I’ve been working on the new layout trackplan over the past couple months as time permits. I still have to add rails for structures. There will be Mountains arount the perimeter which is why the mainline outer rails are inward from the outside walls. I’m looking to do continuous run with passing sidings for a second train but also have an opportunity to try some industry switching. There is a rail that runs across the lower left leg which seems to work well for turning the train to the opposite direction I think works well.
I will be running the layout alone so not to worried about the isles or the reach to the back. As I said the back walls will be scenic mountains and once completed no reaching will be needed. I will be using automation via tortoise switches and Hares for autothrow on certain turnouts.
Looks good. Widths are getting a little wide along the walls. I would recommend 30" MAX accept in the blob areas of course.
if you cut the corner off of the 48 X 52 blob, narrow the shelf on the back wall to 24", then you should be able to pull the 52x52 blob out into the center of the room for a longer run.
along the right side or back wall have the main line go behind a backdrop and add a couple hidden staging tracks.
I like the plan. If you haven’t thought of it already I would suggest cutting the corners off of the loop benchwork, or using a curved fascia. That will prevent a lot of bruises from banging into the sharp corners.
According to my math (which could be wrong), if you use a maximum 2.5% grade on the reverse loop left side (short side) and a maximum 2.5% grade on the lower left track from the reverse loop turnout to the bridge, you should be able to get a little over 3.5" seperation between the tracks at the bridge but there are some significant limitations. That 3.5" clearance is assuming that the turnouts at both ends of the return loop connecting track are layed flat, and the vertical easements are 18" long to get to the 2.5% grade. An 18" vertical easement @ 2.5% is fine for short cars and locomotives but it isn’t long enough for bigger rolling stock. If you want to run big, modern 6 axle diesels, 85’ passenger cars, or 89’ flat cars you will need a vertical easement of 30" (assuming a length of 12" per piece of rolling stock). A vertical easement of 30" will require a 3% grade to get 3.5" clearance between tracks. Here is a thread on the subject. Scroll down to the calculation post:
Like Steve said, it could be a bit tight unless you go to a steeper grade, but most rolling stock will pass through 3.5". You will have to watch caboose stacks, cranes etc.
I just realized that there is one potentially problematic issue in your design. Since you only have one reverse loop you can only reverse the train once while going forward. If you want to reverse the train a second time the only way to do that would be to back the train through the short leg of the reverse loop. In theory that isn’t too much of a problem, but remember that the track will be sloped and you will be going through curves in the turnouts at the same time. Backing downhill will be less of a problem but going uphill could be tricky. You might have trouble with truck mounted couplers and rolling stock that is under weight, or even overweight if there are lighter cars between the heavy car and the locomotive. One way around the potential issue would be to use a rear end helper locomotive to ‘pull’ the train up the grade. I don’t know how prototypical that would be but it would add some interesting operational aspects to the layout.
Since you are using XTrkCad, I suggest you use the elevation feature, if you are not already doing so. Set the display options to show elevations on your published plan. That way forum members will have more information to work with.
Having only one directional reversing crossover may or may not be a problem. Personally, I’d prefer to have both a “right-hand” and a “left-hand” loop. Of course, the roundhouse solves the engine turning issues, but doesn’t help turning entire trains.
I have a right hand and a left hand reversing section like the fact that I can run trains in any direction I choose. By connecting the middle track to the outside track ( using left hand turnouts, or a curved turnout on the inside track with the tangent going to the outside track) on the right side of the layout you could have a second reversing. Grades would have to be considered and the length of the reversing section would have to be adjusted to compensate for any grade in the outside track
I appreciate the extra set of eyes, good suggestions Guys.
Steve I will be cutting the corners back on the Blobs, helps with a nice smooth fascia. I need the the width on the walls for the mountains which the bases will probably come out 5 inches, so once completed the mountains will be like the walls.The Left wall will stay at 30" so not to take away from the isle width to the left of the Blob. I originally had the 57" x 31" section 62" and cut it back to the now 57" to give more isle room between the two blobs. I can’t get to the right side for making a staging track as that is a solid wall, perhaps I didn’t state that clearly in first post that there is 4 walls against the benchwork.
Steve I was thinking the same with the grade on the reverse loop and whether I need it or not, I will be doing the road bed on risers so it will be a matter of getting the east lower rail low enough to go under the outer elevated rail but I definately see your point and will take suggestions for another location for a reverse loop rail.
Thanks Dave for doing the math, I hate math. I think your pretty accurate in your accounting. I don’t use longer than 50 foot cars so no issues there. I will know better for that reverse loop as I go. I tend to do quite a bit of tweeking with the rails once there on the risers.
Dave as per your second post, yes two reverse loops would be better and if there is a problem with the grade verses the reverse loop then the reverse loop will have to be relocated. I had this reverse loop two layouts back but I wasn’t using this type of risers setup but did have quite the grade along that back left side.
You can see in this old layout plan I did from 2011 some simililarity’s of the same area.
I did the elevations in the pprogram but can’t seem to get them to show up on the plan to post on here. I did a couple other options for a reverse loop on the right side 2 versions. Input guys?
Don’t forget about your locomotives. You have to base your vertical easements on the longest piece of rolling stock, including locomotives.
I don’t think your second plan will do what you want. The connecting track goes in the same direction as the connecting track on the first reverse loop. Follow a theoretical train around the track to see what happens. The way you have the plan drawn you will still get stuck in one direction regardless of which reverse loop you use. The right side reverse loop connection has to go from the upper left to the lower right like you did in the first plan with two loops.
while you have a turntable with two lead (?) tracks (why?), you don’t seem to have any place for extra trains for the locomotives stored around the facility. Looks like your siding tracks can be closer together. Some extra siding in that area would provide some options.
do you really want a switchback? would you be better off with more industrial sidings along the mainline. While there are good reasons to locate them near a siding, those that are trailing can be switched as the train goes in one direction and the other switched after the train has reversed direction.
looks like your sidings are spaced close together. You could add a 3rd siding at the top. More equally spaced provides more options, could be used for passing or staging.
instead of the siding be located where it is on the left, you could add a siding to the reverse section. It would be longer and straighter.
Thanks Dave and Robert, I have been running a train around and seems to be better with top plan.
CG I’m certainly struggling trying to get the elevations to show.
floridaflyer I kinda thought thats what you meant.
Greg that is a lot of information that I have to try to absorb, I have never been all that great with setting up engine facility tracks and or sidings , lead tracks etc and actually I haven’t dealt with that area much yet other than kind of cuttting and pasting from my 2011 plan. If you mean two leads that are connected parallel to the track that goes into the turntable well I’ve always thought the main rule was to never block the mainline as well it acts as a passing track to another train.
Meanwhile I think this is what you mean for the left side reverse track adding a parellel track.
On your last plan you doubled the connecting track that creates the reverse loop on the left side of the layout. By adding in the extra turnouts you have shortened the amount of track available for the grade and vertical easements. I suggest that you make sure you can still achieve the height separation at the bridges that you want.
Also, you already have a passing siding leading into the top of the left loop. I don’t see why you need a second passing siding in the same area but I might be missing something. Ultimately it is your choice as to how you want to run your railroad. I have been revising my track plan for years. On a couple of occasions I have said to myself that I have too much track so I chopped a bunch out. Then I went back to look at what I wanted to be able to do operations wise and I ended up putting most of the track back in.
adding a siding to the reverse section is what I suggested, but I now realize that it isn’t very useful since you’ll only go thru it once unless you use it for staging. You could still use the existing siding, but it’s in an awkard location on a curve. A better location may be the bottom track which is straighter. You can still have a turnout leading from it to the reverse section.
by switchback, i ment the one spur going to the left on the bottom of you group of spurs. I’m sure you want some industries, but no necessarily a switchback.
i wasn’t sure what to call the pair of tracks leading to the turntable. A yard lead usually runs parallel to the mainline allowing yard switching cars in the yard. But you don’t really have a yard. While some engine facilities do have two tracks to the turntable, i saw no need for two in your case.
again, i think you should consider adding additional space (staging) for additional trains while others are running and additional industrial spurs along the mainline.
I had assumed that by having a turntable you could get away with a single reverse section because the engine could be turned around at the table, assuming you have steam engines. I assume the reverse section on the left complicates the grade that you’ll need
I second Greg’s suggestion for more sidings along the main line especially on the inside track at the top of the layout. Adding sidings and industries adds interest and operational possibilities even as you say your main objective is continuous running. Also the grade on the left side appears to be in the 3+ range, add in the effect of the curve on the grade and the effective grade is in the 4% range, that’s a pretty steep grade. Could you move the point at which the tracks cross each other more towards, or to, the corner thus giving you more length to lessen the grade.?
Just get rid of the reverse loops. Use turn table to turn engine and hook to other end of train. With a folded dogbone you will always be seeing both sides of your trains.
