New Dual Gauge Layout Design. HO/HOn3

[Myowngod]

I started working on a dual guage HO/HOn3 layout. I'm still having trouble designing a yard that both Gauge tracks meet at. A transfer yard I imagine. I have attached a file that has the basic feel that I'm going for. I don't want this ti end up a HUGE yard with all 10 commandments of yard design instituted. It's a basic backwoods yard that coal and lumber can be transfered to standard gauge freight. By means of a freight house or conveyor transfer.


Transfer yard design

http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/...and Mining Layout/LDSIGHOHOn3transferyard.jpg

The tracks from the left/west are dual gauge. The standard track heads to staging for off layout regions. The narrow guage branches of up the mountains to the coal mines and logging region. The tracks from the right/east got to a few on layout towns and eventually to staging. The bottom spur is HO going to an industry. The area in the middle of the run around is for a station/freight house. The run around is dual gauge. all the track in the upper, small yard is for sorting the narrow gauge train coming down from the mountains. A small engine service area is include. This is only HOn3 track in the yard. The spur going to the north east is for another small industry service by the narrow gauge.

If it helps I can post a color coded picture to show the HO, HOn3, and dual trackage.


If anyone has input to improve this design, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks

 

[LoudMusic]

I thought long and hard about this, with O standard and O narrow. The conclusion I came to was that there's not much use for dual gauge in the yard. You'll likely want narrow on one side of the freight building and standard on the other.

My research actually discovered something that makes a lot of sense in this regard as well - standard and narrow gauge rolling stock don't have the same loading bay height, and therefor can't even use the same loading docks. Carts wouldn't be able to roll onto one of the gauge's cars without an awkward ramp.

Dual gauge track could[/b] be useful to reduce occupied real estate by sharing space for runarounds, but invariably the other gauge's cars will be in the way. I think what would work the best is a narrow gauge yard with a track next to the transfer building, and a standard gauge siding (or micro-yard (2 tracks, perhaps)) that are next to the same transfer building.

If you could color code the narrow, standard, and dual gauge tracks on your image that would be helpful.

 

[waltr]

I actually had come to the same conclusion as Loudmusic when designing my dual-gauge layout.

In the freight yard area I will have a transfer station between the standard and narrow gauge tracks. The narrow gauge track will be slightly higher so both standard and narrow gauge box car floors will be at the platform height. (right end of my layout).

I do have a dual gauge track that goes from the right end (town of Walwynn) through the mountains to Winnifred Junction of the left side of my layout. Here is a passenger and fast freight exchange station. This is the transfer/interchange point to the PRR.

A feature I have is a turn table at the far right end that have both standard and narrow gauge access for turn engines. This is more for operation fun than a real need to have engines facing the correct direction.

I also need to do a 'color coded' track plan to make it clear as to which tracks are standard. narrow and dual gauge.

Looks like a good start and I am interested to see more.

 

[Myowngod]

Here's a color coded plan

RED = Standard HO

BLUE = Narrow HOn3

Purple = Dual HO/HOn3

Not sure about the separate track idea. I would like a run around for each gauge, which is represented by the PURPLE track. I really don't have the room to have 2 run around in this area. Plus I really like the look of some dual gauge track.

Here's the full plan for the room. It does have a second level That goes up to a mine and a logging area.

 

[Myowngod]

Color coded full plan

 

[waltr]

I like the plan and having a run-around for both gauges does make sense.

Would you consider dual gauge to the turn table to turn around the standard gauge locos?

 

[LoudMusic]

For the sake of space constraint I'd say it's a good plan. And dual gauge track is certainly nice to look at. My preference would be to avoid it.

I think you're going to want to have the ability to leave narrow gauge cars and standard gauge cars at the loading dock and still be able to drive trains through the area, so you'll probably want one more of each gauge going through there. And as stated previously, standard gauge and narrow gauge cars wouldn't use the same loading docks due to height differences. The entire freight station dock would be on the same elevation, and the rail heads for each gauge would be adjusted so the cars lined up. Not to mention spacing between the dock and the cars - it's also entirely possible that one gauge's rolling stock would leave a giant gap, or be closer than is comfortable, to the dock itself. The track could still be dual gauge, but the height and spacing adjustment would be made for whatever gauge was supposed to load/unload on that side of the building. Any additional trackage to your plan could just as well be dual gauge for main line through-traffic.

I would look at adding an additional dual gauge track between the one with the standard gauge spur and the edge of the table, and move the standard gauge spur to this new track. Basically making a dedicated freight station track there in the middle.

This is all dependent on how 'prototypical' you care to be. And if I'm even remotely correct

 

[Myowngod]

I like the plan and having a run-around for both gauges does make sense.

Would you consider dual gauge to the turn table to turn around the standard gauge locos?

I was thinking of running dual to the turntable. Thanks for persuading me.

 

[Myowngod]

I have completely changed my plan for the transfer yard -Gasko Yard. I have
taken advice from other people in forums, and also got some inspiration from a
plan from "Model Railroad Planner 2011". I saw the Stockton & Copperoplis RR,
specifically the Holden transfer yard. I saw what I have been looking for. I
adapted the plan to my area, unfortunately not being able to include all of it
(Damn space restrictions)
Here is the track plan for the new yard.
Blue is Standard HO
Red Is Narrow HOn3
Purple is Dual HO/HOn3

I'm debating if I keep the dual gauge track going to the station, or stop it at
the curved turnout coming from the west where the narrow gauge track 1st splits
off.

All advice, critiques, and hopefully praises are welcome. Lol

Thanks in advance
Ron K
Mine Mount & Seaside RR

 

[AyTrane]

Depending on the railroad, but I would keep the transfer station/platform dual gauge. It makes for a lot easier time to load/unload cars, and doesn't require a second station. You have to figure that mail and payroll are coming in on the standard gauge, and leaving on the narrow gauge to get further up.