4 x 8 Design Contest***LAST DAY***

[concretelackey]

I'm curious about how long the voting will be open.

A day? a week?

[SpaceMouse]

I'm curious about how long the voting will be open.

A day? a week?

I'm figuring a week.

[Texas Zepher]

Rader Authority Of Transit (RAT Lines) - Revisited

Here is an out and back design with a figure 8 continuous run.  The main feature is a fairly elaborate yard for a 2x8.  Trains can be made up taken out and run as many laps as desired and then returned to the yard to be broken up and classified.    The concept is an urban transit authority that handles all rail traffic between all the major railroads in a certain city (similar to the TRRA of St. Louis).  The yard represents both ends of the lines.  This concept allows all types of freight cars to be in the trains as they transfer from one class one Railroad to the other.   The industries local to the RAT allow switching of box, reefer, gondola, and flat cars. 

One pretends the crossing in the middle of the layout is where the RAT crosses another line requiring an interlocking tower.   This also helps explain the heavy traffic.

The tall heavy industrial buildings on the one side are used to break up roundy round look.   The junk yard on the other side has tons of detail that draws the eyes away from the loop around it. 

A typical operating session would assign each car in the yard a destination being either another railroad or one of the local industries.  If enough cars are going to a single railroad a through train could be constructed.   More often, only a few cars are going to each railroad so they are combined into a single train that jumps from interchange yard to interchange yard.  The cars for local industries along the way are included.  If there is only one operator the cars are classified accordingly before picking up the new ones for the next jump.   Each time a car arrives at its destination interchange it is considered delivered and becomes a new car.

For two person operation one has the yard while the other takes the road trains out.   Three people operation is possible with two road operators, but one road operator is always holding the siding while the other one works or makes a circuit or two.  They alternate rather than running simultaniously.   This also means that the "run around" track is not available since it has become a passing siding.

Here is the layout:

Here is the scenery concept:

I am sorry they are not in the same orientation.  I've resaved the image multiple times and for some reason it will not save rotated 180 degrees!? 

[Texas Zepher]

   "The Loup Creek RR" 

Are you certain you are using the right RTS library for that plan?  That looks like O-gauge "pieces" to me.

[C&O Fan]

   "The Loup Creek RR" 

Are you certain you are using the right RTS library for that plan?  That looks like O-gauge "pieces" to me.

Hummmmmmmmmmm I'll Look and see

 

[Texas Zepher]

Well I see 13 entries by 11 different authors as follows:

1. Gilford Guy - Becket & Berkshires
2. C&O Fan - Helix Mountain
3. PA Smith - Whisper River
4. Autobus Prime - Venango & Erie
5. chadw - Newport Northern
6. Spacemouse - Mondo Yard Central
7. selector - Selkirk & Pacific Ry
8. C&O Fan - Loup Creek RR
9. Texas Zepher - Ward City Mead & Eckley
10. steinjr - Loopy Bridge & Terminal RR
11. Don Z - Turkey Trail Railroad
12. NY Central 1 - Sierra Mesa SW
13. Texas Zepher - Rat Lines
    

Thinking about it, what does everyone think about starting with multi-vote for our favorite top 3 (can't vote for our own) with a note of why?  Or since we are trying to reduce it to 5 should we vote for our top 5?   I think Spacemouse is setting up an off-line place for us to do this.

[SpaceMouse]

I'm putting the entries on my website but we will vote here. I had planned to do the set-up today, but an article I wrote was published in a high circulation newsletter that came out this morning. I've been answering email all day. Hopefully, I'll get it up in the morning.

[Greg H.]

I'm putting the entries on my website but we will vote here. I had planned to do the set-up today, but an article I wrote was published in a high circulation newsletter that came out this morning. I've been answering email all day. Hopefully, I'll get it up in the morning.

Will we be able to see them side by side, or only one at a time?

[SpaceMouse]

I'm putting the entries on my website but we will vote here. I had planned to do the set-up today, but an article I wrote was published in a high circulation newsletter that came out this morning. I've been answering email all day. Hopefully, I'll get it up in the morning.

Will we be able to see them side by side, or only one at a time?

Sorta Both

[PB&J RR]

what the heck... here goes

Below is the PB&J in all her (future)glory... a 4x8 N scale doesn't fit the theme, but is and has been fun to fool with,

There...

Now if you want info or stories about the history of the railroad, you'll have to pm or email... I am building it as a family project book centerpiece... fun so far.

Jim

[Autobus Prime]

Think of it as a Haiku.

See the AC -12

It doesn't go very far

Number 4 turnouts

:)

See the 0-6-0

Still switching at a scrapyard

Cars of AC-12

 

[Texas Zepher]

Before I post my vote in the other thread I had some questions.

1. Gilford Guy - Is that a view blocker backdrop through the center of the layout?  As I interpret your plan the staging track is the one on the bottom edge.  Is that a view blocker between the staging track and Becket Falls?    In your description it states the train returns to staging.  Does this mean it has reversed itself somewhere in its journey (making this a diesel type layout), is all Becket Falls staging, or does it back into the staging track?

2. Spacemouse - same sort of question.  I presume the diesel powered train reverses itself and runs around the train in Du Bois to return to the yard?

3. chadw - In your description it says "diamonds".  Is the one next to the commuter station really a diamond or a double slip?   If really a diamond how does the operation work without the staging extension?  Seems that track by the light house is just the tail of a reversing loop and the lead for the engine facilities.   I guess I don't see how the outside track of the commuter station is used.

4. P.A. Smith - Are those really 13" radius curves I see in there?

5.  Don Z - Why the diamonds instead of a grade?  Just too steep?  As is, it seems to me one train cannot be making some milage in the loop while one is switching the track in the center.

edit - Oh yeah,

C&O fan - On helix mountain, I don't see the Helix exiting to the town on the right.   It looks like a switchback to get to that town.   Is that just an oversite of a hidden track that didn't show in the displayed version?   

 

[SpaceMouse]

Yes it is a backdrop/viewblock.

[chadw]

3. chadw - In your description it says "diamonds".  Is the one next to the commuter station really a diamond or a double slip?   If really a diamond how does the operation work without the staging extension?  Seems that track by the light house is just the tail of a reversing loop and the lead for the engine facilities.   I guess I don't see how the outside track of the commuter station is used.

The crossing by the station is a diamond.  The one near the lighthouse should be a double-slip so there is a twice around continuous run, but the RTS libraries don't have a double slip.  I used the shallow angle crossing instead.  Spacemouse, could you please add this to my layout description?[Edit- Just forget it.  I posted this before I saw the judging thread.  You can ignore the above question.]

[Texas Zepher]

The crossing by the station is a diamond.  The one near the lighthouse should be a double-slip so there is a twice around continuous run.

Thanks chad that helps me understand it.

[Don Z]

Texas Zepher wrote:

5.  Don Z - Why the diamonds instead of a grade?  Just too steep?  As is, it seems to me one train cannot be making some milage in the loop while one is switching the track in the center.

TZ,

The idea of using an up and over was tempting, but the grade would have been excessive and prevented the industry leads from working. Part of the appeal to me was the industry switcher having to keep the main clear or making the main hold until the diamonds were clear......

Don Z.

[Texas Zepher]

Texas Zepher wrote:

5.  Don Z - Why the diamonds instead of a grade?  Just too steep?  As is, it seems to me one train cannot be making some milage in the loop while one is switching the track in the center.

TZ,

The idea of using an up and over was tempting, but the grade would have been excessive and prevented the industry leads from working. Part of the appeal to me was the industry switcher having to keep the main clear or making the main hold until the diamonds were clear......

Thanks Don.   How about you other layout authors!

[Texas Zepher]

Gilford Guy & PA Smith?!   Can you answer the questions about your entries in the post above?

[Autobus Prime]

Gilford Guy & PA Smith?!   Can you answer the questions about your entries in the post above?

TZ:

I'm not Smith, but I am pretty sure that 12"R curve is HOn30", as well as the very short turntable. 

[PASMITH]

Gilford Guy & PA Smith?!   Can you answer the questions about your entries in the post above?

I am sorry guys, I was attending my Mother in Laws funeral in NJ., the home of my original 4 X 8 RR. Off the top of my head, I do not believe any radius was less than 16 inch but I could be wrong.

Best regards, Peter