This thread follows up on my Jan. 21 post in the "Help with signals" thread. We're talking switchback tracks directly serving industries, not those used to gain/lose altitude in a short distance. That Jan. 21 post advised against short switchbacks where cars would needed to be removed from the tail track in order to serve other industries. Layout designer Byron Henderson has an article about this at http://www.layoutvision.com/id16.html
Several years ago I did some research studying detailed maps, mostly in central California, to locate industrial railroad track switchbacks. I found lots of them; however, they were almost always used in special circumstances that don't apply to most all layout plans employing them with industries on the tail fouling the track served by the switchback..
The most prodigious example was the Concord Naval Weapons Depot where there was a multitude of short, single-ended sidings serving individual ammo storage bunkers. Another "weird" example was a circle with spurs coming off at a steel mill, an arrangement also seemingly common of military warehouse operations. Also found examples at the end of several branchlines (like Davenport) leading to cement plants. There is also the tallow plant in Stockton. In these instances, the switchback tracks were switching leads to serve multiple industrial tracks. They didn't have any industries on the switchback.
There were also a surprising number in South San Francisco, Santa Clara, Stockton and other cities where switchbacks were necessary to access an industry because of obstructive buildings or streets. The Alameda Air Station was an excellent example of switchbacks serving wharfs and warehouses. The Mare Island Naval Shipyard also had quite a few switchbacks. I particularly like the example where a spur turned south from the "mainline" in order to access a structure on the north side of the tracks: the spur switchbacked and crossed the "mainline" at 90 degrees. I only noted one instance where it would be likely that cars spotted at an industry on a switchback tail would block access to the other industries.
I disdain puzzles such as jigsaw, cross-word, etc., including layouts with "timesaver" trackage. ("Timesaver," now that is an oxymoron with all those short switchbacks with car spotting places on the tails!) They lead me to frustration, not joy. My current track plan for a branchline terminus is to have all industries served from the same direction, except for those that are on double-ended sidings which can be served from both directions. Nevertheless, there is one switchback, but that is used as a switching lead to a multi-track industry. Switching will still be interesting but without the gamey puzzle.
Mark
I have always enjoyed switching puzzles, these switch backs always add some fun during operations. Many of our industrial areas on the club layout will incorporate them. Some out of necesity and others just because. The operations commitee can really make it interesting due to the holds blocking the rest of the pick ups or drops.
Switching the yard industries is another favorite. There's a half a dozen industries as well as the engine service: coal hoppers, ash gons, sand hoppers, diesel etc. Some tricky switching on a few of these especially in a very busy yard.
Never a dull operations switching these areas.
Modeling B&O- Chessie Bob K. www.ssmrc.org
Mark,
You make a very valid point without stating it directly - There does not need to be an industry on every single length of 'industrial' trackage.
As model railroaders in the '50s and '60s we were often exposed to the 'block puzzle' switching problem layouts built by some of the great gurus of the time, and gained a rather distorted idea of how things should be done. As a result, the idea has come down that there has to be a loading dock or door just past the fouling point of every turnout along Railroad Avenue.
Even in the heyday of loose-car freight service, there was always some 'spare' trackage where a car (or the caboose) could be parked out of the way. Switchbacks, especially, would seldom have a 'working' spot where it would interfere with access to the industries being served (although there might be an industry or team spot at the farthest end of same.)
I recall the approving noises made about a layout where the builder had lined up several industries along a single long spur - every car along which would have to be pulled to serve the last warehouse! Even then, I recognized the fallacy. To be typical of the prototypes I was railfanning at the time (in the US, not Japan) that should have been a double track with a bunch of crossovers, or at least a long access track with separate spurs to the individual loading docks. Somehow, that idea never made it into the model railroading data banks.
You have done all of us a service by giving us the results of your research. Thank you.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
bogp40 I have always enjoyed switching puzzles, these switch backs always add some fun during operations. Many of our industrial areas on the club layout will incorporate them. Some out of necesity and others just because. The operations commitee can really make it interesting due to the holds blocking the rest of the pick ups or drops.
There are plenty of cars "in the way" and interesting switching without locating industries on short switchbacks. If I ever visit your club, please assign me a mail/express train on a milk-run schedule. Thanks!
Mark, who donates to the local thrift store any puzzle received
I know real railroads didn't use switching puzzles as often as we do, yet I also believe if done well, they can create a lot of operation in minimum space. My home was a small, Mayberry like, town on the end of the branch. Probably violated just about every rule of track planning. Everything was in nice paralled lines. Served a power plant from a switch back that had a cotton mill on the tail. Granted, it stretched about a mile end to end, and had a couple of spurs coming off in both directions, but was still a switchback. To make things worse, the station was served from the tail of the run around rather than a siding. I've often thought it would make a great LDE if I could fit everything in right.