Track Plan V1

[JimmyB]

Using the on-line TRAX V2 I have created my initial (cause I know it will change) track plan, currently I have some room East, about half meter, and lots of room North, though at this point moving everything North will give room at the South.
Comments both positive and negative are welcome - and came be ignored by the OP at his peril!!

View media item 3103

 

[idlemarvel]

Very nice but depends what you are looking to achieve. if you are happy to watch one train going round in the same direction for some time while you sip some beer, then this is fine, especially if it is landscaped appropriately. If you invested in some computer control you could have two trains following each other. But operationally that's it.
If you could somehow find room for a passing loop at a station let's say, that opens up the scope considerably. You could then have two trains running in opposite directions, passing each other at the station passing loop. You could use sprung points to avoid having point motors outside, and either computer control or analog with isolated track sections and magnets to control the trains automatically, or you could drive them manually.

 

[JimmyB]

Dave,

I think a passing loop and some sidings are the next stage, I would certainly look at manual control, even if its remote!

 

[Rhinochugger]

Coming from the RAF, I would have thought a V1 was pretty risky.

Perhaps Rev A etc ...

However, to the subject in question, the layout has good running capabilities. As you suggest, a passing loop somewhere would be good, them you can have two engines 'in steam', one hauling a train clockwise, the other anti-clockwise.

This would then be a very good arrangement for whiling the time away, watching trains and imbibing any suitable tincture

As to the specific pieces of track, don't worry about it, you can cut, belly bend, and generally adapt your track to suit the space.

Crack on

 

[Sarah Winfield]

If you introduced initially one siding it would give the impression a train leaves from somewhere and going in the opposite direction it is heading for somewhere.

Sarah Winfield

 

[ebay mike]

The gradient will require careful consideration as it may dictate the stock used.

 

[Paradise]

The gradient will require careful consideration as it may dictate the stock used.

Yeah, and the layout will perhaps lend itself to a better run in an anti clockwise direction because of the shorter length on the inside being a downgrade. Best to make the part running underneath a dip rather than flat to help with the upper grade. The bottom (on plan) straight a little less than midway in height. Perhaps that should be level for the sidings so rolling stock wont run away.

 

[dunnyrail]

Using the on-line TRAX V2 I have created my initial (cause I know it will change) track plan, currently I have some room East, about half meter, and lots of room North, though at this point moving everything North will give room at the South.
Comments both positive and negative are welcome - and came be ignored by the OP at his peril!!

View media item 3103

The grades should work out at around 1:40 or perhaps just under as this is pretty well what I have used in Track Geometry to creat my Spiral.

 

[JimmyB]

My rough calculation for the incline was about 1:30, obviously this will depend on height, and where I start the gradient, I was considering for the inner (clockwise) incline between the bridge and just before the initial curve, for the other incline loads of room.

 

[Adam1989]

I am trying to get my head around gradients for planning my garden railway so 1:40 dose that mean every 40 inches you clime 1 inch.

 

[JimmyB]

I am trying to get my head around gradients for planning my garden railway so 1:40 dose that mean every 40 inches you clime 1 inch.

That is exactly it, however the 40 is horizontal, not the incline

 

[dunnyrail]

I am trying to get my head around gradients for planning my garden railway so 1:40 dose that mean every 40 inches you clime 1 inch.

Every 40 inches you can put a piece of 1 inch wood under the track to see how it goes for a clearance of another track. Rail will bend a bit but give you a rough idea if you are trying to understand the dynamics of a Gradient.

 

[idlemarvel]

When it gets to 1 in 40 it does not really matter in model railway terms whether you measure the track or the horizontal, the difference is minimal. Less than 1:10 it would matter. If you're interested it is the difference between the tangent (opposite over adjacent) or sine (opposite over hypotenuse) in a right angled triangle.

 

[dunnyrail]

When it gets to 1 in 40 it does not really matter in model railway terms whether you measure the track or the horizontal, the difference is minimal. Less than 1:10 it would matter. If you're interested it is the difference between the tangent (opposite over adjacent) or sine (opposite over hypotenuse) in a right angled triangle.

Beg to differ on that one, I have mentioned in a previous thread that I inadvertently incorporated a section if 1:30 on my line that is 1 inch lift to 30 inches if running line and that does make a big difference particularly to Live Steam but also my big grunty Harz 2-10-2's that noticeably struggle on the short section of 1:30 that is on my line.

 

[Paradise]

Beg to differ on that one, I have mentioned in a previous thread that I inadvertently incorporated a section if 1:30 on my line that is 1 inch lift to 30 inches if running line and that does make a big difference particularly to Live Steam but also my big grunty Harz 2-10-2's that noticeably struggle on the short section of 1:30 that is on my line.

dunnyrail, He doesn't mean the incline makes little difference to level. He means the length of the track up the slope (hypotenuse) has little difference to the horizontal distance.
A 1:30 grade has a slope length of 30.016 662. It will make a greater difference as the grade increases but that is usually outside the range in which we are working.

http://www.cleavebooks.co.uk/scol/calrtri.htm

 

[65 1057]

Just a few ideas & key elements when you design your layout on the given space of ca. 3 x 5 m

• Provide 2 stations so that 2 trains (one clockwise/ one counterclockwise) don’t have to cross always on the same station
• Use R3 as minimum Radius of 1.200 mm
• Minimize the gradient: 300 mm clearance realized with a R3 circle of 3.700 mm circumference plus the straight sections will give you an approx. track length of 8.000mm for the gradient of 300mm/8.000mm = 0,037 = 3,7% (or 1:27 – like on the Selketalbahn…)
  
• The inner loop will have sufficient track length for the gradient. When you provide in B a similar station like A (with no gradient in the station) , you will interrupt the gradient of the outer loop – this reduces the effective track length and leads to a steeper grade (300mm / 5.800mm = 0,052 = 5,2% or 1:19) – this is a grade rather for a cog rail.
  
• To solve this issue you can re-apply the Harzbahn solution for the old Drängetal-Station or the Station "Goetheweg" : Provide a siding with no gradient where the uphill trans can push back (and “boil steam”), and let the main track keep the gradient constant. This makes train crossing a bit more complicated, but can bring more operational life to your layout.
• http://www.forum.gartenbahn-stammtisch.de/viewtopic.php?t=1603
• Dotted lines indicate a few sidings to be installed later, e.g. gravelworks / logging area etc.

Again - this is just to encourage you to think about some potential options.

 

[JimmyB]

Sorry, your attachment will not load!!

 

[PhilP]

I see the track plan, and a right-click and open in new tab worked on the link last but one bullet point here..

Might be a gremlin at your end Jimmy??

 

[JimmyB]

Phil, now it opened automatically, sure not PC gremlins!!

 

[dunnyrail]

dunnyrail, He doesn't mean the incline makes little difference to level. He means the length of the track up the slope (hypotenuse) has little difference to the horizontal distance.
A 1:30 grade has a slope length of 30.016 662. It will make a greater difference as the grade increases but that is usually outside the range in which we are working.

http://www.cleavebooks.co.uk/scol/calrtri.htm

Drrrrr certainly confused by this!