Postby actonnorth » Thu Dec 03, 2015 10:22 pm
Well, hello!
Been a long time since I've updated this thread.
Well, it's been a long period of inactivity rail wise due to the birth of our son, thus rightly so, no time to do anything in the loft.
However, with him getting bigger and more independent, now have some time to go back in the loft.
So, after a bit of playing about, I came to the conclusion that the layout still isn't quite right. I have to duck under the station board to get to the TMD board, which, while I'm still young, I'm not getting any younger to keep ducking. The station itself is too big and doesn't work for me either, with a lot of my stock being freight but little emphasis to play with the freight wagons.
Also, one of the corners is too tight for my liking to the north of the station, so the solution? Yep, starting it again!
The layout will now have a much smaller station in one corner, with 2 through platforms and 2 bay platforms. I've lowered a baseboard near the station to have an embankment scene. The TMD will still be in the same place it is now, but, it's enterance will be from the opposite side and have better sheds. The McDonalds scene from the last page is staying exactly where it is.
Lastly, a container terminal will sit where the current station is now. The main line will loop around the back of the container terminal, with a 'branch' going to a hidden fiddle yard at the top of the layout.
I'm doing this to have shallower corners for the stock and reduce de-railments and better track joins, and to have more emphasis on shunting rather than a large multi platform station. Modern day passenger stock is quite 'boring' in terms of operation and variety, so putting the focus on freight with its multitude of wagons makes sense for me now.
Pictures will follow in due course, but, for now, big changes are happening.
Thanks for reading.