Ramp and Dock for Team Track

Probably felt a bit guilty using a laser kit and not using a Clever Bros cardstock "kit" for the team track office, so I chipped in the $20 for the Clever Bros Jackson Volume 3 "CD" download.  That got me a ramp, a dock, and some stairs to use; plus a few other kits.

Modified the loading ramp somewhat to ensure that a flatcar would fit and the coupler would not interfere.  That required lengthening the ramp a bit.  The "extension" seemed a little precarious sticking out in the infinite, so added a couple of 4X4/6X6 supports.  They turned out to be too short, so I fabbed up a couple of (tan) concrete foundations, about 18" in diameter.

The sign on the side of the team track office says, "Office, Trade Street Team Track".  Trade Street ran along the Southern Railway tracks in Rock Hill -- don't know if there was a team track; still checking on that.

To make sure the other folks in Rock Hill who needed "less than car load" would be serviced, I also constructed the loading dock.  Again, I tried to extend it a bit and somehow the underpinning and the dock, itself, ended up being different lengths.  So, added stairs and shelter.  That worked out OK, I suppose.

We'll need to do a little painting of the off-loaded goods and decide what type to focus on.  But that ought to allow for a pretty busy team track, as long as the Cotton Factory shipments don't get in the way!

Another challenge will be to raise the surrounding ground level to that of the track bed.  Shouldn't be too big a hurdle. . . .

A Team Track

Don't know why, but I decided to add a "team track" scene to the layout.  The best place was at the Cotton Factory siding where the Armory needed a means of receiving jeeps, trucks, and such.  When I found a BTX laser cut Southern Railway Team Track Office, I just had to try it out.  Another small structure "perfect" for the small layout.  Realizing, of course, that sharing an industry siding with a team track is probably not so prototypical. . . .

Started by painting many of the parts before removing from the "board".

Assembly went pretty smoothly -- the accuracy for laser cutting is amazing!

Used a little florist styrofoam to help fill up the coal bin and topped off with a bit of HO scale "coal".

The fascia for the roof did not fit the slot very well after painting the pieces.  I had used a needle drill to open holes for the small front roof supports, and that worked well.  Probably should have used the same approach for the fascia board.

Will probably leave the roof unfastened from the office

Got a pot-bellied stove from Rusty Stumps and desk/file cabinet from Model Tech Studios.  Would have been easier to install before putting up the rafters!  But since I had left the door and window open, I went "all the way".  Even have a mug to go on top of the stove since I couldn't find a coffee pot.  Don't know about Southern Railway employee, yet, but I have included a box for him/her to sit on (not in picture).