HOn3 Rio Grande Southern First District 1938-1945

[DKS]

Hey @David K. Smith , got a minute?   

I am digesting the rest of the thread. I missed most of it while I was AWOL, and I want to try and get a handle on the context.

Edit: OK, I've sifted through the whole thread trying to capture the salient points. For one, nearly every proposed plan was followed by someone saying, "I really like that!" which didn't help me see which way the wind was blowing. So I just kind of winged it.

After trying to cram the previous plan in the space, it seemed to get kind of cramped, with tight curves and narrow benchwork. Maybe that's OK, and I'm happy to revisit that course. Having been at layouts with narrow aisles, though, it gets kind of crowded when guests are around. So I went for more aisle space. I also kept things simple, as that seemed to be the theme of the railroad.

My first pass isn't fully fleshed out; you'd probably want to add more stuff. I also confess I'm out of my depths with HO narrow gauge--I don't have a sense of what can fit, how far track needs to be spaced, etc. I used Atlas N Scale #7 switches for starters, with no idea if they're close enough to what you've got.



Note that I'd envision one end of the plan to be higher than the other, so the return loop at Rust drops below the mainline at Rico. Minimum radius is in the neighborhood of 18".

No idea if I'm even in the ballpark; it's just a rough sketch to start some discussion. Gotta start somewhere. Have at it!

 

[Chris333]

BUILD IT

[DKS]

Just to compare, here's a fairly literal translation of the previous suggestion, just so you can get an idea how tight things get.

[Dave V]

Dave,

I love watching you create.  The challenge here is that I’m not planning on compromising track arrangements at all...  That is to say for example Rico—as I drew it—is the prototype track arrangement.  Not looking to deviate more than I have to.  To wit:

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

I fear the plans you’re developing have track arrangements that depart farther from prototype than I’d like to go.  My suggestion about the SJC would be modified to better fit real track arrangements.

[DKS]

I fear the plans you’re developing have track arrangements that depart farther from prototype than I’d like to go.  My suggestion about the SJC would be modified to better fit real track arrangements.

Got it. I'll revisit things with this in mind.

Do you have a preference for which one is closer to your liking, at least in terms of overall proportions?

Also, would a mirror-image (track route only, not the arrangement of tracks at the main stops) work?

 

[Dave V]

Prefer the pit.  No mirror-images if possible.  This has to feel like the real RGS.

[nuno81291]

Here is my hand at a compressed version of the colorized hand drawn you did previously Dave. It necessitates another curved turnout in Lizard Head but otherwise all ME #6, minimum aisle is 2.5' (other than lift out) with the target being about 3'  generally. minimum radius is 18 other than I believe you indicated a 16" curved turnout I simulated in Ophir [ Guests cannot view attachments ]

If you are hunting for aisle space I would shorten the peninsula with a second curved turnout in Lizard Head, can easily squeeze a 3' aisle and maintain a good sized siding.

[Dave V]

Here is my hand at a compressed version of the colorized hand drawn you did previously Dave. It necessitates another curved turnout in Lizard Head but otherwise all ME #6, minimum aisle is 2.5' (other than lift out) with the target being about 3'  generally. minimum radius is 18 other than I believe you indicated a 16" curved turnout I simulated in Ophir (Attachment Link)

Wow!  I think that’s it!  I’ve been worried whether everything would fit.

Fortunately I followed RGS practice and had a #6 three-way stub built for the north end of Rico Yard so the house track wont need to kink so sharply near the mill.

[nuno81291]

Wow!  I think that’s it!  I’ve been worried whether everything would fit.

Fortunately I followed RGS practice and had a #6 three-way stub built for the north end of Rico Yard so the house track wont need to kink so sharply near the mill.

I could not tell from the hand drawn whether that was a 3 way or not, but a wonderful (prototypical) narrow gauge quirk that helps save space? Awesome!

[DKS]

Well, we've all been busy beavers. I redrew the hand-drawn plan as well, mostly as a way to verify it could be built.



I tried to stay as true to it as possible, and pushed the 12' side out to 14' (with a curved corner) just to take as much advantage of the space as possible.

Minimum radius 18". #7 N Scale turnouts as before. You can see where things had to get pushed around a bit.

[Dave V]

I could not tell from the hand drawn whether that was a 3 way or not, but a wonderful (prototypical) narrow gauge quirk that helps save space? Awesome!

Yup!  There were two 3-way stubs at Rico, but the one I’m planning on modeling is on the main.  This pic is looking south, so the big mill is over your shoulder to the left:

https://ngtrainpics.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/RD140-RGS-Burns-Canyon-to-Rico-2/G0000_JI2BlAWziA/I0000ecmbYiB3Zj0/C0000Vd2qoA2MbNU

Well, we've all been busy beavers. I redrew the hand-drawn plan as well, mostly as a way to verify it could be built.



I tried to stay as true to it as possible, and pushed the 12' side out to 14' (with a curved corner) just to take as much advantage of the space as possible.

Minimum radius 18". #7 N Scale turnouts as before. You can see where things had to get pushed around a bit.

LOL, and I’m in between flight legs on a business trip.  I like this...but I’m not going out the full 14’ on the left because it will stick out 2’ into the basement and conflict with the air hockey table.

I’m willing to sacrifice Ridgway altogether.  I can use Rico as open staging if it comes to it.

[DKS]

I don't think you need to give up Ridgeway. I chopped the leg off at an angle the way you did, shuffled things around, and got it back in.



P.S. Sorry about the broken image link before, you replied just as I'd edited the image (missed a mistake--not that it matters any more).

[DKS]

And here I was going to go off on a verbose tangent about how track planning often gets into a feedback loop and the plan starts to swing further away from the target. It's often best, when that happens, to start over with one of the earliest plans to get grounded again.

[Dave V]

Dave, you and Michael have done me a very big favor, actually...  You’ve proven that my plan will fit.  As I had time in the air today to daydream I realized that as long as I can salvage whatever portions of the benchwork support Rico and Bridge 45A I shouldn’t have to worry about moving or an unrealistic portability requirement.

So I think I’m still very happy with this pit design.  It’s a go!

[nuno81291]

The sense of immersion and separation between locales with the pit + peninsula style would be wonderful for this type of layout. Unable to view it all the viewer is forced to see the LDEs as standalone scenes for the most part. I really like that you get your trackwork relatively faithful to the proto if not compressed somewhat. I have absolutely nothing against Furlow or similar types of designs but you posted a handful of wonderful, really proto inspired track plans that had a lot of validity and more importantly your own character and take on the RGS.. I personally am not one for the up and over figure 8 folded dogbone (grades are a plus but railroading sticks as linear in my mind, trains passing through a scene once and all that). The modular pit design as I see checks every requirement you have posted; and should be a blast to build out and operate or sit back and watch narrow gauge in the high country. I will be living my narrow gauge interest vicariously through your build; whatever route you decide to go.