# Seattle International Gateway



## Jammer Six (Feb 10, 2011)

Greetings.

I'm new here, and new to N scale. (Actually, the HO layout I had 35 years ago hardly counts anymore, so I'm new to model trains.)

She Who Must Be Obeyed Instantly is on the borderline of signing my finance request into law; I may soon have funds in hand to build the N scale layout I'm considering.

I'm considering the Seattle International Gateway yard here in Seattle. I may include Harbor Island, I may just go with east of the viaduct to 6th Avenue.

Anyway, how does one who is doing what I gather is called a prototype layout go about finding an accurate map of the yard in question?

Thanks!


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## 402drvr (Nov 10, 2010)

Google earth is pretty good. Or you can check with the city to see if there has been a GIS survey done. If there has they usually include toolbars for measuring the lengths of tracks and stuff.


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## kursplat (Dec 8, 2010)

lots of intermodal 
try googlein' pictures of it too :thumbsup:


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## Jammer Six (Feb 10, 2011)

Those suggestions both worked.

Next beginner question: how does one find out how operations are conducted at a given yard?

At first glance, Seattle International Gateways seems sort of tame, at least layout wise.

When I drive by it, it seems *MASSIVE*, and *COMPLEX*. Big locomotives roaring around, huge trains following them. Very cool.

Looking at it on Google map, it seems simple, and basic.

I'm mildly disappointed.

Not to mention that at first glance, intermodal freight cars seem to be the most expensive choice I could make, model wise, and Seattle International doesn't appear to handle anything else...

So I need a hundred cars. All, of course, the most expensive choice I could make.

{sigh...}


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## kursplat (Dec 8, 2010)

you could try the north platte yard
they handle _EVERYTHING_


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