Accessory Location

Have not. Think them being struck by the trains overhang might be an issue. Have you attempted any mock ups with birds eye images?

I've put a coal elevator on the inside of an 027 curve without any problem except the dumped coal got sloppy - spreading on either side of pick-up grade. It was annoying enough that I eventually moved it. Most important for accessory placement for me was to be within reach so I could fix / jiggle / adjust things easily.

Some of those will have the added complexity of needing the operating track section on the curve too.  Somewhat do-able if you need just  the center magnet, I guess, but probably more effort than it's worth if you need the control rails.

Some of the longer accessories also wouldn't likely be able to be positioned for both ends of the accessory to work with a car (I'm thinking lumber loader - if that is the one with the the grey structure and belt, I'm forgetting the number at the moment).

And as Lima said, the cars going into the curve will quite possibly clip the accessory with their overhang.  What is the diameter of your curves?  O-60?  O-72?  Higher?

I'll admit I've not actually tried any of this, but those are the challenges that immediately come to mind.

-Dave

I think I'm going to start with the 164 log loader because it is the biggest and hardest to locate, I just need to place the activation track first.  I'll post some photo's of the my progress if anyone is interested.

Paul

Ross has curved switches that would let you put a siding along the inside of the run to the tunnel. Starting back in the curve will let you keep it tight and not eat up your scenery space inside the loop.

There's an 054 to 031 that you could straighten out without a lot of length using a transition track

Most of them need straights. I agree, more work than result placing them on a curve.

Did you use software to design this track plan or paper? There are properly sized accessories in the software to help with placement.

I have both SCARM and RRT if you want some help that way. or you can just eyeball it like your are, which works well.

I've always tried to located operating accessories on trailing point, stub sidings.

Here's why:

I can easily uncouple and spot a car to use with the accessory.

I can leave that car spotted there so the accessory can be used regardless of where the train is. This is nice for the kids' operating sessions.

Many accessories require operating tracks and I've found that certain locos and cars will "short out" when traversing them due to roller spacing, low coupler thumbtacks, etc.

Some accessories have overhead structure (culvert loader, unloader, 497 coal loader) that will limit the height of the cars that could pass underneath if it were on a mainline.

That's why there are sidings.. or even a small yard.. in addition to all the reasons given by Graz there is the added operation that sidings and yards bring.
 Now one "engineer' runs the mainline while a second can operate the local pulling in and out of sidings to drop and pick up loads without getting in the way of the hot passenger train barreling through.. sounds like fun already!!

I think a Lionel AF style log loader or 787 original might be more likely to be curve friendly because of the up, then drop action. But the platform may need to be cut down.

I think you could use a culvert loader with the track holding area cut down, but again the platform.

 The coal conveyer belt loader (397?)

A crane is the only other thing I can think of that would work to load and/or unload on a curve.

I hadn't thought of that, it might give me a small stub siding to locate an accessory, I'll have to take a look at the layout closer tonight.

I have the RRT software and used it partially on this one but I did most of the layout planning by laying the track on the available benchwork, I felt because I was using Gargraves flex track it would be easier to plan.

Plus, I'll take some updated pics tonight and post them so you can see what I've got going now, it's changed a little.

Paul

Mine are on sidings on the inside of the loop. In the pictures below you will see a coal ramp and loader and a barrel loader. The milk platform was not yet in place when the photo was taken, but will be placed at the uncoupling track near the barrel loader.

I like the sidings for certain accessories but I was hoping because I have an inside and an outside loop that I could have the trains have a purpose, meaning a train on the outer loop would drop off logs to the log loader then it could load them into another car on the inner loop then onto the saw mill.  But when I was planning I was so focused on the long sweeping curves that I didn't think about accessory placement.  I hope that makes sense.....

Paul

Would you use the add attachment feature for the new photos? It's allows them to be enlarged when viewed on the forum.

The bases of most accessories need either 6" or 10" between tracks or enough space for that footprint width. The log loader unloader needs 6". The older style coal loader with the dump bin on the other side is 10".

The culvert and barrel loader\unloaders are 6", but really long.

Spreading the cross-over near the tunnel a bit should let you fit the log loader in between with only minimal adjustment to the inner loop approach.

Anyway, most them need at least a 10" straight for an activation\operating track.

You can recreate your as-built track, even you if you have custom radius turns in RRT. Then you can plop your accessories in and see what it will take to fit them.

Here are some updated pics of the layout currently with some accessories in their probable locations....

I picked up a Ross Custom switch 72' outside curve and 54" inside curve switch today at lunch an it will fit perfectly to the left side of the log loader back track....

I placed a few scrap pieces of track in the approximate placement just to get an idea of what and how many accessories I can comfortably fit in the space....

It'll look better once the final pieces are bent and installed.  Thanks for the tips and suggestions all.  I'll post pics later once I get it all together.

Paul

 Paul are you testing with your worst overhang offenders too?

Its easy to get caught up and forget a steam pilot needs outside clearance coming into the straight down low. A small section of straight track should likely reach up to a couple of inches beyond ends of the base. The I think worst offender I have is a General or Hudson down low, E-33 steps or the GG-1 nose mid height. And the cab kickout up high on the roof lip with a Berk jr.

On the inside curve the E-33 "toolbox", a Lowey Broadway passenger car at mid height, and Evans auto loader up high, tells me what to do, or not to do.

I don't place things without those 7 at my side anymore.

Paul,

Now you have it. Nice work on the track plan. You fit a lot of action into the space and a decent run. Didn't know you had some 072 in there.

I look forward to seeing how it turns out.

This is where I ended up last night....

I plan on putting a small farm at the end of the siding for the cattle corral and the milk car I'm going to install on the center loop with the barn somewhere in the middle.  I decided to locate the lumber loader on the curve to the right side so that the outer loop can dump the logs and the inner loop can load them up.  I checked the over hang with my GG1 and because the track is resting on ceiling tiles for insulation so the track is high enough that any over hang will not matter.

I left plenty of room on the siding for other accessories that I might pick up that will fit into that area.  thanks again all for you input.

Paul

I like that structure for the workers you added to the log loader.  Is that something you scratchbuilt or maybe a kit-bashed commercial product?

-Dave

Thanks Dave, I scratch built it a few years ago for another layout and I liked it so much that I decided to save it for this project.  Here's another pic of it on my old layout.

Paul

Well I I've been laid up the last few days, I had to have my pacemaker replaced so I couldn't use my left arm too much but I did accomplish quite a bit.  I placed and wired some accessories, started the base for the scenery on a small farming area, and replaced the Gargraves uncoupler/unload controllers with Lionel controllers.

I can't wait for my grandson to come over to play with the trains now that he's got a few accessories to run.

Paul

Wow, back in action already

Be cool like the Fonz Paul, it'll get done