The Plan Evolves

[Graham]

Well we have more or less got the garden landscaping sorted and the proposed railtrack routed the garden is quite small so there is a limit to what can be achieved and stiil leave a reasonable amount of lawn as required by the treasurer

The whole thing is raised around 500mm above ground so that the back is not too stressed on sandstone walls In total we have around 77m of track according to SCARM.

 

[trammayo]

Well we have more or less got the garden landscaping sorted and the proposed railtrack routed the garden is quite small so there is a limit to what can be achieved and stiil leave a reasonable amount of lawn as required by the treasurer

The whole thing is raised around 500mm above ground so that the back is not too stressed on sandstone walls In total we have around 77m of track according to SCARM.

Sounds (and looks like) you have it sorted - a nice, healthy, length too!

 

[G-force1]

Like it, looks to do the business!

Do I take it the small loop just outside the terminus is for turning locos? The next question is, is the crossover going to be at least a single slip otherwise access to rest of the terminus is somewhat tortuous? Then you have a turning "Y" anyway.

 

[Graham]

Like it, looks to do the business!

Do I take it the small loop just outside the terminus is for turning locos? The next question is, is the crossover going to be at least a single slip otherwise access to rest of the terminus is somewhat tortuous? Then you have a turning "Y" anyway.

Yes the small loop is a reversing loop, but what is a "single slip"?

The intention of the points and crossovers can porbably be seen better from the attached jpeg of the what will be the control board. The small circles are red/green dual colour LED's and the bigger circles will hold push button switches to activate the points (via a Massoth unit)

 

[G-force1]

Single and double slips are diamond crossings that have access to both lines. I hope the image work!



Wow it did!

 

[Zerogee]

Looks like a nice layout plan.... just one little thing (and I may be being over-cautious here, but you just never know) - given that anyone can view this forum as an anonymous guest, for security I'd suggest censoring the part of the trackplan image that lists your full name and address.....

Jon.

 

[Graham]

Looks like a nice layout plan.... just one little thing (and I may be being over-cautious here, but you just never know) - given that anyone can view this forum as an anonymous guest, for security I'd suggest censoring the part of the trackplan image that lists your full name and address.....

Jon.

Oops yes quite right and thanks for the pointer, image modified and offending info removed

 

[Graham]

Ah, at

Single and double slips are diamond crossings that have access to both lines. I hope the image work!

View attachment 212151

Wow it did!

At this point both of the 30 deg crossings are fixed. The intention of this part of the layout is to add some interest for my grandkids rather than the train just running in circles, but I may not have the most elegant solution

From the bottom up the first 3 tracks are a bit of storage and two of them will end up in a double loco shed. The 4th is the main station line and the larger gap between the tracks will house the station itself. The 5th line is intended to create the ability to swap the loco via the reverseing loop to the opposite end of the train. The problem i was left with was how to get the train out of the station and back into circuitrunning in the same direction i.e. clockwise around the main track. This then brought in the second set of points on the station line and the crossover of the 5th line and thus creating another potential short. This section is thereforplanned to have another reverse loop set of electronics fitted. As at this point all my rolling stock is on plastic wheels the fact that this will be quite a short section is not a problem. However I was thinking at some point to swopping to metal wheels so may have to think of another solution.

Any and all suggestions to improve the layout are welcome as at this stage it is all on paper, although the hard landscaping has been approved by er indoors so is more or less fixed.

 

[G-force1]

Remember rule 8, it's your railway. A single slip where you have your diamond, could replace the two sets of points (crossover) in front of the loco shed. A double slip wouldn't really be necessary but would add versatility.

 

[dunnyrail]

Ah, at

At this point both of the 30 deg crossings are fixed. The intention of this part of the layout is to add some interest for my grandkids rather than the train just running in circles, but I may not have the most elegant solution

From the bottom up the first 3 tracks are a bit of storage and two of them will end up in a double loco shed. The 4th is the main station line and the larger gap between the tracks will house the station itself. The 5th line is intended to create the ability to swap the loco via the reverseing loop to the opposite end of the train. The problem i was left with was how to get the train out of the station and back into circuitrunning in the same direction i.e. clockwise around the main track. This then brought in the second set of points on the station line and the crossover of the 5th line and thus creating another potential short. This section is thereforplanned to have another reverse loop set of electronics fitted. As at this point all my rolling stock is on plastic wheels the fact that this will be quite a short section is not a problem. However I was thinking at some point to swopping to metal wheels so may have to think of another solution.

Any and all suggestions to improve the layout are welcome as at this stage it is all on paper, although the hard landscaping has been approved by er indoors so is more or less fixed.

Just a thought, but is the Building Bottom Right the Garage or some kind of Utility? If so you will thank me for suggesting that you run a Track inside with some Sidings for Stock Storage. Having had 4 Garden Railways without such facility I can attest to the use that your line will get without having to carry out your all your Stock every time you wish to run.
JonD

 

[Graham]

Hi Jon the building is my work shop and purpose built from brick so cutting an entry would not be easy and run straight through my milling machine LOL. At this point it will require that it all be hand carried to the garage that abuts the other side of the workshop.

Just a thought, but is the Building Bottom Right the Garage or some kind of Utility? If so you will thank me for suggesting that you run a Track inside with some Sidings for Stock Storage. Having had 4 Garden Railways without such facility I can attest to the use that your line will get without having to carry out your all your Stock every time you wish to run.
JonD

 

[PhilP]

Most sets of metal wheels in our scale are insulated, so that should remove one headache for you.

 

[Graham]

Most sets of metal wheels in our scale are insulated, so that should remove one headache for you.

I understood that metal wheels create a problem with the reverse loop in that they can create a short if the loco is exiting one end and a metal wheeled waggon crosses the entry?

 

[Zerogee]

I understood that metal wheels create a problem with the reverse loop in that they can create a short if the loco is exiting one end and a metal wheeled waggon crosses the entry?

Yes, that's how I always understood it too, Graham - which is why all the instructions say that your loop (or specifically the isolated part of it) should be longer than the maximum length of train you intend to run.... a set of metal wagon wheels (insulated or not) crossing one of the rail breaks in the loop would trigger the reversing relay again. With the "sensor tracks" used with the Massoth module (and, I think, the new version of the LGB one?) I'm not sure if that is still the case...?

Jon.

 

[Graham]

Yes, that's how I always understood it too, Graham - which is why all the instructions say that your loop (or specifically the isolated part of it) should be longer than the maximum length of train you intend to run.... a set of metal wagon wheels (insulated or not) crossing one of the rail breaks in the loop would trigger the reversing relay again. With the "sensor tracks" used with the Massoth module (and, I think, the new version of the LGB one?) I'm not sure if that is still the case...?

Jon.

I have bought the new Massoth ones and the instructions stiil warn about this. At some point I was planning on testing if I had a short dead spot on the entry if this would get round the problem. What I mean by dead spot is to have say 6mm of insulated track so that the wheels cannot act as a switch. This of course depends on whether the short on intila entry is still used as a high speed switch, if so then there is no way round it. However the instructions say it is possible to use the magnetic sensor switches in place of the short sensor tracks so this may imply that what I am thinking may work so a workshop test may be conducted at some point.