Small loop and a shelf layout ideas

[Zomboid]

I imagine I'm continuing to mostly amuse myself, but nonetheless I have had a play about in an attempt to come up with a former junction station, now in sadly reduced circumstances, using the Hornby set track which seems to be the OPs preference (I think something better would be doable with peco streamline, but that's a different issue). The geometry with the "express" points was a nice surprise, but there's still a fair amount of cutting straights/ flex to length required.

 

As a bonus, I've shown a second way to get the double junction type thing in handed the other way. Using that there's more space behind the station for sidings, but it has to have a facing connection.

The headshunt has space for a DMU to sneak off scene, but you can't use it as a headshunt at the same time unless the DMU in question is a bubblecar.

 

If you want to forego the DMU sneak-off then you can add a trailing crossover by the junction, which was quite a common thing, like this:

Edited October 15, 2020 by Zomboid

[Zomboid]

OK, last one for a while.

Fancy a double track approach?

[Reg81]

Really interesting thanks! I think the single track approach works best for me, as I like the extra sidings around the loop it brings. 

 

Regarding Peco streamline points - I think I'm keen to stick with Hornby because it's what I'm familiar with and have some lying around anyway, but as I need to get more points and I've made some headway into understanding Peco's bewildering array of track systems, I'm probably less adverse to trying some Peco ones than I was at the start of this thread! If I'm reading this right, a few strategically placed Peco Streamline points will simplify some arrangements and free up a little space (as the tracks are closer together), but I have to be careful about the aesthetics of mixing? 

 

 

 

 

[Flying Pig]

16 minutes ago, Reg81 said:

If I'm reading this right, a few strategically placed Peco Streamline points will simplify some arrangements and free up a little space (as the tracks are closer together), but I have to be careful about the aesthetics of mixing? 

 

A major difference between Streamline and Hornby points is the angle the diverging tracks make.  You need to be careful in how you mix them for that reason, but @Zomboid has already done that work for you in his plans.  For ease of connection, you will probably want to choose Code 100 Streamline, which matches the rail in Hornby track. 

 

 

[Dungrange]

43 minutes ago, Reg81 said:

A few strategically placed Peco Streamline points will simplify some arrangements and free up a little space (as the tracks are closer together), but I have to be careful about the aesthetics of mixing?

 

In an aesthetic sense, there is not a huge difference between Peco and Hornby track, but you will need to ensure that if you're mixing them, that you use the Peco Code 100 range.  The Code is the height of the rail in thousandths of an inch, so with Code 100 the rails are 0.1" high.  That is the height of the Hornby rails.  That is a bit over scale (scale track would be Code 75 for bullhead rail or Code 82 / 83 for modern flat bottom rail).  It would be possible to lay the station using closer to scale track and Peco produce transition sections, but if you want to use some Hornby track in the station area, then I'd recommend using Code 100 track throughout.

 

With regards track centres, scaling down the prototype, two tracks should be a little under 45 mm apart (albeit that is a minimum) and the Peco Streamline range uses a track spacing of, I think, 2" (ie 50.8 mm).  However, whilst this places the tracks slightly further apart than in the full sized railway, it's much more realistic than the 67 mm spacing from the Hornby set-track geometry, which is determined by the need to avoid stock traversing R1 and R2 curves coming into contact.  Using streamline geometry would allow you to fit a little more in and should also look more realistic (especially for the relatively straight track on the panhandle). 

Edited October 16, 2020 by Dungrange

[Dungrange]

41 minutes ago, Flying Pig said:

A major difference between Streamline and Hornby points is the angle the diverging tracks make. 

 

That is a good point that is worth highlighting and perhaps requires further explanation, just in case it's not obvious.  With the Hornby points, the curved part of the point is a 22.5 degree segment of a circle, so you could effectively join 16 of them to form a full circle of second radius track.  However, when placing the Hornby points in a crossover formation, this means that the stock turns through 22.5 degrees before turning back with a curve of opposite hand (in the direction of travel).  The two points used to form the crossover are the same hand.

 

Changing to the Peco streamline turnouts, the diverging angle is just 12 degrees, so when trains are driven through the crossover formed from Peco streamline, they are following a much smoother path, which of course looks better.

 

Therefore, whilst you could still use a mix of Hornby and Peco streamline points in the station area, you'd need to ensure that where you have a crossover or other formation, that you use the same track throughout.  For example, all of your junctions and run round loops could be Peco streamline to get smoother geometry, but you could use a spare Hornby point in your sidings where the diverging angle doesn't need to be consistent with anything else.

[Reg81]

Cheers. Interesting... so yeah using them on the panhandle straight section was my first thought, but they do make the loop on the loop a lot neater... I'd wondered what sort of station platform could fit the noticeably wide gap that's there at the moment, but streamlines make it much neater. OK, sold on the idea of using a few them!

[Chimer]

I don't think anyone's mentioned this yet, so for completeness - Peco Set-track uses basically the same geometry as Hornby for its curves and points.