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I was thinking back to my childhood in the days of steam when, with my parents, we travelled out of Euston quite regularly. Rather than use a run-around track to get an engine away from its incoming carriages it was more normal for the incoming engine simply to uncouple. A fresh engine would reverse in and couple up to the front of the train. The first engine would leave the platform for the sidings a few minutes after the new train had departed. This lends itself very nicely to an automated control sequence in a RTR layout which I am currently working on. If the old engine is taken around a loop in the sidings it is then facing the right way ready to reverse onto the front of the next train ready to leave the terminus.
Ah! Those were the days……….if my memory serves me correctly
😉 Regards to all.
Hi Pete, If you comlete this,can i hav it to study? I ask because i remember that time as the same here in germany.
Hi Peters, This would be a fun project to tackle. I’ll see what I can do with it, too.
Best regards, Chris
I did a treminus steam train turn around thing abit go. Also a diesel treminus thing but this was done before I was introduced to control tracks and would be made much simpler if you were to use one. See links. http://freespace.virgin.net/dayle.dave/stuff/st%20turnaround%20short.zip http://freespace.virgin.net/dayle.dave/stuff/term%20shunt.zip Thanks Dave
Hi Chris and Dave, thanx for the tracks.
I’ve now set out my tracks for my terminus and got it all planned on paper. My next step is to set up the necessary controls. Incidentally how does everyone else plan their layouts. I layout the tracks as I want them and the controls that I think I will need. Then I set the ground default texture to a very light colour (the white marble is good) and then I take an aerial snapshot from directly above and print off the resulting bitmap (sometimes editing it slightly in paintshop pro). It gives a good plan on paper to continue the process of working out the sequences of controls. If using several control tracks I plan their sequence on squared paper. As they say “Fail to prepare; prepare to fail”
So how do others plan complicated layouts?
Hi Pete. You are also using scratches as i use. I do it before i set the 1st track on to the board in RTR. I name the objects to be controled first and then the controlerpoint on second. If i use controlertracks as eventcounters then i let locos only driving by hand to count the steps for required operation and add them to the scratch.
😉 If i have the complete scratch then i´ll build the controlertrack or not(if not required).Hi Pete, I may break a large, complex layout into its functional modules at some sort of atomic level (the smallest repeatable function) – something like those coal modules – before building the entire layout.
I would prefer to keep my notes on the computer but that’s proved difficult now that I can’t safely
between RtR and my notes. Planning generally involves some sketching and note taking but not as involved as yours or Peter’s. Generally, the more complex the layout, the more thorough the planning. I attempt to make control tags as descriptive as possible:
engine ID: 1, 2, 3, ALL (I,2, and 3).
control side: B or R
device ID: whatever you’ve named the switch, power unit, coupler, etc.
action: power-F(orward) or R(everse); switch-S(traight) or C(urve); etc.
An example: power unit P1 slowing engine ID1 to a stop from the red side of the control:
1R P1 F5
1R P1 F4 1
1R P1 F3 2
IR P1 F2 3
1R P1 F1 4
1R P1 Off 5
These generally display completely in the control edit menu.
I attempt to organize control action listings based on engine IDs and time delays so I can imagine the flow of that control when I go into control edit.
I do keep versions of my layout in order to roll-back should I end up going down a dead end as I generally cannot anticipate everything in a real complex layout.
Regards, Chris
Most of my tracks are layed first using no plans but an idear I have had like how to get terminus stations to work. Then try to get it to work. Most of my tracks are pasenger tracks. But the track I am doing a the moment bt trerminus I did draw a plan and posted it here for you great people that are good at goods yards to help me sort somthing interesting to do. I got most of the track done. If any one would like a look so far I can send you it I got two vertions 1 running and 1 not. The only thing is they are 2mb zipped. I did not know how big it had got till I zipped it to send to Peter. Also with Pete the Porter idear steam trains and terminus stations I’m gona try to convert the track to work with steam trains. 😯 Having fun Dave
Many thanks for all the useful help everyone. I’m very grateful 😆 I have now completed my terminus layout which operates in accordance with my first post on this subject. Six platforms with up to four trains in the station at any one time. Incoming trains are supplied from a FiddleYard at the back of the layout. I must say I am quite pleased with it. 😆 I’m not very internet savvy so I’ve nowhere to put it for anyone to download. I have compressed it into a zipped file complete with “Read Me” note and a couple of screenshots. If any forum members would like to see it I would be pleased to e-mail the layout. (That i can do💡 )Regards to all.
hi Pete Can i get this layout please?
peteroptz@aol.com .
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