Train cave plan


ctclibby

ctclibby

Well-Known Member
Good Morning all!

Take a look at the pix below. My wants are: Long runs with somewhat long trains, less than 2% grades, 36in minimum mainline radii, #8 of greater turnouts main to main, #6 or less main to house track, and at least 36in isleways. Sidings are at least 22ft as are arrival and departure yard tracks. Red is 26 - 28in reach in from the corresponding bench edge. The turnout just above the RH has a 29in reach; and if I have to deal with the mains in the corner I should be able to get that from the corner.

Long rectangular box bottom left are stairs, angled box upper left is a pellet stove - forgot to label them.

I show double track main all around cuz ima still on the fence as to keeping that or going to single track in places. Main line is just placed and probably will change come build time. No sidings or industry until build time. Helix has a 1.5% grade on the inside; will use code 100 flex for that as I have about 1200ft of the stuff. The rest will be handlaid code 83; have about 4000 ft of single rail I have managed over the last few years. Smaller pix way below is what xtrack tells me I need. Note that some of the track is on different levels for the helix alignment and grade.

The numbers on the radii dimensions are for placement - both cartesian and polar. Have the layout room pretty much empty and I can start locating bench centers and edges.

Constructive comments and/or questions are welcome!

Lower.jpg


PartsList.jpg
 
Didn't think about it until after I posted. If ya have XtrackCad, below is a link to my work in progress.
Shared
Note that the web site has not caught up with the current design and play stuff so don't expect much outa it.
 
Well okay I’ll go out on a limb and say that you’ve given this some thought and have done this before.
Looks like an awesome plan!
And yes I’d definitely go with some single track sections especially on the blobs, maybe a spectacular bridge scene?
What era (ish) will it be? Any railroad in particular? And what time are you swinging by to pick me up BigG?!
 
Thanks Guys! Remember to bring your fishing pole tooo....
Era is between the end of steam and the BN conglomeration. Railroads are pretty much what I saw as a kid a lifetime ago: NP, GN, SP&S, SI, Milw along with CP and CP rail. Even though ATSF was not in my area, have to have War Bonnets!
And you are right, there has been a ton of though over the last 8 ( gawd 8? ) years while enjoying the USofA through a windshield. I have trashed 2 other plans as I was trying to put in way too much track and kept loosing either my minimum radii or isle widths. I think that the basics are there, although as you know - sh.t happens and stuff gets changed.
 
Todd - I like it. Plenty of running room and room everywhere for eventual industries. Like you, I determined my aisles, minimum radii, reach-ins and siding lengths before any construction commenced, and I'm glad that I did. Mine aren't quite as generous as yours, but as a lone operator the 32" aisles are sufficient.
While I could have gone with a double track main, I went with a single track main with 17' sidings. By the era/area that I model, '78-'94, ATSF had removed many double mains for maintenance reasons.
Do your tracks in the upper left connect with the staging helix?
 
Willie - Current plan is to have those lower tracks ( upper left ) bypass the helix into a middle ( transition ) level then continue around to the upper side of the helix. The lower level is considered to be a water level route, whilst the other will be in the mountains. Still on the fence with the lower double/single arrangement, but leaning toward double on the lower leaving up the hill for single track ( with sidings ).

Funny about ATSF single tracking the mains - BNSF is currently double-tracking everything from Boyer West through Spokane - don't know how far West from Spo that has been done as I have not been thata way for awhile. Long bridge in Sandpoint has pillars for the second main. They have been working on that since 2020; who knows when they will getr done. Boyer West is gonna be an interesting junction ( MRL and BNSF part ways ). Don't know if it is planned yet or not to double track the HiLine. If so, they can make it to Crossport ( Bonners Ferry ). After that they are in the Kootenai River Canyon without much room between mountains and river. Once they get to Yakt, then they could be good up to the tunnel. The MRL could be doubled, room for stuff all the way to Missoula. Time will tell.
 
Beiland - Yup, have to have something to do when we finally get off the road next November(ish)

D&J - Ya it is close although ima only 30x40 - 1200ft^2. I think that I had a look at your layout - will go and find it again just to make sure.

BigBoy - Can you go back and shoehorn some double track in? Might be worth the effort. I still am leaning towards double track on the lower level - then single track with sidings up the hill. Time will tell.

I started locating the center points for the benchwork curves and such ... well I started: found that I need a 4ft radius, 90 degree protractor in the 0:0 corner to get the fractions of degrees I would need if I were to use Polar coordinates. On top of that, I would need to do some serious hole drilling in the laser pointer and carousel that would hold it. Then it would take a lot of walking back and forth do get stuff close; if ya miss by 1/4 degree you are off by quite a bit when out 500 inches@angle. So I ordered a couple of laser thingies and will use the Cartesian coordinates which should be in by the 14th.
 
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