Brian Morgan’s Seattle Terminal

The GN Seattle Terminal is an N-Scale switching layout set in King Street Station area during August, 1967.  You’ll be working the list as the head brakeman.  Your switch crew will have a GP7 controlled with a ProtoThrottle.  The Seattle Terminal is made up of 5 switching zones, of which you’ll be assigned to switch one or maybe two.  One crew will also work the actual King Street Station.

The layout itself has two levels, the lower is for staging (Interbay) while the upper represents the industrial area South of the station.  The two levels are connected via a seven turn helix.  This allows for mainline trains to be run through the industrial area to simulate the traffic to and from Portland. The freight trains of this era were all run as Extras, the only scheduled time tabled trains were passenger plus two priority mail and express trains going to and from Spokane.  There is a 3 times fast clock for the 1st Class Time Table.  All of the layout area is within Yard Limits.

The Prototype

  • Prototype / Freelance Scale:  Prototype
  • ProtoType:  Great Northern
  • Location: Seattle, South of Downtown
  • Era:  August 1967
  • Interchange: none modelled

The Layout

  • Location: Burnaby
  • Scale: N
  • Size: 11’ by 12’   – in a larger room.
  • Control: ESU ECoS DCC System with ProtoThrottles
  • Accessibility: some stairs to basement.
  • Length of mainline:  9.3 scale miles
  • Yards: Interbay, Downtown yard.
  • Passing sidings: Directional running
  • Scenery complete:  80%
  • Carspots: 160
  • Motive power: GP7’s, F-Units & SD45’s
  • Rolling Stock:  350 freight cars / 41 passenger
  • Track construction:  Peco code 55

Operations

  • Clock Speed:  3.2 to 1 Iowa Scaled Engineering
  • Session Length:  approximately 2.5 hours
  • Crew Size: 1 to 3
  • Dispatching: There is a line up of trains, 1st class trains as per Time Table, no dispatcher.
  • Car Forwarding:  Switch Lists
  • Communication:  Verbal
  • Jobs:  Switch crew, one job also handles King Street Station
  • Train length:  30 cars
  • Session atmosphere:  Relaxed, with a lot of crew interaction