Hello--
I know that in some instances railroads actually did have balloon tracks at passenger stations to enable an entire train consist to be easily turned around without locomotives needing to uncouple and run around the train.
My question is: does anyone have a list of any known stations on Illinois Central, ACL, SAL, FEC, CofG, that actually employed a balloon track arrangement??
In the model world, where so many of us employ a version of a folded dogbone layout, a balloon track into a passenger terminal is kind of a no-brainer. I'm just looking for real world locations to investigate and/or attempt to "model".
Thank you all in advance--
John
There are lots of passenger stations with balloon tracks. Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal is one.
Good read about Passenger Ops here: http://www.housatonicrr.com/passops.html
Michael
CEO- Mile-HI-RailroadPrototype: D&RGW Moffat Line 1989
In Vancouver C.P. would take their trains from the station through a tunnel under the city to the yard and then around a balloon track that went around the roundhouse and turntable. They would then pull it back through he tunnel to the station.
Here is a train going around on the balloon track.
"> I have a (sort of) dog bone layout. Here you can see I have a balloon track going around where my turntable and roundhouse will be. This is an old pic. I have the turntable now. ">
I have a (sort of) dog bone layout. Here you can see I have a balloon track going around where my turntable and roundhouse will be. This is an old pic. I have the turntable now.
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Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
I entered "miami amtrak" into google maps and turned up a sample right away. I'd recommend continuing that concept for your favorite cities and see what turns up. Consider that loop turning of passenger trains will normally be done at the "end of the line", not in mid-route. So that can limit your choice of cities.
Wyes would be, I think, more common for midpoint cities. They take up less real estate, and they can also supply a junction or diverging point. But on a model railroad, they're not quite as convenient. A wye large enough to turn a 16 car train in HO is going to be huge. But if it's also a diverging route, it still might work out.
Ed
Broad St. Station in Richmond VA had a loop arrangement. IINM it was built by RF&P, but also used by ACL and SAL.
Not in the South, but up in New Jersey, Wildwood Crest (PRR, PRSL) had a balloon track to turn trains and Bay Head still has a balloon track in use by NJ Transit.
Southern Railway had a balloon track around their North Avenue Coach Yard in Atlanta. It went through the washer so that the consist could be cleaned.
Ed--
Thanks for the helpful suggestion.
However, I'm not interested in today's track arrangements, so today's aerial images are not necessarily helpful.
I should have specified that I'm interested in loop or balloon track arrangements from the pre-Amtrak era.
Thank you all.
The previously mentioned Bay Head, NJ loop has been around since the steam era. Same goes for the loop in Sunnyside (Queens), NY.
Dave
Just be glad you don't have to press "2" for English.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQ_ALEdDUB8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hqFS1GZL4s
http://s73.photobucket.com/user/steemtrayn/media/MovingcoalontheDCM.mp4.html?sort=3&o=27
The guy asked about the South...he can eliminate JAX. Everything here was "wye" based....pull up and back in (other than FEC run throughs).
I have an old track diagram for Santa Fe in Galveston Texas that shows a balloon track around the roundhouse and engine terminal area. Rather tight.