Sidings

[Steve R.]

Does anyone know of a resource for laying roadbed and track for a passing siding? I thought I remembered seeing an article about it some time back but I'm not sure where it was. In particular I need to know how much lower it should be, how to make the grade and how long the grade into the siding should be. I'm building three modules for the modular club I'm in and it will have a passing siding and some industrial switching.

Also would appreciate any input about building portable modules. This is my first time building with foam board as a base.

 

 

[mobilman44]

Hi, and welcome to the forum !

More info is needed.  A passing siding is typically on the same level as the main track, and while I'm sure some may have been lower in height, I don't know of any or why that would be the case.   Anytime a RR has a height change it could make for additional operational difficulties.

If you belong to a "modular club", your fellow members should have the specs for the location of track connections - including a passing siding (assuming it bridges from module to module).

Also, the club should have specs for the building of the module itself. 

Ha, I'm not a "foam board" MR, but others here could certaily give you some advice in that regard.

 

[doctorwayne]

I agree:  leave the passing siding at the same elevation as the main.  For your industrial spurs, yes, they can be lower than the through tracks. 
I'm not a foam board modeller, either, but I'm guessing that you're using cork or Homasote roadbed atop the foam.  You could run the roadbed from the main into the spur (for at least a foot), and either cut-away the foam on an incline, so that the roadbed can gradually sink into the foam until its top becomes level with the surface of the foam, or install the roadbed atop the foam (as it is on the mainline), then use a Stanley Surform or coarse sandpaper to taper it down to the level of the foam.  With standard cork roadbed, this can be accomplished in about 1' beyond the turnout.  The balance of the spur can be placed directly atop the foam.
In the photo below, the main and passing tracks are on cork roadbed atop plywood.  The industrial track, diverging to the left, drops down to plywood level in the foot-or-so between the turnout off the main and the turnout near the icehouse, in the distance:

While the one shown above was accomplished using coarse sandpaper, I used a Surform for this one:

The cork in the first photo was affixed to the plywood with yellow carpenter's glue, while contact cement was used for that in the second photo.  Whatever you use to attach the cork to the foam, make sure that the bond is fully-cured before attempting to pare-down the cork.

Wayne

[jrbernier]

  I use 1/4" Homabed  for my mainline.  I run the Homabed into the siding about 16", and then lay 3/16" cork roadbed the rest of the way.  I use a Stanley 'Sureform' tool to taper that 16" of Homabed the 1/16" to match the cork.  This provides a nice transition down into the siding.

[Dannyboy6]

The other comments cover siding vs. spur. I use HO cork roadbed for maiin/sidings and N scale cork roadbed for spurs; sand with 100 grit paper to a smooth transition. I also use one size lighter rail on the spur, which helps with the effect (lower grade).

[superbe]

This is the way I have done it going to my yard. The yard track was attached to the turnout entering the yard. Then it (flex track) was curved as needed while laying it on the layout top. As you can see in the picture there is a gap between the track and the top.

The track has enough vertical strength to support engines as well as cars. When ready I'll stuff ballast under the track and glue it down.

I know this simple method works. How do I know?  This short video will prove the point. I did use a little support on the outside rail of a sweeping curve to give it a little elevation.

 VIDEO

 http://vid172.photobucket.com/albums/w15/superbe/Transition/1-3-2012/20120103171222.mp4

With this said I can't lay claim to this method as I learned it on the forum.

Bob

[tomikawaTT]

Actually, many passing sidings ARE lower than the adjacent main track - a result of many years of reballasting and re-leveling the main while the siding got only a lick and a promise.

Looking at the siding at Peagram, TN, the main and the siding, from points to clearance point, were all meticulously leveled and ballasted to a high standard.  Then, over a distance of about eight rail lengths (the siding still had jointed rail) the siding dropped to a level 10 - 12 inches below the main, on rather scruffy-looking ballast.  There was a definite 'step' in the one road that crossed both main and siding at grade.  That siding was fitted with CTC signals, but was seldom used.

If I was doing the same, I would attack the underside of my ballast former with a wood rasp, holding the drop to between 1/16 and 3/32 inch.  Done over a large cardboard box, with the shop-vac hose connected to one bottom corner, should keep the worst of the mess under control.

Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964, with directional double track where US railroads would have had sidings) 

[ricktrains4824]

And then, just to give a really big monkey wrench:

WNY&P RR Columbus passing siding, RR East & West Columbus, part of the former Erie RR, then Erie Lackawanna, then Conrail, located in rural NW PA, has the passing siding higher than the main line.

(It was on a section of former two track main, then became main line with a long passing siding, then the siding got shortened to it's current configuration by CR. The old first main, which was bypassed on a longer route, but smaller grade, for freights, is now abandoned in this location, save for a length where they rejoined side-by-side that is still there as the now passing siding.) 

Yes, there is a prototype for everything folks!