C and O station as it was by CandO

[CandO]

So after introducing myself a couple of weeks ago as someone who wanted to produce a layout in 00, even making a small gents toilet building in 00 by way of practice, I soon discovered that my chosen subject would be close to 20' x 8' in size. After several discussions about scale within the forum I have decided to go for N scale for my layout as it will be a more manageable size to fit in the dining room

SO!! Onto the planning - one of my first acts was to find an old map showing the track layout as it was and then I scaled it off into 1 foot squares. One of my next things was to go and take some photo's of the still existing fabric of the stonework and structures so that I could try and reproduce it as close as possible. To help with scale in the photo's I put to use a piece of spare plastic wastepipe that I had and marked it off every foot with red electrical tape. As you can see from the pics it worked quite well.

This picture clearly shows the two sizes of stonework will need to be used

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I've seen somewhere on the forum tonight that platform height in N is 6.2mm from track which is pretty much supported by this pic

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The next stage is going to be drawing up the photo's onto graph paper to help make the modelling a bit easier....at least I hope it will....

I haven't even started on the baseboards yet

[CandO]

Right, as per advice from Emmetman I've done a plan of sorts.

P1050634.JPG (108.34 KiB) Viewed 2713 times

The diagonal lines are going to be the background whilst the bits I've drawn on are the lines of track as they go to a small four track fiddle yard behind the background....three to the right and two to the left. I'm unsure as to whether N gauge track will be able to do the loops within the 1 foot at either end but I may be able to steal a little bit by reducing the width of the two reservoirs towards the right hand edge. It may also be prudent to reduce the tracks at right from 3 to 2.

As you can see the whole layout is looking like 10' x 4' in N gauge and I certainly don't want to be going larger!!

So what do peeps think? Is it a go-er??

[skyblue]

If you are determined (and able) to stick rigidly to that trackplan, I see no reason not to continue - the only thing I would say is bear in mind that you may not be able to use set-track and may need to make your own points if you want to replicate the track geometry exactly.

[CandO]

If you are determined (and able) to stick rigidly to that trackplan,......

Determined maybe, able?? Who knows but I'll give it a go!! Tbh points will probs be just standard to start but you never know

Thanks for the comment!!

[flying scotsman123]

I'd say a compromise would be to use flexitrack and normal points, you'll be able to get pretty close without all the extra hassle of building points.

[Emettman]

OK, I see the idea. Nice.

You may need to make a few inches of compression to get those end curves in the space currently allowed for.
I'd suggest (subject to better advice from other N'rs) getting a half circle of Fleichmann's Piccolo 9120 7.5" radius (192mm) track, a couple of straights and using that as a test piece for tightest radius
I don't know if they do a little gauge-easing but I've found their curves less challenging to locos and stock that other firm's pieces of apparently identical radius. If that can be used Fleischmann do a 9" radius to match, leaving someone else's 10.5 or 11 inch radius to give the third curve is a compact space.
This is only for hidden curves.

Is there a bigger picture of the station track available? On-line perhaps?
I can't quite see what happens at the right hand end, and how that matches up the three hidden lines, and how that interacts with what points might be best serve the fiddle yard.
What trains, if any, are intended to to reverse direction?

Chris.

[CandO]

Is there a bigger picture of the station track available? On-line perhaps?
I can't quite see what happens at the right hand end, and how that matches up the three hidden lines, and how that interacts with what points might be best serve the fiddle yard.

This ok?? It is before I drew the three lines on though but you can see where they go

P1050632.JPG (100.92 KiB) Viewed 2687 times

What trains, if any, are intended to to reverse direction?

Chris.

Gonna run primarily steam engines and coal wagons but may include a couple of passenger locos too (just on a circular route, not using the coal yard of course!) No idea about any reversing direction!!

[Emettman]

Got it: so the top of the three is the as-yet un-merged goods sidings, not not a branch line or anything complicated with a return push-pull service to worry about.

But in that case the middle road connects wrongly into the fiddle yard: it needs to connect to the lower pair of loops, not the upper pair.
I think that's right, but check!

Chris

[CandO]

In reality that third line merges into the huge sidings yard just east of C and O but Yes I see what your getting at Chris..... I dunno how many lines I'd get in a 1' wide fiddle yard yet cos I haven't got that far with track yet.....I've no track yet!!

[Emettman]

Technically six lines each way ought to be possible: you don't need more than an inch of *straight* track.
Putting in four each way was enough for this drawing. Points Peco code 55 electrofrog, mainly Y .

To turn 3 in a bare foot, the inner radius comes down to 7.5"

Another 3-4 inches off the right-hand scenery or extra on the board would make 9" the minimum radius.

All the loops give at least 6ft of clear length. With more loops some of the lengths would come down. as a new tier of points would start to be required.

Chris

[CandO]

I don't know if they do a little gauge-easing but I've found their curves less challenging to locos and stock that other firm's pieces of apparently identical radius. If that can be used Fleischmann do a 9" radius to match, leaving someone else's 10.5 or 11 inch radius to give the third curve is a compact space.
This is only for hidden curves.

Chris.

I could join the third to the main before the curve then I only have two tracks at each end?
But I could take about 6" off the right if needed and maybe 3" off the back to create a slightly wider fiddle yard which will then accommodate 2 x 6 lines more comfortably - I presume!!

Have just been working on board sections and think I've settled on the following as my best option.

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It consists of a 4' x 2.5' board either end and two 5' x 2' boards in the middle. This minimises disruption to the buildings and the number of track breaks I think. If anyone can think of any problems with this split and re joining track together please do let me know. Wouldn't like to drop a clanger with this bit

Phil

[Emettman]

I could join the third to the main before the curve then I only have two tracks at each end?

I think that would be significant disturbance to the "real" trackplan without any saving in space. What is saved at the end is lost in the length of the point.

But I could take about 6" off the right if needed and maybe 3" off the back to create a slightly wider fiddle yard which will then accommodate 2 x 6 lines more comfortably - I presume!!

Wait until you have some track to dry-lay part of the fiddle-yard and see how 8, 10 or 12 tracks go into 12". Adjust ideas from there.
Paper and computers takes you only so far.

Have just been working on board sections and think I've settled on the following as my best option.
It consists of a 4' x 2.5' board either end and two 5' x 2' boards in the middle. This minimises disruption to the buildings and the number of track breaks I think. If anyone can think of any problems with this split and re joining track together please do let me know. Wouldn't like to drop a clanger with this bit

Phil

I think that may depend on whether this is a semi permanent layout or one that is going to be erected and struck regularly.
If it's not happening too often I would suggest you consider making the scenic board as deep as it would clearly like to be, with a narrower fiddle yard behind, to avoid having to work with (and against) a long split in the townscape. 5 x 3 is not impossibly large.
If taken down frequently there is more sense to having matched pairs of boards, to store or move face to face with appropriate end-plates as spacers.

Chris

[CandO]

It will be getting erected and struck often tbh as it will be going the dining room which does get used. My plan is to work on one board at a time once I have the configuration correct which may be ok to leave erected whilst modelling

Thanks for the help Emmetman, much appreciated.

[CandO]

Latest news.....had a day off work today so, after a couple of chores had been done and I'd been for a run I decided to have a play with Anyrail. Initially it seemed a little bit daunting but, pretty soon, I was able to produce something So below is shown my Anyrail production for C&O which I hope looks like the original layout pic above. I just concentrated on the two oval through tracks and getting the the extra line on the right in and round....the blue lines are where the backdrop will be located and due to constraints on the number of pieces of track you can put on I didn't bother with the inner coal yard or a proper fiddle yard at this point...

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Thing is I'm now tempted to rotate the whole layout slightly as I may be able to get a turntable in to help in the fiddle yard .....

More thinking to be done.....

[Emettman]

The points at the left-hand end look shorter...
The fixed triple curves look look good: Peco Setrack or someone else's?

And the big one : what are you hoping trains will do, that the fiddle yard will have to have facilities for.
As originally shown there were to be up to six trains in each direction taking turns to circle.

A more complicated fiddle yard will almost certainly put the operator at the back, there being a lot more to keep an eye on.


Chris