Loco Shed Plan

[JST]

Spent some more time in the railway room and have come up with a plan that my mean that I can keep the headshunt yet stick substantially to Harlequin's original design. The latest plan is prompted by DavidCBraod's comment about curves. I can replace the existing shed entrance with a curved point followed by a 3 way... picture may help.

 

Existing entrance (ignore templates) from branch line and headshunt (bottom of picture)

 

Proposed new entrance (with headshunt). I would lose the siding next to the branchline at this point but it comes back later from the 3 way point.

 

This arrangement gives me two things - another 20cms for the coaling stage bank which I think will make it look OK, and a better angle to take the track across the board to come back for the shed lanes. If I am very lucky I think I may also be able to get this track to go behind the coaling plant and meet up with the turntable which operationally would be a big bonus as a loco entering the depot could go to for coaling, then to the turntable and then direct to the shed.

 

To answer the questions about view lines and perspective, I have to admit that I am no great model railway designer and a bit of a roundy roundy fan at heart! Anyway, here is a shot of the emerging scene to the left of the loco depot (still loads of scenic stuff to do)

 

 

And here is the view the other way. The Castle is on the loco shed headshunt. To give a sense of perspective the first 3 platforms on the right take 10 coach trains and the bay platform on the left takes 5 coaches. The other end of the station there is another baseboard with goods yards and a diesel MPD. Still lots of work to do on the station but I am getting there. Still another baseboard to make for the branch line terminus but that will no doubt be the cause of another post!

 

 

As usual, all comments and help to this admittedly not top notch modeller are much valued!

 

Cheers

 

John

Edited August 22, 2018 by JST

[JST]

I have now made a rough mock up of the coaling stage bank gradient as per the revised design to see what it looks like. Bearing in mind that I am not precious about being prototypically accurate but more about does it look sort of OK I am reasonably happy with the outcome. 

 

I have put my Wrenn "Dorchester" next to it in this picture to give some perspective and scale. I am wrong to feel this is OK?

 

 

The branch line bank in the foreground is 1 in 67.

[Harlequin]

Hi John,

 

Since we have to compress various things in our models it makes sense that the gradient is steeper than real life and within limits that should be believable. I think you might get away with that gradient, but...

 

Remember that you need the embankment to level off where it passes through the coaling stage so that wagons can stand up there. And you need some distance of transition from level to gradient and back to level again. Have you allowed for those things?

 

(I've drawn up a version of the switchback embankment I described earlier but to make it work I had to get a bit "creative" and the results are a bit silly, to be honest. There must be a simpler solution so I hesitate to post it here.)

[JST]

Hi John,

 

Since we have to compress various things in our models it makes sense that the gradient is steeper than real life and within limits that should be believable. I think you might get away with that gradient, but...

 

Remember that you need the embankment to level off where it passes through the coaling stage so that wagons can stand up there. And you need some distance of transition from level to gradient and back to level again. Have you allowed for those things?

 

(I've drawn up a version of the switchback embankment I described earlier but to make it work I had to get a bit "creative" and the results are a bit silly, to be honest. There must be a simpler solution so I hesitate to post it here.)

 

Yes Phil, the bank will be slightly longer to allow for the transition. The mock up is a very rough visual thing.

 

Cheers

 

John

[bike2steam]

 for the transition. 

 

Cheers

 

John

Good thinking, I've seen a few layouts where the track up to the coal stage has gone straight at an angle, and the operator wonders why the loco wont go beyond the base!!??

[JST]

Thanks for all the help with this guys. The next phase will be construction and track laying which will take a while so I will not be posting on this thread again until I have something to show. Having received all the help with this project I feel it is only polite to show the outcome so I will revive the thread to let you know how it went with some pics..

 

Cheers

 

John

[JST]

A bit of progress! I have now knocked up the makings of the coaling stage ramp. It is 8mm ply with pine supports which means I can alter the supports to give a half decent gradient curve with transition. Bit of work to do on the base of the ramp but it will be OK.

 

Here is is showing the entrance from the proposed new shed entrance lane (retaining the decent length headshunt).

 

 

The eyeline view is not too bad in as much as it doesn't look too steep...I think!

 

 

The good news is that it seems I will be able to sneak a track from the TT round the back of the coaling stage!

 

 

The two support pillars at the top of the ramp are the same height thus making a flat entrance to the plant..... I hope!

 

Edited September 9, 2018 by JST

[JST]

Having asked for help to design my loco depot I feel I need to let you know how it is panning out. Although I am a bit of a novice I am very pleased with progress and have been able to largely implement Harlequin's design and incorporate other suggestions as well. Here a re a few pics:-

 

The coaling stage bank is not looking too bad so far. I have shunted 6 wagons up it with my old Bachmann Pannier without problems.

 

 

There is room for up to 6 lanes of shed and the retained headshunt is plenty big enough for shunting coal wagons up the bank.

 

 

The turntable is in and working and there is definitely enough room to have a track from it, round the back of the coaling stage (even when the back bank is done) and thus to the shed. Coal truck sidings currently cluttered up with locos!

 

 

Lots more work and scenery to do of course but I think it will be fun to operate even though it may not be a purist's dream.

 

John

 

PS My wife made the Scalescenes coaling stage out of Weetabix boxes! Still needs finishing......

[Zomboid]

Nice to see the superquick signal box. I've made about 5 of those over the years

[JST]

Nice to see the superquick signal box. I've made about 5 of those over the years

 

 

Yeah.. it had to be done. I made my first one of these about 60 years ago1 This layout is largely about nostalgia and lost youth. :-)

[JST]

Things have moved on a bit now and as the good people of this forum helped design this depot I feel it is only polite to let you know how it panned out. All track is laid, wired and operational. Lots of scenic work still to do (not my strong point!) including the back scene boarding and behind the shed. However I am very pleased with the operational fun that can be had with it. Particularly pleased that the track round the back of the coaling plant goes to the turntable and I got three coal truck sidings in! Here are a few pics.

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks again for the help.

[JST]

I have built the back wall to the shed and installed the back scene. This post is mainly an appreciative plug for the manufacturer of the back scene. It is an ID item and I have to say I am very impressed with it. I went for the slightly more expensive pre-glued item - worth every penny in my book. Nostalgia is a great thing - as a kid, my bedroom at the back of our house had a good view out over Exmouth Junction so this just had to be done!

 

Edited January 20, 2019 by JST