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Layout / Track Plan - advice (newbie!)


McC

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  • RMweb Gold

The clockwise issue was the main reason for scrapping version 1, though I much preferred the potential for operations around the terminus and liked the idea of a bit of a fiddle to hold the alternative stock...

 

YOu can just about see I branched off from the through station in the top left back into the station throat, so, in theory, goods trains could access the goods yard directly, and passenger trains could enter the station headshunt/carriage sidings, but would then have to back down into the platform...

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Hi McC

 

I think your older plan is great - I'd suggest maybe having the terminus at a slight angle and making a bit more of the approach roads. If it was me I'd be trying to work in a grade-separation for the loop rather than having it all flat to ease operation.

 

Incidentally I hope you don't think I'm being critical, I know from bitter experience how hard it is to make headway on a major project like this, which is why I'd recommend just getting some trains running as soon as poss. Your techniques for wiring, cutting and laying flexitrack etc. will all get better so start with non-scenic areas.

 

Good luck

SSE

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  • RMweb Gold

Hii SSE,

 

Cheers for that! I'm trying to figure how to can maintain the interest in the loop while working with the return loop.... I am keen to at least split things over two levels... trains on bridges do it for me :)

 

Loving the comment, feedback and criticism! I'm terified of getting stuck into this only to realise a few months of work and hundreds of pounds that I made a basic cock-up!

 

I can open up the station access, which will allow me another cross over, which fixes by issue of some platforms not having access to all roads....

 

I can then use the fiddle on the right as a return loop and a second return / reverse loop on the left in time? Is there anything I'd need to watch out for with that?

 

My key desire is to have trains able to run continuously and watch them go by, but my big interest is in the shunting and preparing trains, etc, in the terminus and goods yards, though I want some kind of industry and a second trough station to give trains 'somewhere to go' :)

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  • RMweb Gold

Ok, have done a quick edit of the original plan....

 

Adding two reverse loops at the dogbone ends, with the connection running underneath the terminus board...?

 

web.jpg?ver=13263797740001

 

This way the terminus is only 2 feet wide (I might add a few inches) which I can put a retaining wall in front of, with the right loop dropping down under the board and the left loop all at a lower level?

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Actually, I could add a shelf in front of the terminus, at the lower level on the left, and rising along the front with the track between walls / embankments, and still only add 6 inches to the depth to the back wall (making the very back sidings 2.5 feet to reach)?

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  • RMweb Premium

I'd stick to the 2ft width, but then I do have short arms. It will make general maintenance easier, and mean you are less likely to knock something you've put a lot of effort into.

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You seem to be thinking it through better now. It still needs some work but it is better to spend the time now rather than rush into building something that you will not be happy with in the long term.

 

I understand your problems with Loft shape and pitch. I can only say that my late brother had the same problems and went your route of having a very low layout - and regretted it later. His back hurt a lot!!!

 

Best, Pete.

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  • RMweb Gold

A keeps access simple and most boards to 2 feet or under in width...

 

B is also simple, needs a well bottom left but pushes the top board to nearly 3 feet wide...

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I keep looking at this and thinking 'MOOR STREET'... It's a completely new plan but I think would work well in the space you have as a concept. Take the current Bimingham Moor Street as a basis but mirror it (so the terminus lines are at the back) and run the tunnel lines into a dumbbell. Then add any extra facilities you want around the station. You can then take the other end of the station away into a second dumbbell via if you wanted a second small station. You could even take the Heritage line idea in as Moor Street is a station which actually is used regularly by steam locomotives (it even has a proper water tower!!!) during the summer.

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On plan A you have a small shed complex next to the big grey bit. All the point work leading into this is facing. You just wouldn't see this on the real railway.

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  • RMweb Gold

Ok, latest version with boards indicated....

 

What I like with this is that I have a lot of operational flexibility, and I can build in clean sections, with the terminus, fiddle and secondary loops all do-able over time in pieces...

 

web.jpg?ver=13264622890001

 

With this plan, the bottom left drops down so that the two tunnels at the top of the reverse loop pass under the terminus board to loop around and back. This also gives me bridges at two different heights on the left...

 

Any glaring omissions before I crack into the terminus boards ? :):)

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A couple of suggestions coming up.

 

post-163-0-93309500-1326467288_thumb.jpg

 

Make the red triangular area removable. This will help with access to the furthest part of the station.

 

The pair of points highlighted are facing points. These are much more likely to be trailing in this situation.

 

Did you consider running a line off the tunnelled area to the fiddle yard so that you could keep your continuous run without having to change any points?

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Many thanks Kris - excellent idea on the corner! Otherwise the back platform would be a stretch!

 

On the points highlighted - do you mean they should be the other way round, or that they are in the wrong location?

 

Great point on the continuous run... the only challenge is that the tunnel passes under the terminus board, whereas the fiddle is at the higher level (same level as the terminus).

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Thanks!

 

Ok, swapped the points around, and added a new track from the fiddle to the hidden loop....

 

web.jpg?ver=13264698690001

 

So basically trains can loop around the dogbone continuously without any pointwork changes...

 

It means that under the terminus board the two tunnel mouths in the top left are connected, with a wye connecting the central through station to the fiddle.... (that branch back to the fiddle will also need to climb back up to the terminus level before reaching the points... (should be about 12 feet of track)

 

This way at least two trains can be looping around without operator intervention, which shunting can take place in the terminus and associated yards, etc, an in the small motive depot and cement sidings in the bottom left....

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Aha!

 

web.jpg?ver=13264716620001

 

Just realised that if I have two loops then I don't need that other connection...

 

Three tunnels, all pass under the terminus board, with loops completing the reverse loop on the left, a wye under the board close the loop back to the fiddle, and the run is a classis dogbone, just on two levels with the middle passing under itself....

 

Much cleaner and much happier with that! Also means trains on the loop will have lots of nice long straights to run through in between 'disappearing' into the hidden parts...

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