Branch layout

[MikeH_83]

I have decided to go for a rural branch line serving a village or something whilst trying to incorporate a small industry.  I will be making it in 4-SF and set either 30's or 60's (not decided yet) The reason for putting the industry at the bottom is that I have extra space infront (12ft) where the main branch line will enter a tunnel at 9ft ish to the fiddleyard.  I am really aiming for rural countryside but I want enough operational interest whilst having some single track line running through the countryside. The double station might end up being a single platform, not sure yet!  What do you all think?

[Harlequin]

Hi,

 

A couple of things occur to me:

If you abandoned the top fiddle yard beyond the station you would have more scenic room. So you could move the station further to the right, make it a terminus, and so have a longer single track run through countryside.

And in fact that would help fix my other slight concern, which is the "kink" in the curvature of the tracks and platforms.

 

(And rationalising down to one fiddle yard might be a good idea, anyway?)

 

What is the purpose of the siding beyond the headshunt?

 

What size are the grid squares?

[MikeH_83]

Hi,

 

A couple of things occur to me:

If you abandoned the top fiddle yard beyond the station you would have more scenic room. So you could move the station further to the right, make it a terminus, and so have a longer single track run through countryside.

And in fact that would help fix my other slight concern, which is the "kink" in the curvature of the tracks and platforms.

 

(And rationalising down to one fiddle yard might be a good idea, anyway?)

 

What is the purpose of the siding beyond the headshunt?

 

What size are the grid squares?

 

Thanks for your comment.  I did think about making it a terminus at one point but my fiddleyard isn't really designed for it and iv'e already changed it 3 times!  Also there is a water tank almost in that corner which makes it difficult to gain access.  That is why I made 1 long fiddleyard down the right hand side.  I am also aiming for a hands off approach and I don't have much experience with computer control yet so I wanted to play it safe rather than having to shunt around goods trains to change the brake van ends in the almost hidden FY.  The kink in the platform is from a straight to a 6ft radius curve so it doesn't look bad in real life and I would transition it a little better tbh.

 

Which siding are you referring to?  If it's the industry one then I was just playing with some ideas but I don't really like it so it'll probably go.  The grid squares a 1ftx1ft.

 

Cheers

[Happy Hippo]

I think that you need to increase the length of your 'short' headshunt otherwise you will find shunting that goods yard a very protracted affair.

 

Try and find a copy of Iain Rice's 'Mainlines in Modest Spaces' which has his take on St Isaac Road on the North Cornwall line.

 

I suggest this one as the track plan is very similar to what you have drawn including a quarry industry.

[MikeH_83]

I think that you need to increase the length of your 'short' headshunt otherwise you will find shunting that goods yard a very protracted affair.

 

Try and find a copy of Iain Rice's 'Mainlines in Modest Spaces' which has his take on St Isaac Road on the North Cornwall line.

 

I suggest this one as the track plan is very similar to what you have drawn including a quarry industry.

 

Yeah I was keeping it shorter as a way of keeping the shunting maybe a little more interesting with being only able to shunt a few wagons at a time but yes, I agree, I think I need to increase it.  I do have that book in the loft actually and have looked at that plan before actually..  I would have to move the track plan around to fit the quarry part in (no idea how i'd do the workings for that) I have actually dropped the left side and part of the bottom baseboards down so that I can try and do something more interesting with the scenics so I didn't want to take them up with too much station stuff

[DCB]

The headshunt is quite rare on prototype layouts, unless the line drops abruptly and a headshunt remains level the usual "headshunt" turns out to be a refuge siding.  I really don't like headshunts on small stations but simply adding a crossover where you have the arrow for short headshunt to add operational interest. would improve matters.  The tedium of shunting the sidings would probably mean they never get shunted, I always seem to end up shunting a great raft of wagons, pulling the outgoing ones out on the end of the incoming ones which I find interesting, especially bif as per prototype there is only a short 2 hour window between passenger trains to shunt the yard, check the rabbit snares and have a well earned half at the pub 50 yards down the road.

[MikeH_83]

The headshunt is quite rare on prototype layouts, unless the line drops abruptly and a headshunt remains level the usual "headshunt" turns out to be a refuge siding.  I really don't like headshunts on small stations but simply adding a crossover where you have the arrow for short headshunt to add operational interest. would improve matters.  The tedium of shunting the sidings would probably mean they never get shunted, I always seem to end up shunting a great raft of wagons, pulling the outgoing ones out on the end of the incoming ones which I find interesting, especially bif as per prototype there is only a short 2 hour window between passenger trains to shunt the yard, check the rabbit snares and have a well earned half at the pub 50 yards down the road.

 

Thanks David..  Are you on about something like this? (see attached) I have added a doubleslip in there.  Martin over at templot has helped me smooth out the station area which looks much better now.  I must admit I like the idea of being able to use it as a refuge siding too for those rare occasions for extra operational interest.

 

Cheers

[imt]

I'd like to help too if I can - could we see the attachment please.

[MikeH_83]

I'd like to help too if I can - could we see the attachment please.

 

Ah I didn't press there attach this file button..  Here it is   Just ignore the bottom half of the layout as I've not re-worked that bit yet.

 

Cheers

[Harlequin]

Hi Mike,

 

Your top-right corner looks quite similar to something I drew recently:

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/110147-kings-tawton/page-2&do=findComment&comment=2913648

[MikeH_83]

Hi Mike,

 

Your top-right corner looks quite similar to something I drew recently:

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/110147-kings-tawton/page-2&do=findComment&comment=2913648

 

That looks nice..  Especially the way you can see how the layout will look with all the scenics.  I have tried to achieve some of the same aims with mine.  I aim to build abit of a village on the top part and the left and bottom baseboards have been dropped so I am hoping to do some nice scenics with them.

 

Cheers

[DCB]

Thanks David..  Are you on about something like this? (see attached) I have added a doubleslip in there.  Martin over at templot has helped me smooth out the station area which looks much better now.  I must admit I like the idea of being able to use it as a refuge siding too for those rare occasions for extra operational interest.

 

Cheers

I was thinking as below.   See the green crossover.   The Headshunt could be longer and as the sidings would usually be shunted by anti clockwise trains a trap in the clockwise direction would be an advantage to stop runaway wagons without necessarily derailing then and blocking the running lines. See red bits

 

From a quick squiggle I couldn't get get a really neat arrangement of pointwork into your siding location. so my post is indicative more than anything.

Edited November 19, 2017 by DavidCBroad

[MikeH_83]

I was thinking as below.   See the green crossover.   The Headshunt could be longer and as the sidings would usually be shunted by anti clockwise trains a trap in the clockwise direction would be an advantage to stop runaway wagons without necessarily derailing then and blocking the running lines. See red bits

 

From a quick squiggle I couldn't get get a really neat arrangement of pointwork into your siding location. so my post is indicative more than anything.

 

Ah I see,  It's a nice idea but I just tried it in templot and it's making the curve on the doubleslip on the inside curve way too tight and there isn't much I can do with the space unfortunately.  I shall keep fiddling with it though and hopefully I can sort something out.  I have made the headshunt longer like you said, which could be a nice place for a coal area in order to have wagons down that side too for shunting interest.

 

Cheers