Baseboard Section Advice

[Jeff Smith]

Here's my two pennyworth.  After two layouts, presumably using fixed geometry setrack, it's time to move to Streamline with the increased point options and flexitrack.  You would be progressing from the train set look to more natural looking curves and formations.  Try to avoid track that is parallel to the baseboard edge, and to all the other track.  If you were to skew the layout to start at the lower rh corner (on your diagram) and  aim towards th upper lh corner.  Aim to have no more than two tracks curving around to the fiddle yard with about a six track sector plate.  This will give you longer fiddle yard tracks and if using DCC could house several locos on each.

[DCB]

2 hours ago, burtos said:

Hi David

 

The length of the layout is 12ft long and 3ft wide, with a 4ft by 2ft section used as the fiddle yard.  So will have 2x 6ft by 3 ft boards and 1x 4ft by 2ft.

 

I've tweaked the station now, so its more of a small terminus station, to hold 2 x 2 coach DMU's

 

Ive put more sidings within the fiddle yard also 

 

 

Hi    I liked the Mk1 better!

[ITG]

Have to say the flow of traffic to/from FY roads is somewhat convoluted. Traffic on middle 3 roads can only go to loco area. Traffic from station cannot access outer FY roads both L & R. Unless a lot of to and fro.

Not sure why it was necessary to have a double length run round spur (for double headers) that has now disappeared in favour of only running short DMUs. That limits usage of any other passenger traffic.

Fair enough if this plan is primarily to build, and play value secondary. But - and you may be happy with this - it just doesn’t look realistic.  And for many folk, not operationally realistic either. So perhaps no need to worry about what a TMD would contain.

But it is yours, so good luck and enjoy.

Edited April 15, 2021 by ITG

[Zomboid]

I don't know the first thing about loco depot's, so you could have a realistic plan there for all I know.

 

However looking at the Google Earth pictures for Ipswich, Southampton, Toton, Kingmoor and Mossend doesn't immediately come up with anything that particularly resembles what you've drawn.

 

Ultimately if it's all about the build then maybe it doesn't matter too much anyway, but there's a lot of enjoyment to be had from researching these things in my experience.

[burtos]

let me have a re think and ill come back with some updated plan, probably be in set track first just to get the concept up, than maybe re do the layout plan in streamline 

[burtos]

Bit of rethink

 

Pushed the station to the front with a single track loop going to the fiddle yard on the small baseboard. Than created a 2nd entrance and exit along the track as well also with a resting area, so a engine can leave the TMD whilst another one comes in.  

 

The first entrance and exit is now separate and has its own part of the fiddle yard. 

 

I've made the wash plants and fuel depot both incoming and outcoming, but also a loco can come in for refuel and than out after a wash. 

 

it may look over done, but i sort of like the way it is at the moment, could have some more tweaking and improvements though.

 

the track is set track at the moment but i'll try and plan it with streamline track and see how it looks. 

 

 

 

[Jeff Smith]

This is a great improvement, still parallel to the baseboard edge though but I am into esthetics....

 

If ever you wanted to run loco hauled passenger services you will need a loco escape loop, it least on one platform face, preferably the one on the depot side by extending the loop already on the main line.

[Zomboid]

4 hours ago, Jeff Smith said:

ever you wanted to run loco hauled passenger services you will need a loco escape loop, it least on one platform face, preferably the one on the depot side by extending the loop already on the main line.

This is supposedly post 2000, so any loco hauled passenger trains would most likely be push/pull or top & tailed.

[burtos]

19 hours ago, Jeff Smith said:

This is a great improvement, still parallel to the baseboard edge though but I am into esthetics....

 

If ever you wanted to run loco hauled passenger services you will need a loco escape loop, it least on one platform face, preferably the one on the depot side by extending the loop already on the main line.

Probably only be 1 or 2 coach dmu's I'll be running to the station.  It just going to be a small branch station 

Edited April 17, 2021 by burtos

[TonyMay]

 

Given how short the fiddle-yard needs to be here (not very), having the tracks turn round a 90-degree corner is not needed.  Putting the fiddle yard where it turns the corner is seems more logical to me.

[burtos]

48 minutes ago, TonyMay said:

 

Given how short the fiddle-yard needs to be here (not very), having the tracks turn round a 90-degree corner is not needed.  Putting the fiddle yard where it turns the corner is seems more logical to me.

hi Tony

 

You've just made me re-check the length of the fiddle yard and I'm 300mm short in my baseboard length on scarm, in what I was planning so I have a bit more room to play with now.  

 

So i have extended the tracks going into the fiddle yard, but should get at least 2 locos on each siding within the fiddle yard.

 

Now comes the what track to use question. The layout plan is in Hornby and I presume peco 100 should virtually be the same setup, its whether I go with peco 75 streamline or not.  

 

The black line is the back scene and was thinking of putting a motorway or main road going over either 2 or 3 bridges. 

 

Edited April 17, 2021 by burtos

[ITG]

5 minutes ago, burtos said:

 

Now comes the what track to use question. The layout plan is in Hornby and I presume peco 100 should virtually be the same setup, its whether I go with peco 75 streamline or not

Hornby set track has almost identical geometry to Peco Set track (which is code 100). Peco 100 Streamline is flexi track, as, of course, is Peco code 75. But I think code 100 streamline has a greater variety of point configurations, maybe?
 But if you decide to use flexi track, and maximise points radii, then you’ll need to replan the layout, as all Peco streamline (codes 100 & 75) points are larger radii than Peco/Hornby set track, Also, track centres will be 50mm with flexi track points versus 67mm with set track. Thus flexi track has the potential to significantly alter the appearance.

Some stock of an older variety may not like code 75, which again may affect your choices. 

[burtos]

2 hours ago, ITG said:

Hornby set track has almost identical geometry to Peco Set track (which is code 100). Peco 100 Streamline is flexi track, as, of course, is Peco code 75. But I think code 100 streamline has a greater variety of point configurations, maybe?
 But if you decide to use flexi track, and maximise points radii, then you’ll need to replan the layout, as all Peco streamline (codes 100 & 75) points are larger radii than Peco/Hornby set track, Also, track centres will be 50mm with flexi track points versus 67mm with set track. Thus flexi track has the potential to significantly alter the appearance.

Some stock of an older variety may not like code 75, which again may affect your choices. 

Thanks ITG

 

I'm quite familiar with using Hornby track as I've used it in my previous 2 layouts. So use to what each piece  of track can do. With the peco streamline it would be a whole new experience.  

[ITG]

1 hour ago, burtos said:

Thanks ITG

 

I'm quite familiar with using Hornby track as I've used it in my previous 2 layouts. So use to what each piece  of track can do. With the peco streamline it would be a whole new experience.  

I can only quote my own experience..... I restarted in this hobby in OO some 2 years ago. Because I was familiar with set track, I began with that, but very quickly converted to streamline flexi. I retained some set track curves for hidden bends, as easier to position than flexi, but the far greater variety of points (configurations and radii) was just a no-contest once I’d planned the track that way. Track centres spacing also looks far better, less like a train set. You can mix Peco set track and code 100 streamline perfectly. So may be FY points could be set track if you wanted (or already have them). Large diesels and coaches look so much better negotiating Streamline points. It really isn’t a huge step. But choice is yours.

Edit - I actually think Hornby track fits with Streamline, but have no direct experience.

Edited April 17, 2021 by ITG

[Jeff Smith]

If you didn't already know, Peco Streamline templates are available on Peco's website.  I just checked and it looks like you have to go to each turnout and download the pdf.  You will also need fishplates, including some insulated (nylon) ones.

 

Also in your latest plan I would put the scenic break before the curves into the fiddle yards as these are not prototype curves.....

[burtos]

done the layout as streamline, definitely a lot shallower points angle than set track.

 

 

now i have an issue highlighted below, where i cant get the cross rail to fit in the setup i want.  just wondering if i need to use any other track piece

 

 

 

[Zomboid]

The long diamond (or single/double slip) will do that, but what purpose does the crossing serve there anyway? It feels a bit unlikely.

[burtos]

its to allow out going locos to go to the 2nd wash plant. which is the middle track the top track is for incoming locos that require the wash plant and the bottom track is for locos that dont need either

I have added in the long diamond piece, but get a gap on the bottom between the 2 points. but would fill that with a bit of flexi track. 

[Zomboid]

So when a loco arrives, the sequence is fuel, wash, park? Or something else?

[burtos]

That is one scenario and mixture of others aswell   (wash only, depot fix, fuel than final wash)

 

I don't know why but im still leaning towards the set track layout setup as it looks more spread out and not squashed like the peco 75, i probably just need to get use to how shallow the angles are on the points which than push the track further along the baseboard

[ITG]

16 minutes ago, burtos said:

That is one scenario and mixture of others aswell   (wash only, depot fix, fuel than final wash)

 

I don't know why but im still leaning towards the set track layout setup as it looks more spread out and not squashed like the peco 75, i probably just need to get use to how shallow the angles are on the points which than push the track further along the baseboard

Depends on whether you want prototypical track spacing or not. You can always adjust it to wider in areas like wash plant by inserting short pieces of (set track) track. It might look squashed on paper, but I suspect that’s to your eyes only because you’re used to set track, as to me, it looks much better. And will do when on a board, imho. 
To be clear, you quote Peco 75, but is it that ....... or Code 100 flexi you’re considering. If the latter, you can mix and match with set track.

PErsonally, I’d be tempted to angle the engine sidings downwards towards the bottom right, to break the parallel lines effect, and would that allow the wash plant area to skew slightly towards bottom left? That would also make a different alignment towards the inner FY.

[burtos]

Hi ITG

 

IT will be peco 75 and its flexi track equivalent, so did the tweak you suggested, but cant really get the wash plants to an angle as  i think they well start to encroach the FY a bit too much. Maybe when on the actual baseboard i could tweak it further., to try and get some sort of angle going. 

[Dungrange]

3 hours ago, burtos said:

its to allow out going locos to go to the 2nd wash plant. which is the middle track the top track is for incoming locos that require the wash plant and the bottom track is for locos that don't need either

I have added in the long diamond piece, but get a gap on the bottom between the 2 points. but would fill that with a bit of flexi track. 

 

The alternative to filling that gap with flexitrack would be to adopt a larger radius point.  I think if you swap the SL-E192 for the large radius equivalent, then you'll eliminate the gap.

 

I think the issue that I have with this concept is "why do you have a relatively large locomotive depot at the end of a DMU only branch line?"