Shot down by the wife then ..............

[Zomboid]

At both ends I'd switch the crossovers around so that the outer one with regard to the station is the trailing crossover. You could then use the curve of the turnouts to get the angle at the top station and reduce the amount of reverse curves that trains have to go through (minories style...).

 

I think that means that the bottom station would need a bit of a rethink as the 3 way wouldn't work in the same way as it does now, but it wouldn't be anything fundamental.

[Chilly]

1 hour ago, Zomboid said:

At both ends I'd switch the crossovers around so that the outer one with regard to the station is the trailing crossover. You could then use the curve of the turnouts to get the angle at the top station and reduce the amount of reverse curves that trains have to go through (minories style...).

 

I think that means that the bottom station would need a bit of a rethink as the 3 way wouldn't work in the same way as it does now, but it wouldn't be anything fundamental.

Hi Zomboid

 

Do you mean something like this?

[Zomboid]

This is broadly what I had in mind (other parts of the layout I haven't bothered to show)

 

The single slip at the bottom station is to avoid a double reverse curve getting to the bottom platform. And reversing the loco yard access is because a trailing connection seems more likely to me.

[Chimer]

I don't think you can angle the top station platforms and still get a decent length, given the width constraint.  But putting the platform (maybe just one with a run-round loop) at the back with the sidings at an angle in front might work ..

 

Chilly, can you put some dimensions on your diagram so we can see what the most is we've got to work with?  I feel some X-TrackCad planning coming on. 

[Zomboid]

16 minutes ago, Chimer said:

I don't think you can angle the top station platforms and still get a decent length

Not the whole length, but his design has them curving back to parallel with the wall/ board edge, which could be retained.

[Chilly]

Hi Chaps

 

Working off the board dimensions the top length is 19ft, the left edge is 13ft and the bottom length is 16ft,

 

At the top section the right hand part is a depth of 2ft narrowing down to 1ft as we go left.

 

The bottom section is a 1ft width from right to left.

 

The left hand edge end width is 1ft where it narrows.

 

I thought the top right was a waste of space so added a yard for a loco shed? 

 

All thoughts gratefully accepted

 

 

[Chimer]

OK so far re dimensions, but up top, how far left can we go before the board has to start to narrow?  6 feet would be nice ….

 

And no, I wouldn't put a loco shed top left - too cluttered and the access is all wrong.  Something scenic would be better imo. 

[Chilly]

1 hour ago, Chimer said:

OK so far re dimensions, but up top, how far left can we go before the board has to start to narrow?  6 feet would be nice ….

 

And no, I wouldn't put a loco shed top left - too cluttered and the access is all wrong.  Something scenic would be better imo. 

Hi Chimer

 

Yes I agree I am  trying to cram too much in track wise and the original idea was a building or two.

 

At the top point where the board meets the 1ft stretch it is 7ft from the right edge and at the bottom edge(of the top) it starts narrowing at 6ft from the right edge, this could quite easily be simplified by making it 7ft from the right edge and the straight vertically up to the 1ft stretch, basically a 7ft x 2ft rectangle before the 1ft stretch, hopefully this gives more flexibility.

 

Thanks Chilly 

[Zomboid]

Are the board sizes negotiable in any way? Width in particular. 30cm isn't much for a double track terminus, though it is doable.

[Chris116]

10 minutes ago, Zomboid said:

Are the board sizes negotiable in any way? Width in particular. 30cm isn't much for a double track terminus, though it is doable.

If nothing is said and it accidently  get cut to 15 inches instead of 12 inches then the problem is solved!

[Zomboid]

I couldn't possibly advocate any deliberate mistakes like that...

[Chilly]

The bottom terminus could go to 2ft width for a length of 5ft at a push 6ft

Edited May 17, 2020 by Chilly

[Zomboid]

And given that you mentioned a heritage operation, is a turntable essential? They're big space hoggers, and if you don't have one at both ends then I'm not sure what use one is at one end.

 

If you just want one then that's a good enough reason to have one... 

 

You are essentially modelling an entire heritage line, so you might want to to consider all the facilities that might be provided. A double track one would be pretty well established too, so overhauls in a polytunnel are probably not in the agenda...

Edited May 17, 2020 by Zomboid

[Chilly]

9 minutes ago, Zomboid said:

And given that you mentioned a heritage operation, is a turntable essential? They're big space hoggers, and if you don't have one at both ends then I'm not sure what use one is at one end.

 

If you just want one then that's a good enough reason to have one... 

 

You are essentially modelling an entire heritage line, so you might want to to consider all the facilities that might be provided. A double track one would be pretty well established too, so overhauls in a polytunnel are probably not in the agenda...

I couldn't see another way of changing the facing direction of the loco's (which are all steam engines) without one really.

 

Updated board profile

[Zomboid]

9 minutes ago, Chilly said:

I couldn't see another way of changing the facing direction of the loco's (which are all steam engines) without one really

Many lines don't bother, and others can do it via a low loader. With only one turntable on the line then every engine has to run 50% of the time tender or bunker first.

 

In a way it's a shame the edges are so long, as it puts the turntable a relatively long way away from the stations...

[Chilly]

7 minutes ago, Zomboid said:

Many lines don't bother, and others can do it via a low loader. With only one turntable on the line then every engine has to run 50% of the time tender or bunker first.

 

In a way it's a shame the edges are so long, as it puts the turntable a relatively long way away from the stations...

Would there be room to put it near the bottom station?

 

Maybe lose the middle rail at the bottom terminus and shift the inner rail to where it was that would create a bit more space that might work?

Edited May 17, 2020 by Chilly

[Chimer]

Here's a very quick and dirty alternative thought for the top station ….. bit of a shuffle to get into the depot.  You could use two points instead of the slip if you preferred.  If you used this you might not want another depot at the bottom.

 

 

Edit to say sorry my turntable looks like the virus - it just lets me attach tracks to it from any direction.

Edited May 17, 2020 by Chimer

[Harlequin]

1 hour ago, Zomboid said:

Many lines don't bother, and others can do it via a low loader. With only one turntable on the line then every engine has to run 50% of the time tender or bunker first.

 

In a way it's a shame the edges are so long, as it puts the turntable a relatively long way away from the stations...

 

If there was no turntable at all then engines would run bunker/tender first exactly 50% of the time also... Hmmm...

Makes you wonder whether one turntable is worth the effort!

 

[Zomboid]

13 minutes ago, Harlequin said:

 

If there was no turntable at all then engines would run bunker/tender first exactly 50% of the time also... Hmmm...

Makes you wonder whether one turntable is worth the effort!

 

Exactly what I meant. Unless one station is a FY and manual handling/ loco lift is permitted.

 

If it were me and I wanted to do a heritage line then I wouldn't have a TT, but since neither of those are true...

[Chris116]

My plans for my own layout which has a heritage railway is that there will be no turntable. Most of my steam locos are tank engines but the few tender engines will run tender first half the time.

[Chilly]

Thanks chaps.

 

Chimer it does have a resemblance 

 

I am now thinking bearing in mind that the wife is crap at wiring  that the turntable will be beyond me I mean her so looking at V6 above without turntable, however, where  can I "park" the non running locos (apart from the floor) I have 10 steam loco's, the non-running coaches appear to be able to reside on the top section 3 branch ?

 

Without the turntable does the layout flow as in switching loco's from the front of the coaches to the rear of the coaches and then hauling them back?

 

Looks like front steam loco's detail will need to be restricted as they will be hauling backwards but we all make compromises as the wife tells me, often. 

 

By the way you lot have been brilliant 

[Jeff Smith]

The Glyn Valley Tramway had turntables at both terminii because the tank locos were required to run cab-first.  This rule was not always followed and the 4-6-0 Baldwin was too long so never got turned!

[Zomboid]

18 minutes ago, Chilly said:

where  can I "park" the non running locos (apart from the floor) I have 10 steam loco's, the non-running coaches appear to be able to reside on the top section 3 branch ?

Make one station laid out like Loughborough Central - a former through station with the loco yard beyond on the former main line formation?

[Chilly]

1 hour ago, Zomboid said:

Make one station laid out like Loughborough Central - a former through station with the loco yard beyond on the former main line formation?

I see where  your going with this back to Scarm I go, I am so glad I am going through this process as it is helping me avoid a lot of future problems and see the possibilities.

 

Thanks 

[Chimer]

2 hours ago, Chilly said:

I am now thinking bearing in mind that the wife is crap at wiring  that the turntable will be beyond me I mean her so looking at V6 above without turntable, however, where  can I "park" the non running locos (apart from the floor) I have 10 steam loco's, the non-running coaches appear to be able to reside on the top section 3 branch ?

 

That's why people designing something for this shape would usually have a station at one end and a fiddle yard at the other.  You have space for a moderate terminus top right (with a TT if you want one ), a titchy through station bottom left and a five track fiddle yard bottom right.  Spare locos can live in loco lifts on a shelf above the fiddle yard baseboard.