Hey all. I want to start a project that may take 8-10 years to even consider building. Basically, I retire from the military in 8 years, and at that point I will be looking for a house to permanently settle into. So! I have that long to plan this layout, and I want the main focus of the layout to be the operations at Locust Summit. In N scale, I can squeeze a lot of railroad into a small space, and for LS, I'm going to need it. Essentially, I want to build it as uncompressed as possible, but of course thats not going to be 100% possible. So, I have plenty of time to plan, and I want to get the layout on a CAD planning software at some point in time, and find out the size I will need. Most likely I will either have a basement, or I will build my own separate building separate from the house for it. On to the questions:

Where can I find good sources of info on the main buildings that comprised the plant? I'm looking at the breaker, the double rotary dumper, thawing building, office, servicing facilities and briquette company at the very very least, plus the strip pits, water reservoir, etc.

I have the DIamonds, Flags & Statues issue that shows the location of all the main buildings, which is a good place to start, now I just need to find pictures, reference files, blueprints, etc.

Any help is immensely appreciated!

Well, I been planning mine since 1980, so I think I have you beat in the how long can it take to plan a layout.... If the basement would stop moving out from in under me, maybe I would get somewhere. Thank you Exeter Twp. for the latest curveball!

I looked at Google Earth Historical and it appears to only go back to 1994, the breaker was pretty much shot then. I have some photos from the eighties I guess, when the Society hikers lead by Bill Krug hiked the from the breaker to Gordon. They won't be of earth shattering value but I offer them to you. There are a bunch - I will email them to you as soon as I scan them in.... Sounds like your not in a rush, lol. Bill (G&K Hobbies) might have some info and he can give you the name of every miner and mule that was ever hurt or killed there.

I think that the FD&S Magazine is one of the best resources.. I can't remember anything in the Bee Line (Rick B????)unless you're thinking about throwing the Gordon Plane in the mix.

Look real hard at Jim Hertzog's layout and operations... it has been in a bunch of Model Railroaders.

Lastly settle in Berks County, where most of are so we can watch you build it..... and heckle you in true Berks County tradition.

Some stuff from up yonder must have been around 1981 or 82 judging on the size of my two brats. In no particular order. My favorite, the wrecked NYC hopper laying off to the side of the tracks, "we'll come back for that later, or not."

Looking at some Penn Pilot shots, the yard to the west of the breaker held about 1000 33' hoppers. the breaker structure itself seems reasonably attainable in N though. I'd do the windows with drafting mylar and inked on mullions, kind of like the ones that used to come with the old Revell or Heljan factory kits.
You planning on buying an old school building or something like that?

Rob wrote:
As much as I miss the beuty of Pennsylvania, and would love to settle up there in the quieter central area, I doubt i will ever return.

I'll add a photo here since we are exchanging shots, and I'm sure others will appreciate too.

Rob wrote:
11th generation, and I ain't leaving.