Popular Track Plans

[St. Simon]

Hi,

 

As part of some research on a potential new book on modern signalling, I'm looking at creating signalling plans based on model railway track plans, but I would like to use popular track plans rather than a made up one, so what are the popular track plans (along with the operations they are there to support?)

 

I'm looking at getting at least one 'popular' track plan for each of the following:

 

• Urban Terminus (I'm guess Minories)
• Busy Junction Station
• Freight Yard
• Depot (Loco or unit)
• Branch Line
• Possible a Heritage / Main Line boundary
• 4 track mainline

If there's others you can think of then please add!

 

Simon

[pirouets]

How about a set of exchange sidings alongside the mainline as modelled on black country blues or an n gauge layout that i think was called ketton cement.

[Joseph_Pestell]

I think that it's a good idea.

 

But, as we often point out on here, model railways are rarely large enough to show the full signalling picture. So I would suggest that it might be better to start from suitable prototypes, e.g. Bradford Interchange, and show the full signalling scheme and then show it as a layout and which signals are left  to model.

 

And, of course, it depends what you mean by "modern". Stirling was resignalled quite recently with semaphores! And you would perhaps want to show various alternative schemes for 2-aspect, 3-aspect or 4-aspect signalling not to mention "searchlights" and their current equivalent.

Edited June 29, 2017 by Joseph_Pestell

[DCB]

Its a laudable concept, something like Bodmin Parkway would be good for a heritage / mainline boundary,

As would Aviemore except its all semaphore in an otherwise 1980s traditional 1930s pre MAS colour light area.   Highland main line loops are good to model but I don't think they exist anywhere else in the UK.

Apart from London which seems stuck in the 1890s so much mainline multiple aspect signalling is now constant distance rather than station related that trying to model it in the usual space for layouts is pretty hopeless.  

Loop or siding starters seem to be about it at many locations.   

[The Johnster]

As it's to illustrate a book, the distance between the signals need not be scale, as it is the general principle that you need to use the model to illustrate.  You are continuing a tradition here; many railways used models to train signalling staff and I believe Indian Railways still do.

 

It might be better for you, Minories aside, to draw your own plans to suit each particular principle and method of operation you are describing, perhaps with referral to actual sites where readers can observe the real railway putting each principle into practice.  I would suggest trying to make each individual plan a component of an overall whole, so that at the end of the book you can join them all together as a 4 track main line station with a goods yard, TMD, junction, and interface with industrial/heritage, to sort of tie it all together.