Baton Rouge Southern - Chapter 2

[GaryHinshaw]

I tried copying your plan into CAD so I could draw something that worked with Atlas #5 geometry, but it's pretty clear that your plan does not match what you have built, so it's not a very helpful approach, I'm afraid.  Here is how far I got:



Note that you will need a pretty tight S curve to join the innermost track to the refinery lead.  The curves in my sketch are 13" radius, and they don't look very appealing.  Dave's suggestion could help obviate that problem.  But the real issue is that - even flipping the first turnout on the main to LH does not give you enough space for the other tracks.  But that conclusion is based on your track plan drawing, not the as-built configuration.

Perhaps you could post a straight overhead shot that shows the track as actually built, with a ruler for scale.  Then we could offer better advice.

-gfh

[seusscaboose]

Hey Now!
I like the pivot idea.
 

but take it a step further...  instead of pivotting horizontally from it's current location, hang it off the front edge like Lee's old approach to his Staging yard...  just hang it off the front edge... and plop it up when ya wanna use it.

throw some lets under it that fold up underneath for storage.

(ASSuming it is the right dimension and can easily be done.)

[GaryHinshaw]

Here's another thought: if you angle it away from the corner, the lines can be much more graceful.  Not sure if there is room for it though.

[Philip H]

Gary, THis doesn't do it for you?  I'll try to do something overhead tomorrow.  FWIW my normal radius is 14 inches, so if you think it can be done in 13 that's not too much of a change.

Dave S. you aren't married to a red head are you?  The filing cabinet stays in the room, and because of how I have the rest of the benchwork laid out that's it's corner.

Eric, While I like the swing up idea, there are two challenges to just adding it there.  First, my workbench os below that point on the layout, so it wouldn't ever lay flat.  Second, like the small fiddle yard this replaces, it has to serve as a yard, extra track for switching the refinery, a programming track (probably in the engine house) and I'd like to do  a photo back drop of the KCS yard office for photo purposes (in those articles I seem compelled to write one in a while.  All that is just no feasible in a drop down.

DFF, apparently you and I will always be deviled by things named Tucker.  Mine is definitely complicated, and I don't think we can relay his track to improve much of anything.

[GaryHinshaw]

Gary, THis doesn't do it for you?  I'll try to do something overhead tomorrow.  FWIW my normal radius is 14 inches, so if you think it can be done in 13 that's not too much of a change.

It kind of depends how much track you want to re-lay.   I could draft something that works, but it might end up eating into a lot of the turnouts you already have down.  If there is a graceful way to make it work without too much re-work, I'm guessing that would be preferable.

So is angling out an option?  In this shot:



I can't tell how far the yard extends into the nether-lands, or if you can spare a few inches at the file cabinet.  If the yard doesn't extend too far, then angling doesn't cost you much at that location, and greatly enhances options at the corner.

-gfh

[DKS]

So, do I do the middle LH TO as a curved?

It depends. A curved might make it flow better, but I don't think it's mandatory.

Gary, THis doesn't do it for you?  I'll try to do something overhead tomorrow.  FWIW my normal radius is 14 inches, so if you think it can be done in 13 that's not too much of a change.

Although some straight-down overhead photos would be very useful for those of us playing along at home, I think what might help you determine the best approach is to take some lengths of flex track and tape their ends down in place to see how the track flows. This will also help you to determine if you need a curved or straight switch. I have a suspicion DDF's Plan A will work just fine.

Dave S. you aren't married to a red head are you?  The filing cabinet stays in the room, and because of how I have the rest of the benchwork laid out that's it's corner.

I'm not married at all, although by coincidence I favor redheads by a wide margin over others, and my first major S.O. in college was a redhead. Not sure how any of that ties in with the filing cabinet reference, however...

[Philip H]

A moderate night's sleep and three cups of coffee later - plus playing with flex track - and here's my latest.  I think it will work really well - and add operational interest, if I take the main in Elkins closest to the wall and make it a dedicated lead for the refinery, and make the other the A/D track for the yard.  That eliminates two of the three turnouts, allows me to get around the corner with reasonable curves, still has an escape area for locos at the end of the yard, and leaves the filing cabinet intact.  The KCS yard in Baton Rouge has several industrial sidings right off the main line anyway, so it's sort of prototypical.  It will add several moves to making and breaking each train, but again they aren't going to be long, and adding moves to a switching layout helps me scratch the operations itch anyway.

And DKS - if you've  dated redheads, then you know they don't like to be crossed.  The filing cabinet's location falls into that category.   

[DKS]

Not sure I'd pursue this route, to be honest. The crossover creates a passing track that will make working Elkins and the refinery much less of a headache. Without it, you might be scratching that ops itch until you're raw. But of course it's your call!

As for redheads, I hadn't noticed they don't like to be crossed any more than any others. But of course, it could be I'm entirely too captivated by their hair to care.

[Bob Bufkin]

Only dated a redhead once and was because her hair was TUSCAN RED

[davefoxx]

Not sure I'd pursue this route, to be honest. The crossover creates a passing track that will make working Elkins and the refinery much less of a headache. Without it, you might be scratching that ops itch until you're raw. But of course it's your call!

+1.

[Philip H]

So, noodling further, I think I like this the best -  By pulling up the refinery lead track back past the road crossing (Where there's already a track joint anyway) and cutting the crossover into the mains closer to the Elkins end (actually starting on the outside track about a switch length in) I think I can smooth the curves out a bit.  granted, I can't DRAW a smooth curve, but I hope you get the point.  the red line shows the maximum area for scenery - and I may do two trestles over swamps just for Bob.

Final thoughts?

[Ian MacMillan]

As for redheads, I hadn't noticed they don't like to be crossed any more than any others. But of course, it could be I'm entirely too captivated by their hair to care.

Never cross a redhead. My other half is one...and it's hell to pay when she's not happy!

[Philip H]

So here's the current "draft" track alignment into the yard.  The pink and plywood is the start of Bufkin's Bayou, which will require a bit of "reengineering" just past the top track.Obviously I also need to realign the ROW (!), but I think I like it.

[seusscaboose]

Hooray !!!!


Are you going to round off Bufkin's Bayou (flowing the edge of the benchwork w/ the ROW) or leave it square for more scenery space?

[davefoxx]

Looks good, Philip.  If anyone is worried about that S curve, I think you could probably take an inch or two out of the flextrack where it meets the turnout at left and straighten that curve a little.  In other words, start the curve a little closer to that turnout, if necessary.  However, I don't think you'll have much problem with that S curve, especially if your trains can navigate the much tighter S curve in the crossover at right in your photo.

DFF