Newmodeller96

Thank you @Mike Storey and @RobinofLoxley I have been sitting with my design today and also some paper track diagrams and seeing what I can do to simplify the design! I have put robins design into mine and been playing around but I just can’t seem to make it flow how I want it to in my head and am not getting back to not being sure where to head next! 

Thanks for this @BusDriverMan and @RobinofLoxleythe main reason I have gone with this track work is that it was the track work I got off a map of Orpington station and what track work is there now hence the plan. I have simplified some of it but the main part of point work at the station is the cross over into the storage lines. 

Hi All, loved looking at these photos, I am hoping to model a simplified version of Orpington in this period and was wondering if anyone has any more pictures of the tracks especially towards the engine shed? 
 

Thanks

Thanks @RobinofLoxleyfor getting me thinking. Have decided to add a small suburban station opposite the diesel/loco yard with a terminus platform and a through platform. The station also has a storage siding for a loco.

just want to work out how to link it all scenically at the right hand side of the plan now but think I have an idea. 
 

Well here is an update, I’ve added 2 lines to the fiddle yard, and a way for tracks 4&5 to get to the inside line.

I will have a think about a small through station @RobinofLoxley.

@Mike Storeythank you for this information. It puts much more into perspective. 
 

I have put some thought into the plan, I know that the main yard is still to complex, I was just seeing what I could include. 
I also need to add some space between tracks 2&3 to create that platform. In doing this it will widen the gap between the shed and the head shunt at the station. The next job is making the basic fiddle yard. 

Thanks H

Thanks for these comments @RobinofLoxley I mentioned further up in the thread about the complex track work at the station about having it bespoke made to make it fit into the space and have had no comments on it until yours, It is a stretch to make that piece work but I think possible if made bespoke. 
 In terms of platform spacing I new it would tweaking but it was more just the ideas on page than the final diagram, etc.

@Mike StoreyRamsgate  was were my original ideas were formed before looking at a station closer to home with Orpington. Orpington is where my godfather worked in the 80s aswell as being my fathers home town which is why I wanted to model it like this, hence the point work and platform layout. 
 

I agree about removing the cross over between 2&3. I’m sorry that all the headshunt stuff kinda goes over my head as I always seem to get confused when people start using “jargon” to describe movements but that’s my lack of knowledge to that side of things. And yes I agree to a continuous run as with everyone and will definitely be adding it. 
 

@RobinofLoxleyi would prefer to use streamline on all the track as you have in your design but I have a significant amount of set track and cannot afford to be getting rid of it all and buying new streamline which is why I have used a mixture of the 2 as I can then use what I have on some of the layout and then buy new streamline for the specific areas (the station) that I could use it. 
 

I do like the idea of the split depot on either side of the layout as that makes me think of the yards at grove park obviously on a smaller scale, I’m wondering if I could use one side of the track as a full train depot and a small loco only depot on the other side of the tracks? 
 

Thanks all! Loving the ideas and really getting me thinking.

H

I have added a couple of loco sidings in place for some of the diesel depot, I’ve also added a loco spur to the station, just need to add a run around loop somewhere in the station area. 

As you can see there is now a continuous run which I will turn into a hidden fiddle yard (just need to work out).

@Satan's Goldfish thank you for

your points. Some have really made me think. 
 

I have been thinking long and hard and have decided that I will probably link the bottoms to the 2 boards together but with a removable fiddle yard so that I can still have continuous runs of trains but it gives me the storage space to hold trains when I’m modelling aswell. 
 

the scenic elements are a mixture of the 2! I’m hoping the station is edge of suburbia heading out into the countryside on the other side of the layout where I’m thinking of having a small diesel yard. The set track curves are what I dislike the most but the thought of using flexitrack for the corners scares the bejesus out of me, but that would definitely be my preferred choice of corner! 
 

Below is my most recent update to the plan which I have half laid out on the baseboards and am really pleased with! Ignore my scribblings they are just for me to imagine how the scenic elements could lay around the track. 
 

Something someone might be able to answer is there a way to compress the 2 3-way turnouts in the station into a kind of triple slip? I know I won’t gain much space from doing that but just an idea! 
 

Thanks H
 

Hi All, 

I have gone back to the drawing board. Now I know this isn’t perfect but have created this track plan as a compacted version of a local station and would love to hear your thoughts on it.  I know that any trains on platform 1 cannot get to the sidings on the top left but I’m not too worried about this as it is more that these sidings are used for the terminating trains in platforms 3,4 & 5. The trains on 1&2 I am hoping will be able to go off to a fiddle yard or possible a continuous run thanks to ideas from @Tallpaul69!!

I have used PECO streamline for the trackwork on the top half and Set track for the mainlines as this is the stuff I currently have to work with. 
 

thanks

H

Hi All,

Thank you for all your suggestions. I have taken it on board and have done some tweaking!

Have decided to create a fictional through station with a couple of terminal platforms like a scaled down orpington. I would still like a depot of some kind and now that I am heading more for a fictional area was wondering if anyone had any suggestions of ideas for diesel yards that I could look at to get some ideas. Thanks

H

38 minutes ago, Zomboid said:

I think you're looking for more than the space can really accommodate. Asking for locomotives in the South East area (which I assume means Kent?) is a bit of a stretch, as it was all electrified in the 1950s. You'd possibly have a fuelling point in the EMU depot for any inter regional trains, or you could focus on freight and justify a proper loco depot.

 

There are only a few actual termini in the South East area: Bromley North, Hayes and Sheerness are the only ones that come to mind. None would have seen regular loco hauled passenger trains.

I'm not thinking just kent but the whole of the Network Southeast routes. Having done a bit of digging today I am wondering if I could do a scaled down version of Holborn Viaduct at one side of the board heading to an EMU shed on the other side of the board e.g. what would have been at Orpington in the 80's?

30 minutes ago, Tallpaul69 said:

Where is the start of the tank in relation to your baseboards?

 

Could you not have a cross board part way down the your long boards, say 2m from the end of the 1.5m cross board?

I also think you could fill in the corners from the side boards to the end board. I would also have made one of the side boards wider as 610mm is quite narrow if you want a railway in a scenic setting rather than it being all railway?

Best of Luck!

Paul 

Thanks for your comment paul, the tank starts about 10cm from the end of the shorter baseboard, I hadn’t thought about another board across the middle but would have to check with space around the roof joists as they are all in the centre of the loft, hence the U shape. 

In terms of width I went with 600 as it meant that I could have storage space still underneath without taking up too much space in the loft itself! Would love to have gone deeper but had to compromise with my fiancé as she wants space to store in the loft! 
 

Thanks

H

1 hour ago, TJ52 said:

I presume you have considered this, but is there any scope for a lift out section to make a continuous run?

 

Terry

Hi Terry, 

Unfortunately no as there is a large water tank at that end of the loft space that is floor to roof.

H

Hi Everyone, 

I have had a couple of posts on this site before but I am really struggling with the planning of my new layout. 

I know that I want to model in the 80s to modern day era in the Network Southeast to Southeastern Rail liveries and area. 

I have finished the baseboards that fit the space I have and have put a picture of the dimensions below. 

What I want to include in the layout are:

- Branch line terminus

- TMD/diesel engine sheds

- EMU/DMU Sheds. 

In the space I am thinking that the most I will be able to run is 4 car EMU/DMUs.

Every layout that I come up with seems to just not fulfill me when I’m laying the track and looking at the scenic properties as well, any help from anyone with ideas would be amazing right now as I have hit a wall. 

Thanks

H

45 minutes ago, RobinofLoxley said:

Well, you said that you were going to have a helix going to a fiddle yard I assume below existing track level. Basically the track or tracks leaving the helix are an opportunity. You have thought so far about a fiddle yard, I am just alerting you to the possibility of continuing the track from the helix onwards on its own boards set about 8cm lower than the baseline of the main board level, and slightly in front. Much more complicated from a carpentry perspective and scenery elements are required to link the two levels. You don't have to do anything about it except to think about the provision for it, whatever you decide to do.

Right I get you  and I hadn’t thought of that I really like it

4 minutes ago, RobinofLoxley said:

It seems to me that if you have a helix bottom right taking the tracks on the left down to a fiddle yard that you will have quite a lot of train storage as the depot already has 7 tracks. Maybe you have a lot of stock already - personally i like to see my stock out on the layout. Given that you are intending to have a helix what is stopping you from having a natural lower track in front of the shown plan - you have good access for it. Could 'disappear' into a tunnel under the station.

 

I also notice that the plan is based on setrack apart from one point. Have you done this because you already have the track? Otherwise I would replan it in streamline to see what happens - there are pros and cons and Im not recommending either one particularly. I did a similar exercise recently and was very surprised with the outcome.

Thank you for this.  I did want to use streamline but I do have a lot of set track already so probs cost effective to stick with this. 
 

im not sure I quite get what you mean about having a lower track in front of the plan?

I would love some advice on my new plan. This is by no means a final plan but it has all the concepts I would like in it. 
 

A few details - 

00 gauge

1980s-current day south east railways

Mainly DMUs & EMUs 

DCC operated

there will be a helix at the bottom left which will end up at a fiddle yard under the left side of the layout.

Possibly thinking I could turn part of the EMU depot into a Balfour Beatty depot (or something similar). Not sure what to do with the top right of the layout thinking I might just leave it as scenic.

Happy to take any advice as am new to modelling properly as have just got the space to have a permanent layout. 

Hi all, 

Could anyone help me with this track plan. Does anyone know what PECO track would have been used to plan this? I have tried both st and sl codes but can’t seem to make it work. 
 

Thanks

H

This is an update after some work today! I would like any help with the TMD space I feel like I can do more with the space but I’m not 100% sure what! Possible could include the space in the top right of the space.

Also any tips on the rest of the layout more than welcome! 
there will be a helix off the bottom left of the layout which will go to a fiddle yard underneath the board but I haven’t planned that yet!

I have managed to persuade my fiancé to let me use outside edge of the whole loft. So I have tweaked some of the layout to make it bigger in the top section between the 2 black lines I would like to add a TMD. Any tips or ideas how I could make it work would be much appreciated. Please not the track plan currently on the design is not final as I have just mocked it to fit the new space so I know it needs tweaking. I can make the baseboard a bit deeper at the top if needed to make it easier to fit a TMD!

1 minute ago, Zomboid said:

Which track library are you using? Neither Peco nor Hornby sectional track includes a slip.

I am using a mix of Hornby and Peco and that will be why I couldn't find a slip

19 minutes ago, ITG said:

Are they crossings or single/double slips in the station throat? If the former, an arriving train can only access a single platform and would then need to run wrong road to depart.

I am hoping they would be slips. i just couldn't find the correct symbol on the program I am using.

So I have done a bit of work and have done some tweaking on minories to create a 4 platform station and am really happy with it. I want to move it further up the layout to make the platforms longer so am going to work out putting the TMD off the to right of the picture at right angles to the layout. Just thought I would get some comments

6 hours ago, The Stationmaster said:

I'm trying to work out how this latest plan would operate and I can see some problems.  While trains can arrive and and depart from any platform at the terminus. I can't see how the other end would work.  Trains can arrive on either line but unless I'm misunderstanding the scale they can only depart towards the terminus from one of those lines.  So effectively one of the lines is of very iimited use and the only way round that would be to add a new trailing crossover near the facing crossover.

 

But you are still going to have very constrained operation - have you thought that through?  it's not only about deciding what sort of railway you want as I posted back on 25 October but you need to think just as carefully about how you intend to operate it.  And in the case of this plan I can see some frustration setting in once you have built it and are trying to run trains.  Obviously it does depend very much on what you, and only you, want but do think carefully an bout what a layout will offer in the hopefully continuing attraction of running trains. 

2 hours ago, DavidCBroad said:

The layout has some issues,  the Stationmaster' s post highlights the operational issues or lack of operating potential but the layout does not make best use of the space.

Set track is a waste of space on a narrow layout. I use it for curves but use streamline track spacing or less other wise saving   1/2" per track. It looks better and quickly adds up.

 I don't see any value in the space between track and baseboard edge . I just have a hardwood panel projecting between 13mm and 25mm above track level at the layout edge with track right up to it, 99% of the time you see the track side of it as you operate.  My controls are on a shelf below the layout. 

The TMD is a bit inaccessible I would put i around the end of the layout and move the mainline to the right a bit.

A connection so trains can arrive and depart simultaneously would be useful.

The real problem is the Siding side where trains can only arrive and depart from one road.  to me it just does not work as a concept.  I would do a rethink, especially operating well width wise, 

Thank you for these. they have kind of confused me further but I will look onto them more and see what I come up with. I do get what you mean about the value of the spaces in red and removing them could give me more space in the central well. I think I might also look at what @JDW has mentioned as I was hoping for a helix off the end of the layout to a lower storage / fiddle yard and this could solve my ideas about that. In terms of operational use of the layout is something that I can enjoy as I will mostly be operating alone but have enough variability to the layout that as you say I don'y get bored too easily.