Influence. I have many inspirations for this railway. From EMRC to a friend's Caravan based railway that really showed what can be done. Even DVR a miniature railway has an influence. The exhibition railway "Somerton" and "Murranbilla" both which I have helped building and operating as well. All the usual influences are there, the real scene, the magazines ( both AMRM and Model Railroader) and the many visited layouts I have had the privilege to see.
The Room
The railway will be constructed in the space under my house, guess it is almost a basement as it runs ¾ the way under all the house. In addition I have a good sized garage outside near this room. As you can see in the rough plan the space is not without it's obstacles. There are the problems of the laundry, the brick walls, some load bearing stumps/columns and the various levels, not to mention the head clearance.
26/4/2002: The Laundry Wall has gone, leving a earth bank and more room !
As with any plan the consideration of the room is a initial factor no matter what railway eventually develops. Well the room has carpet, is walled in and mainly sealed from the rest of the house. Stairs lead up to the main living section, and there is a sliding door at the rear.
- The laundry ( a sink and a washing machine ) posed one problem. Also the laundry had a access hole to the remainder of the under house access. (there is no external access under the house). Whatever I build will have to allow easy access under the house. This area has the least vertical clearance, those steel H beams sure will knock out people if I do not encase them in rubber ! - which is an Important design consideration.
- The stairs do allow space behind to allow a model railway to pass under. As the Stairs end in the middle of the house, to one end of the main train room it does leave a 3 foot storage space between the stair and the brick wall separating the main room and the rear room.
- The brick wall separating the main and the rear rooms cannot be pulled down, they are load bearing. As it is the doorway was put in after the original construction.
- The rear room has little obstacles, the only problems again is the door to the main room central to one side, and the sliding door at one end on the rear separating the room into two if one pathway linked the doors. The ceiling is quite high in here.
- Due to the history of the main room, there was a toilet and sink in
this area, the toilet will be removed/blocked up, the sink removed. The
former toilet area, in line with that storage space on the other side of
the room and the brick wall has at least two concrete pillars ( stumps)
that cannot be moved.
November 2001: The wall around the toilet are no more. Only the toilet and concrete stumps remain - The room has two ducted central heating outlets in one wall at the front. They would get in the way of any railways on that side.
So what am I doing about the room ?
- Remove the laundry wooden wall - DONE
- Remove all evidence of the toilets and sink - underway
- Stick rubber head protectors on the steel beams.
- Remove the laundry sink and move the washing machine upstairs ( have a laundry cupboard rather than a laundry ).
- Disconnect the ducted outlets completely - no plans for moving etc....
The room should be okay for building in after that.
Basic design goals for room:
- no climb unders ( where you have to kneel or crawl under a table) - but may tolerate duckunders where you duck a bit - or call ‘em nod unders if the track is high enough.
- access to under house ( layout non operational) - removable or hinged sections??
- access to rear sliding door ( layout non operational) - removable or hinged sections??
- full use of room.
Operations
What do I want to do with this railway, run trains or operate, or a combination ? Well I do wish to operate this railway. But I do have to consider single operation, or various degrees of other operators assisting. And because I enjoys computers, electronics and computer will have an influence of operation to some degree.
Before someone says having a computer on your railway takes the fun out because it runs the railway - I disagree. It is true Automation can make a railway unappealing to a operator who likes to run the trains.
I see the computers as a tool:
- They make trains on the mainline (DCC) work as per real ( no blocks)
- Signals are operated as per prototype by panels (lever frame would be nice on one station)
- Can assist if I need more drivers/signallers if a operating session has a poor turnout of people.
The layout description that I may wish to build:
LAYOUT:
To be a single track mainline with reverse loops at each end that act as staging for the rest of world. There may be one or more branches off the mainline. I might have a narrow gauge (VR style) feeder from one of the stations. The layout will be a double deck layout. I would have at least three-four stations on the mainline, each different and performing a different role.
I may build in a continuous loop section of track but would not normally use it.
Mainline -
Single line no major route branches . Most station may have a passing loop, but many passing loops will be locations in their own right. Most passing loops may be between stations and staging but will vary. The line connecting upper and lower levels would have at least two unsceniced passing loops. If a helix is used the helix would be double track, yet each end would com out in a single line....