*m*e*n*u | Ingram Autocontrols
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- Contents below
on this page
- 1.
Some Thoughts On Display Layout Track
Plans
- 2.
Samples From 'T1' Track Plan Set
- 3.
Approximate Track Requirements For Plans In T1 Track Plan
Set
- 4.
Two Additional Track Plans
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1.
Some Thoughts On Display Layout Track
Plans
Introduction
Introduction
Putting this
set of drawings together into a formal set of
track plans was the idea of Ed Zellner, so he
gets part of the credit (or discredit) depending
on whether you find any value in this collection
of ideas.
We try to
"tangle" the tracks loops up as much as
possible, as opposed to just running trains in
concentric circles. Using trestles to operate on
different levels, plus automatic block controls
to operate multiple trains on the same track, we
can get some interesting visual effects, in
spite of the constraint of being required to set
up and tear down the layouts within a few
hours.
For reference,
the 3 standard G scale track circle radii' are
shown in the following figure.
Fig 22b -- Common Track Radii
The General
Theme
Some of
these layouts have a general "theme" to the
track plan, which I will now try to point
out.
These layouts
with "the theme" have have typically 3
loops.
LOOP 1: "Loop
1" on the outside, generally goes around the
outside perimeter, except that it the rear it
comes into the inside, as shown in the following
figure.
Figure 22c -- Outside "Loop 1"
This "tuck in"
in the rear allows us to visually "tangle" this
loop with the rest of the layout, instead of
looking like a separate isolated loop just
running around the outside.
LOOP 2: The
2nd component is a "Loop 2" that runs inside of
Loop 1 and must be elevated so that it can climb
over top of Loop 1.
The following
figure shows the elevated Loop 2 added. Loop 2
typically starts climbing around point "2A", and
comes back down to ground level around point
"2D". In addition, you can elevate the outside
"Loop 1" between points "1A" and
"1D".
Figure 22d -- Adding The Elevated "Loop
2"
Squeezing In
Loop 3
If you
have a larger space, you can often squeeze in a
"Loop 3" that uses the space left over on the
inside, as shown in the following figure.
Figure 22e -- Adding "Loop 3" On The
Inside
Examples Of This
Theme
Comments About
Notation
Some of
the drawings use a notation such as, for
example, "T050".
This is short for Track Plan # 50.
Examples
Plan
T049 titled "Model Train Mania/Lakewood
Optomists" in this booklet shows a plan that has
all 3 loops, in about the minimum space this can
be done with the outide loop being 1600
radius.
Layouts T051
and T053 also use this 3 track theme, and these
two layouts also have the outer Loop 1 elevated
in addition to the always-elevated Loop 2 as
described above.
Track Plan
T050 "Ninth National Garden Railway Convention"
uses this theme, but omits the inside Loop 3 due
to its small size.
Uphill Rights
Better than Uphill Lefts ?
Whenever
the track plan has an incline, I try to do the
"climbing" on straight track, as the engines can
pull significantly more cars if they do not have
to pull the train through an uphill curve. If an
uphill curve is unavoidable, I try to use an
"uphill right" in preference to an "uphill
left". This is because the LGB engines have the
traction tire on the left side, which causes the
engines to have somewhat of a built-in tendency
to "torque" to the right. So by curving the
track to the right, you are guiding the engine
in the way the traction tire is already trying
to make it turn.
Master Loops and
Slave Loops
On some
of these layouts, where both outside Loop 1 and
middle Loop 2 climb a grade side by side, we
have modified the controls slightly so that one
loop is a "slave" of the other loop.
Plan T045
shows outside Loop 1 slaved to middle Loop 2 by
moving the T1 and T2 track contacts of the Model
944 automatic block on the outer loop, and
relocating them to the middle loop. This
arrangement prevents a train from exiting the
944 block on the outer loop until a train exits
the 163 switching block on the middle loop. The
net result is that the middle Loop 2 "cues" the
outer Loop 1, so that two trains climb the
upgrade more or less side by side.
Plan T051
shows the middle Loop 2 slaved to the outside
Loop 1, by moving the T1 and T2 track contacts
of switching block B2 to the outside loop. In
this case, outer Loop 1 cues middle Loop 2, with
the same objective of having two trains climb
the upgrades simultaneously.
Plan T048
shows an arrangement where the middle Loop 2
cues the outer Loop 1, where the two loops are
running in opposite directions.
The objective
is to have the trains travelling in opposite
directions meet at the same time at the "high
bridge". This idea works, but I question whether
the visual results justify the additional
complication to achieve it.
In general,
this "cueing" seems to produce a more impressive
visual result when the two connected loops are
going the same direction on side-by-side
upgrades.
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2.
Samples From 'T1' Track Plan
Set
What's Included
In This Section
I have
included samples of some the the 14 plans in the
Track Plan Set, as I have most of the drawings
on the computer. Most of the photos, however,
are not included, as I do not have them
scanned.
Track Plan
#6
Note that the
variation of Track Plan #6 as shown below, has been
modifed for "Automatic Route Selection". The
mainline has been split up into two different
routes, and trains travel both routes. Compare it
with the plan above--the two layouts are very
similar, except that one of the switches has been
moved, so that instead of having a passing siding,
there are instead two routes.
Track Plan
#8
Track Plan #8, 1989 -- This 12' x 12' display
operates 6 trains on a single mainline -- using
2 automatic blocks and an automated passing
siding.
NOTE:
The drawing for this plan is not included here,
because it is handdrawn, and I do not have it
scanned. However, it is similar to plan #6
above.
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