UK Mainline ‘through’ stations - not terminus/end of line - with 4 to six + platforms appear to be very different to those in the USA. I am changing my mainly freight N gauge layout to include mainline station(s), however, I am having difficulty in finding examples to model. Any suggestions/advice/help would be most welcome.
Peter
It would help to define the time period and geographical area you are modelling. But, as an example, I went to google.com, used ‘amtrak station photos’ as a search and came up with 6,500,000 hits…I suspect there would be something useful in there.
Multiple platform thru stations in the US at present are very rare outside of the Northeast Corridor. Generally those that survive are usually set up with one platform serving 2 tracks with enough platforms to accomodate the number of tracks. The station building can be at grade, above or below grade with either tunnels or overhead walkways connecting the platforms to the station itself. Kansas City Union Staton was constructed above grade alongside the track with a long concourse stretching across the tracks where stairways provided access down to the platforms & trains(sadly, the concourse,most of the tracks & platforms are gone now). Philadephia’s 30th Street Station acutally straddles the tracks with stairs & escalators providing access to the platforms below the station.(same set-up at Penn Station in New York). Unfortunately for the US, the volume of train service in most of the country doesn’t warrant multiple platform thru stations anymore. I’m sure that someone on here will provide you with a few links to assist with your information gathering. Good to have another passenger modeller on board, I hope I’ve provided you with a little help…regards, John
A good curent example is the former NY,NH & H RR New Haven Union station. It is still used by AMtrak running through trains from Washington, DC to Boston and NY GCT to Boston.
Many thanks to Bill, John and BigRusty for your feedback. Bill, can’t define time period or geo area at this time because of lack of knowledge, however, all your info is of great help. Thanks again
Peter
A good example of this is the Long Island Rail Road’s Jamaica station. It’s the main transfer point of the system, and all but one of the lines pass through it. It’s where, in the morning rush, people from the distant stations (on various lines) transfer to the appropriate train to their terminal (of which there are three, and eventually four). In the evening, the opposite: people from the NYC terminals transfer to their train home.
There are eight tracks that allow stopping at the station (with a couple of bypass tracks, and yards on both sides). The layout is something like this:
(Yard D–five or six track layover yard)
Track 1
PLATFORM
Track 2
PLATFORM
Track 3
Track 4
PLATFORM
Track 5
Track 6
PLATFORM
Track 7
PLATFORM
Track 8
(Bypass tracks)
Many cities had major through terminals and a google search should bring up many of these. Cincinatti, Toledo, Dayton, North Philadelphia, Albany, Newark, Wilmington, Baltimore. Pittsburgh, Altoona, Harrisburg, Kansas City, Richmond and many others.
Thanks to all who have supplied info on Mainline Stations. This includes the latest gems from Electricmotive & ndbprr. I now have enough info to last me through to Christmas!!
What a great thing this communitation thing is! Brilliant, just brilliant!
Peter