kiwinewt Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 This is what I am looking at for my new 90cm x ~290cm space. Through station with smallish goods yard, bay platform and plenty of loco storage space (preservation space...). Branch line leading off, up steep slope to 10cm by the time it crosses the main loops - this gives a nice deep cutting and viaduct to cross the main with. Single engine shed and goods facilities at the branch terminus (which is the same height above the main line). The track in the bottom right is a bit of a fiddle yard, which may get SWMBOs permission to run down the adjacent wall for a short way instead of having to be tucked in where it is in the plan... Have I got the points correct? I think it should give me what I am wanting - somewhere visible for the engines, roundy roundy without being too obvious (the back of the loop will be less straight when laid), plenty of shunting possibilities... Opinions and ideas for how it can be made better will be appreciated. Nate Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Flying Pig Posted September 9, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 9, 2012 Branch line leading off, up steep slope to 10cm by the time it crosses the main loops - this gives a nice deep cutting and viaduct to cross the main with. It also gives a very steep slope - about 1 in 13 (7.5%) I reckon, which is a lot steeper than I usually see recommended. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwinewt Posted September 9, 2012 Author Share Posted September 9, 2012 It also gives a very steep slope - about 1 in 13 (7.5%) I reckon, which is a lot steeper than I usually see recommended. I'm in 2 minds about it at the moment. On the one hand it'll give the effect I am after (http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/01/18/ce/30/the-iconic-railway-bridge.jpg) but on the other it's most likely that the trains will struggle too much... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffalo Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 ...it's most likely that the trains will struggle too much... Something of an understatement, methinks. If Simon's calculation is right, they'll take one look at it and head back the other way. Do you really need 10cm at the flyover? If so, could you achieve this by introducing gradients on the main line? Admittedly, I've no experience of N, but when building an HOe layout I tried various gradients using a length of track on a piece of wood and found 1:35 to be the steepest viable gradient for a straight line. By viable, I mean an 0-6-2T was just about able to restart four bogie coaches on it. Remember also, that the curve will reduce the viable gradient. In my case I went down to 1:50. I'd recommend some experiments with typical stock before finally deciding on a gradient. Nick Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
locoworks Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 you may get away with swapping the top point on the crossover bottom left and the point into the bay and goods yard with a double slip to get a little more running length at the bottom of the layout, and if you drag the two lines on the loops down a bit at the top left and keep them in till nearer the middle you could extend the length of the incline at the top of the layout too. as it is N gauge you don't need to get anything like 100mm to cross the tracks below either so a longer, more gentle slope is easily achievable without too much fiddling. the only thing with using a double slip is that it might not be prototypical for where i suggest putting it?? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Kris Posted September 10, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 10, 2012 Given that the branch goes off on the down side of the track (I'm randomly assigning the LH side as the down side here) I would expect the bay to be on the down side as well. This removes conflicting moves. The 1 in 13 might just be viable for diesel outline locos but you could forget all about steam outline. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwinewt Posted September 10, 2012 Author Share Posted September 10, 2012 OK I have shuffled it around a bit for more balance and as per your suggestions The max height is now 6cm, to allow clearance for bridges/etc. Figure I can do the viaduct by making a valley next to the main line for it to cross - will see how it goes when I build it Now I like the plan and where different bits are. I need advice about the points and direction of travel. How can I work this out? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katier Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 Is there any reason you don't have the branch above the loop lines? If you make the cross-over later on you can make the slope even shallower. I would also remove, what I assume is an engine shed from the branch as it won't be needed ( you have a MPD at the junction) and jiggle the sidings. If you look at the '13 year old' link in my signature you can see how I've made a very viable branch terminus with the same number of sidings as yours in a narrower space. By making it narrower you can push it back and give yourself scenic space between the terminus and the MPD. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Kris Posted September 10, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 10, 2012 A couple more suggestions for your revised layout. The purple highlighted set of points would make more sense moved in the direction of the green arrow so that trains can leave the branch and access the mainline. I have also added a second connection for the branch to the main and and associated crossover. The red highlighted points need reversing as these are currently facing points in a very unlikely position. The green highlighted points ( I assume these are here just to help with access to the fiddle area in the future) as they are unlikely to be seen in the prototype in that set up. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
seahorse Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 Hi Nate Apologies if you already know all this but I have taken literally your request for "advice on points and direction of travel" if you are modelling UK railway, it is left hand forwards ie your outer track is clockwise - ( sorry I don't know which way NZ trains go!). And mostly trains go down towards a branch terminus, even up a steep gradient. The goods yard is correct for left-hand running - you back into sidings and drive out, otherwise you are left with an engine at the buffers. I think the crossover at the right hand end of the station should be the other way round - trailing rather than facing, as UK railways tried to minimise facing points. Also it enables a train from the branch to run through to the correct line. So if you are modelling a right-hand railway, have two trailing crossovers and reverse the goods yard. Are the tracks at the rear visible or would you hold trains there while shunting the main station? You could try separating the two rear crossovers, and even putting in a third loop line to increase operating potential. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Kris Posted September 10, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 10, 2012 I think the crossover at the right hand end of the station should be the other way round - trailing rather than facing, as UK railways tried to minimise facing points. Also it enables a train from the branch to run through to the correct line. The points to access the branch will be dependent on the traffic flows. If there are through trains from the main line to the branch then there is nothing wrong with the facing point as shown, all that is missing is the access to the other line to allow for the return service. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Flying Pig Posted September 10, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 10, 2012 The max height is now 6cm, ...and the gradient is down to between 1 in 25 and 1 in 30 depending on how you arrange the points. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwinewt Posted September 10, 2012 Author Share Posted September 10, 2012 Apologies if you already know all this but I have taken literally your request for "advice on points and direction of travel" if you are modelling UK railway, it is left hand forwards ie your outer track is clockwise - ( sorry I don't know which way NZ trains go!). And mostly trains go down towards a branch terminus, even up a steep gradient. Thanks all! I will re-upload tonight. We don't have enough trains in this part of NZ (copy-pasted coal trains do *not* count) so I am not sure on the running direction either - which was what I needed to know. Thanks heaps! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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