Having been overtaken with the urge to buy a set of the recent Kato Metra commuter cars and F40PH I now need something to run them on. While I'm planning a 2 unit module for the Seaboard Southern set up that will incorporate a small Metra commuter station I'm also kicking around a plan for an eventual replacement for my current show layout 'Galatia, KS'. From a bit of fiddling on Anyrail I've come up with the below plan
![Image](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8059/8244995908_99148b4fed_z.jpg)
Batarvia v4 by warbonnetuk, on Flickr
Inspitation is Batavia, IL which is a suburban area between West Chicago to the north and Aurora to the south. The area's industry is served by a single track BNSF spur running from Aurora that previous connected into the UP at West Chicago (was still intact in 1997 according to my old edition SPV rail atlas)
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&ll ... oramio.all
The line has quite a number of on-line shippers (not sure if they are all active)
General Mills – food manufacture: Covered Hoppers
Portola Packaging – plastics: covered hoppers
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Batavi ... 7,-88.2883
Partylite – candles etc: tank cars (if still active?)
Proex Carlisle – plastics : Covered hoppers / chemical tanks?
PPG Industries – paints or plastic?: tank cars – white for chemicals
Millard Refrigerated Services – cold storage : reefer cars
Maxon Plastics – plastics: tank cars – two short spurs on side of building
Or with some Modellers Licence a couple of industries around Aurora
Selective Agents Recycling:
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Batavi ... s&t=h&z=20
Scrap / recycling – gondolas (poss off scene)
Butterfield Colour - decreative concrete / concrete products
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Batavi ... s&t=h&z=19
In my modelling reality I'm supposing there is a connect to UP is still intact and a connecting runs METRA service to / from the UP West and BNSF lines. Also the concentration of on-line industries have been shifted a little further south and west that real life
Overall length is currently 16ft with 2 4 ft traversers at each end to allow thro running. BNSF, as line owner is the main operator but UP can visit on occations. The 3 industries planned at present are Butterfield Colour (cement), Millard Refrigerated Services and Proex Carlisle (plastics)
At this stage this is v much in the planning stage so any comments / suggested amendments appreciated
Dan