Cringila, The Industrials

[Russ C]

I have a 'blank slate' 2' x 8' (or 600mm x 2400mm). I'm working on an industrial interchange yard, steelworks network to Govt. network, steel traffic out, empties in. Cringila is the actual location but space constraints make it impossible to model it anywhere near accurate, so I've settled on the smaller 5 track Port North yard. But there's no photo of the switch layout.
The room wall is 10 feet long, giving me a 2' curve off the right end to connect with the warehouse area planned for the other wall. The left end will connect to a sector plate, 300mm/12" long for 2 locos.
The SCARM plan shows the blue layout size and 4 alternative plans. I'm considering #4, maybe cutting out the far track...

[Allen]

Russ,
I'm assuming the car movements will be simple and captive.
The cars (Load/Empty) will be stored on the light blue tracks.
They will move between the yard (blue tracks) and to the industrial section (to the right) and then back to the yard?

The locos will be the only thing that runs off the layout on the left end?

The short siding in "A", "C" and "D" would be for loco storage?
The bottom track (in the picture) would be what? A run around or escape track?

[Russ C]

Allen, the empties would come in from the right, locos release via the sector plate back through the yard and make up a transfer to run back out the right. The short 'run round' is actually where the yard engine and transfer engines are held until the train's ready to depart. There's not much to this, just trains in and out, attach brake van, change engines and add or remove wagons.

[Allen]

OK.
You mentioned something about a warehouse planned?
Will any of the cars get moved to the warehouse?
Can you conjure up a rough full plan of the entire layout?

[Russ C]

The photo inspiration I'm working off would have helped if I posted it, sorry.

[Allen]

Russ this is what I meant.
Just an idea here as I'm trying to follow what you want.
What I see is the cars would come onto the layout from the right rear track, into the yard, get shuffled around.
Then some are delivered to the industry and others are gathered up and returned to the yard, and eventually get hauled off layout.

Is this something like what you have planned?

[Russ C]

The eventual plan will be more of a U shape Allen. If I can, I'd like to create a basic oval, hence the curved tracks at the left, either a sector plate or curved turnouts feeding into the left end. This is the end from the steelworks, the works shunter hauls in a transfer, a 70 class runs out and attaches a brakevan while at the other end the steelie and another 70 swap over, this 70 class hauls the transfer to the main yard for the night's steel trains. They transfer runs through the industrial/warehouse area where the vans are loading/unloading (some vans could be part of the transfers too). I've got ideas for all this but it's still not fully developed as yet. Maybe I should do a full room plan....

[Michael Whiteman]

Curved flowing yard tracks sure look great Russ but there are always a few (not you) who forget coupling on a curve can become a real issue. No one wants to push a knuckle to one side just to get it lined up. If you plan to work with full tracks then there must be some straight track coming off the switch. There will always be some sweet spots somewhere down the track, but maybe not where you need it. Just sayin'. Best wishes with your design.

[Russ C]

Thanks Michael, I'd forgotten about the coupling aspect of the design. I'll try to set the first foot or so of each track straight to address the issue. I was mainly focusing on S curves creeping into my design.

[Russ C]

I've tried to put my thoughts into something concrete or visual, so here it is, version 1

[Allen]

OK, now I have a bit better idea of what you have planned.
Makes sense.
To answer your first question about the track plan, I'm kind of liking Plan "C" It seems to flow a bit nicer and like Michael mentioned, it would help take the Sway out of the yard in regards to coupling.

[Russ C]

Ok thanks. I'll try a redraw with the C mod

[Russ C]

The C mod track plan

[Allen]

Yeah, for me anyway that's got a nicer flow to it.
Plus it keeps all the tracks about the same length.

[Russ C]

yes, and I'll keep a short straight section coming off the turnouts for easier coupling.

[Michael Whiteman]

I'm with Allen. I like this drawing better also. You have enough flowing curved tracks on the rest of the layout to look at.

I'm, wondering how you plan to get into the center of the layout? The removable fiddle yard looks way too big to lift up. Are you going to crawl underneath ?

I know you're planning to add a track from the interchange yard running off the layout into the rest of the world because right now there's no way to interchange anything. We're all looking forward to seeing you fill in the rest of the track plan. So far I think this will be a fun RR to operate with plenty of action.

[Michael Whiteman]

I hope you don't mind me making a couple of suggestions here Russ. I redrew your industrial area in hopes of making it more prototypical.
Railroads would always like to keep the number of turnouts off the main to a minimum because of unnecessary wear and the fact derailments usually occur on a switch. The arrangement I made to "A" reflects this. Point "B" on your drawing appears to be a 3 way switch. You will typically only find these on an entrance to an engine house where real estate is at a minimum, never on a mainline. OK, OK, I know someone will no doubt post a picture proving me wrong. I'm just sayin'. Oddities in real life tend to stand out on model railroads and that isn't what any of us are looking for. At least I don't think so. These subtle changes should not have any effect on the switching in this area.

[Russ C]

I agree with what you're saying Michael. What I missed in labeling is the grey area. It's a rail level forklift area for unloading vans and other wagons. The centre track was what I envisioned as the mainline. I had thought of that arrangement too but changed it to a 3-way as a space saving measure but I'm not sure I actually need it.

[Russ C]

I tried to rehash this and came up with this

[Michael Whiteman]

With the main on the center track this makes more sense now.