It is zig-zag trackage

It is zig-zag trackage  It looks like a switchback.

Imagine a Z.  From the base of the z you branch upwards to serve an industry.

Then you switch, and go along the top ot the Z to serve a second industry.

That second industry is on the "kickback spur".

The dotted line in this track plan is a kickback spur.  This forum post discusses it. 

Doug, that makes more sense.

Doug, that makes more sense. Here's a sample I found in Calgary.

Andrew

Thanks!

Thanks!

We called them switch

We called them switch backs.

exprail

Yes, exactly, that is what

Yes, exactly, that is what confused me.

I couldn't figure out what he meant by components. I don't see how it's not a switchback other then it's purpose is to set out cars on the spur, but the track configuration is the same as any switchback.

Kickback not the same as switchback

Two completely different things.

A switch back is where the trains reverse directions to proceed.  Typically used in mountainous territory, typically on logging and mining railroads.

A kickback is a gravity operated switch back.  Typically they are used at car loading facilities, commonly on coal unloading piers.

Here is a picture"

The kickback is the curved track at the end of the pier, the cars are pushed up to the unoloader, unloaded then roll down the grade, through a spring switch, up onto the kickback which stops them and causeds them to roll back through the spring switch onto a grade down into a staging yard.

Here is a detail of a couple coal cars on the kickback, about to roll back, into the storage yard:

Kickback in operation Philadelphia PA Coal pier

The youtube link shows a kickback in operation at the Conrail Coal Pier #124.  Also in the video is the ore loaders in operation along with the 3 foot gauge car pushers used to pull and push the loaded ore cars around the loop tracks.  The loop tracks are still intact unused however the ore loader and coal pier were dismantled a couple years ago.  

Greg Wiggins 

Ah very cool. Now that makes

Ah very cool. Now that makes way more sense.

And in model form...

Hi all, 

and here's a working gravity kickback in model form

Very good John! 

Very good John! 

Another Model Kick-back

Here's another model version of a kick-back.

Bernd

The McMyler

Hi Bernd and all,

I'd forgotten about the McMyler. It sure is an impressive piece of animation and modelling. 

A couple of things to notice when comparing it to mine:

• the length of run required to handle the longer bogie cars is far longer than that required to handle shorter 4 wheel cars this is mainly due to the vertical curves having to be more gradual
• Heavier HO cars enable the use of gravity or spring-loaded switches to set the route to the kickback receiving track. Because of the light weight of my coal skips (about 8 grammes empty) the use of a gravity weighted switch was not an option for my set up, so we went with servo control. 
• In the real world where even a small coal skip weighs in at a couple of hundred pounds (100 kg+) it is relatibely easy to set the weight or spring on the switch so that a wagon can roll through it "wrong road" without derailing and that the blades will go back after the wheels have passed.. It is a whole lot tricker to do it in model form because mass and inertia do not scale linearly 
• the "hit-uo" in the receiving siding has to be controlled. If the speed is too high then it is likely that you will have a derailment or smash up couplings on wagons because the energy from the incoming wagon has to go somewhere. A slower speed just sufficent to couple up the incoming wagons to the standing wagons is desirable and will result in far less problems in the receiving track, I sidestep this problem by ensuring that the previous empty skip is out of the way and on its way back up the incline before the the next skip arrives. 

I hope that this is of soem interest to anyone who wishes to try somethng similar,

Kick back/loader

That is really cool!

John Garaty - Kickback .

John , There used to be a kickback in Rozelle  Sydney  , It was used for the coalies from Glenlee & the Western fields . Closed in the mid 90's when Glenlee closed & then all western coal was sent to Port Kembla .

Cheers  Tom  J .

Thanks Tom

Hi Tom,

Thanks for that. I didn't know that there was a standard gauge version at Rozelle. I am assuming it was part of the Balmain coal loader operations? I'll have to do some searching for old photos. 

Found another kickback

Hi all, 

found another one here on Bernd's 'Gumstump & Snowhoe" thread at  https://forum.mrhmag.com/post/aggregate-company-tram-line-12191336 also on a ship loader for coal. It shoiuld also clarify the "switchback" and how it might be used on a model layout to gain height. 

I hope you enjoy a re-visit as much as I did,