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A dutch shunting layout in 6'


Wherry Lines
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Hello all.

 

First off, I feel I must start with an apology for my prolonged absence from RMWeb. I've had a very busy period of time with work and a house move, so railway modelling took a back seat. My N gauge layout has not seen the light of day for about a year and to be honest, I have lost enthusiasm for it. When I started work on in about 4-5 years ago, TMD's were a much less common theme for a layout. How times have changed!

 

Anyway, onto the topic of this thread. A recent visit to the Netherlands led to the discovery a couple of excellent model shops in Arnhem and Utrecht. I was not planning to buy anything, but chanced across a second hand, but unopened Roco 2400 in NS yellow and grey. Well, that was it! This opened the flood gates and I returned with a compost wagon and a pair of of Roco describe as 'sliding wall wagons'. A layout must be built! 

 

The plan is a development from one of my numerous doodlings from over the years. It is not really inspired by any particular location, although the name comes from a street in Arnhem around the industrial area near the river - which is still rail-served to an extent. I wanted to include a double-slip, but I am not sure whether this would be feasible in the space I have. The scenic part of the layout is 6' 5" x 2" and can accommodate a train of 3 compost wagons in the run-round loop. I have measured siding lengths and checked the loop on a full print out to check clearances etc. 

 

Originally, I wanted to include the following scenic features: a VAM overlaadstation (a over-rail loading facility for VAM compost wagons), a small dockside with a dutch river freight barge, a siding for the loading of van traffic and a gas-works. However, in the space I have, I will have to lose either the gas works or the dockside unless someone is able to suggest a workable solution! Is/was gas carried by a river barge in the Netherlands?

 

Anyway, here is the plan:

post-8098-0-20155200-1409044967_thumb.jpg

 

And here is the xtrkcad file if anyone wishes to play around with it:

Dutch Plan 3.xtc

 

I am fairly happy with the plan, but if anyone can post any glaring errors relating to my plan and dutch prototype then I am open to suggestions!

 

Edited by Si_berian_tiger
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Thank you for your input, Dutch_Master.

 

I have found it quite tricky to find the information I would like regarding aspects of the dutch rail system. I have a limited, but developing knowledge of dutch! Are you aware of any particularly useful websites or books regarding rail freight? I have managed  to locate some information regarding VAM loading facilities in Wijster, along with quite an attractive looking brick building in Zaandvort.  I think I will forego the gas-works, which will allow inclusion of a quayside siding complete with suitable vessel. This should allow a more varied selection of wagons to be used. 

 

Regarding the 3-way point, I hadn't noticed it was not asymmetrical. I am intending to use Peco code 75 track, which features the an asymmetrical 3-way. I suspect I used the wrong track in xtrkcad, so I am going to print another full size plan  along with Peco's Code 75 templates and see what I can come up with. 

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  • 3 months later...

There hasn't been too much progress on this (other than a gradual increase in appropriate stock) to the annoying inconvenience of a new school year! Still, I have 2 weeks off coming up and my attention has begun to return to this project. I have slightly reduced the size of the boards to make it a little easier to move round. I am now looking at a pair of scenic boards of  about 3' by 1' 7" (90cm by 50cm).

 

Having mulled over my ideas, I have decided that in the space I have I can only model one main form of traffic. I have settled on modelling part of a VAM compost loading facility with an over-track loading bulding based on the ones found at Delft and Schiedam. This will also act as a view block for the inevitable hole in the sky. 

 

This is my latest track plan for your perusal, suggestions and mutilation!

.post-8098-0-10657100-1418767725.jpg

 

 

Dutch plan V4.xtc

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If you find a Dutch laguage forum you shuold be able to post questions in English - something like 90% of Dutch people can speak English to a good degree.

 

Likewise, you should probably learn to read Dutch - which isn't too hard for Anglophones.  Both are Germanic languages and the grammar is similar, although most Dutch words are like German ones rather than English which has picked up a lot of French words.  Learn the key railway-related vocab and don't worry too much about words you don't understand - read for gist.

 

If you're still stuck, Google translate can do a good job because of the similiarities.  you don't need a perfect translation to be able to understand the gist of what they're saying.

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I have looked on rolandrail but I haven't found anything of use as it focuses on the present day. I will be modelling a period around 1990. I have found several photographs which may well be of use though. One location which may offer a way forward is the brick constructed loader which was at Zandfoort.

 

The advantages of this is the over bridge ( a rarity in the Netherlands!) connected to the building which was the access road for rubbish trucks to unload into the buidling and compost wagons. The building can be seen around the centre of this image (VAM_4_1.jpg) with the road directly behind it. This would provide a suitable view block as well. The other advantage is it will result in extra shunting! This is how a possible model could turn out VAM_zandvoort_1.jpg

 

If I choose this route, then I envisage a rake of empty wagons being bought in by a 2200, 2400 or 6400, which would depart either light engined or with full wagons. A 'sick' or an 500/600 shunter would then be employed in the necessary shunting work. It should make the planning of a reasonable track plan feasible.

 

Tony - luckily, I have family living in the Helmond area of the Netherlands so have been learning dutch as I go along. I am about to do a course via the University of Groningen in dutch too. 

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Simon, the images are deeplink-protected and cannot be seen by us.

Damn. I'm on my phone now, so I'll see if I can a suitable image or two from Flickr instead.

Thank you for the suggestions, dutch_master. I'll have a look round over the next few days to see what I can find.

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Thanks to dutch_master for offering suggestions of information sources, I came across beneluxrailways.co.uk. Within, I found a page on Zandvoort and a schematic track plan off the station and yard. It would appear the area directly around the VAM building is of fairy simple design http://www.beneluxrailways.co.uk/NS%20Station%20Zandvoort.htm (the map is towards the bottom of the page).

 

Oddly though, the map does not seem to tie up with the images I have of the area. I have a couple of images which clearly show an over bridge of some sort with track leading underneath it beyond the VAM building, which is at odds with the track map.

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Perhaps the photo you have, isn't from Zandvoort after all.

 

This did cross my mind too, so I did a little more digging and have found a few more photos. They all tie up with being Zandvoort (I have a couple facing the other way, showing the curve towards the main freight yard and I have some taken looking over the top of the platform canopies showing the yard. The track layouts all tie up and match the schematic plan for the area too. Unfortunately, none of them clearly show the bridge, but I have looked carefully at track alignments and come to the conclusion that there was a bridge next to the VAM loading building, but that no track was laid underneath. I wonder whether the bridge was built in case the there was a need to extend the line to other industries at a later date.

 

Still, since merely using Zandvoort as an inspiration, I can make use of a rare feature of the Netherlands as the ideal scenic break! I will, however, reference the location for the layout name.

 

If I am correct, Zandvoort translate roughly as Sandfort or Sandford, so I would like to use the 'Zand' part of the name, but wondered about using parts of another area to create a name which at least gives a clue at the intended location. So far, I have come up with:

 

 

Zandveld (Sandfield)  - this one uses part of a nearby village called Bentveld.

 

However, my dutch isn't yet at a level where I am sure this is a feasible names. 

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Thank you for the advice, Dutch_Master. Much appreciated as always.

 

I started by drawing the actual track plan into a space of 6' x 1' 6" (182cm x 45cm approx) at its widest point. Then began rearranging the track to suit my location, ensuring that sidings were suitable lengths and that the headshunt was long enough for a 2400 + a little bit of wiggle room.

Essentially, I have removed the spur which links the VAM sidings to the main yard and made the running line come in under the overbridge which is next to the VAM building, swapped a siding to the other side of the yard (and added an extra one) to add a little more play value. The run round loop is long enough to hold 3 VAM wagons.

 

post-8098-0-63184900-1419187372.jpg

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I've been looking at the plan I created in a previous post, but decided that I wasn't keen on the double siding towards the back of the board. Once again, I referred back to the prototype to see what I could do.

 

I have come up with three variations of the same plan, just with sidings in slightly different places and the plan flipped round.

 

Plan 1 is similar to the prototype, except for the use of a assymetric 3-way for space reasons, which puts the siding near the VAM building on the prototype next ot the building on the model. There is one additional siding towards to front of the layout.

post-8098-0-01018300-1419244710.jpg

 

Plan 2 has the VAM building near the baseboard edge, with 2 sidings towards the back of the board. This reduces the view of the trains as they appear from under a bridge and then behind the VAM building. I'm not sure if this is good or not with such a small layout.

post-8098-0-32191300-1419244713.jpg

 

 

Plan 3 addresses the issue as it combine elements of both plan 1 and 2, except from being flipped horizontally. Somehow, I'm not so keen on this version! I think the problem is with the siding towards the front of the layout on the right hand side...

post-8098-0-87918000-1419244715.jpg

 

In each plan, you will notice that I have either added a subtle curve or rotated the plan a couple of degrees from the horizontal - an idea I've stolen from the Iain Rice school of layout planning.

 

I plan to have a subtle curve to the front of the layout to avoid the rectangular look as well as a curved backscene.

Edited by Si_berian_tiger
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  • 3 years later...

Good evening all.

Well, a long time as past since my last post on here. A lot has happened in that time. I purchased my first home 3 years ago and have been busy renovating it. Naturally, this has severely impacted on modelling time.

Whilst tidying up the other day, I came across a cardboard box containing my HO dutch stock and some hand-drawn track plans (which are also shown above in earlier posts).

I've been pondering over them recently and decided that I'm not keen on any of them. Cue much searching, looking at prototype track plans, plans in books and on here of course! I came across an interesting plan by Iain Rice on Google (an extract of a book with a 3d plan). I wondered whether Nick (Doctor Quinn) used the same Rice plan for 
Industrivej?

​I have created two versions of the plan, one with  a 'double track' exit and another with a single exit to a fiddle yard. With the single track plan, any 'running around' would take place using the loop on the board, whereas on the double track plan, running round stock could be done on the layout, or using the fiddle yard.  The main traffic on the layout would be VAM compost wagons, with some van traffic as an extra interest - possibly loading and unloading at a warehouse of some sort (modelled in low or half relief). The spur on the lower right of both plans would have an overhead loading building for the compost wagons and also form a good scenic break.

It's worth pointing out that the plans are for a 6' x 1' 6" scenic area.

 

post-8098-0-12811600-1534457168_thumb.jpg

post-8098-0-96481700-1534457308_thumb.jpg

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Hi Simon,

 

Glad to see your project moving forward and the two possible plans look good. My only suggestion from experience with Industrivej would be to leave as much on scene headshunt before the scenic break to keep the loco on view while it's working the top Sidings.

 

You might be interested in this firm that make resin buildings.

 

https://www.facebook.com/pg/ALSACAST/notes/?ref=page_internal

 

 

 

Thanks for the namecheck, I don't think I consciously followed a particular Ian Rice plan but I have been reading his articles since his East Suffolk days so something stuck, we do stand on the shoulders of giants.

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Good evening all.

 

Well, a long time as past since my last post on here. A lot has happened in that time. I purchased my first home 3 years ago and have been busy renovating it. Naturally, this has severely impacted on modelling time.

Whilst tidying up the other day, I came across a cardboard box containing my HO dutch stock and some hand-drawn track plans (which are also shown above in earlier posts).

 

I've been pondering over them recently and decided that I'm not keen on any of them. Cue much searching, looking at prototype track plans, plans in books and on here of course! I came across an interesting plan by Iain Rice on Google (an extract of a book with a 3d plan). I wondered whether Nick (Doctor Quinn) used the same Rice plan for Industrivej?

 

​I have created two versions of the plan, one with  a 'double track' exit and another with a single exit to a fiddle yard. With the single track plan, any 'running around' would take place using the loop on the board, whereas on the double track plan, running round stock could be done on the layout, or using the fiddle yard.  The main traffic on the layout would be VAM compost wagons, with some van traffic as an extra interest - possibly loading and unloading at a warehouse of some sort (modelled in low or half relief). The spur on the lower right of both plans would have an overhead loading building for the compost wagons and also form a good scenic break.

 

It's worth pointing out that the plans are for a 6' x 1' 6" scenic area.

Looks good. Assuming FY to the right.  I guess single track one could use cassettes but probably double track version needs traverser.  Or maybe a crossover in the FY.  No law to say you cant have a crossover on a traverser deck either come to think of it

post-21665-0-46155000-1534513377.png

post-21665-0-17926500-1534513379.png

post-21665-0-87343900-1534513381.png

Edited by DavidCBroad
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Good evening all.

 

I wondered whether Nick (Doctor Quinn) used the same Rice plan for Industrivej?

 

 

If you can emulate the success of Nick's layout, albeit im a Dutch setting, then you won't go far wrong! I am huge Dano-phile and love the country, the culture and the railways, so Industrivej is one of my favourite layouts on RM Web :)

 

Pleased to read of your ideas and potential progress towards realising a Dutch-based layout. It will certainly be something a bit different to the norm so I look forward to following.

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Another site that may be of interest is Op Dood Spoor, which features now closed branches in the Netherlands. The website owner walks most if not all of them and at least one used to serve a VAM loading point though you'll need to browse the site to find it.

 

http://www.arthurkamminga.nl/doodspoor/index1doodspoor.html

 

All the best

 

Nick

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If you can emulate the success of Nick's layout.

 

Thanks for the words of encouragement. I'll be pleased with myself if my end result is half as good at Nick's.

 

Nick, that website is a goldmine of useful information! It's not one I've come across, but certainly very useful for choosing suitable buildings.

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You might be interested in this firm that make resin buildings.

 

https://www.facebook.com/pg/ALSACAST/notes/?ref=page_internal

 

 

Thanks to Nick for alerting me to the range of resin buildings made by Alsacast, I have now ordered their kit of the VAM 'overlaadstation' found at Harlingen.  I've also thought about the name of the layout. Originally, it was to be based around the Zandvoort area, but I'm now thinking of keeping it around the Harlingen area. There is a road very close to the site of the former VAM facility called 'Westerzeedijk' and I wondered about using the name Westerdijk. I'd like to use a dutch sounding name, whilst avoiding using real places.

 

I am unlikely to make much more progress on the layout until I have constructed the Alsacast kit, but I have printed out a full-size plan of the layout to get an idea of whether it's workable.

 

post-8098-0-36528700-1534803881_thumb.jpg

This is the right - side of the layout. The pair of green VAM wagons are on the siding where I plan to locate the loader building (where it can also act as a viewblocker for the hole in the backscene). The 2400 and short train have entered the layout and are on the loop. 

 

post-8098-0-32948700-1534804032_thumb.jpg

This is the left end of the layout. I envisage the backscene containing some sort of goods building or rail-served warehouse which receives and send out freight using vans.  The other two sidings are most likely to going to be spare spurs for holding various wagons and the like. 

 

 

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