New layout, please critique


NZRMac

In Training Down Under.
where do I start trying to explain this?

Room at the bottom of pic is 13'x 25'. Top left of this room has the sliding door to the drive. The top room is the workshop staging and helix it's 4'x 25'

Top level main line comes out of helix into room (10' across 13' up) next to coal mine around peninsula and thru Springfield, no industries here just a sleepy wee town with a passenger platform and small office, passing siding allows 10'ish trains to pass.

down grade all the way to Darfield. bigger farming town. Passenger station, brick works, lime loading. Passing siding and loading tracks. I haven't finished here need to get some proto photo's.

down to a middle level which only goes around the peninsula and down to Rolleston top right of layout room. Rolleston is where the main west from Darfield and the main south from Dunedin meet. The main south line comes from staging.

bottom level is flat cause the yard is easier to build. Christchurch is the biggest city in the South Island and is served by the port Lyttleton. I think you call Middleton yards interchange, freight from north and south as well as local and to and from the port. I possibly have room for more yards here ( width is nearly 30")
More industries are planned for the south side of the yard ( towards the staging area) and towards the tunnel to Lyttleton.

thru middleton yards and Chch passenger station past a future Woolston industrial area, into a tunnel to Lyttleton where the coal trains run thru a building and get emptied and run up the helix back to the coal mine. I'm not sure about modeling wharfs so I'll work on this. The main line runs separately thru here too and up the outside track of the helix back to the top.

I didn't show the edge of the benchwork on the top level but it will be 12-18" wide.

The tracks wont be dead straight in areas like the top level bottom of picture, their just easier to draw straight.
 
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It's kinda confusing!! I'm using my local prototype for inspiration and N&W and SP rolling stock. I live in the south pacific area and a coal mine from here is North West on the other side of the South Island. So it all fits together!!

I plan on having a Lime works on the top level and cement and fertilizer plants on the bottom level which use lime.

Ken.
 
Wow, Ken, that's gonna be impressive. I've never designed a RR that size, but I'd suggest that you "run trains in you mind" a good bit before finalizing on the design. Think about how meets will be handled, trains turned, and how industries will be switched. If you're going to signal the RR, now is a great time to plan for that as well (blocks, signal types, etc). I'm sure you'll get some great feedback on the plan here soon.
 
Cjcrescent said:
Nice plan so far. If you don't mind Ken, I'm gonna ask Rex to send me a copy.


Cj that was the plan!!:) Please have a look and suggest away, I only want to build it once.:eek:

Ken.
 
grande man said:
Wow, Ken, that's gonna be impressive. I've never designed a RR that size, but I'd suggest that you "run trains in you mind" a good bit before finalizing on the design. Think about how meets will be handled, trains turned, and how industries will be switched. If you're going to signal the RR, now is a great time to plan for that as well (blocks, signal types, etc). I'm sure you'll get some great feedback on the plan here soon.

I never designed anything like this before!! I've been running trains in my sleep, in the car, in the wee room, at work, you name it I've been there. LOL!! Signalling seems pretty daunting, but I'll think about it, I have a prototype handy so that will help.

Cheers, Ken.
 
Updated plans again.

Some updated plans

Top right of the pic is a two track helix, inside track runs between coalmine and coal unloading in the port

Outside track runs between mainline left of coalmine and middleton yards on bottom level.

top level
afg.jpg


middle level
aff.jpg


bottom level
afe.jpg


Ken.
 
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I found one problem with your plans... they're not mine!! Oh how I long for an entire room to build in.
 
Darn Ken, I am looking hard to see if there is anything you forgot to add, but it seems to all be there. I honestly like your design. It has a lot of operations in it. :)

I will repeat what I have all ready posted somewhere: If you even have the slightest thought about putting in detection/auto signals, then go ahead and wire it up as you lay your track. Just connect it temporarily to reg power until you buy the equipment. It would be a lot easier than what I am having to do and go back an install detection sections and re-wire for them.;)
 
Thanks guys, I have worked long and hard on it, worn out my eraser on the screen several times!!

Aaron, this property was just sitting waiting for us, auction went our way (no one bid!!) and we swooped in and made a good offer. I just had to have it!!
The room is on the end of my garage. There's pics on this forum somewhere.

Rex I have been thinking about signals, I will put some insulated sections in at least.

Tell me one thing, where does the slack from the coal mine go?

Ken.
 
Tell me one thing, where does the slack from the coal mine go?

Are you talking about the rock/dirt? In an underground mine, they dig a shaft down to the coal seam and follow it only (sometimes for miles), leaving only pillars of coal for support until it runs out. The only thing that comes to the top is coal. When they change direction or mine-out an area, they will fill these areas with any rock they create during the change and sometimes blow it. When they back, out they take these large pillars of coal with them (the pillars can be several acres in size). They almost always follow the coal seam...to mine rock is to lose money. Here is a good site for some pictures of an underground operation only a few miles from here. http://www.jimwalterresources.com/

If you are talking about the residue from washing the coal in the tipple, it and the water go into holding ponds to let the suspended materials settle. The pond is then drained and the material is used by 3d parties to make other products (so I've been told).

In a surface mine, the overburden (rock/dirt) is lifted off the coal onto "spoil banks". The coal is shot (loosened by explosives) and a loading shovel moves in to load trucks. Here in the USA the overburden has to be put back in the pit after the coal runs out for reclamation of the land.
 
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RexHea said:
Are you talking about the rock/dirt? In an underground mine, they dig a shaft down to the coal seam and follow it only (sometimes for miles), leaving only pillars of coal for support until it runs out. The only thing that comes to the top is coal. When they change direction or mine-out an area, they will fill these areas with any rock they create during the change and sometimes blow it. When they back, out they take these large pillars of coal with them (the pillars can be several acres in size). They almost always follow the coal seam...to mine rock is to lose money. Here is a good site for some pictures of an underground operation only a few miles from here. http://www.jimwalterresources.com/

If you are talking about the residue from washing the coal in the tipple, it and the water go into holding ponds to let the suspended materials settle. The pond is then drained and the material is used by 3d parties to make other products (so I've been told).

In a surface mine, the overburden (rock/dirt) is lifted off the coal onto "spoil banks". The coal is shot (loosened by explosives) and a loading shovel moves in to load trucks. Here in the USA the overburden has to be put back in the pit after the coal runs out for reclamation of the land.

Thanks Rex, I meant the residue from the tipple (I think) I have the New River mine like yours with the outside hoppers for slack.

Ken.
 
Updated my plans again. Thankyou very much CJcrescent for the revised yard, service area.

Ken.
 



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