Well, things are proceeding rather slowly… me thinks. Here is the latest revision of the No Track Plan track plan…
and even it is incomplete naturally, just as a no plan should be. One question I have is what is the height and width of tunnel portals? I have two of them to deal with, so far. Will four inches high and wide be enough? Tunnel A and B seen here and the access ‘hole’ in the rear
I’ve put in a rather long double ended siding with a turnout on it to service the lumber company and another small business in the same area. I’ve had to take up more space for the ‘mountain’ the sawmill will sit on because I needed to move tunnel A forward enough so that I could better work on that area.
Below is a picture that show how high the ‘mountain’ will be. The small pieces of foam the car is sitting on will, of course, be removed.
So how big do I make these openings for the tunnels, on average?
Thanks,
Jarrell
Jarrel,
I have a Woodland Scenics precast tunnel portal (stone) laying around and I measured it for you.
Outside, overall width is 8". Height is 5-1/2".
The opening is 4-5/8" wide and 4" high at the top of a slight arch.
Hope that helps.
Doug
Thanks Doug, that helps a lot!
Jarrell
#1 Are you going to have a lift out section in the tunnel area?
#2 In mho you should make space to get your hand in the tunnel ,hidden or otherwise! Other than that it is looking real good Jarrell[:p]BTW is that the messed up buliding?If so looks ok to me[^]
Jim
one question about the double eneded siding… does the ‘to be joined later’ comment mean to be joined to the main line ? if so you’d then have a passing siding which could also be used for a run around for switching the lumber co. otherwise you’d have a switchback which normally wouldn’t be used to switch an industry unless you had to go up a steep hill in a short distance
Jim, there will be access at the rear, actually the side, to get under the mountain to the tracks. I was just sitting here thinking how high to make it under there, if 4 inches would be enough, or should I go 6. I’ve also considered making the whole top removable but I’m concerned, with my limited skills, if I can conceal the seam properly.
Yep… [:(] that’s the building. I figured out a way to hide my dumb goof! Now I’ve got to paint and weather it so you guys are in for a boatload of questions!
Jarrell
You got it Ereimer. The idea is to join it back into the mainline creating passing siding. Could you explain to me though the advantage of having a run around for the lumber company, how would the engineer handle that in a real life situation?
Thanks for any help!
Jarrell
It would make it so that an engineer could break his train at the tail end of the cars to be spotted and then pull forward. Then he would back on to the siding and drop the cars to be spotted. Then he would go get any cars in the siding that needed picked up. He would then pull them out and couple on to the train that is on the main. At this point it looks like this; the cars to be spotted are on the siding, the main train is on the mainline with the train (all other cars not involved in this manuver) at the back of the lineup, the loco in the middle, and the loaded cars he just picked up in front of the loco. Now the whole train backs up and then moves forward onto the siding pushing the empty cars to be spotted out in front (if you want to you could drop everything behind the loco on the siding). The loco then drops the empties at the lumber yard and backs up. The loaded cars from the lumber yard are still in front of the loco. To get them where they need to be the loco drops them onto the siding and backs up with the rest of the train onto the main. The engineer then cuts the train where he wants the loaded cars to go and pulls forward and backs onto the siding. He picks up the loaded cars and pulls onto the main. He backs onto the rest of the train, tests the brakes, and his on his way.
Clear as mud, right?
Track planning for realistic operation has all of this in it and is well worth the money.
Hope that helps!
Jarrell,
Seems like a pretty small yard up their on that 8" high pinnacle, don’t you think? [(-D]
BTW, welcome back. How did your excursion to GSMRR with the grandkids go last weekend?
Tom
I agree, small yard! And the grades are murder! [(-D]
No no guys! Ya’ll are picking at me … I hope! Thats not the yard, I just set the car there for reference as to the height of the hill.
I’ll agree the grade is murder, a constant 4% without letup. I may be taking it apart one day… 
Jarrell
Jarrell, I measured my stone WS portals, and derived a considerably different measurement. Note, however, that I am using a single-wide portal on a single-track main, so the quote above might be for a double-wide.
My outer dimensions are: 6"X6"
Orifice is roughly (hard to get a tape in there for accurate measurement): 23/4" wide at track level, and about 3 3/4" high at the keystone,
The cast portal, itself, is about 3/4" thick.
Jarrell,
If you have decent size of access from the side, a removable hatch or cover is not nec. The problems of hiding a removable section that is so “in your face, up close” is not worth the trouble. Besides, if you glue down a 1/2" plywood deck over the foam supports, you could expand the trackage for the logging branch and lay roadbed directly on the ply. This base could also act as a foundation for any structures, etc.
Bob K.
exactly what i was going to say
except i’d take 3 times as many words to do it and nobody would understand it when i was done [:D]
sounds like a fun place to drop off and pick up some cars
Jarrell,
My suggestion would be to run the passing siding around the curve all the way to the town and connect it to the mainline just like you did near the lumber company and have the turnout for access to the town come off of the passing siding so you will have a run around track at the town as well. If you have room for a second passing siding off of the first passing siding, you could switch either end without using the mainline and blocking mainline trains, letting you have two operations going on at once, even have two engineers operating at the same time and they could even switch both ends of the layout at the same time if you are using DCC. Actually could be done using DC with the correct electrical block system. Just food for thought. And your progress looks great so far. Also, watch portal clearance at “B” because of curve and equipment overhang.
Ray---------Great Northern fan.
Thanks Crandell. I should have said that it was for a single track. I appreciate the measurements. Man! I thought I had all kindsa room to play with…[:D]
Jarrell
Bob, when I got it up to 4 inches high (the foam ‘supports’ you see here) I was gonna put a piece of the 2 inch foam (a base piece) over that and then build up from there. Bad idea?
Jarrell
Ray, you’re right… since I will have a turnout to go into that town (like on the other end). In my limited experience I don’t believe I’ve ever seen a passing siding off a passing siding, though I probably did and just didn’t pay attention to it. I’m going to have to get some more track and a couple more turnouts (Man.! layouts eat up turnouts!!) and try what you’re suggesting. This thing, in a year or so, isn’t going to resemble what I started with, except for the basic maintrack dogbone but that’s ok, I’m learning new stuff!
Yes, I am using DCC.
Jarrell
Now thats what model railroading is all about.
“Honey, I’ll only need a little money, a little space and a little time and it’ll all be built!”
Several thousand dollars, 20 years later and half the house taken over and you still have a long way to go on your “humble” pike! [8D]
Just remember, it’s not done until you can’t work on it any more (ie, you go to meet your maker!)
Jarell,
If you can make your access hole 6" high, I’d go for it. Just think how large your hand is when you’re holding a piece of rolling stock – 4" might be a bit tight.
Heed Ray’s advice about your tunnel portal width at both “A” and “B”. Do some test fits with your longest equipment before final instalation.