Some time ago, I did some reserch on teh Bangor, ME Union Station. It was built in 1895 and demolished in an Urban Revewal ‘improvment’ project in the 1960s. This is a photo I took of a postcard showing the inside of the train shed where passengers boarded the train. I realize it is much larger than your depot, but shows how it was done. The picture is undated, but was probably from the early 1900s
Jack is indeed a fine fella and excellent modeler.He’s among those I would like to meet.
I would locate that depot where you orginally intended. On my Citrus Belt I have a scratchbuilt uncompressed type SP type 22 station, in S scale it is over 2 feet in length on a inside curve setback from the tracks, the placement was predetermined in the design phase to draw attention away from the fact the nearby dummy SP interchange runs into a solid wall the station is set against , there were prototype araignments for this all over the SP system, as an retired engineer from the days of steam relayed to me once " give then 10 miles of tanget track and they put every signal and station on the nearest curve".
I would recommed that if you retain the orginal location, you continue your platform across the tracks and for a short distance on the far side, your passengers will appreciate not having to navigate over the rails.
Dave
After reading some comments here and looking at your layout picture, I’d consider swapping the station and the car dealership. The dealership’s lot is a more prominent location, and will draw eyes toward you passenger operations. And your passengers can enter and leave the station on Main St. Car dealers often located themsleves on cheaper land out from downtown.
Other random thoughts. If you leave the station where it is, consider a foot bridge over the tracks to get your passengers into downtown where they can hail a cab. Your downtown is big enough and tall enough to justify a larger more urben looking station. You might think of allowing room to put in a bigger station in the future. Is there any change of squeezing in a siding on the end loop? That would permit a passenger train to stop at the station without blocking the main. So you could have a freight rumble by your passenger train in the station.
I would asume the car dealership was established prior to the 1950’s in which case a prominate downtown location is appropriate. Probably the trend of moving to cheaper locations did not start until the 1960’s. I know of several places where there still are car dealerships downtown.
However I agree with moving the station.
Sorry if this is a dumb question, but something looks off to me in the photo. Are all the buildings in the same scale? The house in the back and the car dealer seem larger than the town buildings.
BTW the station doesn’t have to be along straight track. Having a station along a curve isn’t / wasn’t uncommon. In this case, it would allow the station to ‘breathe’ a little more, it wouldn’t look as squeezed in.
I think there is a difference in terminology. The platform would extend all the way to the track. In your case the platform is wood. So the wood would extend all the way to what was described as the “curb”. You wouldn’t have a wood platform then a gravel area in between. Too much of a tripping hazard and it would make it difficult to roll baggage and express carts up alongside the train.
If it were my scene I would use basswood to extend the platform to within 5’ 6" - 6’ of the center line of the track, so its one smooth planked surface all the way from the depot building to the edge of the track.
I think that’s due to my using a fairly wide angle lens for the photo…, great for showing everything, bad for keeping things in correct perspective. I’m going to reshoot it today, one will be from almost overhead looking down, and post them in this thread.
Jarrell
I appreciate the suggestions, all of them. This is exactly why the glue has not left the work bench yet and nothing is permanent… yet. I have swapped things around, putting this there and that here, but I can’t say that I’ve tried swapping the passenger station with the car dealer. I think I had considered it but didn’t because the station would be on that 22 inch r. curve and I wasn’t sure how protypical that was, or even if it mattered.
I wish there was room for a passenger siding but I’m afraid it wold eat up a lot of valuable space. A turnout would be easy to do on that straight section where the station is sitting now, but I’d have to put a curved turnout on the other end which means cutting the track on the curve or make the track go all the way around to the back side where there is more straight track.
Jarrell
Jarrell, food for thought. A passenger siding would constitute valuable space. Do It ! [Y]
Rich
What it currently looks like…
and below is the car dealer moved to where station is now (see above)
and the station would be on the side street (right side in top photo)
And below is with the station on the other side of track from where it is now and in the middle of the block, requires removing the street that crosses the track from it’s position to another location. the town (main street) can be slid back about two inches toward the backdrop if needed.
Having never seen a passenger station on a curve it just doen’t look natural.
IMO it looks like the station is being squeezed in a space it doesn’t belong. The station will be a focal point and I agree with Rich on the siding or not have the station.
Just my 
worth.
Bob
EDIT: I tried to strike through something I wrote but deleted it by accident.
Jarrell,
I have the same station on my layout and I put a 1/4" plywood sheet under it which is just about right. I used black sheet foam for the parking lot and road coming across the tracks (mine is sandwiched between the tracks and a vertical rock wall.). It just needs some weathering to tone down the black black asphalt (it isn’t new blacktop). This scene isn’t finished but is staged for the final layout.
-Bob
Bob and Bob… [:D]
I think it’s going to have to stay where I originally had it, the straight section across the track from town. Every place else get’s pretty crowded and requires moving streets etc. around. Bob, mine is raised using a 1/4 inch section of hardboard, your’s looks like it’s in a good spot. If I can find an over the track pedestrian walkway that looks good I’ll probably get it.
Jarrell
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=273316
Curved platforms going back under the shed.
I’d suggest far, far more radical changes, but that depends on if the town grew up around the railroad or the railroad cut through town.