I went back and cleaned up both of the designs and left possibilities for further study. Plus I created a third one with a triple continuous loop. By using the French version of the ply board, which is 250cm x 122cm (its a tad bigger)and its a whopping 27mm thick!!! Though a little pricey, will be easier to make a table out of. This'll is what will be built if we have to stay here in France. So the first two are on 4x8 foot ply board and the last is the French version.
I changed up the yard entrance. I removed the notch 8 curve to an tighter and more speed restrictive curve. I went with a 30 degree 177mm/7 inch curve. Plus I spaced it out some with some small extenders. Versus 45 degree 243mm/9.6inch which took away A LOT of useful space. Plus I did away with the industrial siding(might go back with it later on?). This all depends on the space for more buildings and maybe a little village.
Here on the French version I extended the siding for the interchange and added the siding to the industrial area.
I am hooked on this French ply board. I cleaned up the roundhouse position. Leaving room for a possible town on either side or maybe making it one whole view? Comments?
The long tracks off the turntable are interesting, but I don't think you'll like them. The switcher can only maneuver one car at a time on and off the turntable, and even if you have that many engines, it's easier to move them in and out from the other end of the yard. Don't try to crowd the turntable and roundhouse into too small a space. Tracks come away from the turntable very close together, and need space on the way to the roundhouse to diverge. Also, it's very nice to have one track the locomotive can get to by going straight across the turntable without stopping and being spun. It's really shaping up!
These long tracks will be my engine storage facility. I am wanting enough track for at least 25+ locomotives with out overcrowding the round house. Normally the Tomix roundhouse comes with two sets of three connecter tracks with two sets of bumpers also. I am not planing to put any of my cars in the turntable facility except for my cabooses, which would be on the single long track off the turntable. I do have a graham farish class 04 which I plan to turn to DCC. To shunt out the cabooses. My yard will be loaded with freight and waiting trains for movement. The bottom yard track I mileage clear for locomotive movement. Plus if I am going to take freight directly to the industrial area. Its best to move the locomotives out of the yard on the east-side. Westside for the interchange. Plus it will be all about timing with a long freight train running the spiral. Extra cars will be on the siding at the interchange or parked in the industrial area.
Fair enough, but I'd still be careful not to crowd the turntable. Your stall tracks are only about six inches, and you'll need something like half of that to spread them out enough to reach different stalls. Figure out what roundhouse you're going to use and double check the dimensions.
Those three stall tracks and if I decide to add others later will only store one locomotive on each of the stall tracks to the south east. The triple switch to the west will house the majority of my locomotives for service. I might add a engine shop to the rear of one of them. Because I will need to see if the tomix roundhouse will squeeze into the location without compromising future roads or track. This program for the track plans on the roundhouse don't look to scale that the roundhouse offers.
Funny thing is if we are going to stay here in France. I will need to go back to the USA and have one suitcase devoted for my locomotives and cars.
I don't think I will have a problem with the French customs coming back to France. It will be leaving the USA.
Here the two side by side under the current redesign again. I am kind of leaning to the triple loop. Mainly because I was able to use the curved switch on the triple only. Also added a siding in between the yard on the quadruple loop.
I revised the quadruple loop again. I took off some of the overall length of the track. so I will not have to worry about the corners.
I went back and did the triple loop the same way. Though I used different switches this time in the yard. I am not worried about prototypical NRMA standards. Just wondering if I could ease a SD40-2 to the roundhouse and out again without a derailment. The switches are 1231 & 1232 PR140-30 degrees.
I was a little on edge using 30 degree switches, because of my SD40-2's. I went back to the design before using a couple of triple turnouts and double turnouts. The end result as for now is a little bit shorter yard and on the plus side a shorter(which allows more scenery the middle) width. Now I can move my locomotives without danger with derailment. Plus I keep the siding in-between, which would deem helpful.
I was looking a and older post you did on roundhouses. The one in McKeesport that looks like a J. Maybe I will go this route instead of the conventional roundhouse. In order to save space and have something different. Plus I wouldn't have to issue with power for DCC and using insulated rail joiners.
i would start simple and work your way into expansion as you have it its very busy no room for anything but track
You may want to get a good fix on your turnout angles and roundhouse stall layout to see if the tracks will center up in the stalls. You may need to allow a bit more room and/or partially cut the plastic roadbed beneath the rails leading to the roundhouse so that you can flex the lengths a bit to make their alignment better. The McKeesport Connecting Railroad's engine facility looks pretty cool. Regarding eposte12's thought, I could have fit a turntable into my plans, but discarded the idea for the reason he noted, that the space was better used for something else. Maybe someday I'll have the room …..
