Following Prototype use, how do you justify any angle of track crossings? How are they used realistically?
Does it have to be 2 mainlines crossing?
Just thinking of adding at least one to my layout.
Prototype crossing can be just about any angle. I remember a Milwaukee Road spur into the Northfield, MN Malt O’ Meal pant being crossed by a CGW mainline. The CGW had a crossing of two spurs at what is now the AMPI milk plant in Rochester, MN. As long as the mainline is 'protected by signals or stop signs, just about anything goes.
Jim
They are all over the place. In this photo (lower right) a track crosses the road and then a track, ballooning out and back in to make the left turn.
So you are saying basically “anything goes” with angled crossings?
No prototype rules?
On the left side, about halfway up you can see a 30 degree crossing. The main line loops around from right foreground to right background, with a pair of industries reached by crossing sidings on the left.
To tell the truth, I designed this just so I could use a crossing. I just think they look cool.
South of Trenton Michigan there was a place where DT&I, MI CTL, PC, and D&TSL ran side by side. Dt&i and D&TSL were the outside two tracks and crossed so they remained the outside two tracks just on opposite sides from where they were.
Yeah, definitely don’t think mainline only. South of Bloomington, Indiana, and just west of Clear Creek, the Monon and Illinois central both had branches that ran into the quarry district. They crossed, protected only the swinging stop sign that Jim B. mentioned. Not much more too it than that.
I have put in several Industrial sidings on my layout - that I would NOT have been able to do if I did NOT use a 25 degree crossing!
I did not have the length between the 2 switches a Left & Right and by off setting the 2 switches and running the sidings through a crossing I was able to add these 2 Industries where by not using the crossing - only 1 Industry could have been added - due to the lack of space!
Also - when I added more trackwork in my Office - and coming out of the Office with the mainline - Initialy I had the 2 mainline tracks come together!
As the amount of trains were developed the Office trains would have to wait for the one mainline train to complete its switching so the other train could go to the yard to drop its cars!
By adding 2 more crossings - a 25 degree and a 12 degree - I was able to add a second mainline and the Office trains could just use the new mainline and eliminate the wait!
So any place I can use a Crossing - I will - as I do in using double curved turnouts at the ends of Yards to add siding length as well as smoothing out the end curves that a straight turnout would introduce unwanted qinks in the trackwork as well as unrealistic curves!
BOB H - Clarion, PA
There’s not really a “justify.” They do what they have to do. That’s what justifies it. They do try to avoid them because they’re expensive to maintain.
Here’s a classic model railroad two spurs cross use.
Think like a civil engineer or a railroad executive. Complicated trackwork is expensive to build and maintain. The pros wouldn’t install crossings at grade unless they had a compelling reason to do so. Bridges would be even more expensive. The same effect could possibly be achieved with two wye turnouts with points facing each other. But switches involve curves that might not be desired, and they require somebody to throw them. Two turnouts would also require more space. Sometimes at-grade crossings are the most efficient, inexpensive way to get the job done. Your model railroad installation should look like the civil engineers took all these factors, and more, into account.
It’s all about making something work, within the limitations of the circumstances. The full size prototypes that inspire whay we do as modelers, will do almost anything within reason to service a multiple carload customer. They have limitations on capital construction costs, and so do we. They have limitations of landscape and geography to contend with-and so do we, with the additional obstacle of having an edge to fall off of to the floor. With that in mind, and a kit bashed version of the old Goerge Roberts printing plant to install and service, I moved a section of mainline closer to fall off the earth territory-creating room for the needed spur, spliced a 15 degree crossing into a reverse loop. Solved all the limitation problems, and went nuts for a very long time getting that combination to run smoothly.
I trust that yours will be easier to work with, from installation to regular service.
Don H.
Don:
Sounds like a great recipe for going nuts!
In my layout plan I have a Peco long crossing where the line from my yard to my engine service facility crosses the main line. Fouling the main line is not ideal but the geometry didn’t allow for any other solution without creating S curves and tight radii. At least it will only be engines and a few coal/ash cars crossing the main. Having the crossing, like others have said, adds interest to operations.
Dave
You need to look no further than Alton Junction at 21st Street in Chicago.
It even had curved crossings.
Here is a link to a discussion of the crossings at Alton Junction.
http://www.dhke.com/CRJ/21street.html
Rich
Another big one was at Joliet Illinois station. Four ATSF tracks and one IC track crossed four RI tracks at ninety degrees. There is still about 8 of them left and BNSF doesn’t waste any time crossing them.
Good responses so far!
I’ve had layouts since the 1950s, and always thought a crossing would be “sooo cool”. But no matter how I worked it, I never could come up with one that made sense or that looked like it belonged.
My thought is, the larger the layout the easier it would be to put one in and make it work.
Looking at “all things railroad” they will do what they must do to get the job done and let the accountants figure a way to get the upkeep costs back in tax write offs or in some cases operating grants from the State or Feds…
That method has worked since steel wheels started rolling on steel rail.
Minimize their use.
Crossings that involve main tracks have to be protected in some way (signals interlocking, stop signs, gates, etc.)
Anything goes!
Within operation, saftey and FRA rules.
Cover those and you are correct.
This is one of Richhotrain’s favorite rail junctions in Chicago:
How about it RICH? [:D]
Take Care!
Frank
Btw: I know You already posted this Rich, But I’m curious if you ever tried to replicate part of it. I recall some time ago, that you were considering it. [8D]