About a week ago CARRfan issued a challenge for someone to design an 8 x 12 layout to fit his small space. (see Challenge) There were some stipulations added such as no duck under and room for a workbench. Here’s my answer to the challenge:
Welcome to the Wharf Rat Terminal
The Wharf Rat Terminal is a small railway serving the port and industries in Sand Hill Bay. It also provides services to the nearby small village of Fairfield Bay. The railroad interchanges with the U.P. at their small yard in Bergstrom Fields.
Each square is one foot. This uses the 8 x 12 figures and the sections can be rearranged to your convenience. The track and switches were drawn with a template to ensure they would fit. The minimum curve is 18" and the turnouts are all #4’s. There is a lift out to access the rear.
Green is the main line, Orange is the route to the staging yard, Purple is a passing track, and Yellow is a spur.
I tried to address your concerns by placing your work bench under the engine house and passing track so you can reach up and grab engines or cars to tinker. The duck under can become a lift gate easily. There is a continuous run option with some country side to traverse.
The staging yard is tucked underneath to save real estate. You could make the incline sharper above and below and run the shelf further to make it a scenic-ed, better utilized yard. Heck, run it under the lift gate track and make a whole new section on t
I love the plan. Everything about it except for 1 thing. Well…2 things.
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You beat me!!! No fair, i’m not done yet!!![:D]
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Duckunders and Lift outs are going to become problematic when accessing a workbench. there ill probably be heavy and fragile equipment there, not stuff to stoop down and crawl with or hold open a gate with one hand and pu***he device through with the other.
Yoshi, sorry about beating you. [:I] I had this plan twisting in my mind and it gelled while I was in the shower this morning. I hope CARRfan posts some comments.
As to the lift bridge, I wonder if it would be possible to make a mechanical lift bridge driven by an electric motor. Pu***he button with your elbow and the bridge goes up! No smashing your Precious!
Dragenrider,
Thanks for the suggestions! It looks like you really put some time into this!
I was considering a similar layout, but more like a simple “racetrack” style circle around the outside, with switching on the top & right sides.
What scale do you have depicted? What is the minimum radius?
Man, that’s what I call service!
Hi, CARRfan! I’m glad you like it! It’s HO scale with 18" radius turns. That’s an average curve. 15" would be really tight and common in an industrial setting, but I didn’t use any of those in the plan.
If you click the link to the “giant download size” you can see the road and bridge detail much better as well as follow the track easier.
Dragenrider,
Thanks man! I admire your planning talents. Much appreciated! It will be “filed” in the idea bank of my brain (and I’ll save the image too!).
Seriously - very cool man.
My pleasure! It was a good challenge and lots of fun to do.