Passenger Station Area

[jacon12]

 I have a little station that I'm going to repaint/redo and otherwise modify, see picture below.  My questions concern what to do with the area around the building.  I'm not sure whether to ballast the passenger track siding and mainline beside it and how that will work in with whatever I do with the ground that will surround the station.  There will be a small parking lot to the right of the station, when looking from this angle, and a road will cross both tracks and continue 'off layout'.  I can't find any images that I can go by for something like this and don't have such station in my area to take pictures of.  The ground immediately around the station on this side will be dirt and gravel and on the other side, as I said, a parking lot.  How did the prototype do this?

Any and all suggestions appreciated!

Thanks,

Jarrell

[wjstix]

Generally at a small station like that, the track would just be ballasted as it normally would be. If there are a lot of passengers using both tracks - like if this is a commuter station serving a line to a big city nearby - you might see the track area paved, or at least a paved walkway between the tracks for people to walk on.

[nbrodar]

 Here's how I did it..which is common for small outlaying stations...

 

I build the base up so the station platform is just above the top of the ties...the ballast flows up to the platform.  The parking area is fine ballast, and I used some Atlas Hair Pin fencing to seperate it from the track.

Nick

[Medina1128]

Here's mine.

[dehusman]

Both tracks would be ballasted.

If the siding is next to the station then it would probably have a platform on it like a grade crossing for the length of the platform. 

On the prototype, the passenger trains would be on the main not in the siding since as passenger trains they would be first class trains and would hold the main track when meeting any other freight trains, unless it was CTC.  The only reason a passenger train would be in the siding in any area not CTC is if it was meeting another passenger train.

[markpierce]

It was typical at small-town stations for the main track to be on the station side and the passing track on the side away from the station.  Passenger trains normally stayed on the main because passing tracks often had greater speed limitations.  With baggage, express, and people moving between station and train, the passing track couldn't be used if it was between the main track and the station while there was a passenger train stopped.  Passing tracks commonly had smaller rail and less ballast than the main. 

It wasn't uncommon for a house track to be between the main track and a combination passenger/freight station.  (They either ran in front or behind the station.)  While typically double-ended and superficially looking like a passing track, a house track was just a spur where a freight or express car would be parked for unloading/loading at the freight house.

[markpierce]

On the other hand, if those two tracks in front of your station are a double-track mainline, you should include an "island" platform between the two tracks, with occasional runways connecting the island platform to the platform adjacent to the station.  If a train is loading or unloading at the far track, trains are prohibited on the inside track.

If one has a house track between the main and the station, the top of its rails should be ground/platform level with the space between its rails filled to minimize tripping and to allow baggage wagons free movement.

[tomikawaTT]

Another possibility - double track main, commuter station - would have platforms (typically nine inches higher than the rail, edge at the tie ends) outside both tracks.  On a heavy traffic line, there would be an overpass or underpass between the near platform and the farside station.  On a route with typical 'rush hour' commuter traffic (5 trains inbound each morning, five outbound each evening) and no opposing traffic during the rush, there might be a pedestrian crossing or two right across the rails.

My prototype would have high level platforms both sides and an overpass.

Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - where ALL passenger platforms were high level)

[Sailormatlac]

In my area, many station had a wooden deck/step over the low level concrete platform to help people descending the train. I don't know if it was a common feature on other companies but it gives a nice touch without too much effort. It was used in part keep the passenger platform lower enough to make accessibility easier and probably because it was low cost. Maybe to give clearance to freight trains too. It could be made with styrene or wood strips easily. It looks like a running board about 1 feet high installed on wooden blocks spaced at 3 or 4 feet from each other.

The picture dates back to 1889 (the year the service started) and represent the famous Ste.Anne de Beaupré Basilica before the fire that destroyed it in 1922. You can see the running board/step I was talking along the track. It was there until 1959 and probably still there in 1978. There is also a small wooden pedestrian bridge on the right side, you have a nice iron cast fence that delimit the public space from the railway property and on the brick wall of the Shrine, you'll see a angel statue that shows passengers the way to go... A very beautiful setting from the 1880's... They ran the original passenger cars until the last commuter train in 1959... 70 year-old coaches from the old time travelling beside the highway... Who said you couldn't run 1800's trains in the fifties!!! BTW, the railroad company was the Quebec Railway Light & Power. My "holy grail" layout would be to make an HO diorama out of the shrine and it's passenger station.

Good luck with your project! and show us the completed work!

Matt

 

 

[markpierce]

tomikawaTT

My prototype would have high level platforms both sides and an overpass.

Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - where ALL passenger platforms were high level)

I can see where high platforms would be handy for persons of short stature and consistent with a gracious society.