The way I understand it, waterwings are flat across one side, where as with a dogbone, both sides dip into the middle.
More often track plans are called dogbones when they should be called waterwings, JMO. But I think the jist is conveyed either way.
- Douglas
After looking at the drawings, I guess I won't call mine a "waterwings", as between the loops on each end, I have about 10' on the back, and about 6' on the front, of straight sections, bent, like an L.
So I'll go back to calling it a "L" shaped dog bone".
I'm glad I cleared that up!
Mike.
My You Tube
rrinkerSchematically, it's all a dog bone, but if the two tracks that form the 'shank' of the bone are widely separated, is it really still a dog bone?
I have always thought of a dogbone as having the tracks between the loops squeezed together to represent a double track main line. This is how Armstrong defines it in TPFRO.
rrinkerDoes it really matter in the end?
I think it does. Meaningful communication requires that all parties involved are using a common language.
I have the right to remain silent. By posting here I have given up that right and accept that anything I say can and will be used as evidence to critique me.
Hmm, I'd consider a water wings type layout to be maybe a "bent" dogbone. Bend it all the way so the loops overlap and then it is "folded".
Although I have also seen it called 'folded' when one loop is flipped over - as in, if you stretched it out, it would be a figure 8. As your plan is. Schematically, it's all a dog bone, but if the two tracks that form the 'shank' of the bone are widely separated, is it really still a dog bone? The distinction tends to go away the smaller the layout is. For an example, my planned layout is a double track around the walls of my basement, with big loops on either end. It's unquestionably a dogbone, with a long thin shank and big blobs on the ends. Squeeze the same thing into the corner of a room, sya 8 feet (in HO) along each wall, and there isn't even enough space, unless the curve radius is made rather small, for the connection track between the loops to come together at some reasonable spacing to simulate a double track main. Is it still a dogbone, or is it more of a bent and folded oval?
Semantics - that's what it really comes down to. Does it really matter in the end? Probbaly not. But the basic shapes are very helpful in determining how much railroad you can fit in your space, with most efficient use of space, and suitability to your operating desires.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
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Layout Design GalleryLayout Design Special Interest Group
UNCLEBUTCHI was told that those are folded dogbones,was I told wrong?
The defnitions are imprecise. In Track Planning for Realistic Operation, 3rd Edition, Armstrong calls a layout with two lobes and a bend in a corner, like this 8'X10' HO layout, "Water Wings" (page 90).
In the same book (page 100), Armstrong defines a Folded Dogbone as folded all the way over so that the two loops lie within (or on top of) one another. But the Water Wings is a class of folded dogbones, too. (At least, as I see it.)
As to the Original Poster's question, yes, the pretzel madness of the Granite Gorge and Northern could be unwound into a water wings or dogbone folded into the corner.
But I'd personally restart the design from scratch based on what one wanted to accomplish. Atlas plans are typically designed to pack the maximum amount of the company’s product (track) into a given space. There has been a lot of layout design thought in the intervening decades, so often something better will fit.
If the OP would post his room dimensions (better yet, a dimensioned sketch), folks may be able to help.
This 1904 example of the inflatable swimming aid is an example of why the term water wings was applied, by the way.
Byron
I was told that those are folded dogbones,was I told wrong?
At first I wasn't sure what you meant, but after checking it out, that describes my layout.
A wide spot on each end, and narrow in the midle. Now I can describe my layout as a bent "L" shaped water wings. Who knew?
I'll have to check out the GG&N.
Has anyone ever tried to adapt the GGN to a "water wings" style? I love the multi route choices the GGN offers, but the 5x9 chews up a lot of space!