Cement and Stone Layout
- Thread starter kz9
- Start date
Each area has loaded and empty spots. The design is stub end switching.
I will enter with a cut and take the loaded cars and spot them on an empty spur at each industry. I then will spot the empties and pick up the loaded on the way back.
This is defiently shortline ops and will only be running GP30-2 and SD40-2, but it can for sure keep 2 operators busy. One at the Cement factory switching, and then one switching the other 2 industries.
Only one run down the main will pick up one mine. It will have to reutrn to the cement yard to spot then off to the other mine in the other direction. East and West.
I may add another 6'' on the back of the layout for a 2 track staging yard. This way I have area for the loaded cement cars to go to interchange. I will be keeping that backdrop removable for access (removable small hill with tunnel portals at each end ), but a 36'' reach concern comes into play. Benchwork at 32'' -36'' will help with this I hope.
I will enter with a cut and take the loaded cars and spot them on an empty spur at each industry. I then will spot the empties and pick up the loaded on the way back.
This is defiently shortline ops and will only be running GP30-2 and SD40-2, but it can for sure keep 2 operators busy. One at the Cement factory switching, and then one switching the other 2 industries.
Only one run down the main will pick up one mine. It will have to reutrn to the cement yard to spot then off to the other mine in the other direction. East and West.
I may add another 6'' on the back of the layout for a 2 track staging yard. This way I have area for the loaded cement cars to go to interchange. I will be keeping that backdrop removable for access (removable small hill with tunnel portals at each end ), but a 36'' reach concern comes into play. Benchwork at 32'' -36'' will help with this I hope.
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IronBeltKen
Lazy Daydreamer
I suppose it will accessible from all 4 sides? If so, that 2nd plan would be an excellent design.
I'm having a brainstorm about how to get a lot more length on the two bottom staging tracks, but it's getting late and I need to be up at 5:00am. Maybe I'll tinker with it during my lunch break tomorrow...
I'm having a brainstorm about how to get a lot more length on the two bottom staging tracks, but it's getting late and I need to be up at 5:00am. Maybe I'll tinker with it during my lunch break tomorrow...
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otiscnj
Well-Known Member
How about using some curved switches. You could tie in the yard lead on the left side, then.
How wide is the aisle space around the layout? Access on 3 sides or 4? I'm not convinced its a very creative use of space, but a good first attempt. I think the yard tracks in addition to tracks under the coal tipples are too short to be useful.
Its ok if it were going to be an instructional museum layout, but probably too borring for a home layout to me, but ignore my comments as required.
How wide is the aisle space around the layout? Access on 3 sides or 4? I'm not convinced its a very creative use of space, but a good first attempt. I think the yard tracks in addition to tracks under the coal tipples are too short to be useful.
Its ok if it were going to be an instructional museum layout, but probably too borring for a home layout to me, but ignore my comments as required.
IronBeltKen
Lazy Daydreamer
How much open "aisle" space do you have at either end of the layout? If it's just the back (bottom) side that's against a wall, I might have a workaround for you. But if both ends are closed (3 out of 4 sides against a wall) then my idea wouldn't work.
I need to know the answer to that question before I start typing a long-worded description with images...
Just the bottom is against a wall. Lots of room on ethier side.
The turnouts on the back would be tortise motors and all others would be manual.
The benchwork would curve with the track on the bottom letting me squeeze in a little closer to those turnouts.
Also this layout may end up being on casters (wheels) so that if I need to do major work I can pull it out....
My triple decker is when I buy a bigger house with more room. I have everthing I need for that track plan, but not the room.
The turnouts on the back would be tortise motors and all others would be manual.
The benchwork would curve with the track on the bottom letting me squeeze in a little closer to those turnouts.
Also this layout may end up being on casters (wheels) so that if I need to do major work I can pull it out....
My triple decker is when I buy a bigger house with more room. I have everthing I need for that track plan, but not the room.
IronBeltKen
Lazy Daydreamer
Well I promised I would share some ideas for improvement, so here they are:
(explanations are below the images)
What I did with the bottom tracks is move the turnouts closer to the corners. Three benefits of this arrangement: (1) The turnouts are closer to where you can easily reach them from the end aisles; (2) the 2 bottom staging tracks are longer; and (3) the 'S' curves are eliminated. [The curves might look a bit sloppy because I didn't do this with XtrkCAD, I just used a pixel-based image editor.]
The magenta-colored section of the backdrop is where you might put a pseudo "retaining wall" or fence of ~4 inches (10 cm) in height, rather than a solid sky. This will allow you to snap photos of the foreground at trackside-level with the staging tracks hidden, yet enable you to see [and reach] the trains if you stand up and look downward. I did that on my current layout, here are some pix:
View at trackside level
"Helicopter" view with staging tracks visible. [A foot stool might be useful here, depending on how tall you are...]
On the left edge, I swapped your original #6 left-hand turnout with a #6 right-hand version to eliminate another 'S' curve.
There are several other improvements I could suggest, but I had to stop at this point because I feel like I'm fighting the flu and need some rest. I'm sure the others will share their ideas as well. Hope this helps...
(explanations are below the images)
What I did with the bottom tracks is move the turnouts closer to the corners. Three benefits of this arrangement: (1) The turnouts are closer to where you can easily reach them from the end aisles; (2) the 2 bottom staging tracks are longer; and (3) the 'S' curves are eliminated. [The curves might look a bit sloppy because I didn't do this with XtrkCAD, I just used a pixel-based image editor.]
The magenta-colored section of the backdrop is where you might put a pseudo "retaining wall" or fence of ~4 inches (10 cm) in height, rather than a solid sky. This will allow you to snap photos of the foreground at trackside-level with the staging tracks hidden, yet enable you to see [and reach] the trains if you stand up and look downward. I did that on my current layout, here are some pix:
View at trackside level
"Helicopter" view with staging tracks visible. [A foot stool might be useful here, depending on how tall you are...]
On the left edge, I swapped your original #6 left-hand turnout with a #6 right-hand version to eliminate another 'S' curve.
There are several other improvements I could suggest, but I had to stop at this point because I feel like I'm fighting the flu and need some rest. I'm sure the others will share their ideas as well. Hope this helps...
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IronBeltKen
Lazy Daydreamer
I'll offer some thoughts:
Like the changes to the staging. Accessing a derailment in the middle of the staging yard will be a pain, but you're aware of that.
Echoing the comments of another, I think the yard tracks are too short to be useful, as are some of the mine tracks. I think them being on the inside of the loops cuts off their length. Too much curve to get there, not enough straight.
Try flipping the locations of the car shop and yard. It looks like you could angle the yard tracks, and make them longer, if you put the yard in the left blob where the shop is. You wouldn't have to have the funky switchback either to access the yard. It would come off of the track against the backdrop, with access to it originating with the switch where the word "yard" is now. A switchback off of that would take you to the new car shop, where the yard tracks are now.
Like the changes to the staging. Accessing a derailment in the middle of the staging yard will be a pain, but you're aware of that.
Echoing the comments of another, I think the yard tracks are too short to be useful, as are some of the mine tracks. I think them being on the inside of the loops cuts off their length. Too much curve to get there, not enough straight.
Try flipping the locations of the car shop and yard. It looks like you could angle the yard tracks, and make them longer, if you put the yard in the left blob where the shop is. You wouldn't have to have the funky switchback either to access the yard. It would come off of the track against the backdrop, with access to it originating with the switch where the word "yard" is now. A switchback off of that would take you to the new car shop, where the yard tracks are now.
Davidfd85
Member
I am not that good at planning layouts but I have a question or two. Entering the yard area is from around the mine and into the yard area, the way I'm following it, correct? If your using the two branch yard for departing and the three branch for arriving and breakdowns it seems like you'll have to do allot of backing up to get back onto the mainline. I don't see a clear departing line without backing and switching or am I just missing something?
I also agree with swapping ends for the shop and yards you'll have allot more room and could possibly make the yard branches angled at first then curve up into the more open area making them longer still. Start the yard branches just past what eve rthe striped looking building is and curve up into the open area. You have the basic idea of what I mean already at the three curves by the yard now.
I also agree with swapping ends for the shop and yards you'll have allot more room and could possibly make the yard branches angled at first then curve up into the more open area making them longer still. Start the yard branches just past what eve rthe striped looking building is and curve up into the open area. You have the basic idea of what I mean already at the three curves by the yard now.
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Yes, those were basically the same observations that I had.
Another thought. If he took the striped building, and the buildings to the right of it up to the red circle, and flipped it to the other side of the grey conveyor building, that would open up the entire left side for long straight yard tracks along the backdrop.
It looks like there w/b enough space to rework the curved tracks to be closer to the backdrop to allow the striped building and the others to nestle to the right.
Could have the car shop remain almost where it is then, and be closer to the yard.
In general, as another has mentioned, the OP could really simplify things by having a few curved turnouts in the plan instead of seemingly fighting to only use straight ones.
sorry to take away from kellans post, but ken, i like what you did with your layout, that retaining wall that you have, is exactly something im looking to do for my layout, i was thinking if trying to hide my staging somehow behind trees, but i think what you did looks perfect...
Your retaining wall, how is this held up, with small angled brackets??
Your retaining wall, how is this held up, with small angled brackets??
