably seek to minimize reach across the layout to 30" or less and maintain adequate access aisles, although both issues are up to the discretion of the challenger. Duckunders and lift-outs are also permitted at the designer's discretion to mitigate these issues. One of three spaces may be used for this challenge. (continued next page) 3

4 Space option 1: Single bay of three-bay garage. The overall space for layout and aisles is 10'X24', allowing for door swing from an adjacent parked car. Designer may stipulate that construction and operation is done from adjacent bay, but no permanent layout features may occupy the space. The open space at the bottom of the drawing is the roll-up garage door, designer may choose to use it for construction and maintenance access or not, but it may not be used as an operating aisle. not to scale Space option 2: "Sacred sheet" footprint. As noted above, the good ol' 4X8 actually takes up about 8' by 10' with minimal aisles. Designers may choose to use this entire footprint (see below) for layout or aisles, but may not assume aisle space in other dimensions. Designer may assume that entry may be made to the layout area from bottom or right of drawing. not to scale 4

5 Space option 3: Sections or modules on two 30" X 72" banquet tables. This space option assumes no permanent space, but that two banquet tables may be connected in any configuration to support layout sections. Designer may assume aisles are available on all sides of the two banquet tables. Tables may be arranged in any configuration (a few examples shown below, but designers may choose any configuration). Layout sections should be of a readily movable and transportable size and may be standardized modules (e.g., T-TRAK) or custom sections. Layout sections may not overhang banquet table edges. Trackwork parameters not to scale Minimum radius, turnout number, maximum grade, aisle widths, deck heights, number of decks, etc. are left to the challengers' discretion. Commercial or hand-laid track geometry is permitted -- if commercial track is used, please specify manufacturer and line. It is suggested that care be taken to insure that reasonable access, track radius and aisle width standards are maintained consistent with reliable operation, the era and types of rolling stock, typical size of operating crew, etc. Choices for minimum radius, track spacing, etc., must be appropriate for the scale chosen. For example, a 6" minimum radius is not adequate for O scale designs. Information sources Copies of background materials are available for challengers. Drop me an or written note (see addresses at the end of this document) and I'll send you the materials. If you'd like to do your own research, Sean Zwagerman wrote a good article on the railroad in the May 1996 issue of Pacific Rail News magazine (published by Pentrex). The terminal company has a website: which includes a brief discussion of the railroad: One photo of an ex-sp switcher working the railroad for atmosphere: (note the SP light package still in place) 5

6 Preparing your entry Each information package should consist of a brief description of the concept and track plan characteristics, a hand-drawn or computer rendered to-scale trackplan on a single page; and one to two additional text pages describing the concept and design as well as the operating scheme (if designed for operations). Designs may be rendered in color or black and white, but check to be sure that any renderings reproduce adequately in black and white for possible use as handouts [check for weight of black and white lines]. While track plans need not be publication-quality or ready-to-build, they should be clear and complete enough to allow the panel and attendees to understand your concept. Electronic information packages are preferred, but hard-copy is also fine. The following information should be called out clearly somewhere in the package: Scale Minimum (and typical) radius Minimum (and typical) turnout number and brand of commercial turnouts (if used) Maximum grade For designs with significant grades or multiple decks, show elevations at key points For designs with staging, indicate capacity of staging tracks Optional information which would be nice to have: Typical track-to-track spacing Estimated yard and siding capacities in car lengths (indicate car length will vary by era and freight/passenger) Motive power and rolling stock assumptions/recommendations If the design is intended for operation, please list the various trains and operator roles. If applicable, describe how staging tracks are used and discuss the typical flow of an operating session. Please include discussion of the movement of trains to and from staging, hand-off of control between staging and regular operators (if applicable), etc. If your design contains a significant presence of the larger connecting roads, indicate preferences for train control / dispatching system (e.g. TT&TO, TWC/DTC, CTC, Manual Block). Please also indicate car forwarding system (CC&WB, Switch lists, other) suggested and what impact (if any) these preferences had on the proposed layout or operations design. Please return completed packages to arrive no later than January 31 to Byron Henderson via bhender730@earthlink.net or via surface mail to: 1518 Puerto Vallarta Drive San Jose, CA