This is another slightly off the wall one for my Forum friends: On the yard that I'm building I have a track that I want to use to display and have engines to add to trains that are being built. As I am running DC, the track is in different blocks. My question is this: Is there any sort of prototypical way to mark the limits of the blocks so that the engines don't accidentally "bridge" two blocks? As usual any help that can be provided would be most welcomed.
I cannot think if a prototype purpose that would create a need for marking tracks in short lengths like this, if that is what you feel you need - but I can think of any number of features in a yard that could be used to mark these short blocks in a fairly obvious but realistic way.
It is common in yards to park locomotives in the same places regularly and repeatedly and these places are often set off by sizable oil stains on the track, sometimes to the point of covering and obscuring the ties. Those themselves could be in essence your block marks. The recent trend has been to protect the ground water from oil with fairly elaborate lengths of a fabric or mat beneath the tracks that catches the oil - those mats are about the length of a locomotive. So a few of those in a row, one for each block, could be plausible looking. And either the oil blob or the mat would also help explain WHY your locomotives are parked there.
More subtle would be little yard details such as "yard air" hoses, verticle PVC pipes holding brooms to clear out switch points, and such.
A tried and true way to mark things such as hidden uncoupling magnets could also be used here, and that is some mark on the ties, or using a very different tie. In the BNSF yard in Galesburg from time to time one sees a steel tie, often isolated or just a few steel ties. They are narrower than wood, smooth rather than grained, reddish brown rather than blackish gray, and the ends are curved downward. Some work with a sanding stick or file could make regular ties look that way.
Another realistic way to mark off different areas - again in Galesburg one sees "golf carts" used by brakemen to fasten air hoses and even some minor RIP type repairs. They have put in some gravel "crossings" throughout the yard so the carts can cross from track to track.
Finally, not so realistic maybe but effective and perhaps even useful: a between the rails Kadee coupler magnet.
Dave Nelson
Railroads have been using clearance markers in recent years to designate the point on a track that equipment must be stopped short of.
https://tinyurl.com/y7nykrar
If this is what you are looking for.
Sometimes simply a painted mark on the tie or rail or some more elaborate.
https://www.aldonco.com/store/c/112-Track-Clearance-Markers.aspx
I'll bet you could strip some yellow insulation off small gauge wire and drill a hole in the roadbed to accept it. Wire insulation would be flexible but stiff enough to withstand bumps.
Hope that helps, Ed
for visable sidings i use a clump of weeds , a tree or bush or some trash like steel banding that fell off a flat car and other trash that would come to be in a yard over time.for hidden yards i use led's with a dark senser.
Signals?
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
What I've got is six sections that are 10.5" long all running together on the same track of the yard. The insulations and feeders are on the side of the track that one wouldn't see unless they were standing up. (Layout height is roughly 36".)
The idea of signals makes me wonder about getting some dwarf signals to put trackside.
Sheldon (Atlantic Central) has a current signaling thread. Well beyond my paygrade. Lots of inexpensive dwarf signals on ebay and not that expensive from Shapeways.
BigDaddy Lots of inexpensive dwarf signals on ebay
Lots of inexpensive dwarf signals on ebay
Already exploring that option.
Another option would be to construct some blue flags that you could clip onto the rail as each locomotive is parked. A dot of paint on the side of the near rail or tie-end could signify the installation point.
Wayne
Until I saw the options shown in the link, I always thought that blue flags only indicated that men were working. The one prototype question that I would have is this: Would a hosteler have the authority to move (and replace) the blue flags in order to move the engines as needed to build trains or as they come off trains?
Hello all,
This might sound like an overly simple answer but..
What about yard limit marking signs. Kadee makes them: https://kadee.com/htmbord/page426.htm
You could also make them from styrene or wood and either lettered or simply painted.
Just put them at the end of the blocks.
Hope this helps.
"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"
FRRYKidWould a hosteler have the authority to move (and replace) the blue flags in order to move the engines as needed to build trains or as they come off trains?
Absolutely not. Blue flag protection is the original "LOTO" of today. Only the individual that placed the sign or flag is authorized to remove it. If more than one class of employee was working on the equipment several flags may be placed for each department, i.e. car inspectors and electricians may both be working around equipment so each would place their own flag.
FRRYKid I always thought that blue flags only indicated that men were working.
They can be used in cases like when camp cars are occupying a siding. Could be there for months. Other equipment can not be placed on the same track without authorization from each department that placed the flag.
IMG_8730_fix by Edmund, on Flickr
Cheers! Ed
Well, if the track is to store locomotives, as on a ready-track, then I'd think that the hostler would spot them there and then put the blue flag in place, so he'd also be allowed to remove it when the loco is needed. If that's too far-fetched, why not a simple post? I place yellow posts (styrene rod painted yellow) to mark the position of uncoupling magnets. These are mostly in the staging yards, but are also on some industrial sidings where the reach is a little long for manual uncoupling.Mine have a single black stripe near the top to indicate a magnet on the track adjacent (just beyond the post), or a double stripe to signify that the next two tracks each have a magnet at that point...
FRRYKidAlready exploring that option.
So —
What did you decide to go with?
Regards, Ed
Actually it is still in process, but I think I am going to use the yellow pole idea that was suggested.
To restart this post:
FRRYKid yellow pole idea that was suggested.
yellow pole idea that was suggested.
I finally got the yellow poles installed. I used some skewers painted NP yellow. The next question I have is how tall to make them. As usual any suggestions would be most welcomed.
Mine range in height from about 4' to 6', depending on their location. Because yours are all in the same area, I'd make them all the same height, whatever you choose.
They can be used in cases like when camp cars are occupying a siding.
Most of the rule books I've seen call for WHITE signs that read "Occupied Camp Cars" or equivalent, NOT blue flags.
The simplest solution to the original question is to paint a tie a different color. I put a marker with the track number at theh clearance point.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
In my observation of places where locomotives stand for any length of time, one always sees piles of sand that has leaked from the sanders of the idling units. Little spots of off-white paint or even tiny piles of painted plaster at the junction of the blocks could serve as inconspicuous block markers.
On my old N Scale HCD layout of the 80s I parked my engines where they belonged in the engine service area until they were needed.
Even those marelous Atlas/Kato RS3s was parked there until needed..
I used my yard tracks for building trains.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
You could always do line the prototypes. Paint the block piont yellow on the rail side. I see that a lot around here. As for a painted sand pile, just use a sand colored (nonsanded) grout
Wolfie
A pessimist sees a dark tunnel
An optimist sees the light at the end of the tunnel
A realist sees a frieght train
An engineer sees three idiots standing on the tracks stairing blankly in space