UPDATE! Need opinions

[SMassey]

Making the layout 8'6" long poses a unique problem but you will have the lumber for it if yo ugo 5' wide. In order to make 5" you will need to purchase 2 4x8 sheets and have them riped (also called cut) length wise at 2'6" then butt them together on the framework. That leaves you with 2 pieces of 1'6"x 8 sections that could be cut 5' x 6" and the 8 main 8' lengths cut in the middle and have the 5'x6" section added. If you go this rout make sure that you have framework underneath al the seams to screw the boards to to prevent warping after the layout is built on top. as for the over hang you should be OK but seeing that you will have to make more complex framework to handle the seams you may just consider making the frame longer too? If the frame is already built I would just add joices to screw the ply to over rebuilding the entire bench.

As fr the double slip it is a unique switch that will allow you to switch to both the inner loop (like a crossover) or to the outer loop as well. They look like a simple crossover with points of a turnout. I didnt understand how they worked till I was able to "play" with one in a store one day. Very useful little creatures.


Good luck

[Anonymous]

You have thoroughly confused me.
I was going to use two 4'x8's sheets. I just wasn't sure where to make the cuts.
I figured I would have to lay them long ways (from front to back) giving me essentially 8'x8'. Then I could rip 3' off of the back edge making it 5'x8' overall.
With my remaining two pieces of scrap, both being 3'x4', I could make 6"x2.5' and lay them in the center of the layout between the two larger 5'x4' pieces.
I have already made a 5'x8' frame so I am just going to add two joists in the center which will go under the 2 joints (where all 4 seems come together). I could not figure a way to add on to the outside to avoid an overhang so I am just going to settle for 3" on each side sticking out.
Is that basically what you were trying to say as far as the cuts and how to lay it out? You lost me with the 1'6" thing and the 8 main 8' lengths.

What do you think of my escape track? IS it ok? I still can't get the wye to work and I don't think I like the double slip.

[pcarrell]

Hey, I recognize that escape track! It looks just like the one on page 2! What I mean by that is that it's good to see the return of the escape track, wherever it ends up. This is the place it made the most sense to me, but I actually think TZ's idea might be better in some ways. TZ's plan is a more compact solution. It requires the least amount of fuss to move from the yard to the TT. I like the slip switch idea too. That's the trick solution.



The thing I was thinking about today though is that in this solution the yard could be a little lower in elevation then the rest of the tracks which would give it some visual seperation. Almost as if it were actually somewhere else. It could even be further seperated by a fence or a row of trees, maybe even thick brush. That would enhance the idea that these two very close things (the mainline & the yard) are "really" in very different locations.

The extra couple of inches you've allowed is very welcome. Funny how these things seem to take on a life of their own and just grow and grow and grow, huh?[;)]

As far as the lumber goes I'd just try to figure out how to do it with the least joints, and make sure that those joints aren't close to any edges. Also make sure that any joints or edges are well supported and screwed down.

[Anonymous]

pcarrell: I think your last post made up my mind. Instead of busting my brain trying to get the Wye to work or messing with the slip switch (Although both great ideas) I will just leave it the way you suggested back on page 2 with the escape track. That does two things for me. First I can place the escape 9" farther down the spur so hopefully can fit a slightly longer train in my A/D track. If I go with wither the wye or slip solution I would have ot move both of them 9" farther up and shorten my already short A/D track. Also (and the MAIN reason) I can put a tall wooden fence and a row of trees inbetween the main and the yard. You are correct, they are close and can appear much farther apart this way. I was alos starting to think of a hill in the northern most eastern corner with a tunnel on the yard entrance. Then when the train disappears into the portal and comes out of the other side it will look like it came from "somewhere else". I am months away from landscaping but might as well think of it now.
Can anyone try to run my layout in a different CAD program? One with the Peco curved turnouts? I only have RightTrack by Atlas and don't want to buy the pay CAD programs out there and have had NO LUCK at all getting that other free one to work (Xtrax I think) I have seen very nice latouts on it but it is too confusing for me. It took me weeks to get as poor as I am with the Right Track program.
I would really be appreciative if someone could try to adapt my layout in another program and see if by using some curved turnouts if they canmake a difference. Like for example (curved turnout for industry #1 and the interchange track aas well as the turnout to the yard entrance. And possibly a curved turnout as the very first in the yard leading to the A/D track) If anyone can do this please let me know.
Thanks

[pcarrell]

It's not too often you see a turnout in a tunnel, and that's mostly a maintinance thing. You'd probably do better placing a row of buildings in front of the turnout to hide it. You have the perfect excuse to do that with the sidings right there. You could also hide it with a row of thick pine trees or something. You could do a hill with a cut in it too.

When it comes to the curved turnouts you're right in that it could save you some space. Unfortunately, I'm like you and I have a lot of trouble working with Xtrak. Maybe somebody else here can help with that?

[SMassey]

The way you are suggesting will work the same as mine. I was just making a total of 5 pieces of ply for the table top. 2 sheets approx 2.5'x 4' on each end and a seam in the middle that would be 6" wide by 5' long making the total bench work 8.5'x5'. I was treating each piece of ply as a seperate piece not as a whole 8'x8' sheet. your method will work just fine mine is just a little more even.

Here is a pic of what I was suggesting maybe this will make better sence.


Is that better?

[Texas Zepher]

QUOTE: Originally posted by lava96

I don't think I understand the double slip solution.
Is that a special turnout or is it just a crossover switch?

It is a special turnout. A "double slip" allows a train approaching either of the tracks to cross and depart on either of the diverging tracks on the other side. Basically the equivalent of 4 turnouts in one.

Another variation is the "Single slip". It is just like two normal turnouts built on top of each other.

QUOTE: In the 3rd solution I don't see how I could get the locomotive off of the front of the train. If the loco pulls into the A/D track all the way past the first turnout on the yard lead then it is stuck at the end of the spur. It would have to sit there until the yard goat broke the enitire train down.

Well almost. All the yard goat would have to do is pull the train back far enough and wait for the road engines to escape. Then it could proceed to break the train down.

[Anonymous]

OH.....TZ you are a genius.
I think I like that most of all for 1 big reason. The road loco can pull all the way to the buffers in the A/D track and allow the goat to slip out behind the train. The I can uncouple the road loco and let the goat back the train up (especially since the yard entrance is so long). Once the train is out of the way the road loco can back up to the turnout and switch back to the main and then drive forward right into the TT. This is definately the shortest route back to the TT and gives me the most length in the A/D.
I think that settles it. Now off to buy some tracks!
Has anyone been able to fit a curved turnout into a CAD program for my layout? No big deal if no one did but I thought I would ask.

[Tom Bryant_MR]

lava96, I've been following your progress here with great interest as I also received a lot of good inputs and advice from these very members when I was designing my layout. I didn't know either what a double anything was when I started. . Congradulations and good job !

Here is a picture of a double crossover. Started with a double slip but later design indicated a crossover fit my situation best. Yours may be different.


How trains operate in yards fascinates me. Don't know why. It just does. Last Sunday I decided to put together a picture, of sorts, of a simple operation of a train arriving and a yard engine getting the consist away from the loco and into the yard for sorting later. Here is how I visualize one scenario working on my layout.

http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=59888

Good luck with your layout and I hope this helps with food for thought and not confuses. Pictures have always been worth the proverbial thousands words to me [^]

[pcarrell]

Indeed TZ, a nice solution. I thought that was where you were going with that one, and I think it'll work great. It'll keep the yard crew a little busier too. That's always welcome on a small layout.

Lava,

You can still add the fence and trees to divide the scenes up. As a matter of fact, the break in the fence for the escape turnout can double as the road crossing for the guys who work in the yard office (that old caboose you mentioned. That way the break in the fence would look very natural.

[Anonymous]

Thats's what I come up with. I don't know if it is going to work.
Will someone look at it for me and see if they can fix it?
How do I post the ral file so anyone can download it?
I can do pictures, but I have not figured out how to post the ral.

And thanks for that description of how the yard ops work. That helped a lot and your pictures were great!

[pcarrell]

I don't think you can post an .ral file. I think you have to Email them. I haven't figured out how to post them.

Looks like what you have there will work. I'd probably assemble that group of turnouts as a unit off the layout and then transfer it as a whole. That's going to be a lot of switch machines in one area.

Busy, busy section of town..........