well just finished the rough drawing and started on the framework and foam for the new addition to my pebble creek layout... the regular one is a 4 x 12 foot one with one main line in a modified dogbone with and inside switching and staging track... so I thought I would add a mining area in narrow HOn3 as I have never bulit one of these, it will run independent of the main with an interchange track to the main line.. it is not large just 4 x 3 feet and will run one or two small diesel loco's and maybe 6 to 8 ore type cars... hope you all like this add on...the fanged one....
New addition to layout..
- Thread starter puppyfang
- Start date
I must be missing the interchange track. With narrow gauge, an interchange track would be located as close as practical to the standard gauge interchange siding since goods would have to be transferred by hand, crane, or pump. You certainly would not want an interchange track to run through a turntable, which are the only tracks I see in the area fo the standard gauge track. You need to rethink the interchange track idea.
I had a friend who modeled a logging railroad; his interchange was the logging railroad ending at a sawmill, with the regular railroad having its own spur into the sawmill. When the logs were finished being cut, they simply went out the other end to his mainline railroad.
I believe the same concept could apply here. I like the idea you have, but I would recommend a more realistic interchange. I don't know much about mining railroads, but I do recall them usually having an area elevated above the standard gauge railroad where the cars could be bottomed out over standard hoppers.
If I were you, I would move your mainline to the Right just a bit, and go ahead and run it completely through the area (no stub ending). Then place a facing point (facing towards the top) spur that runs to the left. Eliminate the turntable, or better yet move it to the far left and re-arrange the tracks in that corner. Have a two track yard parallel to your mainline - One for empties one for loaded cars waiting for transloading. Just a thought.
I believe the same concept could apply here. I like the idea you have, but I would recommend a more realistic interchange. I don't know much about mining railroads, but I do recall them usually having an area elevated above the standard gauge railroad where the cars could be bottomed out over standard hoppers.
If I were you, I would move your mainline to the Right just a bit, and go ahead and run it completely through the area (no stub ending). Then place a facing point (facing towards the top) spur that runs to the left. Eliminate the turntable, or better yet move it to the far left and re-arrange the tracks in that corner. Have a two track yard parallel to your mainline - One for empties one for loaded cars waiting for transloading. Just a thought.
ok...here is where I am at...
On the drawing the interchange track is the far track to the right that runs up to the top...it will connect to a track that comes off my right side mainline loop, installed a throw out there and ran the track down to the new one...as for the other ideas...will play with them and see what design they lead to...thanks for the comments and help...the fanged one
On the drawing the interchange track is the far track to the right that runs up to the top...it will connect to a track that comes off my right side mainline loop, installed a throw out there and ran the track down to the new one...as for the other ideas...will play with them and see what design they lead to...thanks for the comments and help...the fanged one
Correct...
You are correct...actually I had to modify a few items to get it to operate correctly and I thank you for pointing out somethings...will post a new drawing in a day or two and show you what I did to make it work out better...again thanks for the input...the fanged one...
You are correct...actually I had to modify a few items to get it to operate correctly and I thank you for pointing out somethings...will post a new drawing in a day or two and show you what I did to make it work out better...again thanks for the input...the fanged one...
You're welcome. I'm looking forward to see your new plan. Just for some ideas, check http://www.owensvalleyhistory.com/carson_n_colorado/page50.html for some examples of narrow gauge transfer trestles and interchange tracks.
here you go..think this will work..
Well modified the plan...moved the interchange and first narrow gauge track closer to each other... modified the roundtable to just two tracks and put a set of throwouts between the two lower tracks...this way I can move cars from both tracks back and forth and also up to the mine...what do you think now...will it work...may also elevate the first narrow gauge track some how or a combination of raising it and lowering the interchange to allow for dumping of the small ore cars into larger gondolas....the fanged one
Well modified the plan...moved the interchange and first narrow gauge track closer to each other... modified the roundtable to just two tracks and put a set of throwouts between the two lower tracks...this way I can move cars from both tracks back and forth and also up to the mine...what do you think now...will it work...may also elevate the first narrow gauge track some how or a combination of raising it and lowering the interchange to allow for dumping of the small ore cars into larger gondolas....the fanged one
It will work but it's not very prototypical. No railroad would run an interchange track through a turntable. Turntable bridges are delicate structures and not made for trains to run through them. I'd get rid of the turntable. A small mining road couldn't afford one anyway. You can turn engines on a wye track. You've got the start of a wye in that stub track on the right side of the plan.
How about something simple...
How about something simple... like a x crossing, maybe 30 degrees were the round table is at now...that would be a easy thing to do...and still keep the operations the same...as for a wye...I never did like those...the loco can run either forward or backwards a I am thinking of a center cab type...also I believe that the ore cars should be in front of the loco on the way up and behind on the way down..at least I believe that is correct and if I have done my home work that is what should happen...again give me your imput...thanks...the fanged one
How about something simple... like a x crossing, maybe 30 degrees were the round table is at now...that would be a easy thing to do...and still keep the operations the same...as for a wye...I never did like those...the loco can run either forward or backwards a I am thinking of a center cab type...also I believe that the ore cars should be in front of the loco on the way up and behind on the way down..at least I believe that is correct and if I have done my home work that is what should happen...again give me your imput...thanks...the fanged one
Why not have just one track with a switch coming off it? I don't really understand what the single track with the crossover is used for anyway. The one characteristic of mining roads is they use as few tracks as possible and a 30 degree crossover was almost unheard of because of the expense.
A wye is not a necessity and having the empties in front and the loads in back of the engine would be correct. You will have to have an escape crossover between the two interchange tracks up towards the top if the drawing or the engine would be trapped behing the loads. If you look at those load transfer trestles on the C&C link I posted, you'd want to have the narrow guage track run over the standard gauge interchange track so the ore cars can dump their loads into the standard gauge hoppers. That's about the only economical way to transfer heavy loads like that from one gauge to the other.
A wye is not a necessity and having the empties in front and the loads in back of the engine would be correct. You will have to have an escape crossover between the two interchange tracks up towards the top if the drawing or the engine would be trapped behing the loads. If you look at those load transfer trestles on the C&C link I posted, you'd want to have the narrow guage track run over the standard gauge interchange track so the ore cars can dump their loads into the standard gauge hoppers. That's about the only economical way to transfer heavy loads like that from one gauge to the other.
Well, I did a mock up in XTrakCAD, and even with HOn3 I don't think your plan is possible. I am not sure what the minimum radius on HOn3 is, but a tight 15" radius does not fit in that 3x4 space you have. To be honest, you might be better off having the standard gauge serving the mine, or just have a small representation of a mining railroad that leads off the board, as opposed to a full system.
I have attached a drawing of HOn3 track and the standard spur. I tried to duplicate what your original plan included, but it wasn't easy. Even this plan requires curved turnouts which would probably need to be handlaid. I could not even get a run around track to fit.
I have attached a drawing of HOn3 track and the standard spur. I tried to duplicate what your original plan included, but it wasn't easy. Even this plan requires curved turnouts which would probably need to be handlaid. I could not even get a run around track to fit.
