see ! perfect . i did something like that with straight track , it came out great. thanks for the update and pics
Here is the latest version.....Most of you will say it's too dense (and not realistic) but my plan for now is to run some trains and have fun !!! I still have the other curve to cut, then I will have to think about the risers I'm also working on a DCC++ base station based on LMD18200 (from the Locoduino website) I will post pictures of both (layout and base station) as soon as I can
Here is a picture of the DCC++ base station I'm working on.....Still need to find a way to attach the MAX 471, then I can complete the cabling...
That geometry around the diamond in the foreground is pretty cool. I have always appreciated how well-designed Kato track geometry is. You designed a pretty complicated interchange, but yet the curve radii and angles make everything work. I think it is funny how well that worked out, yet you had to cut track by hand to get a relatively basic curved piece for another location on the layout.
When planning layouts with N Unitrack, I end up with several collections of smaller lengths to get overall straight lengths I need. I plan to replace those collections with longer straight pieces cut to length. Saves $, looks and works better.
I won't say that it is too dense at all. I agree, trains need to get run. I personally have little interest in switching, it bores me. I would consider adding an engine house on the terminal/rail yard section. I might as a pair of cross overs on the back part so trains going clock wise can enter in the inner loop, while a train going counter clock wise then returns to the rail yard. It would allow you to run a train to the ovals and then exchange another train for it from the yard, kind of a fun game.
What material is best for the upper deck: something thin but rigid enough then it won't warp, flex, twist, etc....?
Yeah, not even a double one to make it more of a game. Just the upper left switch on outer oval, to lower right on inner oval. It makes it so the left hand side curves are passing siding for trains to slide past each other through on their way in and out of the ovals and back to the elevated yard area.
I wouldn't worry about "too much track", but then again I am and unabashed fan of the much maligned spaghetti bowl layouts anyway. It's YOUR layout, do what YOU like. That said, the length of the main yard suggests one of two things (both entirely acceptable on YOUR layout): either the yard is to be used for online storage/display of your car and engine inventory, and/or you want to put run, build and tear down LONG trains. If the latter, I would strongly suggest you create a run-around track for/in that yard. This lets you pull a long train into the yard, rather than backing it in (and up hill, no less, assuming your yard is elevated over the reverse loop trackage). Backing a long train uphill is problematic unless you have body-mounted couplers on all your freight cars. After pulling the train in, the engine or consist can switch over to another track, and back out & around the cars, to start the drilling and sorting of cars into the yard. If the yard is elevated, I would put as much of the climb on the yard lead track at the very beginning, to leave you as much level track as possible on the lead coming out of the yard. You may want to depress the upper part of the main loop, so that the slope on the entire yard lead can be reduced. Such a run-around track can be created by implementing a cross-over between existing adjacent yard tracks, or can be created with an additional yard track by replacing the 28" curve at the head of the yard with another left #6 switch. A little trick I learned working with #6 switches in yards is to put a 15 degree 12-3/8" radius curve on the through route (curved toward the diverging route), and a 1-1/8 and a 1-3/4 straight on the diverging (curved) route of the switch. This gives you two tracks at standard Kato double-track spacing, with the ends abreast, so you can use a double track single crossover towards the far end to create your run-around trackage. Note that his arrangement puts the double track at a 15 degree angle from the switch entrance, so it would work well if you replace the aforementioned 28" curve with a #6 switch, to add your run-around on the top side of the existing yard. You need enough track between the crossover and the yard end to handle your longest locomotive consist. Note that the length of the run-around between the switch and the crossover also dictates the longest train you can pull into the yard, since you have to be able to get the engine back to the back of the train to start breaking down the train onto the other yard tracks. Otherwise, you could add a separate siding on the yard lead at lower right, to park yard goats (switching engines), and run one of them up to the back of a long train pulled into the yard, to break down down the incoming train. In this case, your run-around track could become the engine service track (with sanding, fueling, water, etc. facilities depending on era), to get your road engines ready to take the next train back out of the yard. Well, that got kinda long, but hopefully it gives you some ideas for consideration.
Thanks......much appreciated. Now...........would you be able to make a quick sketch showing what you explained? Unless you use XTrakCAD and I could send you the file. then you can make the mods directly? Thanks again
Here you go. The room is not your original room, just my standard 36x80 HCD I'm always working on. Yes I do use XTrack cad, but it is more useful for everyone else to post a gif. The run-around track is the new uppermost track. I replaced the existing 28" curve at the yard entrance with a #6 LH switch and the two short diverging route tracks, so your yard is 2.875" longer, you can adjust the ends if needed. You would normally pull your train into the now 2nd track from the top, disengage before the cross over, pull the engine through the crossover, switch the crossover, and back the engine onto the now top track, and around to hook up to the first cut of cars to pull off the back of the train and push them onto the lower tracks. You only have 7-5/8" left of the cross-over to clear your engine consist and throw the crossover to back onto the top track. If that is not long enough for your engine consist, then you need to move the crossover to the right to give you more engine room past the left end of it. Note this would also shorten the longest train you can handle in the yard by a similar amount. Hope this helps.
Thank you......will update my track plan, and post a screen shot most likely tonight Much appreciated
On 2nd thought... If you pull the train into the yard on the top track, disengage and pull the engine through the thrown crossover to the run-around (now second) track, that allows you to work longer trains... Your classification (sorting) tracks would be the bottom two tracks. If you want to use the run-around for engine service, you may need to widen the space between the 2nd and 3rd track from the top, depending on era and engine type (steam engines need water and perhaps coal, which take up more room trackside). I would probably add a 3rd classification track (5th overall in the yard) by replacing the 28" curve in the bottom track with a RH #6 switch. The top track can be use as an arrival/departure track, on which you disassemble arriving trains, and assemble departing trains. Most yards also have a repair-in-place (RIP) track for cars that need simple repairs (usually repair/replace wheels, brakes, bearings, air-lines, etc.). And depending on era, they needed a place to store cabeese. The left end of the top track, left of the crossover could be either, but not both.
So i end up with something like that (I've deleted some tracks from the main loop to have a better view):
