Portram Pretzels

[Salvatore]

Dear friends.

 

Now that  I moved to a larger house I have begun to build a new layout, with wide curves and long sidings which allows me to run passenger trains; a layout where my Shinkansen Fleet feels at home.

 

I named my layout “Port Isabel & Marsella” after my two daughters: Anna Isabel and Marcela.

 

Although I explored the possibility to build it with Kato Unitrack, finally I decided to use Atlas because of cost considerations, previous experience with Atlas, null experience with Unitrack and ballast realism.

 

Anyway… my layout is a Point-to-Loop-to-Point design, and most of it runs over shelves, with the exception of the returning loop which will be built over a peninsula of about 1 meter width.

The concept:      The blueprint:  

 

I am making all the carpenter work by myself (slower than I'd like). I already have finished the skeleton of all the shelves and I am about to start to build the peninsula:

 

   

     

 

At this point I have been thinking what to do in the space in the middle of the loop… maybe a yard, or an industrial district... I was not sure. But last week I had a completely new idea…

 

Since last month my good friend Carlos Chaveznava came back from Japan with the Portram that I asked him to bring me… Why not to build a street car circuit?

 

The considerations for this idea were:

1.- Continuous circuit

2.- Designed with Unitrack

3.- Width adjusted to a 1 meter maximun (beacause I’m in the construction phase of the peninsula, length and width could be slightly increased; but I prefer not to adjust the width because that would imply a straight section in the middle of the loop curve, and I want a continuous curve for smoother operation).

 

An oval circuit is just too simple... maybe an 8 shape. Using curves Unitrack 20-170 (radius 216 mm) and with the help of AnyRail System I drew an 8 shaped circuit 90 cm width:

 

   

 

Good for a first attempt. But, could be more interesting? What if I fold the circuit over itself… like a Pretzel:

 

   

 

Much better….

 

Now, if I introduce a diagonal track, with the same curves radius 216 mm, width is then reduced from 90 to 80 cm:

 

   

 

Here is where I make a stop and, because of my mentioned lack of experience with Unitrack,  I ask you expert people your opinions…. Do you think this pretzel circuit is adequate for a couple of Portrams running on it?

 

I'll really appreciate all comments and ideas.

 

Chava.

[bill937ca]

If you run two trams how do you keep them from colliding?  Just out of curiosity what's on the table layout in the photos?

[Salvatore]

By dividing the pretzel in 3 blocks, with the 2 trams traveling in the same direction. But currently I have just one Portram. If the circuit is too small, well... one tram at a time is OK.

 

The table is my current layout. I started to build it using all the available space I had under the stairs of my previous small house. In a previous post, I already had put a video that shows it:

 

 

Chava

[Densha]

Do you have higher resolution images? They are really small to look at, it's just enough to identify things but no more. You could also make links at the images with the tag surrounding the tag.

[Mudkip Orange]

Yeah, I wanna see photos of the existing layout.

[Salvatore]

Densha, Mudkip Orange

 

Thank you friends for your interest in my layout. You can see those pictures (an others) in my "Port Isabel & Marsella" Album at Flickr:

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27437008@N03/sets/72157605484598638/show/

 

But don't forget, amigos.... the main reason for this post is to known your opinions about the Pretzel Layout to be used as Portram circuit...

 

Chava

[KenS]

I don't think it's too small for two trams.  In the real world, they often run fairly close together in city-center areas.  You may need to think ahead a bit to avoid one catching up to the other.  But that's going to add to the fun.  And I like the track pattern.  With buildings around, it's going to make it look like multiple separate lines.

 

And, at worst, you'll wire up a complex three-block system and decide it's too much work to operate two, or doesn't look good, and still be able to run one tram at a time.  I'd say go for it, and see how it feels when you get it built.

[Salvatore]

I like the track pattern. With buildings around, it's going to make it look like multiple separate lines.

 

Yesssss...!!!! You got the idea...!!!!

 

And now I can clearly see that Portram trams can easily handle very tight curves:

 

 

Thanks

[Densha]

Densha, Mudkip Orange

 

Thank you friends for your interest in my layout. You can see those pictures (an others) in my "Port Isabel & Marsella" Album at Flickr:

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27437008@N03/sets/72157605484598638/show/

 

But don't forget, amigos.... the main reason for this post is to known your opinions about the Pretzel Layout to be used as Portram circuit...

 

Chava

But I also see some pictures of the new layout, and that's what your post was meant for, isn't it?

[Salvatore]

Yes.... thank you very much, Densha. I'm taking some pictures as my project progresses. Later, I will look for time to organize all that material in a photo album and/or a Youtube video.

 

 

And by the way.... KenS, I made a firts visit to your Sumida Crossing website. Excelente, señor !!!!  It looks really great. I'm gonna take some time this weekend to review it in-depth.

 

 

Chava

[KenS]

Muchas gracias (and no, I don't speak Spanish, but Google is my friend).  Thanks for the kind words, and I hope you find it useful.