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Multi Period end of sidings shunting puzzle


woodenhead
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I am thinking about a second layout to sit alongside my (stalled ahem) Chester Northgate-ish N gauge layout.

 

Part of this is a desire not to waste my OO stuff in a box, part of this is a reaction to the bereavement of my sister and a realisation I myself am not getting any younger so having stuff in a box for later is not really a sensible plan.

 

I want something I can use more than one time period and location, so I can use a little bit of this and a little bit of that and stir things up when I feel like it, so scenics will be basic as will buildings.

 

I plan to sell some of my OO stock, likely to be most of the SR stuff because what I am planning doesn't fit with it and to be honest I remain more attached to my GWR OO stock than my SR stuff though even some of that should probably go too (I am talking to you Dapol streamlined railcar).

 

The trackplan I've arrived at so far looks like this, in my mind it can be a few different things without too much change, main board is 30cm by 180, second board 40 x 50 and then there will be an additional plank sticking out as the fiddleyard.

 

image.png.b2455145bea0663b1e5f7d82cdf8a67a.png

 

The line through the centre is the arrival / departure line - 3rd radius - important.  Loops either side are double ended sidings.

 

The gap between the track at the bottom is deliberate - I am thinking of an embankment /  platform in between maybe (or maybe not).

 

But this would work in GW days - sort of Forest of Dean style and I have stock and engines for this.  Second era is BR blue, with the sidings representing a spur away from the main, perhaps just off from some larger sorting sidings, locos from the main yard could stable in the lowest line and loop, the second line might be wagon repairs, the third wagon storage and the top line / loop a nice area to unload wagons, steel trains come to mind and other wagonload stuff shunted by an 08.

 

The final option is the out there version - US Short line end of spur, Geeps and wagon load 50 foot cars.

 

In none of the options am I expecting sweeping trains to arrive, it's going to be a couple of slow shunted wagons arriving from the main sorting sidings to be (un)loaded, loco stabling (no fueling or maintenance, just waiting next turn of duty).

 

The idea here is to put this above my office desk, which can be pulled out slightly to make space without leaving a massive gap to the wall and I get a variety of traction types to keep the interest.

 

What do people think?

 

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Nice plan, and certainly makes good use of the space. 

A niggle to me is that the tracks which are most suitable for loading/unloading are also the ones which you need to keep partly clear to use the run-round loops. 

I also think the three parallel tracks are too close together for realistic use for wagon repairs - there wouldn’t be space to work safely clear of movements on the adjacent line. 

I’l mull it over a little more, but I am wondering whether one of those three tracks (probably the middle one) should be shortened. 

 

For the multiple era/continent concept you probably don’t want too much scenery beyond grass, hardstanding and maybe some platforms. So using most of the board for track does make sense in that way. Bit how are your cargoes going to be loaded/unloaded? Steel would require a largish crane, or in more modern times a heavy-duty forklift. 

 

I’m not meaning to criticise, just playing devil’s advocate a bit to help to optimise the plan. 

 

Mol

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@Mol_PMB  Whilst my N gauge is using Grainge and Hodder baseboards, I might return to 2x1 and ply for this OO effort.  It will allow me to be more nuanced as to how I shape this around my desk, so the bottom two tracks can be positioned at an angle which will also break up the parallel lines of the board.

 

I actually wasn't anticipating any run rounds so the point on the top line could actually be dropped, splitting that track into two seperate sidings which is what I actually envisage them as.  I am thinking of the line that left East Usk yard to Uskmouth that was worked late on by propelling movements from East Usk, so any arrivals would be propelled in by a shunter.  The bottom point remains as it's an alternative route to stabling bo-bo locomotives, any co-cos will remain at the end of the bottom track on the main board so they don't stable with the bogies swung out wide.  Wouldn't mind a class 46 so again that would sit on the main board, not on the curve.

 

Removing that top point also adds the benefit that I can put in a dirt crossing across the tracks so that vehicles can access the gaps between the tracks from the hard standing at the back.

 

The back will be hard standing of some sort plus plenty of trees - did think of warehousing or suchlike but that then plants a scene and I am trying to avoid that.

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Wagon repairs would have to go ona siding witha wider interval - the one at top right away from the rest would be ideal for that purpose as it has plenty of room around it.  The rest is really a fairly simple sorting sidings arrangement which could prob vide hours of 'shunting fun interest'. although the line on bottom left could possibly be used for traffic handling or loco stabling. (Officially the other three sidings are too close together for loco stabling as they don't allow. sufficient safe space for loco prep).

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Sounds good. Spreading it out a bit would definitely give a more natural feel. In many goods yards, tracks were either spaced individually or in pairs, with plenty of space in between. The three tracks all close together just looks wrong. 

 

I wonder if there is some scope to introduce subtle variations in levels (only half an inch or so) just to make it look more natural than a flat board top. Perhaps one track slightly sunken so that the adjacent hardstanding is near ‘platform’ level with respect to the track. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

If its FOD why not just 4 parallel roads, 2 pairs at 44mm ish spacing with about 55 or 60mm between the pairs.  A set of sorting sidings.   It really was a shunting puzzle pre WW2 when the right empty wagons had to go to the right colliery, many Colliery liveried, with a few merchants wagons thrown in. Quite often there were not enough sidings to designate any one to a specific traffic and the yardmaster, or shunter's job was not to be envied. (  Outbound they were sorted elsewhere)  

BR Blue era needs most of the track ripped up and the rest covered with weeds with two sad looking rusty wagons abandoned there.

Short line sounds like fun.

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It's gone a bit quiet with the plan, I was meant to go out and buy the wood on Thursday, then Friday and then I started thinking again which is always bad.  I've tweaked the plan a little to offer more space between the sidings and dropped a point

image.png.5ce4371498aa60e45cd03fc0f7fe33b8.png

 

But there is a nagging feeling that I will build it the baseboard, lay the track and find I don't like it especially with blue diesels that will mostly trundle in, stop, trundle out.   As a Forest of Dean, I could parallel the tracks again and the shortness won't matter because it will all be short wheelbase 4 wheelers rather than longer wheelbase or bogie wagons in BR blue.

 

Then in the back of my mind is that I could also do something in N in the same space that might have more potential and I have a lot of N stuff still boxed up, especially wagons or a preserved line so I can run a mix of steam engines and green diesels.

 

So the space remains empty whilst I make up my mind on this, there's no rush apart from the artificial one I was setting myself to purchase a few blue diesels that are currently on or coming to the market and that might be a bad decision as they won't be cheap even if I sell some other stock to raise cash.

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