After much CAD work I think I have finally come up with the final version of my new T&T RR: The Lila C branch. While modeling the obscure branch of a very obscure short line is not for everyone I think this will work for my interests. For those interested Pacific Coast Borax had a branch of the Tonopah and Tidewater that ran to their borax mine in Ryan. When the mine played out they built the narrow gauge Death Valley RR that ran from the T&T into Death Valley to their new mines. This layout is set before the new mines were opened. It could be built as narrow gauge but would require more dual gauge track at DVJ as well as a ore trestle.
The design gets most of what I wanted including a wye and is fairly close to what I have discovered about the way the real railroad designed their track. In the desert there is plenty of room and wyes are easy and cheap to build. On a model railroad they take a lot of room. Based on available research I’ve been trying to make track arrangements as simple as possible. Operations would consist of an engine picking up cars set out on the DVJ siding and assembling a train in front of the depot using a combine as a caboose. It would then do a turn working the mines until it got to Ryan and then make the trip home with the loads. At the end of the session the loads are returned to the DVJ siding. Should make for a relaxed evening of operation for 2-3 people. Let me know what you think and whether there are any flaws that I have missed. Fortunately for me the whole left side (Horton) of the layout is intact from the previous version so only the right side and Ryan need track and scenery.
This is the kind of a clean, simple track plan I like. Very nice. A few ideas for you to consider from a fresh pair of eyes:
Consider putting a run around on the mainline at DVJ.
Consider putting two more tracks at DVJ, on the mainline side for visible staging.
Will Horton and Ryan have a passenger station?
Consider hidden staging
is Ryan end of line in the real world as in your layout?
If no to 3.and yes to 5., I worry about the lack of variety in the type of operations you will run. Ore and mixed freight with limited or no passenger service, does that keep 2-3 operators busy?
I would add one more siding to Horton and Ryan. You need to set out the empties on one track, collect the loads on to another track and then push the empties back on to their respective industry tracks. Doing this in one go (as you describe) might need one more siding.
I would connect thev two singke ended tracks in the top right together to a double ended siding. Will give you op flexibility.
This is a big one: I wonder if the left-bottom leg of the Y could actually be made to go to the right, on a down grade under the branch line to hidden hidden staging. You can then operate big iron road engines to take those full loads “elsewhere”
Critics are a dins a dozen, but fresh pair of eyes are good, so in that spirit I submit my humble comments. Hope it helps.
NP
(Building HO around the room freelanced layout with full signalling in a 23x16 basement)
looks like a fun layout. I agree that you need a run around in DVJ. Also consider pulling the industry spur to the right of the bridge at the very top. Move it to either Horton or make a small town on the upper right.
Either way, i like it overall and look forward to some pics.
One more vote for a runaround at DVJ. How does a loco pulling a train into DVJ from Ryan escape from the end of yard? In a pinch, I guess you could run around a car or two on the wye.
Do you need to be able to turn a loco at Ryan for the return trip? Maybe a small timber turntable?
A small point and maybe just a “drafting flaw” vs design, but I’d round off those inside corners on the benchwork to make room for a little more scenery.
I’ll echo what others have said about the need for a runaround track at DVJ. Of course, the wye can be used as a runaround in a pinch.
If there’s a wye at DVJ, it makes sense to have a turntable at Ryan. Of course, engines could run without ever being turned; but then why have a wye at DVJ?
The entrance does concern me. If the swinging door could be replaced with a folding door, it might be easier to get in and out. If that’s not practical, then I guess you’ll have to live with it.
In any case, it looks like a layout that could provide a lot of fun.
Thanks to everyone for their comments. They were realy helpful. The lack of a runaround track at Death Valley Junction was truly a blunder. I tried for several hours to get a decent sized runaround track to fit with that wye to no avail. I finally went back to the drawing board. The suggestion to look at Andy Sperandeo’s San Jacinto District design was extremely helpful. I went back and redid an idea for the Beatty to Goldfield section of the railroad using his design for ideas. His Perris is actually pretty similar to Beatty yard. By junking the wye I was able to add a 3 track staging yard representing Ludlow as well as adding a forth town, Rhyolite, which was only 7 miles from Beatty and was only a few stub ended tracks and a depot. Now I have lots for room for various gold mine models.
Goldfield was the end of the line and is also pretty similar to the actual BG yard. I added a 65 foot turntable. There wasn’t one there, but at least the Tonopah and Goldfield had one in Goldfield so I guess it is just modeler’s license. There isn’t much I can do about the door: It is a single car garage and the fire codes require it to open in. Take a look at this version and let me know if you see any obvious flaws. Andy’s design was clearly ahead of it’s time. - Nevin
Now I understand the problem with the door. If the wye is gone, I wonder whether you really need the turntable at Goldfield. Otherwise, I think the new plan is quite workable.
DVJ still could get a run around. You could scenick it as a 3-track passenger depot and/or a yard
could the runaround ad rhyolite be made longer (just let the two tracks go farther up)?
For more staging and to simulate this large terminus, I still think you should consider staging under Beatty. Isn’t Beatty in the mountains a bit up from Death Valley? Perhaps climb 2" from DVJ and another line drops 2" from DVJ so you get under …
I really like this plan. It will be so good once you finish it.
Here is the latest version. I did narrow the Rhyolite area and moved the passing siding up. The other version is closer to the prototype track plan but the new one works better. I think it would bre relatively easy to put a lift up connection between Goldfield and Beatty and I may do that. Just no duckunders this time.
Here is a pic of BG #12 from my previous layout. The good news is that I have many of the engines, cars and buildings complete. I’ll I have to do is lay track, wire it, re-do the backdrop and it is ready to operate again.
I assume you’ve thought about how long your longest train will be, and make sure your runarounds can handle it, at least where they need to based upon your operations.
Tell us the operation with this plan. Your last explanation described pulling cars from the main and then assembling a train. That looks to be lost in this version of the plan.
Edit: When you lost the wye (which I think was good) you added Rhyolite too. Frankly, I think this makes the layout too crowded. If your staging tracks are designed to hold a long train, and if you switch Rhyolite after you pull the train from staging, the locomotive will be all the way in Beatty before you can push the train into Rhyolite. Do you want to do that? Maybe that doesn’t matter.
If you did not have a town on the east wall, like in your first plan, you could switch the peninsula town without invading another town. That would seem more realistic to me, but that’s just my view.
BTW, there is an article in Model Railroad Planning 2014 that discusses modeling fake wyes. Basically a track arrangment that simulates a wye and saves space. Since you don’t use the wye to turn trains in your first plan, you might consider reading the article and seeing what could be done about having a fake wye and saving space for some staging.
My thought would be to keep your last plan, but your first location. You can add a right hand switch on the south side of the peninsula and have the track extend straight to the west edge of the pensinsula. This would be Death Valley Junction and you’d be modeling two legs of the wye.
I have to start by saying I really like your plan, but I also like to be able to run trains around the layout. So just thought I would share this video with you.
I do not have or need a lift bridge, as my layout is U shaped, which offers it’s own challenges, but I am usiing the Mianne benchwork and I really like it alot.
[/URL]
