Hello to all hope you had a good Thanksgriving. Is there any advandage of a double slip turnout over a double crossover on a car ferry pier? Thank you and stay well.
The double slip doesn't really add any operational advantage over a double crossover that I can think of in this situation. Where double slips are better are for things like passenger terminals. For double track ferry aprons, I'd stick with the double crossover (AKA "scissor" crossover).
A double slip will limit you in that ALL traffic has to pass through the "pinched waist" of the switch.
A double crossover will at least allow you to have two independent routes into the ferry slip. Then crossing over when needed.
This is a pretty neat film showing the loading of a car ferry. Note the double crossover.
Good Luck, Ed
gmpullmanpretty neat film showing the loading of a car ferry
You're not kiddin' Ed, that is a neat film! Thanks
Yup, Keep It Simple. A real railroad wouldn't waste complex, expensive specialty trackwork on a car ferry slip.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Sorry, no experience with double-slip or double-Xover turnouts. With limited space and using a Frenchman River float bridge and carfloat I chose a curved and gauntlet turnout for my approach tracks.
Regards, Peter
Living in a land-locked state where water is scarce,I have nothing to add to this thread - but Peter,the detail and realism of that shot is a joy to see.
Mike
The Walthers carfloat apron has a wye turnout at its throat so only needs a single approach track.
MisterBeasleyThe Walthers carfloat apron has a wye turnout at its throat so only needs a single approach track.
It needs two turnouts, one is on the apron. The angled arrangement on the apron kind of makes the wye turnout and single approach track a necessity.
I am not going to use this arrangement on mine. Having the points on the apron looks like a problem waiting to happen.
I will build a three track apron for simplicity.
I would love a thread about how to make the points Walthers apron work reliably.
Example picture, but not my work:
-Kevin
Living the dream.
I built my Walthers apron and float on foam. Although the apron does raise and lower, there are no tides or high water in my trainroom, so it's a fixed base and pretty solid.
Both of the apron turnouts are driven by Tortoise machines. Because of the extra structure, they ended up needing long throws, but those are fine, too.
I don't remember if I powered the apron tracks or not. Since I'm using idler flats, the engine doesn't need to go on the apron. I replaced the plastic rails in the kit with nickel silver on the float itself, but I didn't power them. I used nickel silver rail to reduce rolling friction.
I didn't know where to put the turnout toggles when I built this, so I used Switch-its and run them from my DCC throttle. That may change when I get it back up again.
This is my plan for the car float.
I will use the straight sections from my two Walthers carfloat kits and one end section to make a long carfloat model.
The apron will be completely non-functioning with kind of longer lead tracks.
This is because on the Port Annabelle side of the layout I will not have room for a small yard and a carfloat, but I "must have" both.
As such, during operations where I am switching the industries in Port Annabelle, I will by using the carfloat and the approach/apron as yard tracks. I know this is completely unrealistic useage, but I can llive with it.
After the local leaves Port Annabelle and returns to Centerville, I will swap out the cars left on the carfloat to simulate carfloat operations.
Hopefully some creative construction will make it look good in photographs.
Switch on apron works well as designed. Dead slow speed while loading/unloading avoids derailments on my ferry.
Have you considered using a 3-way turnout from PECO?
Peco medium radius 3-way turnout
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
Medina1128 Have you considered using a 3-way turnout from PECO?
I don't know about other aprons, but the Walthers one has slots for the rails in the apron and would only work with the specified turnout geometry.
gmpullman A double slip will limit you in that ALL traffic has to pass through the "pinched waist" of the switch. A double crossover will at least allow you to have two independent routes into the ferry slip. Then crossing over when needed.
Rich
Alton Junction