I’m in the process of planning out my next layout, and I’m trying to figure out a couple of things.
The main question is I would like to have my spurs/sidings off my mainline be basically level with the ground and not up on roadbed. It seems that most sidings are more level with the ground. But, if I’m thinking correctly, in order to do that wouldn’t there be a change in elevation between the mainline track and the spur? Or in other words a little dip in the track from the main to the siding. Does that cause any operational problems?
Second, has anyone seen a station that is placed on a very slight curve instead of straight trackage? If this is possible, would I have to just make a curved station platform for the station?
This is about the simplest answer–actually three answers–I’ve ever had to come up with: YES; NO; AND YES.
Let me qualify my “NO” response regarding operational problems. I could take you to a spot in Glendale, Ariz where the old Santa Fe had a spur switched off of the mainline; there is a short–maybe one car length–section of straight track after the switch which runs parallel with the mainline before curving about 45° before going down a short 4% or more gradient to ground level. Just remember that if you try to have any car and/or locomotive perform too many contortions at any one time it’s going to give you problems. There is another place, again on the old Santa Fe main, where the track switches off the main and runs on a short fill–this fill is about one car length–before dipping downward also on a rather stiff grade into a warehouse complex.
For the first part, yes most mainlines were elevated compared to sidings or spur tracks, so there would be a short section of grade between the two, but it normally be fairly short and I would think a fairly low grade pct. like one or two pct. so it shouldn’t affect operations appreciably.
Secondly, yes it was / is common for stations to be built on a curve. You would need a curved platform but otherwise it would be a fairly normal installation.
I like the idea of bringing them down to ground instead of building up ther base of the building because it looks awkward…be careful with the grade…
for your curved platform just lay a sheet of thin paper over the track, trace around it and cut it out, use this for a curve template for your balsa or styrene.
I’m not an expert by any means, but back in the 50s and 60s, I did spend considerable time wandering the Nickle Plate main and the B&O yard areas in my home town (you actually could do that back then. I have fond winter memories of picking spilled coal from the tracks for an old pot-bellied stove onthe shack by an park’s ice skating pond.). Even now, although the former Nickle Plate double track main is single track through town and the B&O has lost a major part of its yards, and no longer has the engine or coal/ore terminals, or car repair facility, or most of the yard itself, I still remember how most of the yard and siding areas looked. Some of the sidings were on a level with the yard tracks, many descended to a lower level, and at least one B&Ospur close to the city’s main N/S street actually was at a higher level than what might be called the main. And from the Nickle Plate, there was a curved spur going down into the shipbuilding company that looked like it belonged on a logging or cog railway. Some trackage in the old car facility were probably 5 to 8’ below the main track, and while the B&O engine terminalwas what looked to be about a foot lower, there was a three-track double ended spur on the other side on a level with the main, and on the East side of the terminal, there was a nice elevted ramp to an enclosed coaling trestle for feeding the L class 0-8-0s and the EM-1 Yellowstones that came in and out of town once or twice a day.
Even today, if you drive by the now closed auto assembly plant on the West side of town, you can see Trailer Train TOFC cars stored on the N-P siding that is so far lower than the main, past about 2 or 3 car lengths, about all you can see are the trailer hitches.
It seems it’s important to spend the time, money, and materials to keep the main as smooth, level, and well trimmed as possible. Yards and spurs apparentlydon’t need as much attention
I have all my industrial sidings on ground level.I use cork roadbed for my mainline and iuse shim shinghles to change the elevation to ground level (plywood) .This works well as long as the siding is not to short,so you cars are not spotted on the incline.If you use Kadee uncouplers as I do the need to be on the level section of the siding.I’ve been running this way for about two years and have had no operating problems.
If you’re using cork roadbed, simply glue down a foot-or-so of it for the siding lead. When the glue has dried, use coarse sandpaper wrapped around a block of wood to taper it down to “ground” level - a couple of minutes worth of easy sanding should do the trick. Try to keep the top level from side-to-side. In the view below, the mainline is on cork roadbed, and the industrial sidings on the plywood sub-roadbed. The transition between the two levels occurs within the 12"-or -so at right, where the ballast changes colour between the two turnouts:
When viewed from “ground” level, the difference is more obvious, especially at the crossing:
Here’s the station, with a curved platform, at Brantford, Ontario:
I appreciate all of your responses. The pictures are really, really nice as well. I’m glad I wasn’t crazy thinking about a station on a curve. As for the sidings, I’ll do exactly what you said Wayne and gradually taper down off the main.
