After having scrapped the initial WGR plan, I decided that I would revisit my collected references on the WHR’s Windsor Yard – the original inspiration for this project. The more I considered the function of Windsor Yard the more I realized that it was this singular location that I was interested in and that I should base my new design on this area. Likewise, I started rethinking my space and my desires. The original WGR plan had utilized all sides of the baseboard and as I started building the risers I started to truly appreciate the space needed to operate the pike from all sides – the space required for a full perimeter layout defeated the purpose of building a small pike as I now required several feet of space on all sided of the layout to run it. Therefore, I considered how the plan might work if I treated it as a deep shelf and if I eliminated Windsor Junction. The result (seem below) was a more accurate depiction of the yard as well as the surrounding geography. At first, I was disappointed at ‘what I had lost’, but I started to realize all that I was gaining. This arrangement allows for deeper scenic treatments and improves the track/scenery ratio – focusing on the neighbouring fields, highway and the all-important ‘nothing’ in between.

I sat on this idea for a day trying to decide if I would be happy with this new approach when I received an encouraging note from a reader, Allen, who in one fell swoop characterized the function of Windsor Yard, and offered an approach that was similar to what I had been considering. This input has wiped out any doubts I had about this more minimal design, so without further ado, I humbly present the new WGR – leaner and meaner! (I’m still considering the track arrangement in the yard – so things might change slightly over the next few days)

Side note: one of the details that have been staring me in the face since I started considering modelling this railway was the fact that I can easily include some passenger operations. The WHR offered a seasonal passenger service along the Evangeline Trail – a perfect excuse to model some unique passenger equipment!