Garahbara MKII

W

Woodie

Active Member
Mar 23, 2001
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Northern Rivers NSW Australia
Well, I've been mucking round with Winrail (Demo version), and come up with this for Garahbara MKII.

It is 6.5m long and 2m wide. The area between the two "loops" will be removed and used as the operations "alcove". The town area is up the top, and rural around the "loops" I haven't yet put in any landscape levels or bridges/tunnels etc. It's a dual mainline (up line, and down line). I may "extend" to join the two loops "behind" the operations alcove and put some staging tracks in there. I may, optional, extend one of the "loops" for another small town/station/yards/industry. :)

Wiring should not be a problem (I don't think!!!) :)

Comments?
 

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True Tyson. Yep... It does allow for just running them, which I want to be able to do. Main interest is passenger with some freight. (hence the station). Plus I like looooooonnng trains. :) But it does provide for some switching to different directions without the use of a reverse loop. The outer loop runs clockwise, the inner anti-clockwise. (we have "keep left" trains here) :). The switching comes into it when going through the main station to provide a "pseudo reverse loop" by switching to the inner loop.

I can take a train from the yards (forwards) onto the "inner loop" then switch to the "outer loop" and then "forward" it into the yards.

The single "dead end" platform can originate a train, run it around the "inner loop" then switch to the "outer loop" to have it then "arrive" at the "dead end" platform again, without having to reverse it at some stage.

The whole thing functions as one big "reverse loop", but instead of the "lead track" being the layout, its the yards instead.

The only wiring hassle I see, is the need for a DPDT polarity switch/change for the "dead end" platform and the yards, dependant on which loop they are switched to.

For the wiring polarity, if you, say, take it from the outer most rail of the twin loop, it goes + - - + (for the four rails). This provides for appropriate "forward" in the appropriate directions (of each loop), and also allows for continuous transition between the loops (switching from one to the other) when switching at the station intersections.

Lotta waffle, I know. :) Can you decipher all of that????? :)
 
Woodie! First three dimensional track plan I've seen! I'm picturing that neat complex track work by the station platforms. It conveys a sense of busy railroading with lots of trains coming through. Best wishes as you start to build!
Ralph
 
reverse loops/Wyes

Woodie:
I can see a way of wiring the dead end platform track. Use a switch machine with dpdt contacts to wire it to select whichever loop it's turned for. You'll probably want an on/off switch to kill it as well.
You could use this for the yard as well, but it looks to me as if you'd want to operate that separately.
I have a neat telephone key switch for intelocking the double crossovers. Uses Tortoise type switch machines, and has two DPDT switches interconnected. choices are both straight, both curved, or outer straight and inner curved. Can't point both of them at the crossing. Could make a similar thing with 2 slide switches and something to keep them apart. (Can draw it up if you're interested.)
 
Ralph,
Yep. 3D!!:cool: But it was a first muck with the demo software. You can put the hills, tunnels, inclines houses, trees etc all in it too, and comes out in 3D, and allows you to rotate it around, aerial view, horizontal views etc.

Mr 60103,
Yep. That's the way I intend to do the dead end platform. With a DPDT switch on the turnout immediately at the end of the paltform. (similar spot in the yards too).That is also why I've done the diamond crossing setup to the inner loop as well, rather than a number of "S" curves (yuk on long passenger cars), and also route the train straight onto the inner loop, rather than via the outerloop, then cross to the inner loop. (wiring nightmare to do it that way). I:m not to sure where you mean by the "double crossovers". If you are refering to the turnouts/diamond crossings at the entry to the platforms, I don't see any shorting problems, provided I wire it + - - + (for the four rails of the loops), with approriate insualtion and turnout frog powering.

There is no "double crossover" between the two loops. (In the sense I call a double crossover). i.e. I cannot switch from the outer loop to the inner loop and still maintain the same direction, say, clockwise. (That's the way I want it. No "going the wrong way" up the down track) (Outer loop clockwise, inner loop anticlockwise)

Do you see a fault in the layout design that will allow a violation of this???
 
David,
Now I get ya. :)

Yep. There are a number of locations on the layout where I'll be using a single switch for multiple turnouts, just as you suggest, to prevent any non-matching pass-thru, especially at the double junctions. (now I have a name for them!!) :)

A revised version. The design was done with track pieces, so the end loops will not be as rigid as the pic, but use transition and smoother curves of course. :)
 

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Well, that plan above is the only Garahbara I have now. Garahbara MKI, as most would know, and gone th that great loco shed in the sky. A few wacks with the sledge hammer saw to the that, and then in many pieces in the dumpster. :(:(:(:(

But I had to right it off after the great flood from upstairs. It just wasn't gunna be the same again. :(:(
 
Hi Woodie,

Neat plan, and since you like passenger trains, that will fill the bill nicely. Now looking at your yard and reading your plans to depart a train and return it, I have a question. Will they back into the yard on the return or will you run them in? One track with an escape would give you a lot of work. Then when you run the train in, leave the train and cut off the power and take it to your engine tracks. A switcher could then move the train to one of your departure tracks and after that the power for the train would get on and leave. It wouldn't take much. The outer two tracks could go like this
1 unit length
____________________________________
____________________________/
____________________________________
____________________________________

Hope this comes out ok.

Just an idea,
Greg Elems
 
Hi Woodie - it's great to see you've started on Garahbara II. It's a shame what happened to phase I, which was a work of art. But now that you're comfortably settled in your new home you're probably looking forward to a fresh start anyway - good on ya Mate!

:D Val
 
Originally posted by Greg Elems
Hi Woodie,

Neat plan, and since you like passenger trains, that will fill the bill nicely. Now looking at your yard and reading your plans to depart a train and return it, I have a question. Will they back into the yard on the return or will you run them in? One track with an escape would give you a lot of work. Then when you run the train in, leave the train and cut off the power and take it to your engine tracks. A switcher could then move the train to one of your departure tracks and after that the power for the train would get on and leave. It wouldn't take much. The outer two tracks could go like this
1 unit length
____________________________________
____________________________/
____________________________________
____________________________________

Hope this comes out ok.

Just an idea,
Greg Elems
Click to expand...

Greg,

I'm not sure what you mean? Is that a suggested diagram of the yards up the top right?

As far as "backing" or "forwarding" into the yards, I'm not really fussed. The nature of the switching within the layout itself, allows me to take a train out forwards, then also park it "forwards" as well... however, next time, I would need to "back" it out. I intend to run by maintaining the integrity of the "up" and "down" line as explained. (outer loop clockwise, inner loop anticlockwise) The switching at the end of each platform allows me to switch from inner to outer loop and still maintain the integrity of "up" and "down" line. I then just take the train from the appropriate line and park it in the yards.

What I am thinking of doing, is extending the "Dead end" platform through to the yard lead track, and use that for staging arrivals/departures/terminus activity.
 
Val,

I ain't really started on Garahbara MKII, other than the "thought processes" (dreaming mode) yet. I've lobbed in with friends until I find a nice place to buy. So everything is boxed up in storage at the mo.

Thinking about this place, but ain't made up my mind yet.
 

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Hi Woodie,

That was a diagram for the yard in the upper right corner of your layout. I was just thinking on the computer how you could put an escape for your power. Then next time it leaves, all you had to do was put it on the out bound end. I still think your layout would make a cool commuter layout.

Greg Elems
 
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