Hello everyone, i am begenning the track work on my reverse loop but im not sure where to isolate it at? Can someone please recommend the isolation points and where to install the auto reverser? Many thanks!
Frankly, I think that diagonal track that createa a reverse loop serves no purpose whatsoever and could just be elminated. Pull the link to the engina facility from the right hand side of the yard, and the link to that mine or whatever siding from around where the turnout is for the top part of the diagonal - flip it arouns and use a right-hand turnout.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
I disagree, respectfully, of course. I carefully designed my layout with two reverse loops, facing opposite directions so I could reverse an entire train regardless of which direction it was going, without backing up.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
I agree with Mr B's respectful disagreement.
My layout has two reversing loops, one left-to-right and one right-to-left. Both are useful, and both were designed that way on purpose.
Robert
LINK to SNSR Blog
I'm a newbie at gaps and reversing section, so I'm just throwing this out to see if it sticks or gets shot down.
Going right to left and down the diagonal, I'd gap after the slip switch or crossing and I'd gap before the turnout above the coaling tower? at the top left.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
is that the best location for a reverse loop?
when would you use it during operation?
is the yard at the bottom intended for staging or a switching yard during operation. If it's a yard, not staging, shouldn't the turntable be located near it to turn engines round?
greg - Philadelphia & Reading / Reading
Is that a crossing or a double slip?
Rich
Alton Junction
Yes, butt there is only one reverse loop in this plan, so you can't easily change back to going the other way. ANd there IS a turntable in the engine facility, to turn the loco and send it back out to a train going the opposite direction.
Plus in the words of John Armstrong, this makes the plan somewhat "insincere" in that the cutoff completely short circuits a section of the layout. From the previous plannign thread on this, the tracks are at different elevations, and the whole thign is a single track railroad, so it's kind of cheating to cut across the whole end loop and get to the yard, or get from the yard to the industry that is supposedly on the other side (and maybe at a different elevation).
The ability to turn a train around is a nice option on a MRR. Doing it on the "fly" just seems a little weird to me, however, my experience is limited on such things.
How about a balloon track around the RH to turn the train around, it is what I have done and can be prototypical.
My version.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
I am going to agree with Randy, and say that the track plan would be better without the reversing crossover.
.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
RR_MelI like his plan, very unusual but I really like it.
I like it as well, it is a layout of benchwork that I wish I could incorporate in a room. I would do a couple of things a little different but those are minor and more personal preference in nature. The layout should be fun.
If you want just to change direction of movement for giggles or relief of some kind, why not do it nearest the 'neck' to the end of the middle peninsula? Have the option to go around that curve the 'wrong way'.
RR_Mel I’m not into auto-reversers and don’t have a clue how they work or installed but as a DC guy I would go with a long block around the curve for maximum train length.
Soo many good suggestions and points from all of you, i really appreciate them all. On one hand i wouldnt mind eliminating the reversing section but i just spent $60 on the Peco double slip lol. On the other hand i am all for simplicity and eliminating any chances of a short circut lol. You gentlemen that are suggesting a different route to take instead of the double slip reverse loop, it would be awesome if you could maybe do a rough sketch and show me what you are thinking, i am more of a see it kind of guy when it comes to things like this. As for when i might use it (The reverse loop), i really hadnt given it much thought. It will be only me running trains as i have no friends around here that are into model railroading so i dont see an ops session, it would mainly be more for versatility or just something different. As i said, i really appreciate all the suggestions and comments so please keep them coming. I have not laid any of the track or roadbed for the reverse section as of yet so that part of my plan is still open to editing.....Thanks again everyone!
Trainzman2435 On one hand i wouldnt mind eliminating the reversing section but i just spent $60 on the Peco double slip lol.
On one hand i wouldnt mind eliminating the reversing section but i just spent $60 on the Peco double slip lol.
If you want to keep that track as a reversing section, go for it. But, as others have pointed out, once you reverse direction, you are somewhat stuck with no easy way to get back to the original counter clockwise direction. To solve that problem, you could add a second reversing section on the lower left side of your track diagram by running a section of track diagonally from the bottom of the loop back up to the point where the train entered the loop.
RR_Mel Simple fix
rrinker Frankly, I think that diagonal track that createa a reverse loop serves no purpose whatsoever and could just be elminated. Pull the link to the engina facility from the right hand side of the yard, and the link to that mine or whatever siding from around where the turnout is for the top part of the diagonal - flip it arouns and use a right-hand turnout. --Randy
Randy, is this what you mean by removing the double slip and reverse loop and adding switches?
Wouldn't the location of isolation matter if DC or DCC?
One thing I like is the idea of making a train appear that it travels "beyond the layout." You can do that my removing the reverse loop by the double-ended yard (the one without the turntable). In doing that, you now have two parallel tracks.
kasskaboose Wouldn't the location of isolation matter if DC or DCC? One thing I like is the idea of making a train appear that it travels "beyond the layout." You can do that my removing the reverse loop by the double-ended yard (the one without the turntable). In doing that, you now have two parallel tracks.
Not sure what you mean exactly sir, maybe you can elaborate some more. And also, the layout is DCC. Thanks.
THat looks like the same plan, nothing different from the one at the top of the page.
rrinker THat looks like the same plan, nothing different from the one at the top of the page. --Randy
Randy, yes it is different. There is no double slip switch and i replaced it with regular #6 turnouts.
No, that's not what I meant. WHat I meant was remove ALL of that track. Come off the other end of the yard to go over to the turntable area. ANd JUST to the turntable area. Heck, there's enough toom ro add another track to the yard as well. ANd then for the industry on the right, use a right-hand turnout off the passing siding a the top. Those tro tracks don;t need to cross. I don;t see what purpose that serves, other than to get a single direction reverse loop in there, which isn;t really needed. For out and back operation, you don;t need a reversing section, you can turn the train in the yard and go back the way you came, and for continuous running, you just go around the loop, so without ANY reversing section, you've got both out and back type operation as well as an option for continuous run to just watch the trains roll by.
Trainzman2435, you do have options. If you are reluctant to follow Randy's suggestion, then stick with your original idea of reversing the upper loop, using the Peco double slip as part of the reversing movements. The only limitation with that plan is that you can only reverse trains in a single direction. However, if you add a second reversing section to the bottom loop, you can then return the trains to the original direction. That would give you lots of flexibility.
rrinker No, that's not what I meant. WHat I meant was remove ALL of that track. Come off the other end of the yard to go over to the turntable area. ANd JUST to the turntable area. Heck, there's enough toom ro add another track to the yard as well. ANd then for the industry on the right, use a right-hand turnout off the passing siding a the top. Those tro tracks don;t need to cross. I don;t see what purpose that serves, other than to get a single direction reverse loop in there, which isn;t really needed. For out and back operation, you don;t need a reversing section, you can turn the train in the yard and go back the way you came, and for continuous running, you just go around the loop, so without ANY reversing section, you've got both out and back type operation as well as an option for continuous run to just watch the trains roll by. --Randy
Randy, i think i see what you mean. Take a look at te new design and tell me your thoughts, too much or??? Thanks!
Closer. Connect those industries to the right to the passing siding at the top, not off the yard.
At least with a wye you can go both ways. The way this was, you could go from ccw to cw, but not back again the other way.
Passenger cars? What are those? Even thr prototype had a way around turning the train - the Reading Crusader ran an observation car on each end, the loco just switched ends. The tender of the assigned locos had an extended shroud to hid the observation end on the one coupled to the loco.