Staging area

I would suggest adding another track in your staging area, giving you the ability to run around your train, that way you're not constantly handling your locomotive. I'd also suggest adding some scenery to the staging area, like ballasting the track, grass, maybe a few background trees if there is room, but keep the front clear giving you access to remove and add rolling stock. Your layout plans look good, keep us posted on your progress.

Thanks Rich, like a runaround

Thanks Rich, like a runaround track with a lead track for the loco near the doorway?

I will keep posting and add some more detailed images of the module. I might be able to use the other module if I figure a way to cut seven inches off it: the modules are made of hollow bedroom doors with pink foam glued to them and sealed with latex.

The other module, I'll have to tear up the roadbed past the turnout area and start the radius from there.

And here it is attached to the other module:

Is this overkill for a branchline terminus?

I might be biting off more than I can chew so I think I'll work on the two modules I have for now. The second one I will cut off 7 inches so it will fit along a 13 foot wall. 

I'm trying to decide if I should have two tracks to the turntable or just one. Is it more prototypical to have the track come from the mainline instead of the runaround track? Or is this overkill for a branchline terminus?

Nice Concept

Deemiorgos,

I like the concept you are working with.  A nice simple layout with a lot of potential in your terminus.  I see a lot of flexibility in your planned build as well.  Looking forward to seeing this develop.

Thanks. It seems it will

Thanks. It seems it will start out as a switching layout then later as time and budget permits a point to point layout. I'm kind of ahead of myself, but planning is important. Now I have to prepare for a big move, get a lot out of storage, then unpack at the final destination. After that paint walls then set up the modules... phew! Hopefully my fragile models like my water tower have survived storage. I'd really like to find a place to put it on the module.

is this overkill for a branchline terminus?

  That depends on the line. How long is the branch, can a train come up and back without needing fuel or servicing, do engines need to over night there or be stationed there for any reason, what era is it, did the railroads have more or less local facilities in your era,etc. Once you have a clear image of your terminal's  purpose in mind you be able to figure out how to model it in the most realistic manner. Most of the branch lines I've seen had just basic track and facilities at the en...some way to run around the cars, a wye or turntable and a water tank in steam days,a small depot/freight house, and whatever industry might be in town.....DaveB

I agree, Dave. If it were me

I agree, Dave.

If it were me I would remove the second lead to the turntable along with supply track leaving only the one lead to the turntable with one track off it to service a small coal conveyor and or sand facility. Like you say if this is a small facility within 25-50 miles of its origin all you really need is the turntable and the water tank/standpipe.

I would use the removed engine turnouts to feed a couple of additional small industries to give a better economic, reason to make a trip up the branch profitable.

Just my suggestions.

Barry

DaveB I'm modeling a branch

DaveB

I'm modeling a branch line that ended at the coast in a small fishing/lobster village frequented by those with summer homes in the area. There is a very small family run lobster cannery in this village and a small lumber yard that gets its lumber from a tree farm. The winters are harsh and long; up to 5 months. It's the mid fifties, and in this neck of the woods most main roads are still gravel though paving has commenced and the odd transport truck gets into the locale. The branch line is fifteen miles from the mainline and the junction is about 70 miles from a railway hub.

"The branch line is fifteen

     I'm not familiar with north coast railroads but that sounds to me like it might be a one day out and next day return job? So the village would get served three times a week .  or maybe mainline trains could run from the jct. to the branch end then return to the main and continue if the branch tracks was good and the work there pretty quick? As for the fuel situation 70 miles out and back sounds pretty far for an older engine so you'd need to do some research on the tender capacity and fuel usage. If the village uses coal or oil they might have a fuel dealer that could also supply engine fuel. By the 1950 many branch lines were in decline so any facilities would probably be pretty old, if the railroad planned to keep the branch they probably dieselize it soon. I'd do some research on similar lines then make up a timetable to finalize the operations.........DaveB 

DaveB, I made an error, it is

DaveB,

I made an error, it is 70km, which is 43 miles. Also the branchline is about ten miles. 

Barry,"If it were me I would

Barry,

"If it were me I would remove the second lead to the turntable along with supply track leaving only the one lead to the turntable"

Like this?

"with one track off it to service a small coal conveyor and or sand facility"

Would you put it north or south along the track to the turntable?

(track to turntable now is longer than two feet) 

I could put two small industries along the siding, as I lengthened it to go onto the module to the left.

Flexibilty and aux. tanks...

I think you have a lot of options here based on what you like. To piggyback on comments by Dave B., if you are running steam in the 1950's on a branch, everything would be at the end of its working life. I model the GN in Minnesota during the 1950's and they had a few solutions at the end of steam for their branches. 

Aux. Tanks proliferated with the retirement of most of the steam fleet, reusing old tenders from scrapped locomotives. Using these on branches eliminated water stops and allowed many branches to remove most or all of their servicing facilities. This is an aspect that is not modeled often.

Conversions to fuel oil for the entire steam fleet following 1950 eliminated more maintenance facilities (ash and coal) and simplified servicing with an oil tank and column. This could be new or relocated from somewhere else.

A single stall brick engine house and turntable seem like they would exist at least until dieselization.

Sanding facilities might just be stacked sacks of sand.

These are just a few economical and plausible paths you could pursue here for realism. Look for research to justify your decisions as well, there's a prototype for everything.

Thanks for the informative

Thanks for the informative post, sanchomurphy.

I have a book with a lot of images and track plans of branch lines of the railroad I model, but it is in storage. I recall many were very simple; more simple than my idea. Some didn't even have a turntable; just a run around track with no team track, but had a siding long before the terminus for a coal/oil dealer. I also read somewhere some locos backed down branch lines.

" it is 70km, which is 43

   That would still be a pretty long run from terminal to end of branch and return in one day. !f they averaged 15 mph that's 7 hours of running time ,plus any switching work and meals. So it might still be a layover run. The shorter distance would make it more feasible to only fuel the engine at the home terminal and just take on water along the branchline......DaveB 

Longer Branches

Deemiogoros:

I model a 34 mile branch of a small railroad that had "long" and "short" trains. This wasn't the length of the train but the distance. Long crews would run up part the short portion and work the further portion of the line and return. Short would, of course, only go about 15 miles working the industries along the way. There was a turntable at the midpoint but no engine service (sand, oil, ash dump,etc). 

Each train went out and back in one shift. Hope this gives you some ideas. It might give you an excuse to have trains run by without stopping to go "long".  

think I would put the

think I would put the coal/oil/sand track before it and on the south side. Keep in mind that this "whisker" track will require a sort engine to include a car on the turntable in order to service it. When you think of it a little branch probably wouldn't need anything more than a source of water maybe just a water column/standpipe from city water. I think using a cistern (extra water car) would be over kill for a branch this size. You might even shorten up the turntable lead and have a industrial spur come off it in a facing point direct (toward the turntable) 

Because I am big believer in turntables/wyes to turn equipment (engines, cars, snow plows, etc.) I would keep the turntable to provide an easier trip for your crews and to add atomosphere to your branch terminal. Unless you have ever run engines you aren't aware of what a pain it is to to run backward no matter if it's steam or diesel.

 When it comes to EOT branch lines you might take a look at Trevor's Port Rowan simple branch for ideas. 

You have a nice little railroad there. If you keep it simple I think it will be more fun rather filling the space with a lot of unnecessary, track.

Barry 

It all depends...

Not necessarily, Barry. The GN used them on 50 mile trips, without service stops, one way when they were switching industries. You expend a lot more fuel when you spend a number of hours switching along the line. 106 miles roundtrip with only the end of line stop might not need servicing though. It depends on a variety of factors.

I definitely agree on keeping the turntable. Backing moves are avoided whenever possible.

“will require a sort engine

“will require a sort engine to include a car on the turntable in order to service it”

Barry, what is meant by a sort engine?

BTW, it was Trevor Marshall’s layout that inspired me to start a “switching” layout and to move on/get over the loss of my layout.

That was meant to be...

...."Short" I bekieve!

Neil, ideas indeed. And I'm

Neil, ideas indeed. And I'm always looking for an exuse ; )

Need an excuse to have a water tower at the end of my branchline; wishful thinking om my part.

Night scene from the branchline on my last layout long gone.

Graeme, makes sense. This is

Graeme, makes sense. This is my shortest loco:

"Need an excuse to have a

   In the steam era there would likely be a water tank at or near the end of a long branch. Steam engines carried enough fuel to run much farther than the water capacity allowed. Even if  the run was too short to require refueling it would likely still need water stops somewhere along the way. ...DaveB

Yes, OK Graeme, I mean't to

Yes, OK Graeme, I mean't to say short engine meaning one which could hold both a small engine and a fuel/coal/oil car on the turntable to service a short track off of it.

The subsequent information/suggestions from Dave and Dave points out the need for probably only a turntable and water tower which you already have. BTW, that really is a neat one with the CN insignia on it. 

As sanchomurphy, wisely, pointed out, there were cases where a cistern was used with a steam locomotive, particularly towards the end of steam (an era I missed on the IC by about seven years when I hired out). But generally they were used on that railroad, by road locals and through freights where the extra length wasn't a problem like it might be on a short branch with shorter industry tracks and tight curves. I would bet that while crews appreciated not having to stop as frequently for water they really didn't appreciate having to hang onto the cistern while switching. Which was kind of like most engineers once introduced to the clean/quiet environments of a diesel cab didn't look forward to having to work on steam locomotives with all the grease, grime, dirt and cinders which we modelers enjoy replicating. 

You have a great little layout here, with just enough switching but not over powering the scene with too much of anything. Your sketch also leaves plenty of "breathing room" for simple scenery between scenes. You have a nice group of structures and equipment which should make for a satisfying operation.

Thanks, for sharing these pictures and sketches with us.

Barry

Will share more in time,

Will share more in time, Barry,  but now I have to get ready for the big move and get my model railway models out of storage. I hope they survived the tempuratures of the storage unit. Hopefully will put up and assemble the modules before the New Year.