RogerThat:
I have another small suggestion.
In the upper right section of the new layout you have a spur located between the main line and the yard tracks. You have used a left hand turnout to divide that spur into two. If you were to use a right hand turnout it could be placed quite a bit further to the west thereby making your spurs longer and eliminating an ‘S’ curve.
Dave
Dave, Thanks for the feedback. I really would like to do a wye there. I’m looking in to see how I can fit it. If I do that, the turntable won’t be needed. I don’t think narrowing the aisle to the right of the peninsula should be a big deal because that will not be a busy area for operations. Also I like the change to the turnout in my engine servicing tracks.
Thanks again.
Roger
Reversing Loop Experts,
Can this be done?
Can I create a wye that would basically encompass my whole Virginian layout? There is no room for a turnout at the bottom left of Virginian due to curve going into tunnel, so I had to locate it above the turnout that goes into my passing track and yard area. Where would any insulation joiners go?
Roger
I would isolate the bottom track between the existing right hand turnout on the current layout and the proposed left hand turnout where the main becomes one track.
That would do it, just isolate that bottom left track, from the turnout on the left side to the turnout that’s part of the Virginian that they used to connect the Thin Branch.
–Randy
Roger, you also have a reversing section on the right hand side of the proposed layout that will require isolating a portion of that reversing loop. You will need two reversing units. one for the wye and one for the reverse loop on the right side. You mention that you like to sit back and watch trains run. While the plan does allow for continuous running, turnouts will have to be thrown as trains enter and then exit the reversing sections. If you truely want hands free running a more complex method of turnout control would be required or the main would have to be adjusted to allow for what in effect would be a loop instead of a single track main attached to two reversing sections. having said that I do like the plan
Thanks floridaflyer and Randy, that’s alot simpler than I thought. With reversing loops on both ends, I now will change the plan to complete the loop all the way around so that I can have trains running non-stop while I attend to switching in the yards. In order to do that I will have one or more crossovers between the two tracks. Is my understanding correct that I will just need to isolate a small section on both ends? I do understand I will need two auto reversers.
Better show a diagram of any proposed changes, hard to answer your questions without one.
You could also use spring switches at the two locations and trains could runn continuously even without a double track mainline.
Or a block sensor to detect the approaching train on the loop side and line the turnout accordingly, with a relay or microswitch to control the track polarity based on turnout position.
–Randy
Randy’s solutions would work, the spring switches sound good. there would be no need to alter the plan you have.
Roger:
I’m glad I can help. Makes me feel like I actually know something![(-D]
Your plan is coming along nicely.
Dave
Here is the latest version of the plan. I started this before I saw the latest post about spring switches. That would work but if I’m running two trains, I’d be more prone to having cornfield meets. This plan is still not final. I feel it is a little bit short on industries.
Back to my previous question about the two return loops, do I just need to isolate the two sections as marked below, with each of those sections powered via an auto reverser circuit?
Thanks,
Roger
I would put the gaps further apart unless you are only running short trains. On the lower left - gap at the frog of the turnout on the Virginian part, and gap up closer to the turnout for the crossover. On the right, gap rigth after the turnout for those blue sidings on teh lef side of the loop, and right before the turnout for the siding on the right. If that’s not long enough for your trains, you can gap teh right side right up at the neck where the tracks first come parallel, just below the turnout for the crossover - those industry sidings would be powered off the autoreverser for that loop as well, in that case.
–Randy
Agree with Randy, as a rule the gap should be longer than your longest train. In your case you have plenty of room to expand the isolated sections, take advantage of it.
Randy and Mr. Flyer,
I was under the impression that you only need it to be as long as your longest train if you plan on having lighted cars or other powered items. I don’t plan on those but I guess I need to worry about consisted locomotives. I also thought that you had to be concerned with multiple trains crossing the two isolated joints at the same time. I’m not nearly ready to worry about the exact locations now, just wanted to make sure I understand this.
It is true that you can be shorter than your longest train and be fine, but should you convert your rolling stock to steel wheels, that would cause a potential short and the longer than train rule would eliminate that possibility, however nothing is written in stone. Unless you are planning on a cornfield meet, isolating sections in the area you have indicated will be fine. adding length to the isolated sections would also not be a problem. Seeing as you have the space, lengthening the sections a bit has no downside.
I have a couple reverse loops in mine and it was fine with short trains like 8 cars but when I went longer I ran into problems a couple times especially with the metal wheels. I think I also had to stagger the gaps. Other wise the reverse modules are flawless.
I like this adjustment - it creates two end loops and the ability to run continously.
After further review of my layout plans I have made some major changes to the yard. I realized that I did not have a two track mainline but instead had basically a dog bone loop. I decided to move one mainline track behind the yard where it will have one or more industry spurs (Just one is shown in the picture because of the 50 piece limit on the AnyRail demo software). Please critique my yard plan. I would like to finalize it (nothings ever final) before re-doing the two sides of the layout. I know about the discussion of whether or not to have Arrival/Departure tracks so please just consider it another classification track. Also I have considered making the next track also double sided (Again the 50 piece limit).
Thanks,
Roger
Only problem I see there is, other than hiding the back track and using shallow relief buildings, there isn;t much room to actually put any industries along that siding.
–Randy