Help - Track Plan Needed.

[Kanpai Keith]

Dear good people of the JNS, is anyone prepared to draw me a track plan please. So I can work out what track I need to order.

 

I’m an iOS user only (iPad Pro) I’ve tried Trax but can’t get on with it.

 

I just need a single oval on a 4x2’ board. I’m thinking a 2 line through station at the rear using a Tomix curved point on the left and a c280 point on the right. Would like the station to hold 2 3-5 car trains. If the front straight can be given a little relief that would be great.

 

Also would I get a bigger platform by just using c280 points instead?

 

Don’t mind using c243 curves or mixing with c280 as the ends will mostly be hidden.

 

I have no curved or c280 points to mock this up.

 

something along these lines, please excuse the dodgy drawing 🤣

 

many thanks 

 

keith

 

 

Edited February 5, 2021 by Kanpai Keith

[MeTheSwede]

Doesn't sound like much drawing is needed. Doing some mental aritmethics assuming a 1200 x 600 mm space available I get it to:

 

4 243mm curves (front)

2 curved turnouts and 4 280mm curves (back)

4 280mm straights (two parallel sidings at the back)

2 280mm straights (front)
4 280mm long one sided station platforms allowing room for two 4 car trains.

4 33mm straights to put between the curves and straights at the back to prevent trains from bumping into the station platform because the trains are coming into the station at an angle leaving the curve. (These ones might need to be longer depending on the train, or could be dispensed with if you are happy with a gap between platform and track.)

1 140 mm straigh (front) to compensate for the lower radius curves at the front resulting in a longer straight segment and the 33mm straights at the back.

 

I think using a regular turnout instead of a curve turnout squeezes you down to a 3 car train and a 2 car train. Trying to fit an island platform would also end badly.

 

Don't put too much trust in me getting this right in my head. Use a pen, paper and a ruler and work it out for yourself.

 

This is a good webpage for track geometry:

http://www.trainweb.org/tomix/track/snippets.htm

(Take special note of figure nr 10 which shows the advantages of curved turnouts.)

 

[Kanpai Keith]

@MeTheSwede thank you. Makes sense to have the curved points at 90-135 degrees and not 135-180 😱

 

I’m wanting to add an island platform (which I didn’t specify, 😞) So I need greater track separation. I’m wondering if c243-45 + c243-45 + c280-45(points) + c243 inside line and c243-45 + c243-45 + c317-45(points) + c280-45 outside line would all fit on a 4x2’ board and give me the clearance required for a 3-5 car island platform?

 

 

[bill937ca]

Here is a basic 4 foot x 2 foot plan drawn with Anyrail using C245-30 curves and S280 straights. There isn't much if any room for an island platform. The squares are set at six inches for reference.

Edited February 5, 2021 by bill937ca

[bill937ca]

Generally Tomix uses PR541-15  turnouts paired with S72.5 straights for island platforms.  This takes space.  You want to use PR280-30 which will leave you with a very sharp angle into the platform.  This is draft two with partially completed turnouts.  This is more of a siding angle than an island platform angle. island platroms for 3-5 cars won't fit on a 4 foot board.

Edited February 5, 2021 by bill937ca

[Kanpai Keith]

@bill937ca thank you.

 

I’m thinking of pull the track pretty much to the edge of the board on the station side.  243+243 = 486mm + 40mm track width = 526mm. 609 - 526 = 83mm, enough for the width of a platform.

The curves will be tight to the ends( they will be hidden.

 

yes it’ll tight, hence wanting c280 point one end to allow the use of c243 curves giving options for the front.the larger curve will be pretty much covered.

[bill937ca]

Just to show the space it takes this is an island platform station for 3-5 cars on a four foot board.  Lengths are given in inches instead of mm. The diagram shows the station on a four boot board.

 

1021, N Tomix Fine Track, (S140). Straight 5 1/2".   x 1
1022, N Tomix Fine Track, (S280). Straight 11 1/32".   x 4
1023, N Tomix Fine Track, (S72.5). Straight 2 27/32".    x2
1123, N Tomix Fine Track, (C541-15). Curve radius 21 5/16", angle 15º    x2
1271, N Tomix Fine Track, (PR541-15). Right turnout 5 1/2".   x 1
1272, N Tomix Fine Track, (PL541-15). Left turnout 5 1/2".   x 1
 

 

[bill937ca]

You can use the curved turnouts PR317/280.  I don't see why you want an S280 turnout.  This uses an S33 spacer which may still be too tight for a conventional Tomix platform, but you can still use the Tomix 4060 mini platform which fits between normal track.

 

1021, N Tomix Fine Track, (S140). Straight 5 1/2".    x1
1022, N Tomix Fine Track, (S280). Straight 11 1/32".   x 5
1024, N Tomix Fine Track, (S70). Straight 2 3/4".   x 2
1099A, N Tomix Fine Track, (S33). Straight 1 5/16".   x 3
1099B, N Tomix Fine Track, (S18.5). Straight 23/32".   x 1
1125, N Tomix Fine Track, (C243-45). Curve radius 9 9/16", angle 45º   x 8
1248, N Tomix Fine Track, (CPR317/280-45). Right curved turnout 45º (remote)   x 1
1249, N Tomix Fine Track, (CPR317/280-45). Left curved turnout 45º (remote)   x 1
1522, N Tomix Fine Track, Straight extendable 2 3/4"-3 17/32".  x 2

Edited February 5, 2021 by bill937ca

[Kanpai Keith]

@bill937ca that’s the one, thank you so much 😊 

 

Are you able to show this using a 1274 c280 point on the left and use c243 curves, the ends will be offset but It’s not too much work to get them together, maybe in a P shape.

 

 

Edited February 5, 2021 by Kanpai Keith

[bill937ca]

6 minutes ago, Kanpai Keith said:

Are you able to show this using a 1274 c280 point on the left?

 

 

 

I've tried but it doesn't seem to line up. The sharp angle curve needed would be hard on couplers and cause derailments.

[Kanpai Keith]

Sorry should have said on the straight.

 

I doubt that would work as I’d lose too much platform 

 

I have not seen the mini platforms before, 18.5mm wide wow!  How wide is a set of steps down to it ?

Edited February 5, 2021 by Kanpai Keith

[Morcs]

Another way to have an island station is to put it in the middle of the layout as opposing sidings with a platform between them.

A turnout from the bottom with track heading north east, and a turnout on the top with track heading south west, if the spacing can be achieved. You won't be able to drive through obviously.

 

I've done three 4x2 layouts and many more track plans, and Fitting a station in 4x2 is not that feasible for anything other than 1-2 car trains, suggest rural themed is the way to go in this space (or shorts)

 

My last layout I could not even fit a genuine second track behind the island platform (dummy track only) and even then could only fit 3 cars max.

Edited February 6, 2021 by Morcs

[Kanpai Keith]

@morc thanks.  How wide is the width of the steps on the overhead station?

[Kanpai Keith]

On 2/5/2021 at 7:57 PM, bill937ca said:

You can use the curved turnouts PR317/280.  I don't see why you want an S280 turnout.  This uses an S33 spacer which may still be too tight for a conventional Tomix platform, but you can still use the Tomix 4060 mini platform which fits between normal track.

 

1021, N Tomix Fine Track, (S140). Straight 5 1/2".    x1
1022, N Tomix Fine Track, (S280). Straight 11 1/32".   x 5
1024, N Tomix Fine Track, (S70). Straight 2 3/4".   x 2
1099A, N Tomix Fine Track, (S33). Straight 1 5/16".   x 3
1099B, N Tomix Fine Track, (S18.5). Straight 23/32".   x 1
1125, N Tomix Fine Track, (C243-45). Curve radius 9 9/16", angle 45º   x 8
1248, N Tomix Fine Track, (CPR317/280-45). Right curved turnout 45º (remote)   x 1
1249, N Tomix Fine Track, (CPR317/280-45). Left curved turnout 45º (remote)   x 1
1522, N Tomix Fine Track, Straight extendable 2 3/4"-3 17/32".  x 2

What space would this take up using all c280 curves instead of the c243?

[bill937ca]

This would be 50 x 26 inches.

 

1021, N Tomix Fine Track, (S140). Straight 5 1/2".    1
1022, N Tomix Fine Track, (S280). Straight 11 1/32".    5
1024, N Tomix Fine Track, (S70). Straight 2 3/4".    2
1099A, N Tomix Fine Track, (S33). Straight 1 5/16".    4
1099B, N Tomix Fine Track, (S18.5). Straight 23/32".    1
1121, N Tomix Fine Track, (C280-45). Curve radius 11 1/32", angle 45º    8
1248, N Tomix Fine Track, (CPR317/280-45). Right curved turnout 45º (remote)    1
1249, N Tomix Fine Track, (CPR317/280-45). Left curved turnout 45º (remote)    1
1522, N Tomix Fine Track, Straight extendable 2 3/4"-3 17/32".    2

[inobu]

4 hours ago, Morcs said:

Another way to have an island station is to put it in the middle of the layout as opposing sidings with a platform between them.

A turnout from the bottom with track heading north east, and a turnout on the top with track heading south west, if the spacing can be achieved. You won't be able to drive through obviously.

 

I've done three 4x2 layouts and many more track plans, and Fitting a station in 4x2 is not that feasible for anything other than 1-2 car trains, suggest rural themed is the way to go in this space (or shorts)

 

My last layout I could not even fit a genuine second track behind the island platform (dummy track only) and even then could only fit 3 cars max.

 

That's another good one. You got to move to DCC. You can do a lot of things. 

 

I see all the magnets..... I like the operations as well. Check this out. It took me months to figure out how

to make good uncoupler modules. I tried to take it to Kato and they weren't interested.

 

Inobu

 

[inobu]

Keith,

 

I meant to post this yesterday.

 

You have to let the track plan dictate the space. Start with the station first and work around it. Also look for dead space in the room.

 

 

 

 

 

Inobu

[Morcs]

26 minutes ago, inobu said:

 

That's another good one. You got to move to DCC. You can do a lot of things. 

 

I see all the magnets..... I like the operations as well. Check this out. It took me months to figure out how

to make good uncoupler modules. I tried to take it to Kato and they weren't interested.

 

Inobu

 

 

Ive never figured out to make the magnets work, thought the tomix locos that had magnetic rapido couplers would spring open when running over the magnets, but they actually would go the other way instead, so didn't really go any further with it.

 

Saying that I would love if Kato released a simple uncoupling system for rapidos at least, like the spring ramp style Hornby use for instance. I would just build lots of switching layouts!

Edited February 7, 2021 by Morcs

[Morcs]

17 hours ago, Kanpai Keith said:

@morc thanks.  How wide is the width of the steps on the overhead station?

 

25mm