Can you shrink your

Can you shrink your trackplans to fit in the MRH forum window (around 720 pixels wide).

In the last plan image, there's a place where the track comes off the main, climbs 4" in around 12' and crosses above the right end of a siding complex. I think you may have troubles with the bridge above those turnouts.

Charlie

... low hanging bridge

"In the last plan image, there's a place where the track comes off the main, climbs 4" in around 12' and crosses above the right end of a siding complex. I think you may have troubles with the bridge above those turnouts."

Thanks Charlie - that should also be on the list of item's I'm not completely satisfied.  Two questions in return if I may

1. This is in un-scenicked staging, so the intent is to use something thin (possibly even a short length of steel) for the rising track at this point

2. For a long time I had that run down to staging running along the 'top' of the peninsula, which has the benefit of not running over anything but means it directly blocks access to the staging tracks.   I don't really want to flip the yard and station to reverse the loop (and hence run it down the 'bottom' of the peninsula), as that would move the yardmaster inside the layout.  However this is going to pose a construction challenge; any suggestions?

First thing I see is that you

First thing I see is that you are using what looks like a 27" radius in at least one place. You are going to find that passenger cars (at least any over 60') will require a min 28" preferably 30" would be much better 

SA layout

Hi,

Maybe you could remove Yalta, and have rolling hills down to the Murray. This would give a nice senic break and run to the next station. Instead of Bridgewater maybe Aldgate which has some nice buildings, and had a turntable. Marino could be Tailem Bend with its unique Station architecture. Also the grain silos. The passenger car storage at the main station only feed one track, could cause a bottle neck. Have you the book Line Clear by Reece Jennings which has a good info on the main line to the border. 

rgds

Tom

Thanks for the feedback

Neil:

Thanks for the note on the 27" curve. Most of my passenger stock is 60' or under, but there are a couple of 70' cars I'll want to be able to run down that curve. The benefit of a second pair of eyes .

I've also spent years developing an understanding the interlocking at Blackwood with help from one of the guys at the former signals and aviation museum .

SA layout

Andrew

I now understand about Blackwood.

I think it would be fine without Yalta, otherwise the stations are to close, no sooner are you are out one then you would be at the next. You could always have a siding down that side, maybe to a quarry. Or a warf on the river, as at Murray Bridge.

Are you aware the "Orient Express" hobby shop here, is selling a range of Sth Australian goods wagons.

I will give this some thought.

If you want some photos taken let me know.

rgds

Tom

Orient express & station spacing

Thanks Tom.

Yes, I've been a customer of the Orient Express since they were in their original location further south on King William Rd. Which reminds me, I need to call David to pay for the D wagons and the 2014 convention notes .

On the station spacing; I'm very interested in people's recommendations. Obviously longer is better; but 6' isles are also better than 4' isles, but most of the time a compromise is needed.  Hopefully people have thoughts on bare minimums with respect to train lengths; I've spent a lot of time looking and really haven't seen anything consistent.  The run up the left side of the plan was my attempt to develop a feeling of going somewhere, although it's only around 2.7x the maximum train length.

For Blackwood to Yelta in the current plan, the distance will be about 2.5x the maximum train length (60"), thanks to the 180 degree 32" curve and the 4' Murray bridge, which while not ideal , at slow speed (since we're going downhill) it's at least 30 seconds of travel. Based on my previous layouts experience, I think it's long enough to put an additional permissive signal in to speed up the stop/caution/proceed sequence of the departure semaphores from each end. On the Yelta to Marino end, because the curve will be hidden by the fascia, the train seems to take a long time to traverse even the 28" curve because it's out of 'view' for a little while.

But again, that's what I'm looking for input on. Mine is a much smaller layout than most of my friends' in the area.

The Basement

Andrew

I have been thinking about your storage tracks. If the upper storage tracks had a return loop as the lower one does, then the layout could be run end to end or continuous.

As this will take some time to build , you could leave Yalta to last, and see how it runs.

I think it would be interesting to run and different. A higher density passenger service, and interesting freight cars.

And similar, the first time we were in California, we went on a preserved interurban ride, the gum trees made it look so similar to Australia.

Size is not all that matters, good design really helps to make a model railroad work. Also good friendship, makes for good memory.

rgds 

Tom

Continuous run

Thanks Tom

I might be misunderstanding you, but the staging level (without the return loop) already provides for a continuous run.  For most trains, the upper deck is intended to operate as a point-to-point, but I sometimes just like letting the trains roll (or run-in).  The reverse on the staging level loop is just to make re-staging easier (for me) and possibly allow some through trains (like the Overland) through and back in the opposite direction the same session. 

I'm liking the idea of just leaving Yelta to the end of construction; I'll have to think about how to construct the subroadbed so that it can either be a station or a gentle roll downhill.  Right now I was thinking about building the penninsula with 1x4 joists on L-girders that were cut down to 3" half way across to support the different heights of Yelta and Marino, and the stations being 1" foam on 1/8" luan (foam for ease of scenery, the luan for something to screw things into the bottom)

Yes, visits to California often remind me of South Australia (other than the cars being on the other side of the road)!

Thanks again for all of your feedback, much appreciated.

Andrew

Hi Andrew, Great little plan

Hi Andrew,

Great little plan and we are doing something reasonably similar!

My main comment really focuses on curves, gradients and aisle width. For example, the Yelta peninsular has a 27" curve and a 30" aisle width. I appreciate that aisle width is important, but at the apex of this curve, I think that you could crib into the aisle space which then enable you to get a 30" radius on the curve. That spot doesn't strike me as an operator pinch point so taking from the aisle is probably okay.

I think the same is true at the Terminal end of that peninsular. Another advantage of this is that it will also help you lower the gradient.

Lastly, I feel your gradients are too steep. Especially if you want to run some of your SAR steam (Rx, 720, 500, 520 etc...) Even with a short consist of Steel cars or Centenary cars, they will struggle on those grades.

Anyway, my thoughts. You are doing a lot in the space that you have.

Cheers

Dan

(not sure if you remember me, from the Embassy in DC)

Feedback

Less than some, more than others.  This is something you will have to decide on yourself, very much a personal preference thing.

Not optimal but you are space constrained.

I have doubts about it because there really isn't a lot of room to hide the shallow angle entrance.  If you made the aisle at the top about a foot shorter, it might give you room to put it on the outside of the turnback curve which might be more easily sceniced.  l always have conceptual issues with LIEO industries that are in adjacent stations.