2019_08_03 adjusting the station layout?

2019_08_03 Worried about the station layout.

So Al came over today to see how we would overcome our problems. First thing we did, was lay a board over hole in center of helix. Then used a radius stick to work out where the track would go.

As it turned out 36 inches radius was the best fit. At start and finish of loop it eased out from straight to 60" and curve to 42" to make things fit. Except for the points no track went under 36" Which was what I insisted on.

All three points are large radius to match the curves as best as possible. Two straight left hand Peco code 75 and the curved point was an adjustable code 83 Tillig. It almost perfectly matched the height of the code 75 ?? Must be something to do with the sleeper height? Code 75 metal joiners were tight on code 75 track but a little loose on the Tillig code 83.
I bought the new code 75 curved points from Perth and they did not arrive on time, hence my use of the Tillig curve and a straight large radius Peco. It works out fine. Since when does it take 45 days to mail a package from Perth to Albury? My guess is they are coming from England. If I had known that, I would have imported them myself and saved $25 and got them in 14 days max!

Anyway we got a lot of work done today, considering every individual rail has a dropper soldered on, and points get 5 soldered connections as well. I solder a dropper to each  point blade, to outer rails which link into inner rails  and last to the frog. I hope I have eliminated every possible dead spot. If I have it will be well worth the extra effort which slows us down so much.

Anyway here are some pictures, showing only a meter left to lay to complete the loop and of course have to connect up all the yard to finish.
The AR1 auto return loop controller is fitted as is the ring main to connect in the DCC. Now I can add in the droppers after I give the wires a loose twist to  eliminate interference problems.

Pictures....

Track along wall serves grain silo second track serves run around for silos as well as hidden reverse loop into terminus station. Curve starts off at about 50" and quickly comes back to 36" as it gets to next points.

So the Tilig point is flexible allowing slight adjusting of the radius, and it was lightly pulled around to follow the drawn 36" radius. The closer point is a Peco large radius straight LH point, which looks like it will continue as 36" before opening out to 38" at other end of yard. The yard tracks are a very reasonable length too.

 

Platform will be curved and will sit on left hand side to avoid right hand curve on right of picture.

This is the last bit of circcle to finish. Al dawdled last hour and a half, as I think he wants me to run first train when he is there Ha Ha.. (actually it was fighting the two points which were a bit of a bugger.

 Red and green wires are connected to AR1 reverse loop controller, which is high up on the post right of center. This is connected to the normal bus which extends to the end of the silo roads. Both point on silo side are connected to normal bus . The station track and hidden connection are all connected to AR1.

Will give these wires a slow twist to reduce command interference before connecting all droppers. The green is my black connection on reverse loop.

Cheers
Rod and Al.

2019_08_01 Working on new helix (finally)

2019_08_01  Building new station.

The new station is a typical Victorian Country terminus with enough industry to make it busy.

It is supposed to be a dead end (end of line) station which was built after the branch was commissioned,  to serve a new population of WW1 veterans who were helped to settle the land after returning from Europe in 1918.
And so coal  (later briquettes) grain, fuel, animal and general goods facilities were provided.
As well a passenger service operated twice a day, morning and night. In later years a rail motor service was added during the day to allow shopping trips to the nearest large town. Really a very busy little terminus which survived the steam era unlike so many of its sister towns.

And so construction begins. I thought I could build a curved station on top of a round helix ??
However this is turning out more difficult than I could have ever imagined.

The Helix is designed to carry three tracks 46", 44" and 42" inch radii.

It seems that the branch will need a minimum radius of 36" (or less) I really do not want less. So here we are trying to fit it all in, not very well I am afraid to say.

The inside track will be the platform road with No 2 tk an arrival road, no 3 track storage and No 4 the goods shed.

No 2 track will connect back to the grain silo area which is a branch of the main along the western wall. This will form a reverse loop and will be hidden and only be used when insufficient operators are available to man the yard.

So some pictures...  (as usual)

Although not supposed to be running on BG it was the only train I had to test the new track :D

 Just need to power the points.

 Testing out ideas for the valence

I don't like the wide board to the right. I think it will look better to use the two boards?

and thus here lies the problem bringing both sides together without complicating the platform or going below 36" radius.

The silo area is branching of the main along the western wall.

Peco curved points are part of the problem. Although the sharp inner radius is actually helping here.

Outside radius 46" and that will not work.
Inside radius is roughly 36" and when fixed down should work?

Complicated join of each end..Today we will have to adjust it to make it work.

Cheers
Rod and Al.