Model Forum / General / Railroads / November 2007

Hello people,

prompted by a friend who has recently relocated (and dismantled his
layout), I made for him some proposals for modules in the area he had
allocated after the discussion with his wife.

The area allocated to him was 240cm*170cm. I used for the designs the
XtrkCAD program, under Linux, and used sectional K-track everywhere
(only in an occassion I used flextrack).

I made at first a proposal using continuous operation ideas, in one level.

This was one of my first proposals:

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/4714/kosathelmoduleproposal2hz4.gif

See the concetrated modules in the lower left corner? These fit in the
prescribed area (170cm*240cm).

One of the semicircles can also accomodate FREMO module connections
with other layouts.

When you join back-to-back the basic modules, you can have an adequate
small passenger station. When configured as a loop, the top mainline
module is used as a mini staging yard.

A refinement of the design led to the following variation
(streamlining a bit, somewhat longer passing siding).
Also, I added an adaptor module for joining to single-track FREMO modules.

http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/7061/kosathelmoduleproposal3ca5.gif

After getting bored with the loop concept, I decided to play with a
point-to-point concept.
Tricks I used (look at the following image, where I lettered the modules):

- I used a 30cm diameter turntable in module B, so you can reverse a
locomotive on an arriving train in the passenger station (module A)
without any switches/turnouts.

This turntable can be also used an an entrance to a locomotive
depot/rotunda.
This is designed so it can be attached to FREMO modules from all sides.

- the 'big' semicircle (radius 424mm, modules G-H) connects the two
layout edges, while at the same time it permits through traffic from
other FREMO modules (vertical axis). Under the straight line in G
module exists a small river, that necessitates a small bridge (=
scenery opportunity!)

- The modules E/F are staging yard (from here start trains destined
for the passenger station -module A- or the industrial area).

- The industrial area is our switching layout part, with a river along
it (opportunity to add 1-2 small boats). There are two ways of
reaching it: either via module A (diagonal track) or via the
FREMO-compatible connections (left or right)

In total, the 'packed' version can be connected with other FREMO
modules at five different points for through traffic.

If we 'unfold' the modules, a sample arrangement is shown at the top
area of the image below (you can put everything in one axis, giving
you a HUGE linear layout that can accomodate branch traffic as well)

In this 'unfolded' version, I have turned the modules E and F 180
degrees (you can also make 1-2 extra F-type modules for extra
expansion of the passenger station).

The industrial 'customers' at modules C/D were moved to a branch line,
as I did with the turntable as well. Or you could plug the C/D modules
in reverse (I designed it in a way that you can plug it in a FREMO
layout).

In the example below, you can plug other FREMO modules in four
different places, accomodating through or branch traffic.

And see our weekend's opus:

http://img108.imageshack.us/img108/4458/kosathelmoduleproposal3oo6.gif

Here you can get the full-size GIF, if you want to study it more
carefully:

http://img108.imageshack.us/img108/4458/kosathelmoduleproposal3oo6.gif

Hope this was something interesting,
N.F.