Howdy, I've got the following plan trying to get something going after 5 years of starting, moving, re-assembling, and re-planning. I was wondering if y'all could give me a hand and critique this thing to have a good MRR. It is set in Modern Era 2007+ and I'm pretty sure it will be midwest with small hills in the SE corner to breakup the view of the turn around in the SE corner dogbone. It is in Nscale 55 using mostly ME track and switches with a few Atlas #10s and Wyes. Depicted with 12" grids. Goals: I'd like to keep a mainline (orange) to keep a train constantly running while being able to do switching work on the short line (green) and yard (blue). The short line (green) is 2" below the main except in the SE corner where it has the junction to the main. I have ideas for future expansion (years down the road) from the NW Corner and from the SE corner along a wall that runs N-S off the end of the dog bone. I'm a sponge and willing to learn. Thanks for all the help in advance!
Your branch line, (green), seems to be lacking any siding. A train going down that line will not be able to have it's power run around to pull it back out. Also, there are some spurs which you will not be able to switch, without being able to get the engine to the other end of any cars.
Depending on how you want to set up the power districting, you have multiple reversing sections, plus the wye at upper left. All good, just needs to be thought through. Agree with Ken, you need some operational changes on the branch line
Since your time period is "Modern" you're going to be running a lot of long cars and long, big engines on your mainline...so, looking at your plan and the amount of space it fits into, it appears that your mainline minimum radius as you've drawn your plan, is about 15"....which IMO is not broad enough for your big modern cars and engines to look their best. It appears after looking again at your plan, that it would be very simple to widen up your peninsula and the other dogbone to accommodate an 18' radius...maybe even a 20" radius...which will make a huge difference in the way your mainline trains look. I chose the transition era on the Union Pacific as my time period, so I'm running Big Boys, Challengers, E-Units, PA's (with their accompanying long passenger cars) and turbines, so my minimum mainline radius is 24"...but, it's much larger in several areas and the trains really look great on the extra broad radii, leaning into the curves because I've superelevated the track. I think you'll also like the contrast between big trains on your mainline, and running smaller engines and trains on your branchline and other industrial areas. Bob Gilmore
You guys are really knowledgeable; I didn't catch any of what you mentioned as possible issues with the plan. But after reading things over and looking back I can see what your saying. You learn all the time on here. Great site nice folks. Thanks
Gents, Thanks imensley for your critiques! I have added a siding on the green line and considered the wiring issues, which I'm pretty sure I have worked out. Mr Gilmore, you are spot on. 15" thats what I can deal with at the moment. eventually the main lline will not go into the peninsula and I will have more room to play with when the kids grow up and out. For now I will have to make due with a short mainline run but eventually I look forward to a long mainline with graceful curves. Thank you all for the input and if there is any more, by all means speak up, we all learn from this. Thanks, Dan
