Jinty2015 Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 Hi to all, first post as a quick introduction to myself and my new layout. I've decided to start the new challenge, with several 00/N gauge layouts under my belt, of building a shunting plank using handbuilt track. For all the usual reasons, I feel that it's time for me to enter the [confusing] world of finescale modelling. Layout I've always been interested in goods more than passenger trains, and find operating a shunting layout alot more engaging than running trains. Becuase of this I've decided to focus soley on a goods yard rather than the station/goods yard of previous layouts. I want the track plan as simple as possible but with enough potential to keep the shunting interesting. Although I have never exhibited a layout before, and never been part of a club, another challenge of this layout is that I would like it be of a quality suitable for exhibtion locally. As a change to my usual layouts I'll be moving from GWR to SR. I feel like a change when it comes to the building of signals and other goods yard furniture. The operation will be simple DC as I only plan to run one loco at a time. I will be using WIT method for point control. Athough I'm not sure if prototypically a goods yard such as my layout plan would have signals of any sort but for asthetics I would like to include one [artist license?] Currently, I have the baseboard contructed and have placed wagons as an idea of size. Size: 1' x 36' excluding fiddle yard (sorry for the crude plan - I'm yet to find layout planning software for Mac) I hope the layout gives you some enjoyment to watch grow, no doubt I will need help. Thanks, Adam Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivercider Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 Hello Adam, and welcome to RMWeb. I always enjoy shunting layouts at exhibitions so this sounds interesting. I am no expert in signalling but it will depend on where the lines lead when they go off-scene, if they join a main running line something would probably be required, cheers Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spitfire2865 Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 it looks promising. What setting would this be? A large yard or a small one, maybe where an industrial group would be. Signaling may be a necessity. Even a cluttered goods yard needs some regulation from outside. The track plan seems to be a slightly extended inglenook. If you choose to operate it as such, you may need to give yourself some rules such as wagons at the end of a siding cant be moved, and such, limit the room to hold wagons. Id assume the second track is accessed by a hidden traverser. Would add to the operation but I would be weary as it will be hard to hide. if your going for open goods yard. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinty2015 Posted February 22, 2015 Author Share Posted February 22, 2015 Hello Adam, and welcome to RMWeb. I always enjoy shunting layouts at exhibitions so this sounds interesting. Thanks! I hope this layout won't be any different What setting would this be? The track plan seems to be a slightly extended inglenook. If you choose to operate it as such, you may need to give yourself some rules such as wagons at the end of a siding cant be moved, and such, limit the room to hold wagons. Id assume the second track is accessed by a hidden traverser. Would add to the operation but I would be weary as it will be hard to hide. if your going for open goods yard. I'm going for a small yard. I never considered it being for a specific industrial group, however i quite like that idea! or perhaps a small company that may need rail links? I also like the idea of setting up guidelines to make operation more challenging. Youre right, the second track will lead to a traverser behind a backboard, I'm considering the usual bridge to hide the entrance It seems your building a very similar idea to mine; got to love the small layouts Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
south_tyne Posted February 24, 2015 Share Posted February 24, 2015 Hi, Looking forward to following progress on this one, just my kind of thing and I am in the planning stages of something similar myself! I like the addition of the extra siding, it should add operational interest. As always the successful working of the traverser will make or break the operation side of things - have you goven any thought as to how you will construct it? Cheers, David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinty2015 Posted February 24, 2015 Author Share Posted February 24, 2015 I've built only one traverser and that was on draw sliders. It worked fairly well so may go with that same design. I'm not too clever when it comes to working out the radius for one of those fancy traversers that pivot. At most I'll be shunting three or four wagons so I don't want to over complicate the design. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted February 24, 2015 Share Posted February 24, 2015 Hi Adam, Good luck with the Fine Scale and the project, looking forward to seeing more soon. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinty2015 Posted February 24, 2015 Author Share Posted February 24, 2015 Thanks Andrew. Hope it'll be of some interest Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
south_tyne Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 I've built only one traverser and that was on draw sliders. It worked fairly well so may go with that same design. I'm not too clever when it comes to working out the radius for one of those fancy traversers that pivot. At most I'll be shunting three or four wagons so I don't want to over complicate the design. All sounds very sensible to me, keep it simple but effective. I'll be interested to see how you do it, I have always avoided incoroporating a traverser because of lack of confidence in getting it to work effectively - use of the draw sliders is an excellent suggestion though. What kind of track will you be using on this project? Cheers, David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinty2015 Posted February 25, 2015 Author Share Posted February 25, 2015 Ill be using C+L track. Having the points started in the next few days and I plan on picking up the sleepers and rails for the straight sections at the Lemington show in a couple of weekends. Having never used handmade track I expect a few steep learning curves. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinty2015 Posted February 25, 2015 Author Share Posted February 25, 2015 I have always avoided incoroporating a traverser because of lack of confidence in getting it to work effectively I can't think right now where I found instructions to build one, but if I do I'll let you know. In practice it wasn't too difficult. Just needs a bit of planning with the woodwork. That being said I'm still not sure I could pull of a pivot traverser as mentioned before. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinty2015 Posted March 22, 2015 Author Share Posted March 22, 2015 Thanks Simon! So I've been working away on the layout today and have some new photos of progress. I've used cork floor tiles from Wilko's which I find give alot more stable and flat surface when compared with the cork rolls. I've been able to lay all the track; this week I'll complete the wiring. I've used GEM WIT method for the point control as the layouts so small it's very simple to run the tube to the edge of the baseboard. Hope you enjoy seeing some progress. With update again this week Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
south_tyne Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 Glad to see you are making progress. The track is looking excellent and I am a fan of the simple point control method! Are you integrating a polarity switch with it and, if so, how are you going about it? Cheers, David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinty2015 Posted March 22, 2015 Author Share Posted March 22, 2015 Glad to see you are making progress. The track is looking excellent and I am a fan of the simple point control method! Are you integrating a polarity switch with it and, if so, how are you going about it? Cheers, David Thanks David, I have a feed wire attached if I choose to but for now I'll see how it runs without. If I did choose to add a switch I'll probably do it by simply placing two small pins along side the manual point switch with a center pin which will then touch either pin as the switch is slide either way. I'll then wire the center pin to the feed and the other two points to the different polarities. Hope that makes sense Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinty2015 Posted March 29, 2015 Author Share Posted March 29, 2015 A bit more work on the layout today. Wiring. Have all the track feeds now, will wire the polarity feeds tomorrow. Thanks Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinty2015 Posted April 1, 2015 Author Share Posted April 1, 2015 Just a quick photo update of the completed wiring. Will now start to think about how I'll go about track weathering Thanks for looking Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinty2015 Posted April 3, 2015 Author Share Posted April 3, 2015 Hi all, I've started to plan out where the good yard 'furniture' will be best placed. Also, I've decided that the yard will be modeled on a yard that would have served a small local produce company; which I haven't yet decided I don't want to overcrowd such a small layout so I'll only have one building; on the platform. Probably a corrugated shed/small brick shed. I've laid some textured plasticard for some paving detail. The final photo is my simple 'control panel' to set the polarity of the points. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazmanjack Posted April 6, 2015 Share Posted April 6, 2015 Just came across your thread and I'm looking foward to watching this develope. Being a fan of shunting layouts and SR, this is right up my alley ! Cheers, Gary. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinty2015 Posted April 6, 2015 Author Share Posted April 6, 2015 Just came across your thread and I'm looking foward to watching this develope. Being a fan of shunting layouts and SR, this is right up my alley ! Cheers, Gary. Thanks Gary! Here are the latest photos showing the track weathering. Not looking too bad, want to add some weathering powders and tone down the rust colour a bit but generally pretty happy. Thanks for looking Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinty2015 Posted April 12, 2015 Author Share Posted April 12, 2015 Good evening all. Had a productive day on the layout. Plus I went to the Stourbridge Model Railway exhibition this morning. Nice little show! friendly atmosphere. Some great little layouts. Very personal which I like. I was able to pick up a few bits which kept me busy today. I've started the bridge, mostly complete but will need weathering now. Hope you enjoy the photos. Thanks, Adam Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sp1 Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 Snap - I was at Stourbridge this morning! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
class"66" Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 Some very nice work here chap.. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinty2015 Posted April 19, 2015 Author Share Posted April 19, 2015 Thanks alot! I hope to post some more progress this week Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazmanjack Posted April 20, 2015 Share Posted April 20, 2015 I know that you have already installed your 'wire in tube' for point control, and you are using micro switches for polarity control. Have you considered using DPST slide switches on the baseboard edge for point and polarity switching ?? Like this... The switches have the right amount of travel for Code 75 track. The switch was sunk (drilled and chiseled out) into the baseboard edge frame and a hole was cross drilled to allow access for the wiring, like this... Cheers, Gary. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinty2015 Posted May 4, 2015 Author Share Posted May 4, 2015 Hi gazmanjack, thanks for the advice! I did consider this but I felt keeping the polarity and gem switches separate would be easier for me. UPDATE: After a slow couple of weeks, I started to experiment with DAS Clay on a small piece of track. I laid the clay fine but now am at a bit of a dead end. If you have any advice I've started a new thread elsewhere on the forum.... http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/98889-goods-yard-das-clay-question/ Anyway, here's a photo. I'll try to make more progress this week. Adam Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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