Inspired by TNOS

[Aleks]

My really very first serious layout, after about a year since I got into all this... and with my interest surviving a long summer hiatus, I was finally able to pull apart whatever random track configuration I had and create something meaningful as a pilot to see how it can work. No scenery at all as the main goal was to assess if I can even successfully build a layout I like and operate it, before investing in other items. The layout is set up on a coffee table with a wooden plank sitting on top of it to extend the space (attached with Velcro strips:)). Plus three 1x2 ft foam sheets from Woodland Scenics to raise some of the coffee table surface to reduce the slopes. Gaps between sheets and the plank created a few natural "bridges" where the track is hanging in the air, but it works. The track is attached to the base with electric tape and stabilized in places with wooden skewers :). This is really just a pilot so it's temporary and won't stay around for long. 

 

First, many thanks to everyone who earlier answered my questions and helped get through the initial very steep learning curve. Would not have been able to figure things out otherwise.

 

My initial inspiration was a tram line, but I found I am enjoying MU train operation a bit more. So I ended prioritizing the available track for an MU operation and using whatever was left to set up the tram line. In fact, two of them, as some of my trams are DC and I decided not to convert them to DCC after burning two decoders trying to convert a Modemo (which was also destroyed in the process) and after Tomix released Tatra trams, which are for sure beyond my skill set to convert. So one part of tram operation is DCC and the other unconnected one is DC.

 

Both DCC operations (MU and tram) are modeled off concepts of TNOS. But I decided to skip TNOS itself as nothing new has been released since 2020 (and in the last 6 months since I started looking at it). Not enough flexibility. Instead, I am using iTrain to create similar operating modes. iTrain allows to pull trains from storage into the right starting points and then operate various "modes" in a continuous way. Then I can push "Finish" button and send everything back to storage.

 

The DCC tram operation is set up to operate very similarly to the idea realized by Rich K. @brill27mcb using TNOS. There are 8 blocks and 4 trams operating. To make it interesting, I set up track into two circular lines which have a common block and also an intersection.  Naturally, the common block is a bit of a bottleneck, but overall not too bad. I can see three of the trams in motion on a fairly regular basis. Using iTrain I set up several operating modes, which differ as different trams are assigned to work on either of the circular lines, or alternate between them. I call it "tram routes", and effectively there are 3 (smaller circle, larger circle, and a combination of the two circles). So the operating modes differ based on how many trams are assigned to which route. Unlike TNOS, stops are real stops in each block (except one short one) and defined via iTrain. There is one turnout that needs switching which iTrain does. The merging turnout operates in a spring fashion so no switching needed. I only have one TN4088 unit to switch up to 8 turnouts right now, and it's all used up, so I went without storage for this tram operation.

 

The MU operation also does not equate to any of TNOS layouts. It's a single track main line ("Honsen") - 1 block - with multi-track stations at each end. A "Minami eki" (South station) with two tracks on one end, and a "Kita eki" (North station) also with two tracks on the other end. Also adjacent to Kita eki is the storage ("Shako") with three tracks, one of which can only be accessed via either of Kita eki tracks and the other two from the main line. Not ideal, but I only have ability to run 16 blocks right now, and they are all used up.... and I for now also don't have any additional turnouts either.

 

I am using four MU trains on this operation, with either Kato or identical Zimo decoders (Zimo more expensive but seems better, and Kato decoders were missing out of stock in the spring). Kato decoders are really Digitrax, so probably no surprise that Zimo is better...

 

Yamanote line E235... Kansai area Series 223... Akita shinkansen E6... and latest addition just released Nozomi N700S. Due to limited length of all station and storage tracks, I had to limit train length to 5 cars maximum, and the 5-car Nozomi cannot access - would not fit into - two of the tracks (and blocks a key turnout when it sits in another track).

 

To my surprise, I was able to define 11 operating modes (as in TNOS operating modes) with just this very limited setup, each mode running anywhere from 2 to 4 trains. (Note - maximum 2 trains can move at the same time, due to the track configuration). Some fairly complex. In some of the operating modes, I consider the storage tracks to be separate branches. It was a lot of fun designing these modes and programming all of this into iTrain, and then making sure timing works and debugging (a lot!).

 

For example, operating mode 5 provides for the two local trains (E235 and 223) to visit and meet at the South Station. One of them comes from the North Station, the other from the "branch line" (i.e. from the Shako storage). The cycle takes 2 minutes - train 1 pulls from the North station, train 2 pulls from the branch, train 1 leaves back into the North station, train 2 goes back to the branch. Operating mode 11 is the same but using the two shinkansens.

 

Operating mode 6 is probably the most complex and takes 7 minutes to play out. Akita shinkansen goes from Branch 1 (shako track 3) into North station, then into South station, then into Branch 2 (shako tracks 1-2). Nozomi shinkansen and also one of the local EMUs go from North station (can only use track 2 there), South Station, Branch 2. The other local EMU  comes from South Station to North Station and then makes four roundtrips to Branch 1 and back to North station.

 

In all modes shinkansens generally have priority i.e. 5-second stops at an intermediate South Station and passing any local trains sitting there at the moment.

 

The DC tram operation is just a loop, with a passing track and a two-track storage. Essentially, just to break in my DC trams and make sure they run.

 

Will post some pictures... but the MU schematic track plan attached below, in its two interpretations (storage vs. branches). The main line is actually U-shaped, and the branches just sit right next to a segment of the main line or the north station.

 

All track and all trains are Kato, although I have decided to switch to Tomix track for the next layout. But probably limited to Kato (or European) trains as I want DCC for trains...

Edited December 17, 2022 by Aleks

[Aleks]

Overall view of the layout. South Station on the far right, North Station is two tracks on the left towards the back. Tracks in front are the main line (EMU), two tracks of DCC trams, and two tracks of DC trams.

 

Here South Station is at the front, followed by the longer DCC tram loop. You can also see how this loop crosses to go inside the shorter DCC tram loop (30-degree Kato crossing). North Station at the back on the right. 

 

 

Akita shinkansen and E235 Yamanote at the South Station. This was before extending the track to accommodate the longer Nozomi.

 

 

 

Kansai area series 223 sits in the South Station, next to the tram stop Minami eki mae :).

 

 

South Station with two shinkansens, after track extension

 

 

Nozomi navigates its way out of the storage/branch track onto the main line. While spare cars for which my tracks are not long enough yet are collecting dust...

 

 

Two front tracks are branch/storage, and two in the back are North Station. Akita is on its way out onto the main line. You can clearly see how much shorter Akita cars are compared to Nozomi - probably since Akita prototype are used on local tracks with smaller radii in the Akita prefecture?

 

 

 

Edited December 17, 2022 by Aleks

[Aleks]

Tram lines scenes. Duwag GT6 at a long loop station in the city center, with several DC trams parked on the opposite direction track. In the background, Peter Witt (St. Louis livery) drives on the short loop line.

 

 

A tram stop somewhere in an industrial suburb, surrounded by railroad yards. Two Peter Witts (Toronto and Baltimore), each on its own track.

 

 

DC trams storage tracks. Two Modemos from Toden/Sakura tram, Tomix Hankai Type MO161 and Kato Hiroshima/Hanover.

 

 

Peter Witt St. Louis squeezes by Tomix Hanshin Typ 71 two-car tram.

 

 

Duwag GT6 uses some effort to climb a curved "bridge" to the Kita eki mae tram stop.

 

 

Two loop lines intersect here. On the right, St. Louis Peter Witt proceeds to cross. On the left, Toronto Peter Witt stands at a tram stop and will go next. A pack of anti-COVID napkins provides support to make the DC line track slope smoother. Just as in real life, there is a place here for COVID too. 🙂

 

Edited December 18, 2022 by Aleks

[Aleks]

Last but not least. I don't have track for this one to run for now (the EMU track will suffocate with a 5th train), so the next step will be to update the layout to allow this beautiful Red Wing 227 Series to operate. The update will connect EMU and DCC tram lines and allow through-operation - of course not for larger EMUs. The challenge is to keep it to the same 8 switchable turnouts and 16 blocks... 

 

It is rated by Kato for R249 curves. I tried and did not see any issues running it on R177 curves. Here, you can see it standing on a R150 turnout. I have been testing to see if it can clear the turn. Yes, as long as there are straights (at least 62mm) on both ends of the turn. In fact, it can clear this entire short track arrangement - R249 turnout, 62mm straight, another R249 turnout in the opposite direction. Not without some effort, but it's fascinating to see it squeeze through these tight curves. This will be part of the fleet for the regional line for my future layout which will have tight curves by design.

 

Edited December 18, 2022 by Aleks

[GregT]

Really appreciate your explanation and thought in the planning.  Looks like a great start to success! 

[Madsing]

On 12/18/2022 at 7:07 AM, Aleks said:

Overall view of the layout.

Very interesting layout, thanks for sharing. I am very interested in the layout automation part. I’d like to understand it better but I miss an overall view or track plan. The first two photos of this post (the overall view of the layout) don’t show, I get the error message “Access denied”. Is it a problem on my side or are these photos missing?

[DenshaTen]

I get the same message. Would love to see the track plans!

[cteno4]

Looks like something went wrong with the upload of those 2 as only 6 uploaded images are in the post but 8 linked in the source.

 

jeff

[brill27mcb]

Yes, I too cannot see the first two images.

 

I'm glad you found a solution that works for you! A few thoughts, all on the tram operation (since I'm mainly a tram guy):

 

1. A "common" block, track intersections, opposite-direction operation and other "interesting" things will indeed lead to more operational conflict and fewer trams moving at the same time. That's a trade-off.

2. You can set TNOS to make "real" regular timed stops of a chosen minimum time duration, but not necessarily at every block. The Operating Mode determines where the stops happen. For my purposes, just the "friction" of following trams ahead causes enough stops to happen. Unlike trains, real trams generally do not stop at a stop unless someone is waiting to board at that stop or a riding passenger indicates a desire to get off at that stop. So the operational thinking for railways and trams is different.

3. Am I right in assuming that you determine block occupancy using current draw detection in the DCC system? So you need no TNOS-style track sensors?

4. With iTrain, can you move more than 1 train/tram at a time to its starting point, or can you do only 1 at a time like you can with a TNOS TCL command language program?

5. Running trams on several inter-connected "routes" at one time is really a desirable feature, and one that adds a lot of interest to a tram layout.

6. You have a great assortment of N-gauge tram models! I particularly like the Arnold Duewag GT6 in the blue and white Heidelberg livery. That's one I wish I had!

 

Rich K.