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[[quote]QUOTE: Originally posted by leighant Aha! ("aha" is the ID of my railimages trackplan image) Aha! I found the key-- well anyway, A key to grandpacoyote's layout. A very small addition to the suggested space makes the difference-- a one foot deep shelf two feet long behind the closet door (behind the door only when the door is opened). The tail of a wye can go into that area. That makes the length of the layout on the right side of the plan 13 feet a a few inches instead of 11 feet and a few inches. The 26 inch radius of the bottom curve of the wye pushes its stem, and with it, the bottom edge of the layout to a diagonal across the bottom of the layout room instead of a straight-across edge. That suggests a "teardrop" shape space left in the central space. What can we put in a teardrop shaped space? That is the shape of a REVERSE LOOP! All of a sudden, then is a way to fit in the wye grandpacoyote wanted, plus a reverse loop that lets trains be turned quickly so an eastbound train can become its westbound counterpart, AND we have staging for 4 long trains. [img]http://www.railimages.com/albums/kennethanthony/aha.jpg[/img] http://www.railimages.com/albums/kennethanthony/aha.jpg What can we do to justify a reverse loop out in the middle of the desert? A prototype power plant is conveniently placed on the real railroad in this area, and power plants often have reverse loops for unit trains. We are not necessarily running unit trains but it gives a little justification for the appearance. And the plan leaves a little bit of "out-in-the-country" open space. I would like a longer icing dock, without a curve in the end of it. Wi***here was more room for town to be fully modeled instead of building backs, but hiding two long long staging tracks, even though stub ended, is probably worth it. I conceive of this layout as being seen from the NORTH side of the tracks, opposite of a usual map view where the right side of the map is east. With LEFT HAND running on the Santa Fe in this part of Arizona in the 1950s, that makes the inside track of the paired mainlines the eastbound track, running counterclockwise. Why? Because I wanted the icing dock to be convenient to eastbound reefer blocks running from Southern California and Arizona's Peavine line in the direction of Kansas City, Chicago and the East Coast, and the only place to fit in the icing dock seemed to be on the inside of the layout. I labeled the very obvious industries-- a bulk oil dealer, the depot with its freight house track., the power plant. The industries on the right wall need to be indoor/ warehouse type industries since the building backs need to hide the staging track. They might represent a farm supply and feed dealer.... and what else? [/quote] Leighant, Amazing! I had a lot of time to read while I was down, was about all I was up to; but yes the Cholla Power Plant does indeed have a reverse loop, just as you suggested. The Downside was that I discovered that Unit 1 at Cholla wasn’t built until 1962 and, as best as I can find, construction for the area wasn’t begun until 1960, 1959 at the earliest. [xx(] This places it pretty far outside my time range. Seems the more I learn the more walls I hit *chuckles* but then ain’t that the way it always goes. However, the idea of the Wye with its tail running behind the closet door is perfect and set off some sparks in my own mind. I have been slowly drawing out Tz’s plan in 3rd PlanIt when I was able and I have been trying to, as strange as it might sound, incorporate his plan and your ‘Aha!’ plan as I think that together they offer me just bout everything I could want, needless to say it going slowly. As I told TZ I hope to have some drawings up tonight or tomorrow and look forward to any feedback you could offer. I’m still having a devil of a time with any sort of yard. All things being equal I think that a plausible excuse could be made for the reverse loop, just have to figure one out… I’m sure there is something in the data I have on the area that will present itself. I’ll go back and look through it again. I did have a question though about the plan… The hidden staging lines (I am coming to understand that staging is a must so I’m open to any ideas of how to get some into this darned small space), my question is: How would the staging lines be accessed? Looking at the plan I’m not sure I get how they would be gotten to for maintenance and access. I’m sure it’s just me still being cotton headed, but maybe you could help blow out the cotton some? [:)] Also I was wondering, I read somewhere, I can’t remember for the life of me where, but it may have been advice given here on the forums, that a lift up/out section should always be on an angle rather than a straight piece. Would you happen to know if this is true, or did I just imagine that along with the white rabbits and giant caterpillars? Sorry if this is a bit rambling, it’s all the cotton between the ears, dont’cha know. [;)] Peace Coyote
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