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Hi Everybody--

Here I haven't started on my layout yet, but keep accumulating things for it... My wife Suzie loves Trolleys as do I.  I was looking for a diagram for a Carbarn facility and found a possibility in the old neighborhood about thirty blocks from where I lived as a kid.

 

We currently have about a dozen trolleys..  Also have three Interurbans.  More trolleys will be arriving over the next ten days !

 

The ATTACHMENT shows the layout for the Carbarn area at East 14th Street and 96th Avenue in Oakland,

CA.   I will have to have storage tracks (ladder tracks) of sufficient length to store X-number of Trolleys.

As you can see, the physical number of turnouts could make operation very interesting, although my Carbarn layout will not be that extensive!   I plan to have an "electric Yard" as well, for storing GG-1's,

my PRR MP-54, and my Great Northern EP-5.   Your comments are graciously solicited!

 

Cheers.

 

KRK

Elmhurst_Carbarn

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  • Elmhurst_Carbarn
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Its rarely possible for us to build a literal recreation of the outside world in model railroading.

 

All those leads off a main line could present power issues when running through turnouts. You might be better to modify the leads to run off a separate ladder track off the street like fig. 3 below

 

Here are some suggested layouts from 1924.

 

new

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  • new

Hi Ken,

 

Love the yard you picked.  Bill's diagram is very helpful great also.  I am in the same boat you are with lots of trolleys and electric but, no home for them yet.  Since you are doing primarily trolleys, how are you operating them (3-rail, 2-rail, overhead wire)?

 

If you are using overhead wire or 2-rail, you can get very close to your yard prototype in a small space by using Lou Cross's (Right O Way) single point girder rail (street track) turnouts (or something similar) point and mate which are code 125  and just beautiful pieces of work.  They come in 4 pieces, point, mate, tongue and a cover for the mechanical box.  I am using them now building a Christmas themed village with trolleys. Takes a little work to hand lay them (I am cutting them in to code 125 flex track) but, they look great and run well.  I have a couple more experienced modelers helping me with the build.

 

I inserted a drawing that is designed as an end of the line LRV yard with a loop and station.  It will accommodate several cars.  For this I had a custom ladder built by Signature Switches as a single unit because of the tight turn radius for trolleys, the were not going to be in pavement and to keep the yard spacing tight. This is the module next on deck after the Christmas Village.

 

Below that is a basic "Barn/Loop" module I designed using 9" radius curves, perhaps it could be helpful for ideas for you.  It is much simpler than your prototype but, for what I need it gets the job done with a good bit of storage.

 

Separately, East Penn is having its Biennial Trolley Meet in Philadelphia on May 15 & 16.  There will be lots of operating layouts, exhibitors and lots of folks to talk to about your ideas and ask questions.  This show is all electric traction.  Here is a link to the Trolley Meet site.  Also East Penn's site has lots of useful tips on there as well.

 

Hope that helps, love your idea.

 

Chris

 

O scale LRV Loop-Yard

Barn Loop 1 v.2 - 20130207

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  • Barn Loop 1 v.2 - 20130207: Barn Loop
  • O scale LRV Loop-Yard: LRV Loop Yard

Hi Chris--  My planned layout will be both Mainline (steam & diesel) as well as Traction. (Trolleys/Interurbans/Suburban)..  Will have about 15 trolleys operating 3-rail..

Four Interurbans operating 2-rail from overhead trolley wire on about 20-feet of Code 125 nickel silver rail for demonstration purposes.  Might lengthen the route later depending on space..  Most 3-rail curves for trolleys will be 031 with some 027 in or near the main Barn.  Most mainline and branch trackage curves will be a combination of 031, 042, 054 and 072 radius as required !  An "Interchange", protected by block signals, will allow ANY 3-rail trolleys to operate anywhere on the layout if I want to.

The layout will be built on TWO levels with possibly a THIRD in a specific corner according to what my wife Suzie is telling me just this morning !  I found this diagram of a partial "Grand Union" on the OGR forum and it kind of interests me as far as trolleys are concerned.  We'll see !!

Take care, Sir.

 

KRK

Semi-Grand%2520Union

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