thanks for the info wrumbel/wayne. as you stated the wye to the autoplant needs to be done asap and thats what i have done as of yesterday. i gapped the rails exactly where you said to off of both the straights coming from the two switches. i was able to run trains like normal and it looked really good to see a train run from one end of the yard to the parts of the track that i have completed. im getting close to a running a complete loop with a train.
again thanks wayne for the input and if there are any others who might beable to help please do so and thanks in advance.
Reggie,
You need three more reversing sections, one is the Black Diamond coal mine, the second is between the Eng. Service and Susanville and the third is between the branch to the grain elevator and the SM interchange yard.
The first one will need both rails gapped in three places:
a) after the diverging route of the switch near Lake Regitrain
b) at the toe of the switch nearest the aisle just above the +3.0" text - i.e. for trains going to/from the SM interchange yard
c) where the coal and Bengal Creek Branch join back to the mainline behind Susanville (at the end of the branch line)
The second is easy - after the switch below the text "Eng. Service" and just before the branch rejoins the main before Susanville
The third looks easy - each side of the cut-out in the backdrop, but one thing you need to be carefull of is the length of the trains you want to run: a train must never be longer than the reversing section.
I will try and do a sketch to make this easier
Justin
justin thanks for the help. but i have a few questions for you and wayne. i went to johnnys toys today and let the tim the train guy take a look at my layout plan and he said that i would need the reverse loops gaps in 3 different places instead of 4. one being the autoplant, the other being eng service to grain elev, and the other being the cross over that goes thru the backdrop. the one for the coal mine he said i didnt need it because it can be used almost like a yard and you wouldnt have to wire a yard to the reverse loop. his statements he also has a layout in his basement thats like 20'x40' with plenty of reverse loops and he is also using the same dcc system im using nce. not to say you are wrong but could you please explain or possibly explain to me why he would say i dont need it there and you and wayne say i do or could i possibly get away with not wiring it as a reversing loop. also he marked the same spots to gap as you and wayne said. anymore help would be greatly appreciated. im just double checking before i make anymore improvements to hte railroad. want to make sure all i's are dotted and t's crossed. to make sure i will call tim tomorrow and ask the reasoning for not gapping the coal mine. will let you know tomorrow.
justin no problem. thats why i asked the question to the forum. to double check him not to say he was wrong or anything. when he looked at it at first he said the coal mine to but then said whats reversing about that. he then said it should be treated just like one of the other yards. again thanks for the advice you have giving me thus far to get this figured out. i have made some changes to this plan but my friend who is helping with the design just hasnt updated them yet. so patiently waiting i guess i will go do a little work and maybe i can give an update with pictures later today.
well my wife took the camera and it came back broke. i made alot of progress almost all of the cork is laid for the long skinny island at the bottom of the picture. was going to take pictures but camera somehow came up broke. will try not to do any more work until camera is replaced but if the bug hits me i will have to lay the track and just catch you guys up from where i am when the camera is replaced. sorry but no pictures this time please dont be mad.
Reggie:
When you get a layout this big and complicated reversing sections can jump in anywhere. I'll agree that it looks like only the three sections; but this is why I was hoping someone else would look at it; because I thought the mine area was going to be a reverse section.
It's good that you got several opinions before you layed track. The auto plant was an easy fix, it's a wye, these others can really catch you off guard.
Good going and good luck
Wayne
wayne thanks for the help and yes im glad that i got more than one opinion. different eyes will see something one pair might not see. everybody seen the samethings and agreed the there are three reverse sections. so im in compliance with you all. because without you guys help i would be lost and the railroad would have to stop. agian thanks to all for the help
well good news and bad. before i said camera wasnt working. well i took my camera to work with me and took it apart. played with it for a few minutes. like made sure the connections were in all the way on everything. then put it back together actually there were no extra screws so that means i must have put it back together correctly. turn it on it flashed but the screen still didnt come on. so i took a few more pictures and when i got home i tried to download the pictures and to my supprise. the pictures i took downloaded. so that means i can still use the camera to take pictures. so that means i can move on with progress. so me and the wifey are going to look for a while before i get another one. so i will go downstairs and take pictures of what i have done so far and do more work then take more pictures and post later today. all aboard.
here are the pictures as promised. got all the track layed for the peninsula except for the coal facility. hope you like will try to do more work tomorrow if im not to tired from work.
I see you laid the risers more towards the middle of the benchwork, whereas in the plan I last presented I had the double track main bending out to the outside edge and going into a tunnel. I placed them out at that edge in order to allow enough room for scenic plausibility of the creek, plus to make the hidden trackage readily accessible from the side. As it appears you've got risers and cork glued down in this position, though, I think the tunnel concept is out; these will need to be visible mains in order for the scenery to work out. No big deal - just want to make sure that's your intention!
I'll spend some time tomorrow night after work on the plan, revising to match what you've posted here. Looking good!
WP&P I see you laid the risers more towards the middle of the benchwork, whereas in the plan I last presented I had the double track main bending out to the outside edge and going into a tunnel. I placed them out at that edge in order to allow enough room for scenic plausibility of the creek, plus to make the hidden trackage readily accessible from the side. As it appears you've got risers and cork glued down in this position, though, I think the tunnel concept is out; these will need to be visible mains in order for the scenery to work out. No big deal - just want to make sure that's your intention! I'll spend some time tomorrow night after work on the plan, revising to match what you've posted here. Looking good!
the reason for me laying the risers towards the middle of the benchwork is. because when trains are coming down the that incline it is prone to have more derails if an operator is not use to the slack action i would think. thats why i eliminated the curve on the incline just for that reason. i liked the idea but i started to think of all that could happen right there and that could be a major problem being that its a two track main going up and down that incline. if a derail happens it would block traffic in both directions until we could get the mow in there to get that mess cleaned up. so i made it a straight away. there can still be a tunnel but the scenery around that area will just have to change. sorry for the inconvience.
Here's the latest version, with modifications as recently discussed:
I'll also post some partial plans, zoomed in. I've started to add in dimensions to locate curve centers and radii, and guidelines to lay out the angles. Obviously, this can become a very cluttered drawing if I tried to fit in dimensions for everything, and it seems like you've been able to continue laying track without having such dimensions previously, so just let me know if you need more information than this. For curves with the center in the aisle, to lay them out you can just tack up a temporary board across the aisle, locate the center, and scribe the curve with whatever trammel you prefer. On my own layout, I just clamped a board in place until the curve was drawn.
The climbing grade in Naijahville was pushed further to the right; this required a handful of changes around the Union Station. I've added in the scenic element of a Main Street; I envision this rising and falling, fluctuating between the high line and low line, tying them together in a way. This street provides bridges over a few key areas to hide things I think should be hidden, such as the backdrop penetration.
You should notice that I tweaked the backdrop a bit, too; I straightened the left end, as you requested, and the right end I bent just a tiny bit sharper, to make room for the passing siding on the high line. The Main Street passes right in front of the backdrop where it's labeled "Downtown"; this gives the opportunity to use building flats or even a decent photo mural backdrop of storefronts on the far side of the street, with full 3D buildings on the near side of the street. At the location marked "+1.0", Main Street can either rise up and cross at grade, with crossbucks and all, or else it could drop down about a half inch to pass under a bridge here. If you're familiar with Madison Road in Oakley, where is drops under the old B&O tracks, that's a case where a level grade crossing was turned into an underpass later on, that's kind of what i was thinking. This is often done on busy mainlines. But if you intend to do so here, be aware that it means cutting out some of the plywood to allow the road to drop (i.e. you must cookie-cutter the road).
Wherever there are bridges along the rising grades, I suggest you just lay the WS foam risers right on through and then cut and remove the risers where the bridge will drop in. From your pictures, I think that's already what you're planning on doing.
I added in the indication of a plywood mill, to load up your centerbeams, but as with other industries I'm not getting into the nitty-gritty of trackwork here. That can all be played around with once you figure out the buildings that will occupy the site, and you could just scoot switches around until you find something you like. I have Main Street starting out high on the left, so that there can be a service road leading to the Grain Mill branching off it, and also so that it forms a bridge to mask the tunnel entry (in fact, with care, the bridge could be made *as* the tunnel entry, a sort of optical illusion). As the road goes to the right, it drops down to zero elevation, and doesn't rise again until you get past the "+1.0" marker; it would need to rise to about two inches in order to bridge over the tracks, so this makes downtown a bit more interesting.
As always, glad to hear any comments.
well the plan is a go all except the coal mine. i have been thinking about this alot for the past few days and i have decided to change it to kind of look like the one in the model railroad book industries along the tracks 1 pages 44-45. i will have to find a place to move/put the power plant when its time to do so. dont be mad at me for this mike roundtree as i knew you really wanted to see me do the load in/load out. hopefully you like what i have come up with. plus i can use the fload loaders i all ready have. its in the same area as the myles family coal mine but it is a 2 track like the one in the magazine and the radius's are 14" and 12 1/2". here are the pics hope youy like. i also completed the rise and layed the track on it.
i got a little more work done with the tracks being laid for the coal mine, and it is prewired with feeders waiting to be connected to the main buss. but i think this section requires a reversing loop/needs to be gapped. if someone could please help me by possibly telling me where to gap this segment of the railroad. if you cant tell/see from the pictures i will have to try and find a way to edit his trackplan drawing to show you what i have added taken off the trackplan. also all my bridges came in and the piers for them so hopefully i will get to install them within the next few days. but all this these photo's are of work done today. hope you like and enjoy. comments welcome needed and wanted.
the first picture is of the 6 pieces of flex track i soldered together for the outer loop in the coal facility nothing special. it was kind of hard to work with but once i got the end piece soldered to the track thats already laid. it practically bent relly easy around the curve
these are of the track finally laid and spiked down
You are going to need another auto reverser and gap the tracks after each turnout. You can share one AR unit for the flood loader tracks providing you are not running two loco's through the loops at the same time coming from different directions. Being that you only have one line into the loops, more than likely you will only have one train at a time working the area.
It would be safest to put an AR unit on each lead flood loader lead. That way each loop can be controled independently and there is no way for two loco's to cross the gaps at the same time and create a short circuit. Even though it is very unlikely for it to happen, it is a possability.
The primary feed would come from the main, the reverse section would be each entire loop.
Tony
hey tony thanks for the help. im glad you could make it down and checkout the layout last week. hope you can do it more often or maybe i could come up to you sometime. so what do you really think about the setup of the coal mine is it bunched in or do you think it fits right in. i recall you stating that the power plant scene didnt have enough run room to really look right but it could have been pulled off. also do you think the radius's of 14" and 12 1/2" respectfully are to tight.
sorry no work has been done since i last added pics. but i finally have some time this week that i only have to work one of my jobs and that will give me some free time to work on the bridge section of the layout. that will give me one complete loop to run trains while i work. hopefully i will have compleed this section tomorrow and i can post pics for you guys. hope all is well and everyone is ok.
ps i also have a few items for sale/trade if you are interested please private message or email me
well got alot accomplished today by get the kato bridges install over lake reggietrain. laid rest of track to connect it to the rest of the track. plugged in my nce power procab. reprogrammed a couple of ns sd70m's #2591 & #2599 and lashed them up. backed into the yard latched up to my favorite kato twinstacks hit forward and off it went. now i can run around the whole layout without getting to one point and having to reverse and go back. one of the cars gets deralied at one spot and found the spot where it happened. will work on that next before i advance. but here are pictures of what i have done.
first of the bridge on the table top by itself
N Scale Diesels......I like 'em
When it comes to radius, bigger is always better but you just don' t have the room. There is a picture in the Model Railroader Guide to Coal Railroading book that is just about an exact copy of your setup. You need to take a look at the shot on page 69. It is a double track flood loader and the two silos are staggered to keep the track spacing as close together as possible.
Did you make it to the Library show this weekend. I haven't made it out of the house since Thursday due to Strep throat. Starting to feel a little better tonight.
yeah i know i wish i had more room to make the radius larger but you cant always get what you want. so im thankful for what i have. i need to go get the magazine you are talking about. i have looked at it a few times when i have been in johnny's. but i cant recall the exact photo your are talking about but will pay more attention to it when i go back and it might just make me buy the book.
no i didnt make it to the show as i was busy christmas shopping for the little one this weekend. also made it out to dcc trains and put in my order for the el capitian, cnw ac4400cw twin locomotives, sf warbonnet ac4400cw, cp gevo's and last but not least 10 sets of the twinstacks from kato with the teal emp containers. only other thing to get is another box of track and 10 each of left and right switches.
still trying to get that mental idea of the intersection before i lay any track. hope to have that finished in the next few days. will post pictures when it is complete.
happy holidays to all and to all a goodnight.
You are doing a fine job. I always look forward to seeing your updates. Keep up the good work!!
Reggie, great looking layout. Cant wait to see the final product. I compliment the other post on how you have showed your project from start to finish and also finishing your basement.
I am starting a layout also and you have helped and inspired me in getting it started. I wish I had a little nicer basement but hey atleast it is a start.
I am just wondering did you use 1"x6"s and 1/2" plywood for your layout? I was thinking of doing my benchwork just like yours.
Thanks again and keep us informed on your progress.
Knowcents: thanks for the compliment. It gets me motivated to show my work with comments like yours.
Bdp: thanks also for the compliment. As far as being complete that will happen when I kick the old bucket. Plus this layout is enough for me and 5 other people to be doing. So I have enough on my plate. But as far as scenery goes that want happen until at least another year or two. As I want my trackwork to be flawless or as close to it as possible. Now with the continious loop running I'm testing the trackwork in both directions going thru all switches. Thus far only a couple of problems and one has been fixed already. I'm glad that my work has inspired you to get started and I wish you happy railroading in the near future. As far as framing I used 1 x 6's, 1/2" plywood and legs 1 x 4's. Its very sturdy to where I could stand on it and light enough that if I ever had to dismantle I could carry one of the 4 x8 sections myself up the stairs. As far as progress I have completed some of the intersection but camera has stopped working completely so I have to buy another camera before I can show anymore progress but work is done. Will probably get camera this weekend. Sorry for the delay on the pics that just means more for the next post. Again thanks for the compliments.
Can't wait to see whats happened in all this time!!
here is the work i have done since last talked about its not much as i havent been able to work in the trainroom since im working 2 jobs but its more than i had and that much more complete to being finished. hope you enjoy.
Great Work! I love the size and layout of the tracks. i'm looking foward to seeing more pictures from you!!