East Coast Main Line - in the sun

Even though the building work (new roof) isn't complete yet I thought I would post the proposed track plan for my new layout and open it up for comments/suggestions.The new loft area will be 20m x 7m and I have negotiated 10m x 7m as the main layout area with a 6m x 2m extension to form the northern fiddle yard and access way. The main layout is a basic E shape with a descending track from the right bottom going back down the lower E prong and under the centre to form the southern fiddle yard. The basic idea is that trains heading south return from the south etc.

The layout will probably utilise Digitrax hardware and Traincontroller software. All point will be Peco live frog on the main layout and Hornby insulfrog in the fiddle yards (just because I already have them). Points will be controlled via DCC Concepts Cobalt IP motors.

Been out here in Spain for over a year now and itching to get started on the new layout - just need to get the builder moving!

< plan removed - revised plan later on >

Hi Dave

An interesting combination of Digitrax and Railroad & Co.

Is there any reason for that?

Cheers

[user=1886]DaveH_Murcia[/user] wrote:

(Having trouble including the photo - if it doesn't show please click view photos in gallery under my name on the left).

Are you using Firefox for your browser?  This forum works best with it.

Cheers

Hi Dave.

Great looking plan :thumbs, but just wondering what radius the curves are, especially the reversing loop at the bottom of the diagram quest:


Ed

MaxSouthOz

Having done a reasonable amount of research on the web and then tried Digitrax Chief and Traincontroller for real whilst working on layouts for the Wonderful World of Trains and Planes in Birmingham I think it is the way to go. If you have any alternative suggestions I'd love to know as it isn't a particulaly cheap route once you get all the track detection in etc.

Ed

I am hoping to make the minium radius the equivalent of Hornby radius 4 although most will be bigger. The loop to come back the lower fiddle yard will, I think, end up with the inner track being the equivalent of radius 4. I could expand that end of the E prong to open it up a bit. I am planning to then run maximum gradients of 1 in 80 on the main line and 1 in 60 on the branch which goes through Tinkers End as it will only have short trains and DMUs.

Thanks for the comments.

I'll send you a PM, Dave.

Ok, quick update. New roof now complete just waiting for town hall to come and approve it. Once that is done I can then get the walls plastered and start the project proper. Given builders lead times and such I guess I am going to be lucky to have proper access before the autumn.

Here is a copy of the revised track layout plan. Note it doesn't show the northern fiddle yard which is on a lower level. The blue dots represent train detection sections.



On the topic of baseboards. Here in Spain timber is very expensive so I was thinking of using the C section steel chanel you can buy for stud walls and fitting an upright section inside a horizontal section to form a box section. I can then make 70mm x 70mm x 3000mm beams for around €6. I was planning to use this for legs and horizontal supports and overlay with a 15mm top of OSB 3 board. Not seen anyone do this on the forums - can anyone think of a reason this shouldn't be OK?

I've not seen this done before, I have seen metal frame work

 a very interesting set-up, plenty off opperational work there,
:thumbs;-):cool:
Owen

Be interested to see how this baseboard develops!

Legs will be every 1000mm. Baseboard will be basically flat with the exception of a couple of sections where there will be rivers and bridges. In these areas the baseboards will be set approx 100mm lower and built up with polystyrene and plaster as per the rest of the layout.

My plan is to simply stick the track down on cork with a Copydex type glue without the use of track pins. I have been told as this is more of a rubber type glue it doesn't negate the sound deadening properties of the cork quite so much.

I've done something similar using aluminium and steel, Dave.

http://yourmodelrailway.net/view_topic.php?id=14066&forum_id=21

It sounds like your idea should work OK.

Thought I would post a quick update. My builder has at last finished the new upstairs but as it is currently at least 30 deg C up there due to the weather here in Spain, progress isn't quick. I have decided on building all the support frames from steel (the 70mm C section you get for stud walling) with OSB 3 tops. So here are a couple of pics of progress so far. I am concentrating on building all the steel work first - boards are just layed on top. There are inclines tight to both left and right hand walls to enable trains to descend/ascend to/from the main fiddle yard under the centre section. Hopefully I will have steel work completed by the end of September and all will become a little clearer.

Hi. Due to a major problem with a reaction to antibiotics progress is going to be somewhat slower than anticipated until at least Christmas.

However I would welcome some advice if anyone can help on a potential track issue. All the layout was going to be code 100 as I had loads from a previous layout and new stock that I have built up before moving to Spain. Part of the layout is 4 tracks wide and I was planning to use peco crossings etc to get the left most track across the others so SL-E88 right hand to SL-94 crossing to SL-94 crossing to SL-90 double slip but I have read various reports that suggest the SL-94 crossing gives problems with stalling. The layout will be DCC/computer controlled with all points on the scenic section controlled by DCC Concepts Cobalt digital point motors including frog polarity.

One option I thought of was :

SL-E90 to SL-90 to SL-90 to SL90 i.e multiple double slips, although that means 4 more point motors and I am not sure if an SL-90 is any better than the SL-94.

or possibly change the points only to code 83

Code 83 SL-E8361 left turn to SL-U8363 unifrog double slip (3 of when available) although this would give me more work to ensure they are correctly lined up height wise.

Thoughts?

Hi all, a happy New Year.

I just thought I would post an update to my ongoing project. As you may have seen early in the section, it is a rather large layout especially given everything is being done by me alone. I managed to complete all the steel work supports and cut all the baseboard timber by the end of the year and layed my first piece of track on New Years day - progress. Anyway, here is a few photos showing progress to date.


This is looking at the southern fiddle yard which leads on to the east coast mainlne. There is a line to the extreme left which goes down to/comes up from the northern fiddle yard. Although it will not get used much it is allow trains coming from the north (typically full coal trains) to sneak back to the northern fiddle yard without going back through all the scenic sections.


One of the main stations will be on the left. The trains will sweep round the bottom section and come up the middle section. You will also see that the northern fiddle yard is located under the centre section.


This is the centre section again. The nearest edge will be about 50cm wide so trains will go up to and under the control station before going back down the other side. The nearer side will be just countryside whilst the further section witll contain a gravel pit, factories and an engine shed with turntable.


A better shot of the control station which will have a work top below which is the main loop for the east coast mainline and below this will be the run round for the northern fiddle yard.


Ok last pic for now. The centre section is on the right. On the left is the northen section. The cut out allows for a river with 3 bridges over for the tains. At the far end the trains go round and down an incline on the far left up against the wall which takes them to/from the northen fiddle yard located under the centre section. As I have said the idea is that most trains heading north will return from the north.

I have a shortage of various bits at the moment which are on order back in the UK for collection when we are over in March. Although many general things are available here in Spain there are certain things which must be brought in. Unfortunatey, living out in the countryside, using the postal system is a bit hit and miss.

Any comments, suggestions or just questions gratefully received.

Coming on a treat Dave, especially as your doing it all by yourself  :thumbs

Don't suppose your looking forward to ballasting all that track  


Ed

 

I think the ballasting is going to be a bit of a long process but it will be nice to get to the stage when I can actually run a loco. With hundreds of yards of track and over 90 points to wire in for DCC control using TrainController I think it may be a while before I get to running trains and ballasting. My next goal is to have both the left and right lines that run up and down to the northern fiddle yard completed and tested before Easter. That will mean buying the Digitrax controller and two boosters along with TrainController software which is going to blow this years railway budget I think.

Hi Dave
What a fantastic railway room…….I am very impressed.

As a veteran RR&Co addict I will be following your progress with great interest.

You mentioned in an earlier post that you will be using  insulfrog points in the fiddle yards. I used some in Granby when I first started for similar reasons to you….I had them from an earlier layout. It was a false economy, I have been obliged to steadily root them out and replace them. They were far too susceptible to stalling and that can be a right pain with TC particularly in areas with difficult access. 

TC is a big investment but you do get some huge dividends…….I couldn't imagine operating my layout, which is much smaller than yours, without it

Best wishes

John

Wow - that's a fantastic space you have there Dave.  You should let it out as a clubroom.  :roll: :roll:  Is the blue board styrofoam or flooring underlay ?

Following with great interest.  :cheers

Thanks for the replies. I would love to start swapping out the insulfrog points but with almost weekly packages arriving in Spain the other half may is already asking questions and changing 45+ points may not be a good move at this stage. I have a few extra Peco electrofrog points so will use those where I can in the short term. The blue foam is what normally is used under laminate flooring. I had a pack left over and decided to use it in the non-scenic areas. I have a whole stack of cork for use on the main areas of the layout.

I have decided to crack on with fiddle yards and non-scenic access ramps to start with mainly so I can test the inclines. All up lines will have DCC Concepts Powerbase fitted just in case it's needed - no doubt it will not be required but it wouldn't be nice having to retro fit it.