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How would you solve this issue?

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  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: Heart of Georgia
  • 5,406 posts
Posted by Doughless on Thursday, March 26, 2020 7:25 PM

Trainzman2435

 

Looks to me like the TT is in the perfect spot.  I'd have the access tracks coming off the top of the yard like Randy showed in your original diagram.

I would bring one in at 3 oclock, just like the TT is positioned above, and the a second at 2:30.  Maybe a double ended spur off of one with the sanding area.

If you wanted a DH, one or two tracks could come off the TT at about 1:00.  (rotate the RoundHouse CCW a bit).  Remember, a 3 stall DH does not require all 3 tracks to come off the TT.  If you had the length, you can have just one track come off the TT and split into 3 with a 3 way switch if you had to.  That might be one of the few prototypical reasons to use a 3 way actually.

Depending upon the scenery, the DH could be as far away as the 2% grade wording starts.

- Douglas

  • Member since
    September 2014
  • From: 10,430’ (3,179 m)
  • 2,311 posts
Posted by jjdamnit on Thursday, March 26, 2020 7:17 PM

Hello All,

Are you completely eliminating the 8-ladder yard from your first diagram?

Trainzman2435
How to get into my turntable and round house (SIC) lol.

If you have eliminated the yard then a single diverging turnout would get you to the roundhouse. 

Have you considered a transfer table to get your diesels to servicing facilities and tracks?

A transfer table could be placed between the turnout off the main and the roundhouse or on a diverging turnout with tracks parallel to the line to the roundhouse.

The diesel service building could be placed between the transfer table and the roundhouse and other services; sanding, fueling could be located opposite the diesel servicing building. 

The transfer table would also add more operational possibilities.

Hope this helps.

 

"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Central Vermont
  • 4,565 posts
Posted by cowman on Thursday, March 26, 2020 6:06 PM

You've got a couple of suggestions to forget the diesel house.  If you still want a dedicated diesel facility, you could scratch build another stall on the  end of the roundhouse.

Just a thought.

Good luck and stay safe,

Richard

  • Member since
    January 2004
  • From: Canada, eh?
  • 13,375 posts
Posted by doctorwayne on Thursday, March 26, 2020 8:08 AM

I can't see why there's any problem.  You could install a turnout just to the left of either one shown on your diagram.  If you choose the upper one, the track could come to the turntable alongside the roundhouse. 

If you wish to do it from the left of the lower turnout, it's pretty-much a clear shot right to the turntable.  For this one, you could go with either a curved turnout immediately to the left of the existing one, or use a left-handed regular turnout, making the diverging route part of the mainline loop.

I'm unaware if you're using both diesels and steam locomotives or only diesels, but in my hometown, the diesels used the same sanding facilities as the steamers, when both were in use at the same time, and after the steam was gone, continued to use those up until only a couple of years ago, when the coaling tower was razed...

There was never a specific diesel shop, as the diesels received everyday maintenance in the roundhouse...

 

....but went to parent-CPR's service facility in nearby Toronto, for major servicing.

Wayne

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Thursday, March 26, 2020 7:52 AM

So this is what you had before:

The 3 lower tracks to the turntable should still fit, whcih gives you room for the coal, oil, sand, and water (you don't need a big water tower trackside - in yards, standpipes were often used with the water tower located out of the way). You could probably run a 4th track as well to be the service track - it doesn;t have to lead to the turntable, but run behind the various facilities to provde a car for the ashpit, and for the sand tower.

Diesel fueling also need not take up a lot of room, with the storage tanks off somewhere else and not right at the point of use. The sanding pipes on the coal tower can also be used to load sand into diesels, no need to duplicate that. 

                                     --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Bakersfield, CA 93308
  • 6,526 posts
Posted by RR_Mel on Wednesday, March 25, 2020 8:34 PM

What Randy said about forget the diesel shop would work, the Southern Pacific yard in El Paso serviced the PAs and E7s in the roundhouse.
 
Here in Bakersfield the SP diesel shop was quite a distance from the roundhouse/turntable.  They still used the turntable to turn around the diesels to and from the diesel shop.
 
 
 
Mel
 
 
 
My Model Railroad   
 
Bakersfield, California
 
I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
 
  • Member since
    March 2017
  • 8,173 posts
Posted by Track fiddler on Wednesday, March 25, 2020 8:28 PM

I would say switch to your turntable where you see plausible

If you don't like it after that just rearrange switch back and switch again until you like it

Remember nothing is written in stone until you make it that way

 

 

TF

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
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Posted by rrinker on Wednesday, March 25, 2020 8:20 PM

 Simple solution - forget the diesel house. If there was an existing roundhouse, the railroad would use it for the diesels as well.

You have room for a couple of tracks leading intot he turntable, so you cna put a diesel fueling facility in there along with a coal dock and other steam facilities.

If you go back to your thread on the overall track plan, my suggestion with the diagonal tracks had a perfect lead in to the service area from the yard.

                                        --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Bakersfield, CA 93308
  • 6,526 posts
Posted by RR_Mel on Wednesday, March 25, 2020 8:17 PM

I don’t think it makes much difference where the track hits the turntable.
 
I brought my track along side the roundhouse.
 
 
Positioning the turntable for the track is what it’s all about.  The building to the left is my two stall diesel maintenance shop.
 
 
 
Mel
 
 
 
My Model Railroad   
 
Bakersfield, California
 
I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
 
  • Member since
    October 2019
  • From: Milton WV
  • 253 posts
How would you solve this issue?
Posted by Trainzman2435 on Wednesday, March 25, 2020 8:06 PM

Hello everyone, due to a few different circumstances and errors on my part i have had to reevaluate a couple of small things on my track plan so i need a little input from you more experienced modelers. I have attached an image of my current situation....How to get into my turntable and round house lol. Originally i had planned on coming in from the center yard to the right of where the round house is currently situated. Due to a figuring error on my part i have had to try and salvage what i could in order to both get into the turntable as well as utilize what space i have avaliable to hopefully add my disel service facility and sanding towers. Anyways, please give me some examples of how to best get into the turntable and maybe where you would place the 3 stall disel house and sanding towers....Many thanks. And for those wondering why i dont just move the current turntable and round house, well i cant....The turntable has already been cut in and mounted. Like i said, i made a couple of mistakes and now i am stuck with what i have....Thanks again everyone!

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