Category: Track Planning

Posted on in Bench and track work, Model Railway, Model Railway Structures, Track Planning

Swing up bench

Extending a model railway especially when you are trying to keep the overall footprint to a mimium requires careful planning and thought. This swing up flap enables me to roll out the model railway, swing up the flap and enjoy extra functionality in the operation of the railway. The closed down flap footprint only adds approximately 12mm to the width of the layout.

Swing up flap in the closed position. The blue foam is to protect the wall from becoming marked and to provide a safety barrier for the locos and trains.
Swing up flap in up position
Swing up flap under frame – aluminum hollow tube.
Posted on in Bench and track work, Layout Control System, Model Railway, Track Planning

Track plan circuit board

This was an interesting activity to have a go at, with one unforeseen side issue. After I had completed this, I later realised that I was going to undertake an extension to the layout, which meant I not longer had a place for the new turnout on the track plan. But I found that using Train Controller software that a new track plan could easily updated and changed to suit my system. I have since done a couple of other changes to my layout that can be incorporated as well. (Still have one more change to go) The train controller software uses Hot Keys to toggle the turnouts (as well as clicking on the turnout) and you get a visual of the computer monitor to show turnout position. I find this very good, but it is also very handy to have the old system as it can be used when I don’t have the computer on.

Push button track plan turnout indicator and switch.
Lots of wires to hookup to get the circuit board working, but we’ll worth the effort and rewarding after it was finished.
Train Controller track plan. The labels inside the track plan are manual driving routes for automatic and manual driving together.
Posted on in Model Railway, Track Planning

Track Plan

In working out my track plan, I was constrained by the available space that I could use for my model railway. I have a space 3000mm x 1100. Really not enough room apart from a shunting layout. So it was decided to make a looping track as shown in picture one ( I do enjoy watching the trains go by) Picture two shows how I really view my Railway even though it is a loop. Jacaranda Junction (block 7) and Pine Tree (block 4) appear close on the looping track, but are in fact they are very far apart (see linear track plan) when driving trains around the loop it has to be realised and remembered that you cannot take a short drive from Jacaranda Junction to Pine Tree Station but instead driving a full loop to achieve the destination. However when shunting the centre siding can be used by either Station.

This was my initial track plan which has been added to include a dock and logs pick up and a fold down staging yard. Note the blocks shown are not correct.

These two track plans show the progress of the layout. The first picture shows my original layout and the second shows the addition of the line to the docks and the logs pick up area. Photo 3 is the train controller picture that shows a small staging yard and a line that goes behind the backdrop onto a fold down bench which will at a latter date join into a hidden section (yet to be constructed) so the train can go into the tunnel and vanish so to speak.

This is my linear track plan of my looping track
This track plan shows the layout as it is today with a line going behind the backdrop.