single train running

planning on building this for my grandkids  and wondering if it would work  power  wise      only ONE loco will b running at the one time i may add   depending on direction of points can i run loco out of say loco shed through point one then change point one to loop  run past point two  then change point two to allow acces to station one  thanks all for looking  

Hello Tom,
In principle what you are wanting to do will work but you are relying on points which is not always a good idea. Wiring is a lot easier than you may think and if you follow some of the threads I have been involved in, it can be made simpler or more complex depending on your confidence to tackle the task. Sorry I can't drop in on the spur of the moment!

May I ask what track you are contemplating using for this set and for that matter what scale you are contemplating building this layout for the grand kids? I am thinking that you have some points at the end of the sidings which will be not terribly useful in OO scale in any case and I am concerned that you will not be able to fit in much of a passing siding at station 2 or much of a yard.  

You have clearly enunciated the size of the layout  (in the old measure 9'4" by 8'0") but will your grandsons (and for that matter … you) be able to reach over the layout to change the point at 2 or rerail a train in that far corner or work on some scenery or is your layout to be on castors? 

In case you are concerned about my querying your plans, my own layout is similarly shaped to yours. I recently had a hard time repairing some points in the back of the layout when it was necessary to put the layout against the wall. At the moment it is sitting 90 kms away in its new home ( we are not there yet) awaiting its new castors on its legs so I can again get around it for maintenance and photography etc by moving it and I will enjoy doing a bit of rebuilding of it in the process once we resettle! 

Good luck with the planning and I am quite happy to assist with a drawing or two to scale if it will help you,

Regards from Australia

Trevor

I agree with Trevor: I can see no reason why it wouldn't work electrically on DC, but it is better not to rely solely on the points to provide power to the sidings and loops. You will need multiple power feeds around the layout too, for reliability and to make sure there are no dead sections.

Wiring the sidings with a simple on/off switch will allow you to isolate a number of spare locos or units for added variety and operational interest (not wiring them separately will also work as long as the power feeds are in the right positions, but may become a source of frustration later when the point contacts wear and tarnish).

I would also echo Trevor's concerns regarding reaching tracks at the rear. Also, you may have to swing the tracks inwards a little to get around the sharp curve in the inner corner. That, in turn, may affect how the points will fit in along those parts of the layout. For reliable running that will allow almost any rtr locomotives to run on your layout, most now recommend a minimum of 2nd radius curves (approximately 18" radius). 

It does look to be a very interesting layout with lots of operating potential.

P.s. My reservations also assume you are planning it in OO/HO scale, but it would almost certainly work well in N scale.

Hello Tom,
I have drawn a scale diagram of your plan with approx 18"  radius (2nd Radius) curves drawn on it. If you copy and paste it onto a Word Document, you can print it and draw your tracks on it. Make sure the squares are indeed square on your diagram



Note that the reach you would need would be up to 4.5 feet. I can reach nearly 4 (it sometimes pays to be 6'5") but I have to lean a bit and invariably knock something over… fortunately not too often!

As an exercise I am going to have a go at translating your plan to a "close" interpretation of how it would relate to Hornby set track as I am "vegging" out on a lazy day after a heavy day with the moving yesterday … my layout is heavy!

Cheers

Trevor

PS  My layout plan for the main board is Resource not found for your interest!

Hello Again,  I presume this will greet you come waking hours over there so sorry about the information overload.
I have had a go based on my approximations of set track sizes and gaps/track spacing but could not manage the sidings you have at Station 2 but I am prepared that my proportions may be out and being told so by the more learned amongst us.  

My web site has a set of pages related to using set track curves and flex track pieces and streamline points between the curves so it may help change some of your proportions to fit in what you want  It is on http://xdford.freeasphost.net/stag19.html and follow the "next" links at the bottom of the pages!

Anyway your set track plan as I see it may look like this…



I have used a few curved points to assist in the siding lengths … the front one by station 2 is only 3 feet long so a tender engine and a few passenger cars or a fairly short goods train… I put a Pacific and two Mk1 coaches to the approximate size as a comparison.

Let me know what you think and if you are indeed working with N scale, well I guess someone else may benefit by the ideas shown here and you narrow down the boards to 3 feet wide!

Regards

Trevor

it is indeed  n guage and peco set track im going to be using   thanks for  your input  mate

[user=321]SRman[/user] wrote:

I agree with Trevor: I can see no reason why it wouldn't work electrically on DC, but it is better not to rely solely on the points to provide power to the sidings and loops. You will need multiple power feeds around the layout too, for reliability and to make sure there are no dead sections.



Wiring the sidings with a simple on/off switch will allow you to isolate a number of spare locos or units for added variety and operational interest (not wiring them separately will also work as long as the power feeds are in the right positions, but may become a source of frustration later when the point contacts wear and tarnish).



I would also echo Trevor's concerns regarding reaching tracks at the rear. Also, you may have to swing the tracks inwards a little to get around the sharp curve in the inner corner. That, in turn, may affect how the points will fit in along those parts of the layout. For reliable running that will allow almost any rtr locomotives to run on your layout, most now recommend a minimum of 2nd radius curves (approximately 18" radius). 



It does look to be a very interesting layout with lots of operating potential.



P.s. My reservations also assume you are planning it in OO/HO scale, but it would almost certainly work well in N scale.

thanks for  your reply it is indeed going to be n guage  layout

Hi Tom
Not a problem from my end either, but to draw out the plan a bit better (and coincidentally fit in your whole plan)… 

1. what radius curves were you wanting to put in? Peco have 263, 298 and 333mm radius curves.  This will dictate the width of your base and that "notorious for reaching" corner area. The broader your curves can be, the more realistic your train will look and it will also run more reliably not hitting a sharp curve at any given speed but it is also dictated by the space you have available 

2.  Your length is no problem but how wide would you like the boards to be?  

I did a progressive series of drawings for you so it is easy to redo what is done. The circle in the diagram is a 2nd radius circle that I just took sections of doing the curved sections of the track plan.

Anyway see what you think,

Regards from Oz

Trevor

[user=374]xdford[/user] wrote:

Hi Tom

Not a problem from my end either, but to draw out the plan a bit better (and coincidentally fit in your whole plan)… 



1. what radius curves were you wanting to put in? Peco have 263, 298 and 333mm radius curves.  This will dictate the width of your base and that "notorious for reaching" corner area. The broader your curves can be, the more realistic your train will look and it will also run more reliably not hitting a sharp curve at any given speed but it is also dictated by the space you have available 



2.  Your length is no problem but how wide would you like the boards to be?  



I did a progressive series of drawings for you so it is easy to redo what is done. The circle in the diagram is a 2nd radius circle that I just took sections of doing the curved sections of the track plan.



Anyway see what you think,



Regards from Oz



Trevor

again thank you i have used scram for the layout design so know it will fit and turn where i need it