7mm Marshalling Yard (A Proposal)

[SteveO]

In the wake of several TMD/Stabling/Yard-type proposed layouts, I've been toying with something I could test and display/store wagons on. As I will be building quite a few freight wagons for my Grand Plan, I thought some sort of marshalling yard would be appropriate. Plus, as they are generally full of facing, trailing and awkwardly tight points I thought it would be ideal to test a couple sprung/compensated axle theories.

My very unexciting, but very technical plan is below:



Operationally, wagons are stored on the Transfer Lines and are made into a train on the Building Line, after which it is stored for collection on the Despatch Line. New arrivals are dropped off ready to be stored back on the Transfer Lines.

This is a complete work of fiction as I have absolutely no idea how a yard of this type would actually work. Any prototypical amends to make it more efficient or cheaper to build would be welcome. I'm going to use Marcway pointwork for price and tighter radii (2-3ft!) and will decorate it with plastic chairs. Groundwork is undecided but will probably be finely compacted oily ash.

Advice or alternative designs are welcome. As I'm nearing the completion of my first batch of wagons I need to get moving on something to run them on. I'll be shunting with my 0-4-0 02 shunter and may one day graduate to my 0-6-0 04 shunter, but looking at those curves, probably not!

 

[SteveO]

Oh dear, Cheers Jordan. The buffer lock problem had been nagging away at me like an unpaid bill but I ignored it. And now the bailiffs have turned up. I'll see how much I can open them up to.

 

[SteveO]

I'm coming to the end of my creative skills on this blasted trackplan. I've done nine versions that I thought were worthy of saving for reference, and countless more that were not. If these (or versions of them) fail, I will open this up to the floor and offer a prize. All of the following use Peco pointwork.

From the top, a fairly simple plan with no real surprises. Limited storage space with a runaround helped by a sector plate. The middle one is the same but with an extra siding.

The bottom one is a self-contained shunting enigma, wrapped in a riddle. The only point to it is to move wagons from one siding to another traversing as much pointwork as possible to serve as a testbed. This is Frankenshunt.

Thoughts, advice, brush me aside and take the wheel.

 

[SteveO]

Yep, I see where you're coming from with the suggestions, and you're ultimately right. My only concern is that I'd rather spend more time 'on-scene' shunting than off it fiddling with a traverser or sector plate, if that makes sense?

This will hang on the rafters beside my workbench so I can quickly put something on and shunt it over a few bits of pointwork, test couplings and releases, etc. The scenic work is going to be very basic indeed, and will certainly not look like a layout, or be taken out of the house, unless I invent some sort of shunting game for an open day at the club.

My thoughts are leaning towards a self-contained middle version, but I am taking in what you've said and perhaps some sort of compromise - if only just for cost!

You've actually given me a bit of food for thought - instead of a traverser at each end, how about one in the middle, not taking up a whole board but enough for 3 or 4 wagons?

 

[3 LINK]

I would think the bottom plan is a " no-goer ", because if you take into consideration the amount of turnouts and the additional length of the fouling points, you would be left with some very short wagon lengths .

Most of us seem to try and fit a quart in a pint pot in 7mm, yes me included .

Martyn.

 

[mickoo]

You've actually given me a bit of food for thought - instead of a traverser at each end, how about one in the middle, not taking up a whole board but enough for 3 or 4 wagons?

Another alternative is a wagon works, with the traverser inbetween two sheds, no points, just the traverser to shunt stock, leave a space between the traverser and the workshp so you can leave stock outside and perhaps one track along the front not covered to exhibit your wares, the other track along the front could be a wash plant before stock goes into the work shop, one work shop for repairs and the other for painting, so you could shuffle stock between buildings. At the near end (nearest operator) would be a track that bypasses the traverser and with points each side so you can basically run round the traverser and what ever is on it.

Example, drag wagon from left shed, traverse to run round tracks, engine runs right leaving wagon on traverser, switches onto run round line and makes its way to the left side of the traverser and then runs right onto traverser, traverser moves to correct track and loco pushes wagon into workshop.

It's a pity we only use traversers in workshops in the UK, but in Europe they're used at many depots, certainly in Germany and Holland (OHLE fitted too) and I think theres one in Copenhagen for the DSB depot. They are also used in US depots as well.

it's a hankering of mine to try and justify one for a UK depot LOL, and I do like that little trackmobile that DRS uses at one of their depots to shunt stock, wagons and locos, lots of them used in the US but only one over here so far.

It'd be perfect for a modern day wagon workshop scenario http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v409/railfan/Trackmobile1.jpg

 

[mickoo]

Ok that anorak mugged me good and proper LOL, though I was a pretty easy target as I've been getting ready to work and commission the 1:1 we have here. Power on should be Friday so if all the lights go out in Suffolk around 15:00 y'all know who to blame

Some inspirational images
http://railphotoprints.zenfolio.com/p32977735/h38F90E0D#h38f90e0d
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rgadsdon/8191192549/
http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/in...3-the-carriage-shop-70-ton-lifting-traverser/
http://smm.1cm.me.uk/img/1998.0462h.jpg
http://smm.1cm.me.uk/img/2006.0834.jpg
http://www.somershandling.co.uk/images/pop_up/30 Tonne carriage Traverser.jpg

And even this one at Moor street, which until I just saw this image I thought was a spoof as I'd seen pictures in an April BRILL mag but none showed the loco in transit, just on each track.
http://www.robertdarlaston.co.uk/Railways50yr_files/image054.jpg

 

[Simon Dunkley]

Try this for inspiration:

Keep your test track separate, keep your layout simple. Cassettes or traverser at other end.

For more, go to: http://www.ostpubs.com

 

[Simon Dunkley]

Btw, what size space do you have?

 

[SteveO]

Some neat ideas, and I'm really beginning to see the light on the minimalism. A rethink is definitely in order tonight.

Mick, you just HAVE to get that little shunter, it's the best piece of modern stock I've seen! Wagon works is a very good idea - maybe in low relief with a siding disappearing into it? Nice, I'll work on it. Great traverser images by the way, I thought they only belonged to modellers!

Simon, that's a very nice piece of trackwork. I spent a little time on the blog you've linked to - he's a big fan of minimalism and prototypical function. Regarding space available, I have 3 boards, each is approx 930x460mm. They were made from the mattress slats on an old single bed I found in bits in the loft!

 

[mickoo]

Some neat ideas, and I'm really beginning to see the light on the minimalism. A rethink is definitely in order tonight.

Mick, you just HAVE to get that little shunter, it's the best piece of modern stock I've seen! Wagon works is a very good idea - maybe in low relief with a siding disappearing into it? Nice, I'll work on it. Great traverser images by the way, I thought they only belonged to modellers!

Simon, that's a very nice piece of trackwork. I spent a little time on the blog you've linked to - he's a big fan of minimalism and prototypical function. Regarding space available, I have 3 boards, each is approx 930x460mm. They were made from the mattress slats on an old single bed I found in bits in the loft!

Steve, without doubt, less is more, railways take up a lot of real estate generally, except inner cities where they can be really cramped.

No joy on the trackmobile as a 7mm model, it'd have to be scratch built, but you can get them in 4mm easily enough.

Traversers in the UK are usually out of sight in works, as I said in Europe they are much more prolific and public.

 

[Simon Dunkley]

Simon, that's a very nice piece of trackwork. I spent a little time on the blog you've linked to - he's a big fan of minimalism and prototypical function. Regarding space available, I have 3 boards, each is approx 930x460mm. They were made from the mattress slats on an old single bed I found in bits in the loft!

I'm already a big fan of his; the track work book is well worth buying. As for the rest of the publications, I would advise caution. They tnd to follow some of th blog themes, but in more depth. If you are into such concepts as "thought leadership", then they are worth buying as he provides it in spades, but if you just want some inspiration, then read the blog.

Those boards are not very long. I would concentrate on something minimalist, using a sector plate to ompletely the loop, and go for detail, colour and texture. What you have in front of you is the chance to produce something rather different and special, and in the same vein as Shell Island, but not quite as small, and in 0 gauge. What I have, is another excuse for a quick play with Templot!

One other thought, but have you considered the basic layout of Porth-y-Waen? You would get all three points on the centre board, with three sidings (well, two sidings and an arrival road) at one end, and a running line with parallel heads hunt at the other - this would be modelled with a raised bank along the back (road on top, behind a hedgerow which you place 1/4" in front of the backscene) beside the shunting neck, and low ground or a removable embankment at the front, for crane hunting. You old even compress and corrupt real distances and track arrangements, and have a couple of sidings at the front, used as storage roads.

Again, Templot will be deployed later this evening. Results later...

 

[SteveO]

Thanks very much Simon, looking forward to seeing the results!

 

[martin_wynne]

Hi Steve,

This is an old design copied from the Templot web site:

This is Mawley Oak, a self-contained minimum-space shunting layout in 7mm scale. Total length is 9 feet, comprising 3 boards each 36" x 21", or alternatively 2 boards each 54" x 21". The grid on this screen is in feet. The turnouts use a fictional custom switch to save space (1:20 deflection with the heel at the planing length). The minimum radius on this plan is 1224 mm (48").

It is envisaged that the cassette area would be hidden behind low-relief structures along the back of the platform, and the sector plate would be behind a retaining wall with a road above and a skew overbridge disguising the entry track. It will be necessary to run under the bridge during shunting. Storage of cassettes would be on a rack below.

To save space, the engine release is via a 30ft turntable, limiting locomotive power to tank engines. It should be possible to increase the diameter a little, provided the check rails for the approach crossing were continued onto the table.

The Templot data file for this track plan is available for download at: http://templot.com/samples/mawley_oak.box

(The turnouts in the loop have 1:3.5 crossings, which is less than the nominal 1:4 minimum and will therefore trigger a warning from Templot.)

If implemented instead in 4mm scale, Mawley Oak could be fitted on a single 5ft x 1ft board.

A very old Templot screenshot:



regards,

Martin.

 

[phileakins]

A possible amendment to Mawley Oak which would ease the curvature of the loop, and the turnouts off it, and add about 12ins to its length would be to move turnout 11 (main to loop) so that the sector plate takes the place of its switch.

Otherwise I like it.

Phil

 

[SteveO]

Hi Steve,
This is Mawley Oak...
regards,
Martin.

That's very nice Martin, compact and bijoux! Thanks.

I'm really going to have to think this through a bit better...

 

[SteveO]

... and in the same vein as Shell Island...

Very cute indeed! Plenty of scope to add just one more siding for standing wagons too.

One other thought, but have you considered the basic layout of Porth-y-Waen?

I can't find a trackplan of it anywhere - do you have one to hand?

 

[Simon Dunkley]

Hi Steve,

Those board sizes are rather constraining, so I have used generally B7 turnouts, but occasionally a B6 (I would prefer to use bigger - the real railway views a B8 as a bit tight. I have seen C10s in use for sidings to an oil depot). I have also assumed that you are going to use a "Coulter" style turning traverser, or is it traversing turntable (RM, July 2010)? Scenically, how you disguise the fiddle yard is up to you, but you can use a road overbridge at the RH end of the middle board as there was one at Porth-y-Waen (between two T junctions, how useful is that?).

Anyway, plan 1 is a straight re-work of the loop plus two sidings approach. It's OK, but really needs another board at each end to start to come into its own. The point to get off the loop onto the sidings is a B6, the other two are B7, so you are down to about 7' minimum radius.


Plan 2 is a compressed version of Porth-y-Waen - John Allison's 0 gauge model (RM, October 1977!) nearly 40 years ago was 0 gauge, but 20' long! Q represents a line to a quarry, A is the arrival road, and B is the continuation of the branch which once went up the Tanat Valley, but latterly went to Blodwell, for a reversal up to Nant Mawr (sounds good, means, "big stream"). x is the "headshunt", which you could use as a run-round, y the line from Llynllys, and z a spare road on the turning traverser. Despite the names, the line was in Shropshire, but presumably a part that wasn't always so... The only way to fit the crossover onto a single board was to use B6's, so 7' minimum radius again.



Plan 3 is me taking a bit of both, and putting it across the boards at an angle, and using B7s exclusively, with much gentler curves. I have no idea how long a loco will be, but you have about 18" clear of the point blades for the loco release: just don't put any stop blocks in, and suggest instead that the line goes elsewhere. I have put in one siding for storage/shunting, and another for (un)loading/repairs or whatever it is you wish to do.



Hope these are of help!

Fat, balding finescaler who likes to be picky. Particularly at Neil.
(That's another micro-flame.)

 

[Simon Dunkley]

It's the thinking behind the right-hand siding on my layout Schiller Point, here...

Just a thought, but if you modelled it all in forced perspective, so that the long bonnet got smaller, and the freight cars, too, then it would be even more realistic!

two long sidings are much more realistic than 4 very short ones.

Decent layout design in a nutshell - they can also be more fun to shunt. And one siding, can be even more frustrating fun.

 

[SteveO]

Great! Thanks Simon. I'm nursing a littleman with a temperature today, and most of last night, so will digest when I get a bit of kip. Cheers!