riogrande5761 It looks like you aren't in any hurry to get a layout up and running . But some have more fun in the design and construction process - that appears to be your thing. I was able to mock things up as I built and laid track last time and it seemed to work well and getting the track down took less time.
It looks like you aren't in any hurry to get a layout up and running . But some have more fun in the design and construction process - that appears to be your thing.
I was able to mock things up as I built and laid track last time and it seemed to work well and getting the track down took less time.
Laying it out full scale has been a big help to help me visualize what might really be possible. Plus as of late I think I have committed to certain locations getting certain 'scenes',...now its just refineing them.Like you were able to mock it up as you bulit it, I am trying to mock it up on full size paper that I hope to help make laying the track that much faster and less demanding to rearrange.I'll already run into 2 problems that might have been avoided by proper planning,...both involved locations of electrical outlets on the walls. I hope NOT to cut the plywood decks of my layout incorrectly. I have already discovered I can cut the depth of my freight yard deck by 1.5 inches and make that aisle a little bit wider......Planning
Brian
My Layout Plan
Interesting new Plan Consideration
It's what you feel comfortable with. Sometimes paralysis of analysis can set in and definitely slow things down. In your case you've got a small space and are trying to squeeze in every drop of operation and storage that can possibly be done; that does make it a challenge.
I've been disappointed with how long it's been taking to get my basement finished so I can start layout construction. Unfortunately there have been a lot of time consuming projects during this calendar year and expect they will continue but wife has made it a priority now to get the basement finishing moving along now.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
Today I made the tracing of the staging tracks in that corner of the room to the right of the entrance to the shed. As mentioned before I now have 6 staging tracks down each side. When they arrive at the entrance to the shed I have decided to only have the 3 outer tracks pass over a bridge to make an entire loop of the room. The next 2 tracks inboard will make the turn at this end, but end just prior to the 36 wide entrance. The most inner track will end in a straight manner.
That staging yard tracing can be flipped over and used as a pattern for the other opposite corner on the left hand side.
A word about my bridge across the entrance might be in order here. The 'bridge' will be a rectangular framed structure that will be hinged around a bar across its upper edge that's mounted to the inner shed wall above the door. This rectangular frame will pivot about that bar such as to swing up towards the ceiling and get hooked there for clearing the doorway. All three bridges, upper level, main level, and staging level will be built into this rectangular frame. Of course the upper 2 are 'fake bridges', of different style and set against their own individual backdrops. Its all mounted on one frame that pivots up to the ceiling with entering and leaving the train shed. Both of the upper bridges are double tracked for their 2 mainlines. The staging track bridge will be 3 tracks wide and camouflaged somehow
railandsail riogrande5761 It looks like you aren't in any hurry to get a layout up and running . But some have more fun in the design and construction process - that appears to be your thing. I was able to mock things up as I built and laid track last time and it seemed to work well and getting the track down took less time. Actually I'm a little disappointed in my 'construction speed' as well. I was beginning to get discouraged with my multiple alterations and scale dwgs of same. Laying it out full scale has been a big help to help me visualize what might really be possible. Plus as of late I think I have committed to certain locations getting certain 'scenes',...now its just refineing them.Like you were able to mock it up as you bulit it, I am trying to mock it up on full size paper that I hope to help make laying the track that much faster and less demanding to rearrange.I'll already run into 2 problems that might have been avoided by proper planning,...both involved locations of electrical outlets on the walls. I hope NOT to cut the plywood decks of my layout incorrectly. I have already discovered I can cut the depth of my freight yard deck by 1.5 inches and make that aisle a little bit wider......Planning
Actually I'm a little disappointed in my 'construction speed' as well. I was beginning to get discouraged with my multiple alterations and scale dwgs of same.
Visualizing things in real scale certainly helps to see how things will look and fit, and that can certainly be comforting. I don't know how much time it will save since fitting and adjusting things requires rearranging track no matter if its a paper template or real track laying. You might add time if those paper templates are laid with slight kinks from piece to piece.
When you get to track laying, another thing to consider is how evenly you trim track. Its easy to get one rail slightly shorter than the other. That small gap can create small kinks if closed, or may take several trims, or soldering the gap. So your final lay will hardly ever be precisely on center the first time, unless you're a wizard at track trimming. You certainly don't want to trim a curved turnout or piece of specialty track too short.
With the final arrangement, you might have more room for error if there was one less yard and/or staging tracks, if it doesn't mess up your operating plan.
Waste is always bad, but cutting plywood incorrectly means simply getting another piece of plywood and having the original piece available for some other project. Also, you can always add a 1 x board on the edge if you need a bit more width along a straight edge.
- Douglas
Left Hand Corner Mock Up
Today I only had a very short time to play around with the full scale planning. I chose to look at the track plan of the lower left corner of the shed,....down from the freight yard, and containing the steel mill.
First I drew in the two concentric mainlines in pencil. They are slightly different than the right hand corner, so I couldn't use my mirror image tracing idea. They are the same 30” outer radius, 29” inner radius as the other side, but they are connected to the 2 mainlines that are closer together than the other side (2" CL vs 2.5"CL).
This first image would be as one was looking towards that lower corner from Balt city corner. The track along the edge (wall, right edge of photo) would be the track that is bringing the trains up from the helix/staging level. It eventually joins that outer mainline via a left hand med size Peco into a double curved Peco (30”-60”r) on the mainline (makes for pretty broad curves).
Next inboard are the 2 mainlines with a Shinohara double crossover included there. This double crossover will provide for reversing trains around on the layout's mainlines. It will also provide for getting big steam engines from the roundtable area over to head up certain trains brought up topsides from the staging tracks by diesel workhorses. (possible that many of the steamers will NOT have to drag their trains up the helix from staging, but rather will be able to join their consist topsides).
There is another Peco double curve on the inner mainline that allows diesel engines that have refueled/serviced on those 2 inner freight yard tracks to enter back into the mainlines.
There may be a spur off of that helix service track to something in that coffin corner outside of the big curves. I threw in some sample trackage, ….just in case?
Now over to the steel mill portion of that corner of the layout. I really don't know what I will finally do here, but here is my newest idea. I will NOT utilize the electric furnace, but basically stick with the blast furnace and rolling mill, and rearranged thusly.
Here is how I quickly laid out the track there.
My basic condensed version assumes the Rolling Mill assumes two roles,...accepts molten metal from the blast furnace, and turns it into basic shapes it ships out on the other end??
NOTE: I think that mirror I show at the end of the blast furnace should make that scene appear much deeper,...and hide the dble mainline behind it.??
Had a few moments today to play around with an idea for the coffin corner there on the left...
As mentioned before I was able to fit the Madusa cement structure into the very corner on the right hand side. I've been wondering what I might fit into that left hand corner? There are a few pencil scribbles on that tracing paper for one idea I might consider,...a diesel engine maintenance building (likely just cut off front half of the structure), and several tracks for parked diesels waiting for service. This corner might also have some mirrors behind it to make this building and the number of locos look more massive.
Perhaps locate it over in the freight yard area, rather than that back corner?
Brick Factory Template problemKen Rice first brought up the problem with my paper template of my proposed brick factory building,.....
To the left of that scene there is the brick factory with 2 tracks down either side, then the 4 kilns with their smoke stacks. The footprint for the factory is that of the Walther's Water Street Freight Terminal.
Ken Rich wrote: Brian, that paper water street warehouse cutout you have look like there is negative clearance between it and the two tracks. It looks to me like you have the ends of the ties against the bricks of the office part of the building, leaving off the freight platforms on both sides, and with the roof overhang going over the track. The walthers pic seems to just show the roof over the freight platform that extends down the whole length of the warehouse and office? I must be missing something?
Brian responded: I think you are correct Ken. I will have to look into this possible mistake of mine. May just have to go down to only a single track on one side of the building,....bummer.
Vince added: Track on one side, truck loading/unloading on the other side.
Use Only a Single Track Suggestion: That may just be the solution. I had thought it it would be nice to have 2 so raw materials could easily reach storage tracks at rear of building,...but perhaps that is not to be.
As I said before I was unsure of the exact footprint of that building and its trackage access, and I have yet to locate my actual structure kit to look at the instructions. BUT I did manage to find a number of more helpful images via Bing search.
Water Street Freight Terminal is pretty much intended to be used as seen in the second picture - track on one side, trucks on the other. of course, one can always repurpose structures to use how they see fit, tracks on both sides and it could be something other than a simple freight terminal.
ANother way, if you have the room, is to have 2 tracks on one side - freight houses often operated with multiple parallel tracks on one side of the building, bridge plates were laid from car to car to facilitate pulling the goods out of cars on tracks futher from the building. Cars had to be spotted with care, so that their doors lined up. So that may be a way to get 2 tracks in the limited space - instead of straddling the building, put them both on the same side.
http://www.readingrailroad.org/gallery/vignettes1/rdg_gallery_vig1g.html
On the right side of this picture you can see rows of box cars lines up at the Reading freight terminal alongside the old Outer Station (in the center of the wye of tracks on the left).
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
rrinker Another way, if you have the room, is to have 2 tracks on one side - freight houses often operated with multiple parallel tracks on one side of the building, bridge plates were laid from car to car to facilitate pulling the goods out of cars on tracks futher from the building. Cars had to be spotted with care, so that their doors lined up. So that may be a way to get 2 tracks in the limited space - instead of straddling the building, put them both on the same side.
Another way, if you have the room, is to have 2 tracks on one side - freight houses often operated with multiple parallel tracks on one side of the building, bridge plates were laid from car to car to facilitate pulling the goods out of cars on tracks futher from the building. Cars had to be spotted with care, so that their doors lined up. So that may be a way to get 2 tracks in the limited space - instead of straddling the building, put them both on the same side.
That's interesting, the use of bridging plates between cars. I had not realized that.
Perhaps I could still have tracks down both sides of the building,...just make those truck loading doors on the original model be box car loading doors. Then make the truck loading ramp across the back of the building full width for several trucks.
There is no way I could use those existing truck doors (for truck loading) with the close proximity of the kilns. Of course those truck loading door openings could also be 'bridged' to the box cars.
But bottom line is that back side face of the terminal will NOT be seen at all from any operator on this layout plan, so no need to worry about the tracks down both sides. At the moment I am not to interested in changing it.
New Thoughts, Coffin Corner, Freight Yard
Another brief day today as football playoffs and grilled dinner had to be included. I had wanted to roll up this latest dwg sitting on my outdoor dwg table, so I cut get busy cutting some more metal frame work for the remaining portions of the shed. But as I uncovered it from its dew protective cover I decided to have another go at how I might lay it out,...again.
First the portion of the layout we are talking about,...the freight yard scene down to the steel mill, etc
previously posted by me.... First I drew in the two concentric mainlines in pencil. This first image would be as one was looking towards that lower corner from Balt city corner. The track along the edge (wall, right edge of photo) would be the track that is bringing the trains up from the helix/staging level. It eventually joins that outer mainline via a left hand med size Peco into a double curved Peco (30”-60”r) on the mainline (makes for pretty broad curves). Next inboard are the 2 mainlines with a Shinohara double crossover included there. This double crossover will provide for reversing trains around on the layout's mainlines. It will also provide for getting big steam engines from the roundhouse area over to head up certain trains brought up topsides from the staging tracks by diesel workhorses. (possible that many of the steamers will NOT have to drag their trains up the helix from staging, but rather will be able to join their consist topsides). There may be a spur off of that helix service track to something in that coffin corner outside of the big curves. I threw in some sample trackage, ….just in case?
previously posted by me.... First I drew in the two concentric mainlines in pencil.
Next inboard are the 2 mainlines with a Shinohara double crossover included there. This double crossover will provide for reversing trains around on the layout's mainlines. It will also provide for getting big steam engines from the roundhouse area over to head up certain trains brought up topsides from the staging tracks by diesel workhorses. (possible that many of the steamers will NOT have to drag their trains up the helix from staging, but rather will be able to join their consist topsides).
As Ken has posted previously, there could be problems reaching those locos stalled/disabled over in that service building I had proposed for the coffin corner,...
So I have moved that back to the lower portion of the freight yard.
This building will have to be readily removable (simply lift up) such that those multiple turnouts behind it are reachable in events of derailments. I don't think that is much of a problem considering its small footprint and rigid potential.
I have still maintained that additional trackage over in that coffin corner. My thoughts are that this could be a parking area for the 'dedicated diesel engines' I might employ to bring trains up from staging. I am really considering such an idea of NOT requiring my multiple number of steam engines to go down/up thru the helix to staging below. Pull the trains up via diesel, then make their hook up to steam up top there where they are entering the mainlines.
????
modifications, ...to be continued
I added this posting to my other subject thread dealing with just the steel mill scene, but thought for continuity I should also add it to this,... my full scale planning as well,....
I've come to the conclusion that I just can't hope to give the real steel industry ANY chance of a fair representation,...I just don't have the real estate on my small layout. So even while I have a number of the Walther's steel kits (already built and weathered by another modeler), I must make a selection of what I can use.
Here is portion of the layout we are talking about,...the freight yard scene down to the steel mill, etc
Naturally the iconic blast furnace must be included. I've located this along the inner edge of the shelf/deck just to the left of the entrance to the shed.
On the aisle side I've provided a little bit of a set back from the very edge by including 2 tracks for slag cars, bottle cars, etc. On the opposite side I've provided for two tracks to feed the blast furnace with its raw materials including coke, limestone, ore, scrape, etc. I could not get those 'feeding tracks' out of the other end of the blast furnace (my yard end), so I thought why not just load them up with a few representative loaded cars and make it look like they were fed in from the other end,...the mirrored end.
In both cases these tracks will appear to be more extensive and extend into the backdrop due to the mirror that I will place at the rear of the blast furnace. This mirror will not only make those tracks appear to be much more extensive, but will also make it appear that I have TWO blast furnace in a row. It will also conveniently hide the double mainline tracks behind it.
The double track bascule bridge across the shed's entrance, just behind my blast furnace and off to one side should also contribute to the 'industrial image' of a steel mill along a waterway.
In the end we need some product out of the steel mill. The rolling mill will be my solution. We have lots of freight cars available that are carrying rolls of steel, steel pipe, steel plate, etc, etc. I'll utilize the Walthers kit as well, likely fashioned up something like this one that appeared on the York model rr club layout I visited long ago,....
Too bad I can't make the rolling mill longer, but I need to keep the building short, and not too big, so I can get those 5 five tracks (2 around the sides, 3 inner ones) on the ends of the building to neck down to 3 of the yard tracks.
One of those tracks also feeds a 'fabricator' of steel parts,...that is represented by the 'rail rebuilder kit' from Walthers with the addition of a outdoors overhead crane out front. This structure could alternately be that Vulcan manufacturing kit from Walthers. I just happen to run across this image and thought it added to the 'industrial image' I'm trying to establish there.