Large Scale Central

Why didn't I think of this years ago?

Indoor and Micro
#1

I had hoped to get started with Spring maintenance today, but rain killed that idea. Looking around the basement for something to do on the railroad I decided to cut a switch into my balloon track and add an industry and some live storage tracks on existing shelving.

The neat part about this is everything (including switches) was in-stock and all of the wood needed came from my scrap pile. All I have invested is time. The storage track will hold about 10 cars but must be loaded and emptied one car at a time due to the short length of a stub track. Kind if my own version of a switching puzzle.

Pictures and a diagram this evening once track laying it’s finished.

#2

I like when that happens when something cool comes together that revolutionises the RR. The AH HA moment is terrific. Lets see some photos soon.

#3

Worked on this all day and am pretty much done. Here are the pics and diagrams.

RR-Track drawing - The partial circle at the bottom is the main-line balloon track…

Looking into the shelving unit. Mainline curves off to the right…

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/Post4/WillowHillExpansion-01.JPG)

Looking back the other way. Mainline in foreground…

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/Post4/WillowHillExpansion-02.JPG)

The shelving unit. A 2x4 was just about perfect to raise the height to match the existing bench…

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/Post4/WillowHillExpansion-03.JPG)

From inside the shelves looking toward the mainline switch…

I added some recycled sign LED’s inside the shelf frame to light up the area. My Porter and one car just fit beyond the switch. The long siding against the wall needs to be worked one car at a time. The Porter will live here to switch out the long siding…

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/Post4/WillowHillExpansion-06.JPG)

Spent lots of time switching this out today to get car counts. It’s nice to have an additional “industry” on the indoor division for bad weather days.

#4

Yanno, Jon… In that first picture, you might be able to make a run-around… hehehe

Put a right hand switch on the straight lead off the switch leading into that area… Just in front of the white bear… Work a left hand switch off the industry track, behind the bear, against the wall, just after the curve…

Couldn’t resist… :slight_smile:

#5

Maybe, but it would have to be R1 switches since I’m out of everything else and none of my stock will go through and R1 S curve :frowning:

That switch to the long siding against the wall is R1. Most of my stuff will get though it.

I’m now trying to figure out how I’ll add this to my operations software. I think the middle track will just be an arrival/departure for the wall side track and the outside will be an industry.

#6

Finished the schematic. This shows how the new addition fits in with the existing indoor track…

EDIT 2: I fixed the orientation of the WILO switch. Refresh this view if the main does not take the diverging route to the left and the siding is the straight route.

#7

Its funny how you can look at your layout everyday and then one day your brain sees something you never thought of before. Happens tome all the time. It seems so obvious after…

Looks good Jon.

#8

It has been a plan for a long time but for some reason I always thought I would need a custom curved turnout to do this. Friday night I noticed I had some Aristo Wide turnouts on the shelf. Took one out of the box and noticed that the 10’ Dia. switch was almost an exact replacement for an 8’ Dia curve track.

I do need to tune up the switch - going facing point through the diverging route on the main could be a problem. Been studying the tune up tips on Greg’s website this morning.