Marshfield Junction

[MattWallace]

*** EDIT ***

I've updated this to give more information on why the layout looks the way it does and how it will be operated

*************
Hi all,

So it's been a while since I was last on here and alot has happened since.

Blockwall Junction has been torn up, I've moved house, taken over the loft and I'm now working on a layout that is currently called "Appleford Junction".

The scenic area is 16ft x 2ft and there is a loop around the outside of the loft linking the scenic area with the FiddleYard:



This is a computer operated (RaspberryPi + JMRI + MERG CBUS) DCC Layout with sound (or at least one of my locos has sound so far!) and operation is split into distinct areas as follows:

1) Shunting/Freight Operations. This will take place in the main scenic area at the top of the layout. It has been designed to take services of up to 7 KFA containers in each track as well as a headshunt for a class 66 or longer.

2) Storage. That mess of tracks to the left of the layout is the Fiddleyard. It will also hold services of up to 7 KFAs + Loco and has a headshunt to enable the engine to run around the train. Although "off scene", operation of the FY will be very much part of operating the layout. The FY also has a programming track.

3) Passenger services and "roundy-roundy trainset" operations. There are two tracks running around the outer rim of the layout with curves that are as prototypical as I could get in the space available. These will be used for running passenger services through the station but will also allow for freight services to run from the goods yard out and on to the"mainline", around the layout and in to the FY or vice-versa.

The station will be approx 1.5 - 2in above baseboard height, with a dual flyover 3 - 4in above baseboard height on the far right crossing over the yard and headshunt, giving depth to the layout.

The baseboard construction is well underway and I'm doing this by printing out the trackplan in 1:1, gluing it to the Plywood and then sticking the cork on top:







The layout is modern image (within the last 5 years) and will eventually see the following traction:

Classes 66, 70 on intermodals and other freight services
DMU Classes 158, 150
HSTs Class 43s
Windhoff MPV
Other track maintenance vehicles

I'll try to remember to post more updates here as I go along.

[413x]

Why don't you run a three line mainline around the whole room, I know it would cut corners but you could build extra pieces. Also why don't you make the fiddle yard go at the top behind a small section of mainline so it's like a hill and the make a decent tad a larger station! Also, why not make the baseboards wider to accommodate a bigger track plan and even have the fiddle yard on a lower level beneath the top board or something?


Alex

[MattWallace]

Hi Alex,

Why don't you run a three line mainline around the whole room, I know it would cut corners but you could build extra pieces.

Because the water-tanks and loft ladder (not shown on the track plan) don't allow for that. It took me ages to work out if there was room for just two tracks, three would be pushing it to the limits (and also, I don't need three, two is perfectly sufficient!)

Also why don't you make the fiddle yard go at the top behind a small section of mainline so it's like a hill and the make a decent tad a larger station!

The pitch of the roof means that if I put in a backscene, the maximum height for that backscene would be 12inches and I would not be able to reach behind it.

Also, why not make the baseboards wider to accommodate a bigger track plan and even have the fiddle yard on a lower level beneath the top board or something?

The scenic area for this layout is already 32sq. ft (16ft x 2ft) so I'm not too sure why a bigger track plan would be required?

The agreement with my wife is that the layout can be built in the loft as long as it allows for storage and access to the items stored. This means that it is effectively going to be a massive modular layout as each 3x2ft baseboard must be able to be lifted to allow access to the items stored in the loft.

If I were to make it any bigger I wouldn't be able to store stuff up there. If I were to move the boards into the middle of the loft and have a more traditional "trainset" approach to the layout then the corners would be too tight.

I'll edit the first post to outline the way in which this layout will be run...

[413x]

True then in that case why are you dropping the two track mainline down to one on the left hand side surely you could do some point work and make it so that half of the yard on the right comes off the track.



Alex

[MattWallace]

It's not a "mainline", it won't be scenic.

It's effectively a large runaround loop to allow services to run continuously if I want them to.

Owing to space restrictions, a helix is out of the question, so is a dogbone, so it had to be a small (probably only just wide enough for both tracks to fit on and a safety rail) shelf that ran around the outside of the loft and fed back into the FY whilst slowly descending from the height of the flyover.

There's been at least five attempts at this to try and fit it all in, and this is the best I've come up with. It's all documented on another popular uk-based model railway forum, however I thought I'd start from where I am for here, not where I've been...

Cheers,

Matt

P.S. I've updated the first post to outline how it will be operated.

[413x]

Does it all have to be scenery though. If you make the top baseboard all fiddle, left TMD, centre station an on the right a scenery bit you could easily get an in my opinion better layout.


Alex

[MattWallace]

Does it all have to be scenery though. If you make the top baseboard all fiddle, left TMD, centre station an on the right a scenery bit you could easily get an in my opinion better layout.


Alex

Is that a troll or a serious post?

This is a layout plan with which I am satisfied. It does everything I want it to, in the space that I have available and meets the requirements that have been made for storage space as well as a layout.

You have your own opinions and I appreciate that (I seem to recall you had a lot of similar opinions about my previous layouts), however in the same way that you do not expect me to redesign your layout for you based on only half the facts, I would appreciate it if you accorded me the same respect.

There are reasons why the layout has taken the shape it has based on what I need to store in the loft. I do not have a terminus station because I do not want one. The fiddle yard is where it is because I would rather have a 16ft scenic area and a 10ft fiddle yard than the other way around.

I do not encounter this attitude on other forums, I see no reason why I should encounter it here.

[413x]

Okay fair point I'm sorry if I came across in an aggressive manor please excuse me I was simply trying to help never mind

[MattWallace]

Okay fair point I'm sorry if I came across in an aggressive manor please excuse me I was simply trying to help never mind

Apology accepted, let's put it behind us and move on.

Matt

[MattWallace]

Here's a quick video of 66701 "Whitemoor" on my test track (approx 50cm long) - can't wait to get this running around the layout once the track is down https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkidjk_NCg4

Does NRM support video embedding?

Matt

[flying scotsman123]

I've seen people do it via photobucket but not using that I have no idea. looks like a cracking layout plan, the only improvement I'd make is to replace the stock with steam or "kettles" as I believe you modern bods call them Having said that, looking at some of the fantastic modern image layouts here, I am coming round on them. looking forward to watching it develop

[MattWallace]

I've seen people do it via photobucket but not using that I have no idea. looks like a cracking layout plan, the only improvement I'd make is to replace the stock with steam or "kettles" as I believe you modern bods call them Having said that, looking at some of the fantastic modern image layouts here, I am coming round on them. looking forward to watching it develop

Thanks,

I might run the occasional "steam special" or rail tour service once I stop spending money on track and scenics (which is some way away from here!) just as an excuse to save up for a "Real Steam" A4 to go with my 66 sound loco...

[carnehan]

Looking forward to see this layout develop. Like you, I am working with minimal space to allow other usage in the roofspace. Keep up the good work.

[MattWallace]

A quick (and image heavy!) post to show the kind of space I'm working in and provide a rough idea to the size of my layout:

The loft space:






Baseboards in:





Note that the last pic has a Hornby Railroad wagon in it for scale.

[413x]

Matt does the double line travel above the sidings?