Interlocking Towers

steamhead

Active Member
So....Those spindly towers like Dr. Wayne posted, have no "real" role to play in yard operations..?? So what am I supposed to do with one I've had for..like forever.. if there are no crossings to manage..?
 

60103

Pooh Bah
So....Those spindly towers like Dr. Wayne posted, have no "real" role to play in yard operations..?? So what am I supposed to do with one I've had for..like forever.. if there are no crossings to manage..?


A road crossing can be easily constructed with cardboard, plastic sheet or plaster. :mrgreen:
 

Ralph

Remember...it's for fun!
So....Those spindly towers like Dr. Wayne posted, have no "real" role to play in yard operations..?? So what am I supposed to do with one I've had for..like forever.. if there are no crossings to manage..?

Keep it where it is and say your railroad prefers to use towers like that. :) I have one near my car float as the office for that operation. I think it makes sense because the towerman can see from above how cars are being loaded onto the float.

Ralph
 

tetters

Rail Spiking Fool!
I think I still have use for one although not where I imagined it would go.

I'm going to call modeler's license on this one!
 

60103

Pooh Bah
You could justify one if it just has to control the switches between the yard and the mainline, but needs a good view of the yard.
 

tetters

Rail Spiking Fool!
Thing is on my layout I don't have a mainline per-se. The Main exists somewhere off layout. I do have a set of Inbound/Outbound tracks that sit next to the yard and are connected to it by a set of curved t.o.'s (single x-over) at the corner of the layout. The IB/OB tracks also make use of the double x-over I hand laid which sits at the end of the layout about a foot and a half from the edge. I was thinking about putting a tower next to the double x-over, as a means to "control" traffic coming on to the layout from the Main.

From the stand point of me operating the layout I want to put it in the corner of the layout where curved t.o.'s are. Mainly due to the fact that so far when tooling around after working on the layout, I spend most of my time primarily at that end of the yard working the trains. Switching the t.o.'s to divert onto the industrial trackwork from the lead.

I also recently wired up and installed 11 tortoise machines (3 more to go for this batch) for which the control boards sit mostly in that corner. So I feel like I am controlling everything from that point on the layout.

Eventually I'll have switch machines installed at the East ladder end closest to the double x-over, however that is besides the point for now.

Does that make any sense at all? :rolleyes:
 

brakie

Active Member
Tetters,Why not? Sounds interesting to me.

As far as that crossing shanty..
Well(insert evil smile), why not have a road crossing near the yard throat?:twisted:
 

tetters

Rail Spiking Fool!
Tetters,Why not? Sounds interesting to me.

As far as that crossing shanty..
Well(insert evil smile), why not have a road crossing near the yard throat?:twisted:


It's not really a question of why not. As much as this is my RR, I'd still like to have some sense of realism. I don't want to place a structure on my layout that doesn't belong so to speak.

I have been tooling around with the idea of a road crossing in that area. I might just end opr doing it too. Just wait and see. :thumb:
 

brakie

Active Member
tetters,First realize that in the real world of railroading they had to do with their space limitations.I know of several yards that has curve switches as well as curved yard track.
So,the open and dang near unanswerable question remains: What is realism as far as what does or does not belong??
 

tetters

Rail Spiking Fool!
Like I said before, I think I tend to over think this stuff waaaaaay too much.

Thanks for the replies...all of them.
 
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