Has anyone built the Alkali Central?

Gabriel Jan 3, 2011

  1. Gabriel

    Gabriel TrainBoard Member

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    Has anyone built the Alkali Central that has been featured in MR and in one of the recent track plan specials? If so, how did you like it and how well did it operate? I am thinking about adding two drop down or removable staging yards to the spurs that terminate near the board edge.
     
  2. Gabriel

    Gabriel TrainBoard Member

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    I wonder if I can scan and upload a picture of it without getting the wrath of Kalmbach publishing...hmmm
     
  3. Mark Watson

    Mark Watson TrainBoard Member

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    If it is in a published book, then the plan is copy-written. Uploading it to TrainBoard, a public forum, would be public display, a violation of that copyright.

    You can however re-create the plan in XtrkCad or your favorite planning software and share that freely. You could even trace the plan and upload that. ;) :)
     
  4. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Or, if the plan happened by some accident to be on one of the Kalmbach web pages, you could link our readers to that...

    Boxcab E50
     
  5. Dwyane

    Dwyane TrainBoard Member

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  6. Gabriel

    Gabriel TrainBoard Member

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    Thank you Dwayne! I was just about to upload a scetch I had drawn earlier tonight. For some reason, I haven't been able to get XtrkCAD to cooperate.


    So, my idea in short is to use the spur on the upper right and lower left to lead to removable or fold down stagin yards. Add a second track on the inside upper siding and thats about it.

    I really haven't decided on an era but I am thinking ATSF in the 70's.
     
  7. joem5127

    joem5127 TrainBoard Member

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    It's not a bad plan but operationally it has some problems in my opnion. The thing I always thought was odd about this plan was the run around.
    1. it is short
    2. the orientation of the two turnouts at the left end of the run around make for sort of a switch back move for a train that has come from upper right staging.
    3. If a train is running around the oval in a counter clock wise direction it cant enter the siding without backing up.
    Bellow is one option, but I don't know if this would work with pre-made track because it would take at least one curved turnout if not two.


    [​IMG]
     
  8. Gabriel

    Gabriel TrainBoard Member

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    However, the original would give me an exucse to run a "local" each direction so that I only have to deal with trailing point switchs.

    I've come up with one very similar but it does not fit 4x8.

    [​IMG]

    My biggest problem here is that I used Atlas Mark3 switches. I would prefer Walthers/Shinohara but the geometry isn't the same and I haven't redone it yet.

    EDIT: What I could do is add a curved turnout (Shinohara 22/24 to the upper right instead of the spur on the outside right

    EDIT of the EDIT: Shinohara doesn't offer a 22/24 curved, its 20/24
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 10, 2011
  9. Gabriel

    Gabriel TrainBoard Member

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    Shinohara curved switches come in 20/24 and 24/28

    Will have to rework the right end curve
     
  10. Gabriel

    Gabriel TrainBoard Member

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    [​IMG]

    Wish I could squeeze it a bit smaller, but I want to run modern 4 axle diesels and at least 50 foot rolling stock.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 10, 2011
  11. Mike C

    Mike C TrainBoard Member

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    Run arround siding is a bit short IMO. Looks like you might get a loco and at most 2 cars between clearance points. I would use a curved turnout on the right side to make a longer passing siding.....Mike
     

    Attached Files:

  12. Gabriel

    Gabriel TrainBoard Member

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    Like this?

    [​IMG]
     
  13. Mike C

    Mike C TrainBoard Member

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    Yes that would work better IMO. I would try to make it so you could either 1, park a whole train on it. ( that would allow you to run a second train and stage meets ) or 2, park your train on it and run arround the whole train and be able to switch from either end.....Mike
     
  14. Gabriel

    Gabriel TrainBoard Member

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    Thanks for the help guys, I appreciatte it.

    4.5 x 9 is doable I think

    [​IMG]

    I'm not sure if I want a view divider like the Alkali Central uses or simply a well occupied town in the middle. the industries are also subject to change.
     
  15. Gabriel

    Gabriel TrainBoard Member

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    Final version....

    [​IMG]

    I didn't like the passing siding in the last incarnation so I tweaked it. I also think it looks better with a wye on the lower left.

    Minimum radius is 22 but I may lower it to shrink the whole package. I did reqork it to include Walthers/Shinohara switches.

    Industries (Location):

    Rail car repair or Plastics Manufacturer (2,3)
    Fuel Oil Distributor (7,1)
    Freight House (Dry freight trans-load) (7,3) <---maybe something else
    Lumber Yard (2,1)
    Perhaps a passenger station
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 15, 2011

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