Well due to inclement weather here I made a rough draft of my proposed layout “Dunworkin” using AnyRail drawing package. I guess there will be many tweaks before I am finished. I would appreciate your input, as track design is not my strongest subject.

Looks like a nice operational track plan overall.

Given the presence of the turntable I guess you will be operating in the steam era?

I was wondering how you were thinking of releasing the locos once they have pulled into the platforms? On the top double track the two cross over points could be moved closer to the station building end of the platform. This would allow locos to uncouple and run around the train. The same could be done with the single line platform, by adding another point to create a run around there too. Of course you may be using push-pull trains, or even DMUs, so these comments may not apply.

Bob

 

Hi Alan.  It looks like you're using Code 75 flexitrack?  The red line indicates that you might need to ease the curve a bit.

a slight tweak for my heritage layout

Is that a diamond crossing or a slip point between the platform and turntable, unless you intend to pull any coaches from the platform with another loco if that is a diamond and not a slip point then the loco can only go back to its original place on the platform; if it is a slip point then the loco can go to the sidings.

Looks like an interesting plan with some good operational interest. What does the dark grey signify? The curve on the dark grey bottom right: is this a tunnel or a lift-out access bridge or similar?

Alan, re the station.  As Bob has already said, if you move the  crossover nearer to the station building this would allow a loco to run  around its train. 

What is the purpose of the two sidings?    Are they there for an operational reason, or just because they could be  fitted in?  If the latter, put yourself into the position of the railway  company building the line.  Track is expensive and has to be  maintained.  Are you going to install extra trackwork for no operational  reason?  Also, any train occupying the two lower sidings will be  trapped if there is a train at the platform.  I would reverse the point  at the platform, moving it further away from the platform.  Run one line  into the platform and the other into a headshunt from where the sidings  could come off in much the same position as they are at present.  By  doing this, trains could enter and leave the sidings whilst there is a  train at the platform.

Re the upper part of the plan.   What is  it you are trying to depict here?  Is this a motive power depot?  If so,  why the need for a platform?  If this is another station, the trackwork  looks very complicated.  Every railway company laid out its stations  based purely on operational need.  They didn't just fill any available  land with lots of track for the sake of it, which, unfortunately,  appears to be just what lots of railway modellers do!

You could  do no better than to copy the track plan of actual real-life stations.   By doing this you will ensure that the trackplan is tried and tested and  that all train movements are in accordance with what the prototype  would have done.  There are plenty of model railway books on the market  containing good operational plans.  Might I suggest that you have a look  at that good old standby '60 plans for small railways' by the late C.J  Freezer?

Terry

To answer the last to replies, I did originally plan a diamond crossing but looking at its limitations went for a double slip, the second point raised was the “grey area” it’s just that, it will be a scenic break of some description tunnel or bridge under a town scene. To be honest I’m nor sure just yet, but I do favour the town scene.

Hi Alan,

With some of the questions raised about the track plan, I can understand where and why they are being asked. With some of the hints mentioned, I took your plan and drew over it to make it possibly more feasible for an operating railway. Not too many changes, although I did redesign the track on the right hand side to be a little more prototypical. Now, I'm not telling you to cross your T's and dot your I's and it may not be what you are after either, but I hope that it may help. I also don't know what you had intended for the blank section (on your right hand side plan), left of the sidings, but I did chew up some of the space ! Remember, less can be more with model railways and that Rule 1 always applies ! ;-)



Hope the explanations above help.

Cheers, Gary.

Looks good Gary. :thumbs

Terry

Hi Gary a bit of a struggle to fit it in the space but haw is this looking?

Alan, the crossover to the headshunt, lower left, really needs to be further to the right to give you a longer headshunt.  There is little point in having the two sidings longer than the headshunt as the length of the headshunt will dictate the length of the trains that can go into the two sidings.  The exception to this will be if you intend to propel wagons or carriages into the sidings a few at a time.  But, they will also have to come out a few at a time. 

With regard to the upper station, you now have to ask yourself whether there is enough length to get a train into the loop to allow its loco to run round to get to the other end.  Don't forget that every two tracks that converge have a fouling point i.e. because of the width of the passing vehicles they will collide until the tracks are sufficiently far apart to allow the two vehicles to pass each other.  I must say, the loop looks awfully short to me.

Keep at it, you'll get there in the end.

Terry

[tongue in cheek] Now if you change to N gauge it'll fit much easier   

Hi Alan,

here is another plan. It measures 500 x 1800, which I think is the size of the board you have on the right hand side. To fit most aspects you have included on your plan, the curve back to the lower/main station area has been lowered closer to the back/bottom edge.




The turntable I used is Peco and not the Dapol (?) as on your original plan. The black rectangle is the coal stage, blue is the water tower, two tone brown, possible cattle dock, black pointy thing is the yard crane and ofcourse the two tone green shed is the goods shed. The station is overhanging the plan a little, but there should be another 50mm on the top and bottom of this.

Cheers, Gary.