This wye represents the spot where the Clinchfield departs the N&W main and heads south. The track at the lower right continues through the wall and a closet to a 3-track stub ended staging yard in my office. L&N trains will run to & from this yard to the right, then over the rest of the layout. Trackage rights end here so they will never go up and left.
My dilemma is that the turnout in the bottom right will be difficult to install and maintain. Since trains never go left, I really don't need it. With it there however, it will be easy to turn the L&N trains on the wye to restage between sessions. If I leave it out, I would need to back the train out of staging to the right, then proceed to the left where 50 feet or so down the line I have a reversing loop. The backing move to the right would be up a 1.7% grade and cross the swing-out section that allows access into the room. I could also just go into the office and switch the locos and caboose by hand, but I hate to touch the models (we all have our pet peeves).
What would you do?
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Carl,
I'd build it to operate. Do a good job. Then dig it out if there's a problem.
That's basically the dilemma I had at Crater Lake. It's shoe-horned in a corner over a short helix to my narrowgauge staging that's wound beneath it and the entrance to my standard gauge staging. I couldn't even crawl back there much, not enough room.
I built the back part of the wye off the layout, then laid it in place back there and connected. Sure, if something goes wrong, will be a big pain to deal with. But build it bulletproof and get one of the Woodland Scenics brightboy-on-a-stick thingies to clean.
And if something does go wrong, you've got a workaround already figured out until you can repair.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
carl425 My dilemma is that the turnout in the bottom right will be difficult to install and maintain. Since trains never go left, I really don't need it. With it there however, it will be easy to turn the L&N trains on the wye to restage between sessions. If I leave it out, I would need to back the train out of staging to the right, then proceed to the left where 50 feet or so down the line I have a reversing loop. The backing move to the right would be up a 1.7% grade and cross the swing-out section that allows access into the room. I could also just go into the office and switch the locos and caboose by hand, but I hate to touch the models (we all have our pet peeves). What would you do?
Rich
Alton Junction
Yeah, you guys are probably right. It will be difficult to build once. If I don't build it, it will be difficult to operate forever.
Thanks for the responses.
Just curious. What will be so difficult about building it?
skagitrailbird Just curious. What will be so difficult about building it?
The reach from the aisle to the switch points is 32".
Remote control should eliminate the 32" problem. Either electrically with a Tortoise, Switchmaster, etc. or manual remote like a BluePoint manual switch machine with some sort of push/pull rod-in-a-tube set up. The BluePoint even has a built in DPDT switch which can be used to have LEDs on a panel to indicate the points position.
Admitedly there will be some under the layout work involved. If you are old and stiff like me you will need a small limber friend to "go under." With regard to using a Tortoise I pre mount mine on a small square of plywood, pre-drilled for four mounting screws on each corner. I pre-wire it running short wires from the Tortoise terminals to be used to a terminal strip glued to the plywood base. I use .042 piano wire for the actuator, centering it and cutting it long enough to extend up through the throw bar several inches. Once it is ready for mounting, I start the mounting screws in the plywood base. The Under Helper then pushes the long wire up through the throw bar. The topside helper clamps it with a forceps so it won't fall out. Then the Under Helper dabs a bit of hot glue on the plywood base and, moving quickly before the hot glue sets, positions the plywood base such that the wire sticking up through the throw bar is perpendicular. When the hot glue sets in a few seconds the under helper finishes driving the four corner screws. Installation is complete once the actuator wire is cut low enough for any rolling stock and the appropriate wires are connected to the terminal strip--no upside-down soldering.
This same technique works for installing BluePoints, too, with the additional work involving the push pull set up.
Good luck!