Large Scale Central

Time to get rid of

Track and Trestles
#1

… leftovers from the newbie time. '99/2K when I still believed what LGB wrote in their catalogues, I suckered myself into some LGB track components. Namely R1 turnouts etc. for our staging/fiddle yard.

Wellllll, all that crap has to go! Doing some testing with a mix of cars quickly showed that “negotiating R1” is beyond the pale and considerably worse when the consists are pushed. Add to that the double frogs of the 3way-turnouts with the perfect spacing to stall the Ge2/4 types of engines and two hours of testing was plenty enough. Out she’ll go! Unfortunately space is at a premium in the garage, not even enough space for a car. :wink: :slight_smile: So it was time to reconsider using the alloted space in a slightly different fashion.

Bridging the chasm with a fold down section had been in the plans, but that’s still not enough space. If there will be change, there must be substantial change!

To get the extra length one could tunnel into the pantry. Yeah right! … run that by SWMBO and the thought will quickly evaporate. She suggested a much larger (longer) fold down section.

BTW the concept hinges on the “Flex-Wye” as produced by Masten Heinz. That results in a big radius and all the other turnouts are #4. The tightest radius will be 1200mm (R3) on the fold down section. Apart from the geometric improvement this will mean: - switching “Staging” to Code215 rail - disabling all the swiveling single axle units on the short cars - body mounting the Kadee couplers - if the tests work out OK.

#2

Looking good. By staying out of the pantry you’ll get to eat again!

#3

But the fly in the ointment was/is the “would it warp and bent” question. Best to keep it simple like this

(http:///P1/NewStaging04_s.jpg)

This will separate the freight (tracks 1-4) from the passenger (tracks 6-8) traffic, track 5 will be the engine and programming track (switchable). Trains, even if the same consist goes back i.e. passenger trains, will change engines. That sure will prevent the “Same train again?” comments and will keep the yardmaster, engineers etc. on their toes. No rest for the wicked! :wink: :slight_smile:

#4

HJ, that last plan looks like a keeper…

#5

HJ-you da man!

What is the distance between the left wall and the pantry?

How high are the yards?

What does it look like when the track exits the house?

#6

Can you cover that outdoor track so you can do switching when it snows?

#7

(http://www.elmassian.com/images/stories/storage/5-way-switch.jpg)

Solved my problem Greg

#8

Left wall to pantry 16+ ft , tracks are at 58", outside is straight on to a curved viaduct - the one where I removed the Aristo track not long ago. That was a harbinger! :slight_smile: :stuck_out_tongue: :smiley:

(http:///P1/Landwasser01_s.jpg)

I guess I could fit a “snowshed” over it for the winter. :slight_smile:

#9

HJ,
actual space available is always inversely proportional to the desired plan drawn on paper. The problem with multiple sidings is that to achieve in a ‘smallish’ area, siding length needs to be negatively compromised.

#10

I just learned this very lesson… The tail end of my staging yard has R1 crossover’s since I figured only engines would use it to cut off thier trains and head to the turntable.

Engines waddle through ok (and by ok, I mean marginally acceptable), but backing my Glacier Express in (which is too long for the staging yard) through those R1’s to reach the “long” tail track was more or less a disaster. Time to round up some more R3’s at whatever the going rate is on them now. I’m so glad I switched to Llagas track for Filisur, Bergun, and Muot!

I like your plan though HJ. My yard suffers from lack of space being only 3 tracks, which I imagine when the railroad’s done, is going to be a real headache. Might need to evaluate the passenger yard ideas and take over some more of the garage!

#11

Tim,

I haven’t drawn trackplans on paper since '95, it all happens on the 'puter. It doesn’t make the room any bigger, the sidings any longer or whatever, but it lets me measure right there and then just how short that blinkety-blankety track will be. GRRRRRRR! :wink: :slight_smile:

Luckily the era I model lends itself for short trains and whatever is too long gets split.

#12

Hans-Joerg Mueller said:
Left wall to pantry 16+ ft , tracks are at 58", outside is straight on to a curved viaduct - the one where I removed the Aristo track not long ago. That was a harbinger! :slight_smile: :stuck_out_tongue: :smiley:

(http:///P1/Landwasser01_s.jpg)

I guess I could fit a “snowshed” over it for the winter. :slight_smile:

I think a snow shed would work nicely. Something to think about in your “spare” time!

#13

Chris Onnink said:
… I like your plan though HJ. My yard suffers from lack of space being only 3 tracks, which I imagine when the railroad’s done, is going to be a real headache. Might need to evaluate the passenger yard ideas and take over some more of the garage!

Chris, Staging at the other end - representing Thusis - is planned with just three main tracks. Applying the same scheme, with a mandatory change of engine, it should work.

(http:///P1/ThusisStaging.jpg)

Track 1a (1500mm) is the engine stand-by pocket, 1b is the escape track for run-arounds and 3a is for the diner and mail car. At 2000mm usable length it should be enough for the GE sections they used to run back in '69/'75. It will still not be “the BIG times”, but large enough to keep the crews hopping.

#14

Greg Elmassian said:

(http://www.elmassian.com/images/stories/storage/5-way-switch.jpg)

Solved my problem Greg

'D’jou build this, or buy it, and if’n it was store bought, which store did you use? If’n you built it, how’s about 'splainin how you did it? That is a great idea!

#15

Ya’ see I look at this and try to focus but while trying to asorb these challenges I still have that under 40 blood in me and my mind keeps reverting back to female boob’s.
Especially my wife’s, just in case she reads this post!

:wink:

#16

hj said:

(http:///P1/NewStaging02.jpg)

HJ, are you sure you can’t sneak a track or two behind the canned peaches? :lol:

#17
David Russell said:
Ya' see I look at this and try to focus but while trying to asorb these challenges I still have that under 40 blood in me and my mind keeps reverting back to female boob's. Especially my wife's, just in case she reads this post!

:wink:


WTFO? Why are female boobs important?

Oh, wait, I remember, sort of. …Sort of…

#18

Steve Featherkile said:

hj said:

(http:///P1/NewStaging02.jpg)

HJ, are you sure you can’t sneak a track or two behind the canned peaches? :lol:

:smiley: :smiley: Are you kidding, after SWMBO discovered a family of mice in one of the storage drawers in garage? This happened yesterday, very bad timing! The mice will be dead meat, soon. Traps with peanut butter should do the trick, buggers! Anyway I even suggested boxing the damn thing in so it would be part of the garage with just a fold down plexi wall for checking. Not that good. :frowning: OTOH the plan with the split yard should have some advantages. :slight_smile: :wink: That contraption of Greg’s sure looks like the one from Masten Heinz. Neat solution for tight spaces. OTOH I guess a symmetrical 3-way stub switch would serve almost the same purpose. :wink: As long as things don’t get messy in the frogs. :lol: :lol:

#19
David Russell said:
Ya' see I look at this and try to focus but while trying to asorb these challenges I still have that under 40 blood in me and my mind keeps reverting back to female boob's. Especially my wife's, just in case she reads this post!

:wink:


Yeah David, the worrying starts when your eyes glaze over. :stuck_out_tongue: :stuck_out_tongue: :smiley:

#20

Give me “Bitty” any time. Never lost the taste. :wink: