They’re actually #5’s, Fast Tracks/NMRA size. With an Atlas crossing. I draw my plans in 3rd PlanIt so I can print out individual pieces at 100% size if needed. I actually went to the toruble of printing out my entire previous railroad and then taping all the pieces together (don’t know anyone with a plotter and didn’t want to fiddle to make a copy that would be printable by Staples or someone) and marked off all the track. In the end it was more work than it was worth, my intention is pretty much usign the rigid ‘rules’ enforcement of CAD to make sure what I want will actually fit in the available space (no cheating on curves or making #2 turnouts) and then building all but the most critical things essentially freehand.
There’s approximately 2’ from the points of the left turnout to the edge of the table - should be enough room for a loco and 2 cars. However, I’m sure I can move it over some and make more room. Also better balance with more stuff to the right.
I do mostly diesel, so that’s a good idea, single track with a fuel pad and some sort of sand tower. Hmm, keep a short siding for a tank car with fuel, but also need an unloading spot for a covered hopper with sand. Ideas, ideas.
I think it’s am improvement, though I still don’t get the three parallel tracks at the upper left. Maybe it’s just me. And the upper right is unused, at least for track. For me, spreading out the tracks along the back in some fashion might be more interesting, even if the tracks were shorter. The lead to the right is too short to swith the three parallel tracks in one shot anyway.
The only reason the three tracks were there together in the original were to maintian the Ingelnook Sidings puzzle. If that’s not important to you, you don’t need to keep the configuration. But whatever you like …
Once you make a few turnouts and see how easy it is, you will be comfortable making something like a crossing without even thinking about it. Do not limit your layout by crossings that are commercially availible.
I agree with what Byron said earlier. Think in terms of your overall goals and create something that both fits that plan and is functional now. You may have to make certain compromises as to what you can place in the space, but you should never settle for something that doesn’t meet all your needs.
One way you can expand your options is to use fold-down extensions of your leads. They stay out of your wife’s way most of the time, but you can swing them up into place when you are operating. You can then place turnouts right to the table edge and still have them be functional.
I would reverse the direction of your crossover at top right, and end it at a DS where it meets the “main”. Eliminate the rest of the curving track that leaves you with the too-short lead to switch over the crossing and to the lower right industry. Mind you, that now makes the tail at upper right a lot shorter. [:(]
Just some quick comments, maybe I’ll get a chance later to draw in some of the suggestiosn and see what comes out.
For Chip: Your #2, well, that’s almost the original plan I posted in this thread. The difference would be that the 3 parallel sidings would be about 16 feet to the left with a long lead, and they’s be more than 3 tracks - scaled down perhaps 2 gorups of 2 plus another track comign off, that being the cement plant. To the right, both tracks would continue, the lower one continuing as the main and the upper one branching into a 4 track double-ended yard. That would actually be, allowing for compression, the track arangment at Chapman yard and the siding leading to the Lehigh Cement plant. Remove anything below the main. However, as pointed out, this would not, in the ‘condensed to fit on a 2x8 version’, be terribly interesting to operate. On #3, a drop leaf is possible on the left side about where the main is. The right side is against a wall, and a drop leaf closer to the top would interfere with the radiator - another reason I decided to stick with a 8’ width for now - anything bigger goes over the radiator. I have plenty of clearance but if I’m here come cold weather again, I can’t be blocking it - I don;t fear damage to the layout, I fear insufficient heat in the room.
More on #2 - I’m trying to be realistic, which not being has probably what’s been holding me up. I think I need a spare room, about 10x12, to build a credible version of the C&F, greatly compressed but functional. I don;t ahve it, and I’m not going to - so my realistic expectation is a 2x8 that I can have fun switchign on. I do suppose it could be helpful to draw out exactly what I’ve visualized for said 10x12 room, and see if there’s an 8’ chunk of it I could lift out and use for now. I’ve actually been digging through track plans looking for a section that is 2x8 that would be workable, as another way to try and get something locked in.
OK, yes, i am crazy, should be doign othe rthings but I jus thad to draw a track plan instead.
No double slip, but I adjusted the lengths of the tails, and cut the 3 parallel tracks to 2 (no more Inglenook puzzle). Adjusted the sidings on the bototm - no engine house, just a single track, and rearranged the lower right to be more interesting. Also added another siding on the top right. That oen is the only one that simply projects from a turnout, the others all have various curves and so forth. Less straight lines, at least less straight lines that are in any way parallel to the benchwork. I’m not sure this is an improvement, but it’s balanced as far as sidings on each side, but the number of spts varies. The runaround is a different radius curve than the main, so even that’s not parallel other than on the very right hand side. I see this taking multiple runaround moves to have a train come in from the left and switch all spots, or if it comes in from the right. Or the alternate, have one from the left switch all those trailing point sidings, and the return trip or a second train that comes from the right to switch all those sidings.
I have no problem with it for functionality, but I think you could improve on it operationally.
Right now you really don’t have a spot that represents “down the line” or off layout. What can serve as an interchange track is the track parallel to the main on the left. Unfortunately, it will only handle about 4 cars and that is wanting for the amount of work you have to do. You can gain about one more car by moving the turnout as far as you can left, but that only dents the problem. You can also gain another spot by moving the crossover left as well.
If you keep fudging everything to the left, you can gain more and more spots on the interchange. Adding the drop down lead allows you to get even more room without sacrificing the capacity of your runaround. If you can get 4 feet, or 8 cars, you should be able to run a pretty good ops session.
Of course, operations can be varied by also using the track as a fiddle track.
I was pretty much thinking of operating the way Andrew described for the original design - a train pulls in on the main, in my case from either side (he mentioned only coming in from one direction) which means an almost pure fiddle operation - I pull a loco and some cars from my storage drawers and set them on the track, Loco does whatever runarounds are needed to service each siding adn reassembles the outbounds on the main. I then fiddle these to the storage drawers and replace with the next set (realistically they ALL come off, even the spotted cars, lest the cat decides to abscond with a hopper).
I can certainly do the drop leaf on the left, rearrange the spur on the left to curve a bit so it ends parallel to the edge (I don;t need the added complication of making some crazy angled drop leaf). In fact I even have a 6’ shelf that would work perfectly, although a lighter weight piece of material would probably be better - plus I need to get some foam scraps to build up equal height. I have the perfect leg solution, the new modules they built for the RCT&HS use these nifty folding leg brackets that lock in both positions. Just need a hinge and I’m all set. I really kind of like that idea. That does end up assuming all trains enter and exit to the left, since I can;t do a similar treatment to the right side. I have approximately 4’ available on the left side, and I could conceivably clamp on maybe 1’ to the right although I dunno if it’s worth it for 2 more cars.
