Small Operational OO that isn't a 'TMD' Idea!

[Satan's Goldfish]

Just throwing this out there as an idea (probably not original) that may be of use to someone.

The normal choice for space limited layouts is the ever popular TMD or the classic 'shunting puzzle'. As great as they both are, the operational aspect could become limiting after a while, especially if you want a station and passengers!

I was running through my head 'what's the shortest train option that isn't just light engine moves' and the following plan spilled out. It's by no means perfect but there may be potential here for someone.

Up to 2ft in length is good for a 2 car DMU and for a shunting loco with 3 wagons. DMUs can run in and out of the station while the sidings are shunted in traditional shunting puzzle style. The resulting freight train from the puzzle can then be taken off scene by either the shunter or a different small engine. 

 

The plan here is 5ft x 15in (which would fit nicely onto some of the living room furniture Mrs Satan has acquired) using an off centre sector plate for storage. The points are Hornby set track. if the point labelled 'X' was replaced with a Y point then cassettes  could be used in the storage yard instead.

 

Also (which would probably be a lot better) if the board was 18in wide the sector plate could be 3 tracks and symmetrical and a 3rd platform added to the station. Operational ability would be greater with more DMU and freight storage space.

 

 

Era and scenically, i imagine it to be 'Speed Link' orientated with a tired commuter station behind. The goods shed would be missing it's front wall so the interior detail could be viewed. it's possible for 2 people to 'play' at the same time with one shunting wagons and the other shuffling DMUs and removing completed freights. The blue line on the plan shows the division between the 2 areas. Each siding is able to hold 3 wagons with the connecting siding also able to hold the shunting locomotive for taking trains off. 7 wagons in total, 3 make a train and 4 left in sidings after shunting. if the layout had the 18in width alterations made then another shunter with 3 more wagons could be stored off scene and after completing each puzzle the freight train could swap.

Plausible? or rubbish? I may try and draw the 18in version to help clarify things!
 

[Kris]

You've some great potential there. 

I would be tempted to remove one of the lines though to give more of a feeling of space. 

[Satan's Goldfish]

Cheers kris

 

Removing one of the sidings would remove the full shunting puzzle aspect. Thd track is currently at set track spacing so if I do an 18inch wide redraw I'll try using peco streamline small radius instead. This should give closer track spacing and parts of the yard can be made to look more open.

 

I don't have the intention of building this, I just thought it may be good inspiration for someone else. However I' do fancy having a go at a sector plate so this may be the ideal test for that!

[ColinK]

I think you could have a lot of fun with that. It gives much more interest than an inglenook/mpd/waggon works on their own. Great operating potential in a small space. Big challenge could be making the warehouse fronts with line vanishing under them look realistic - perhaps a shopping centre or multi-storey car park might work. Hope you will have a go at building it.

[Satan's Goldfish]

aaannnnndddddddd............tweak!

 

 

 

This time it's 18in width with peco streamline small radius and y points.


Possibly not opened as much space at the front as i thought it might but short of full-size planning this is the closest i'll get.


Another fall down of the plan is the sector plate tracks should uniformly line up with the scenic tracks. So tracks A and C should line up with platforms 2 and 3 at the same time, and tracks A and B or B and C should line up with platforms 1 and 2 at the same time. To add to the operational puzzle, only Sector plate track B can reach all 3 platforms (C can't reach 1 and A can't reach 3).

 

I've added an over bridge to hide the exit to the sector plate. This can either be a road full of clichés like a bus, road works, and yellow BR van, or it could be another track crossing over with a red signal at the back to pose some different stock on. 

 

How's that then?!

 

Edit: Blue line to help show the invisible boundary between the shunting puzzle and the station. Plus i always wondered what to do with that old Hornby 'London Road Station'
 

[corax67]

There looks to be a massive amount of operating potential within that track plan, not only just the shunting puzzle aspect but the station too.

 

I look forward to seeing how this develops and pics of the build

[Satan's Goldfish]

Yeah i'm kinda designing myself into a 'quick' build here!

While wallowing in the bath a minute ago i also thought that if there was a non-descript 2 road shed with closed doors against the backscene at the end of the door shunting sidings (the ones without the Goods Shed!) then it could also pretend to be a small TMD at times with wagons removed and big engines added.
 

[clecklewyke]

The only really problematic issue is the length of the platforms. Real stations are, I think, usually much longer.  

 

Why don't you model the platforms continuing under the bridge to hint at a bigger station?`

 

Ian

[Satan's Goldfish]

The only really problematic issue is the length of the platforms. Real stations are, I think, usually much longer.  

 

Why don't you model the platforms continuing under the bridge to hint at a bigger station?`

 

Ian

 

You may be right on platform length.........

 

If some spontaneous modelling does break out based on this plan then it will probably be very simple scenery and an example of using off the shelf items to save time. A bit of an elaborate test plank and sector plate trial! Just because of the layout of the station, I kind of imagine platforms 1 and 2 being bays and platform 3 the main face, possibly going further off to the left rather than just stopping. I can't think of a prototype with 1 main face and 2 bays though, but I'm sure theres a blt design for everything!

[maunsel]

The only really problematic issue is the length of the platforms. Real stations are, I think, usually much longer.  

 

Why don't you model the platforms continuing under the bridge to hint at a bigger station?`

 

Ian

 

With a little bit of modelling licence one could suggest:-

 

1 -  A station like the now defunct South Acton on the District Line, with a 'imagineered' siding for the supply of building materials for the ever growing suburbs. Great for the Pre War years.

 

2 - A butchered terminus fallen upon hard times, with an adjacent p way depot. Again a bit of imagineering based on Felixstowe.

 

3 - Somewhere up in the woolly wilds of the South Wales Valleys, or maybe a forgotten part of Manchester?

 

 

Just so long as you can squeeze a couple of coaches in, or an autocoach and tank loco it might be fun.

 

 

 

Eric

"Beelzebub's Advisor".

[Satan's Goldfish]

That last sentence sums it up, this is just supposed to be fun in a small space. Just have to see what falls out when (if?) the track laying starts.

[maunsel]

A bit of playing with AnyRail & Peco Streamline 75.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eric

[Satan's Goldfish]

Interesting variation, nice work!

[Ravenser]

aaannnnndddddddd............tweak!

 

5ft b.jpg

 

 

This time it's 18in width with peco streamline small radius and y points.

 

 

Possibly not opened as much space at the front as i thought it might but short of full-size planning this is the closest i'll get.

 

 

Another fall down of the plan is the sector plate tracks should uniformly line up with the scenic tracks. So tracks A and C should line up with platforms 2 and 3 at the same time, and tracks A and B or B and C should line up with platforms 1 and 2 at the same time. To add to the operational puzzle, only Sector plate track B can reach all 3 platforms (C can't reach 1 and A can't reach 3).

 

I've added an over bridge to hide the exit to the sector plate. This can either be a road full of clichés like a bus, road works, and yellow BR van, or it could be another track crossing over with a red signal at the back to pose some different stock on. 

 

How's that then?!

 

Edit: Blue line to help show the invisible boundary between the shunting puzzle and the station. Plus i always wondered what to do with that old Hornby 'London Road Station'

 

 

 

I'd strongly recommend the Streamline over the Setrack, and if you can go for code 75 so much the better. I think the concourse as drawn is way too deep , and 2" with the station building reduced to its back wall may be more sensible - you'll find uses for the extra length (eg pair of Pacers) . There's no reason the sector plate has to be wholly containened within the 5' foot print . With cassettes in particular , you could use one that projects a little beyond the baseboard for a longer DMU train

 

Maunsel's redraw has merit - the island platform looks much better though it will need to be about 4" wide

 

The overbridge could be an inner relief road/ringroad concrete affair - think Durham Ox flyover in Lincoln or Riby Square in Grimsby

[Joseph_Pestell]

A very interesting plan.

 

As others have said, there are ways to make it look as though the platforms are a bit longer. But equally, there are locations such as Blackpool South where platforms that used to be long have been seriously shortened to just the length needed for a short DMU train.

 

I could see the traverser/sector plate being hidden by a modern bus station with interchange onto the new reduced-size station, Bradford Interchange style.

[Satan's Goldfish]

Moved here, i'm going for it!!! http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/73312-north-quay-test-plank/?p=1288006