Hmmmm, train time, train time, what shall I post this time? I got to thinkin' that not everything about trains is some slick photo, fancy train layout, or big museum. Prior to building a layout sometimes it's just fun to jot down ideas and/or make sketches of things one might want to incorporate into the layout. This holds true regardless of what scale or gauge you're into and the inspiration can come from anywhere. The following sketch was based on something I saw while taking a cruise down the Mosel (spelled 'Moselle' here Stateside) River in Germany. There along the banks was a coal or sand distributor - quite fankly I don't remember which it was now and never wrote it down. The operation was quite small. As much of the traffic along the Moselle and Rhein is barge traffic, it's most likely that a barge would pull up to this facility where a tracked crane would simply load (or unload?) the product to or from any one of the sorting bins. I sketched this little business after we got home that evening - along with several other things - and didn't really remember more details. For those who don't have a waterway on their layout, it's just as easy to lay tracks next to the sorting bins and crane. Enjoy!
