If anyone would like a copy of the ACAD drawing, it's attached as a zip file.

The drawing was/is strictly amateur, done by a kid in his dad's basement, the walls and other surfaces have a thickness of 0.00", and there are other issues, but the 'blocks' (stalls, stall extentions, turntable, transfer table, overhead cranes, a few crude machine tools etc, etc etc) within the drawing might be useful for your own roundhouse and/or backshop dreamings.

Jeff

One of the things that made IRM an affordable site to build a very large railroad museum is that it is virtually flat, with a gravelly soil underneath to support track without significant grading.

It is a double-edged sword, in that it is also a flood-prone site. All drainage is limited by the two trestles over the creek. I would be hesitant to build a permanent beautiful building, such as the roundhouse, at the site it has been long planned. The location inside of the carline would be one of the better locations for a detention area, in my opinion. I would rather opt to build the roundhouse and turntable somewhere near where Jeff shows it on his plan, which also allows a few critical feet of elevation.

This has been discussed ad nauseum at the IRMlist. The long-standing plan may one day come to be, despite what I see as its shortcomings. And Jeff, you may need to recognize in your dream plan a lake or flood area as big as Nicks yard, perhaps even in that general area.

Is the short line along the creek that is not paralel to the UP line a possible solution. It would be nice to have alittle short line along the creek that connects to the IRM's Mainline

Make no small plans, eh?

OK, here's an opportunity lost for those who like to think big.

Below are photos of the former Chicago Great Western Railway shops in Oelwein, Iowa. This facility is being torn down as you read this. Instead of expanding the IRM campus, why not just pick up everything and move to Oelwein? (Too late now, of course.)

1. Photo of main shop building, complete with an overhead crane.


Oelwein Shops by GREFE. stricken., on Flickr

2. Main shop during the C&NW era.


Oelwein Shops 002 by edraye, on Flickr

3. Main shop, coach shop (I think) and tracks of the railfan-friendly Iowa Northern RR.


CGW at rest by Mike Miley, on Flickr

Well, you said "make no small plans"!

LOL. Been there, done that.

And before that working on a Computervision mainframe CAD system. The command for "save" was called "file part". On a large drawing, you could have lunch before it finished the operation.

Here in Southern California, we have rail transit enthusiasts who like to make maps of the Los Angeles area showing possible light-rail and subway lines along with those in operation and those under construction. Having gone from "nothing" 25 years ago to dozens of miles today, some of these projections may happen, but for those of us who remember the Pacific Electric, they may be in the "I should live so long" category.
In the world of railway preservation, when I joined Orange Empire 48 years ago it was 10 acres with about 20 streetcars and interurbans baking in the sun. The bookstore was a construction shanty and the cars were powered by a 6-cylinder diesel generator covered with a tarp when not in use. Now we have about 80 acres, six carbarns/engine houses and various shop buildings. Last year we broke ground for a library/archives/research center and a building celebrating the history of the Harvey Girls. One of the founding members is still active at the museum, and he admits that back in 1958, they had no idea that it would grow to today's internationally known center of preservation.

Ok, how about 2 and a half?

Jeff

You need to add the 2 or 3 Fire protection Water Towers, and the combined Grounds Crew, 24/7-365 Fire Dept & Security Dept.

-Hudson

Next!

Jeff

Jeff -

As long as you're doing these "less-than-official" drawings, what about a large retention pond for Boot Creek to possibly help any future flooding threats?

Les

Can't do that... chances are it will be found to be the habitat of the Luck Less Monster, and that will stifle all further expansion of the museum.

Say, isn't it a bit early for April 1st... or have I fallen asleep under the tree again?

Nope, this has always been a January thread

Jeff

why not add a replica of the old Met Loomis Street Power House - to generate IRM's own electricity and provide interchange traffic to the UP. The demonstration railroad is mostly passenger... this would add freight. With the "L" elevated you could also add 3rd rail and remove the unsightly trolley poles from the most recent "L" acquisitions and use the facade of the Madison/Wabash station retrieved last year....
and... add a place for the park train that's sitting in one of the storage barns?
Bob (an associate member of IRM).

If that's the case, where's the harbor and pier for cruise ship docking? Making it a port-of-call for cruise ships, like Skagway, is the only way to pay for this.

[quote="Les Beckman"As long as you're doing these "less-than-official" drawings, what about a large retention pond for Boot Creek to possibly help any future flooding threats?[/quote]
Yes, I would be all about the flood control on that property. Also, how about "feel good" or "green" site accommodations like a picnic grove, band shell or some rural woods for a branch line to curve through. As you can guess, I could care less if those features flood. An alternative would be a 1:1 scale model of the Los Angeles River near LAUPT - that's only 250' across, it'll fit.

I'm doing the same thing on a 90 acre site we acquired - and here's a tip Jeff - don't hold back. Let loose and give your future self something to do!

OK transfer table. I know you're thinking just a small operation, but think ahead. What if the FRA shuts down the railroad? FRA doesn't regulate transfer tables. Have the transfer table cruise through some scenic woods, have a siding, maybe even a loop!

Also, don't be bashful about ripping out old work for a better plan. Anything that doesn't have a building over it is fair game, and even some of the buildings, as the early ones were cheap polebarns. Ask WRM or ORM about the service life of cheap polebarns!