My trackplan- comments?

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dingoix

Certified CGW expert
I drew up another plan and will try to post it tomorrow.

So yer tellin me- I should tear up the small part of the yard that is built and install #4s?
 

HaggisKennedy

Coal Shoveler
I tend to draw freehand, but I don't expect it to fit exactly. I use it solely as a guide when I test lay the trackwork. I'm not fully set on having the layout exactly as drawn, mainly for the reasons others have said. The fact that something fits as drawn doesn't guarantee that it's the best way to lay things out, or that it's operationally valid in our little world. Just because the prototype did it that way doesn't mean it can be reduced down to the 1:87 world. Selective compression due to space limitations is always the overriding factor here.

In my case, the plan I had was redone a couple of times. The sidings and ladders weren't going to fit as drawn, so I just fiddled around so that things fit. I don't mind saying that I dropped a number of things due to space. And, some space that I didn't think were there, was actually there, so I added a spur or something. But, what I ended up at the end was certainly operateable, and works OK so far.

Kennedy
 

Cjcrescent

Master Mechanic
Haggis;
I'm not against a freedrawn plan, esp when just used by the guy who drew it. But to have a freehand drawing with no length, wideth, minimum radius etc. are not included, I find it extremely difficult to help. However if things like demensions etc are included, its easier to help.

But the main reason as I said, I'm against using a freehand drawing, is that the majority of the folks that use them, draw their turnouts, switches whatever you want to call them, with angles too big, curves too tight, spurs & sidings too short, terminals and yards too small, etc. When they draw something like that I find they're disappointed more than they are helped by more experienced modelers.

By learning a "disciplined" method of drawing, be a CAD program or even a manual ruler-pencil-compass, even if they go back to freehanding, they at least have learned, what will or will not be possible in the area available. That, I believe, would help them more than anything.
 

SpaceMouse

Fun Lover
Carey,

Agreed. An when I think in terms of helping, it takes a lot of effort to type out responses. You'd like to think that a) the person has taken the time to be as accurate as possible in drawing out his/her plan, b) that the person has done all they can to get the drawing to the best possible state they are capable of, c) they have really thought about what they are doing, and d) they care enough about your opinion to do the above.

If it appears that a person has only made a half-hearted attempt, then it appears that they are expecting others to do their work. Unfortunately, these same people then tend to discount the criticism as not being what they had in mind, or they appear not to have taken the time to understand the comment. This makes posting responses seem like a waste of time.
 

dingoix

Certified CGW expert
I'm gonna post the dimensions when I post the new plan. How could I forget that the first time?
 

HaggisKennedy

Coal Shoveler
Understand. Which is why I didn't really comment right off the bat. Not enough info to really add any value. When we get a generic trackplan, you get generic responses, if any....

:)

Kennedy
 

dingoix

Certified CGW expert
Just lettin y'know I'm still here. I'm reading various MR books on Trackplanning and operations. I also hope to eventually add a staging yard.
 

dingoix

Certified CGW expert
Here we are. BTW, those penciled areas are roads, nothing is set in stone, they could be moved.
tp16yp.jpg


now there are DIMENSIONS. Also, the right half is 5' L to R (making the total layout 17' L to R)
tp27og.jpg


The branch that departs the main vie the wye will eventually lead to a staging yard. After doing some reading, it seems interchanges are a valuable asset. Help me add an interchange? Doesn't have to be much, just a dummy track (that could eventually lead to a small staging yard) that crosses my line at grade with a short connecting track. At the location I model, CGW interchange with the RI, and so will I.
 
dingoix said:
After doing some reading, it seems interchanges are a valuable asset.
Very true. Lots of traffic, and nearly every type and kind of freight car can pass through it.

In general, I think the plan is looking better (if indeed it will fit). I still think the industrial area could be made more interesting with the use of some crossovers to make more space to actually spot the cars at industries.
 

dingoix

Certified CGW expert
What we've been calling the "industrial district" is actually a branch line, that departs the main via a wye.
 

jbaakko

Diesel Detail Freak
Not really but I get stuck on my own designs that its hard for me to solve that stuff sometimes. I think a CAD design would help us out a tad here, as we could nit-pick better...
 

HaggisKennedy

Coal Shoveler
If the question is still where to put the interchange track, the only places where I see that you'd have room would be something either to the right of where you scribbled 12', or something leading off to the left of the yard. I would put it off the yard, since the yard job would be tasked to move the interchange cars in and out of the interchange track.

Because both locations will be inside the main track loop, I'm not really sure which way the interchange track will go. At minimum, you're going to have an 'at grade' diamond, which RRs don't really like. But your plan doesn't have anywhere else convenient to put it.

Kennedy
 

Cjcrescent

Master Mechanic
We're still short in a demension, plus I need a clarification. What is the demension thru the wide section of the layout? And the demension of the aisle is what, that number there could be a 3, or an 8?
 

dingoix

Certified CGW expert
The dimension in question is 4' and the aisle is 3'.

I think I could squeeze an interchange in near the yard. Actuallythe prototype (CGW) interchange w/ the RI just south of this yard (right, as it is on the plan). Yes, it's gonna be at grade.
 
dingoix said:
What we've been calling the "industrial district" is actually a branch line, that departs the main via a wye.
Well, there is hardly enough room for an industrial district, let alone a branch.....

As we have been stating all along, the lack of scale drawing in one way shape or form is a serious henerance to actually making any progress on this design. Since this post is about the industrial area, lets use it for an example. Below is an image where I tried to fit in the simple scheme that is proposed in your plan. Notice that even cutting the last three tracks short, it is still a foot longer than you have available.

Then on the bottom of the image below is a scheme encorporating a few of the ideas I've mentioned before (using crossovers to save space), including a run around track. Also notice most importantly that because it is drawn to scale (with FREE software by the way) we know it will actually fit into the space that is available.

dingoixindustry.jpg
 




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