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How do you feel about reversal loops on an HO layout?

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  • Member since
    July 2002
  • From: Jersey City
  • 1,925 posts
Posted by steemtrayn on Thursday, October 8, 2009 10:33 PM

tomikawaTT

Unfortunately, my favorite prototype reverse loop is 1:1 scale hidden track.  It wraps around the lower level of New York's Grand Central Station.

 Doesn't Grand Central have loops on BOTH levels?

  • Member since
    October 2004
  • From: Colorful Colorado
  • 8,639 posts
Posted by Texas Zepher on Thursday, October 8, 2009 11:40 PM

steemtrayn
[Doesn't Grand Central have loops on BOTH levels?

Yes

  • Member since
    July 2024
  • 9 posts
Posted by BillyJoeBob on Tuesday, July 16, 2024 11:18 PM

Well, not really. Run the mainline to the reverse loop switch, which is at least a junction, run the loop back to the switch, there is another junction with a whole mainline ahead to run. So, your time table has two additional junctions

Place a small station or industrial spur and, perhaps a short siding in the loop and the loop becomes a section of mainline itself. Pad the time table to allow for some switching and problem solved.

Anyway, that's what I do.

  • Member since
    June 2007
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Posted by riogrande5761 on Wednesday, July 17, 2024 11:51 AM

Topic is 15 years old.  Some members may not even be on the forums anymore, or even alive.

Rio Grande.  The Action Road  - Focus 1977-1983

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  • From: Dearborn Station
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Posted by richhotrain on Wednesday, July 17, 2024 2:12 PM

riogrande5761

Topic is 15 years old.  Some members may not even be on the forums anymore, or even alive.

ahh, yes, a newbie and a first time poster. Why does that not surprise me?
 
I couldn't resist reading through this ancient thread, and I have no idea who Billy Joe Bob is even replying or exactly what he is saying.

As I have often suggested, if you cannot resist the temptation to reply to a necro thread, why not just start a new thread and provide a link to the old thread?

But, now that I took the time to read through this old thread, one reply noted that reverse loops don't look good on a layout. Maybe so, but I have four "reversing sections" on my layout, and you cannot tell by simply looking at my layout.

My layout is a large and long folded dogbone that widens to a 4-track mainline in the center. I use four double slips to permit trains to change directions and cross over to any of the other three mainline tracks.

Rich

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    July 2024
  • 9 posts
Posted by BillyJoeBob on Thursday, July 18, 2024 12:28 AM

Newbie? You talking to me? You talking to me?*

Here is a real surprise -- I haven't been a newbie in this hobby for 68 years. (August 21, 1955 - a Penn Line freight train set: I was hooked!) But, thank you, kinda makes me feel like old school meets Taylor Swift.

Couple of days ago I went to the Google and entered "model railroads with two reverse loops" and landed smack on this 14 year old post. I do have some ideas for 'Create a New Discussion Topic' See, us old dogs can learn new tricks!'

Robert De Niro is a hoot!. He always takes me for a ride.

Here are a couple of snaps my abuilding train set.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53864629219_e364253c52_m.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53864686355_49eddfc617_m.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53864690525_c0954cf011_m.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53864629219_e364253c52_m.jpg

  • Member since
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  • From: west coast
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Posted by rrebell on Thursday, July 18, 2024 6:30 AM

Poster only posted  13 years ago and has not posted since.

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    June 2007
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Posted by riogrande5761 on Thursday, July 18, 2024 1:38 PM

Newbie to the forum? Not the hobby.

Rio Grande.  The Action Road  - Focus 1977-1983

  • Member since
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  • From: 4610 Metre's North of the Fortyninth on the left coast of Canada
  • 9,352 posts
Posted by BATMAN on Saturday, July 20, 2024 1:21 PM

It was obvious to me as soon as I opened it that this was an old thread, but it was like a step back in time seeing all the old names of the posters no longer here for whatever reason.

I wanted a way to turn my engines and I did not want a giant turntable to do it. The CPR roundhouse in Vancouver had a small TT and a balloon track around the the RH to turn the passenger trains, so I emulated that somewhat.

I can turn a Hudson on the TT but nothing larger. The 2-10-4s go around the balloon track which can also accommodate whole trains, though a larger passenger train gets turned in two or three sections.

 

Brent

"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."

  • Member since
    February 2012
  • From: CAPE CORAL FLA
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Posted by thomas81z on Saturday, July 20, 2024 3:57 PM

BATMAN

It was obvious to me as soon as I opened it that this was an old thread, but it was like a step back in time seeing all the old names of the posters no longer here for whatever reason.

I wanted a way to turn my engines and I did not want a giant turntable to do it. The CPR roundhouse in Vancouver had a small TT and a balloon track around the the RH to turn the passenger trains, so I emulated that somewhat.

I can turn a Hudson on the TT but nothing larger. The 2-10-4s go around the balloon track which can also accommodate whole trains, though a larger passenger train gets turned in two or three sections.

 

 

I love the ballon track & the overall concept 

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
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Posted by richhotrain on Saturday, July 20, 2024 6:35 PM

BillyJoeBob

Newbie? You talking to me? You talking to me?*

Here is a real surprise -- I haven't been a newbie in this hobby for 68 years. (August 21, 1955 - a Penn Line freight train set: I was hooked!) But, thank you, kinda makes me feel like old school meets Taylor Swift.

Couple of days ago I went to the Google and entered "model railroads with two reverse loops" and landed smack on this 14 year old post. I do have some ideas for 'Create a New Discussion Topic' See, us old dogs can learn new tricks!'

Robert De Niro is a hoot!. He always takes me for a ride.

Here are a couple of snaps my abuilding train set.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53864629219_e364253c52_m.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53864686355_49eddfc617_m.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53864690525_c0954cf011_m.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53864629219_e364253c52_m.jpg

 

Geez, sorry Mr Bickle. May I call you Travis? That was a reference to your short time in the forum.Laugh

Nice photos and welcome to the forum! Welcome

Are you really a taxi driver? Smile, Wink & Grin

Rich

 

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    July 2024
  • 9 posts
Posted by BillyJoeBob on Saturday, July 20, 2024 8:25 PM

Thanks Rich

You can call me anything you wish. One question - just what is a Bickle?

Glad you caught the taxi driver reference and no, I am not.

 

Here is a replacement for the repeated image in my original post.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53870309954_bbbe82bb7c_m.jpg

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Bedford, MA, USA
  • 21,484 posts
Posted by MisterBeasley on Sunday, July 21, 2024 7:51 PM

I try to hide my reverse loops by making them longer than necessary, so trains don't always meet loco-to-caboose, and having them take a circuitous route, not a simple teardrop or crossover.  This hides the loop and let's the operator decide the path which doesn't obviously come back on itself, although in fact, it does.

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

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