Issues with planning a double reverse

Suggestion: do only the center portion with four switches and crossing.  Then, see how much space that takes and what it leaves you with for outside oval and connections to inside oval.  I'm pretty sure inside can be done as desired, but might have to be wider and/or need some custom cut pieces to make it work.

Chuck

This is planning for my expansion, so I'd really like to know what (and how) it's possible before I start the build.

DEUCE,

Attached spreadsheet provides the FasTrack pieces needed to fill a space.  Try placing your 90 degree crossover in the center of the four switches and then measure the distance to see what FasTrack pieces will work. 

Got RR Track fired up now. Give me a little while. I'll work on it. Off the top, probably 90+% it will close.

This is the closest I could come, but I don't know if it will "give" enough for the circled parts to connect.

Deuce - it is possible, see attached.

Deuce,

Here's another version.  It keeps the same dimensions of the outside loop.  The small gaps should be connectable.

Jan

A cleaner version.

Well, already answered. It can be done.

I can email you the RR Track file if it is of use to you. Any questions, let me know.

Thank you everyone for your help! I'll try again with TraxEditor based on everyone's results so see if it was just me, or there is an issue with the software. Glad to know it's do-able though. My plan is to have this FT loop on one side of the room, and then have a length to connect to an O27 railyard/maintenance on the other side (using O54 curves). My thought is to have a wye in the railyard to turn the engines around.

As a leg-up..

The 036 switch comes with a 1/4 curve. You'll want to include them on your route to the center crossover.

Note the two filler pieces between the switches on the inner loop. They are 6-12073. You need these to get the straights to cross-over to line-up. The leg of straights to the cross-over include 6-12014, 6-12024, 6-12026, and (2) 6-12073.

The verticals on your outer loop 6-12014, 6-12024, 6-12026. I couldn't read these directly on your layout image.

As an FYI, most FasTrack sections have the connections for power. You don't specifically need to purchase the track power terminal sections.

I took out one 10" piece on the inner/outer loops between the switches at your crossover. This tightened things up so the crossover would line-up.

Very easy to add 5" sections to the far left/right of the switches to keep the OA size the same. The layout above shows the extra 5" sections and maintains your original dimensions.

Thanks for the assistance again everyone. Tried to recreate it in TraxEditor and things just don't line up, so it's not me (or you) it's the software (or I'm really bad at this). I'm going to go ahead and plan based on the recommendations from this forum, and now proceed to plan the other portions of the railroad (with caution on TraxEditor, or with another software package).

I just signed up for Trax. Is your design available for me to look at there?

DoubleDAZ posted:

I just signed up for Trax. Is your design available for me to look at there?

Search for tducey. I think I made my plans publicly viewable and comment-able (though not edit-able).

This link may work: https://www.traxeditor.com/ind...details&id=13224

I think I'm going to get SCARM.  How much is it for a license?

I found it, but can't edit it, so I'll see if I can reproduce it.

SCARM has a trial version for up to 100 tracks. Here are the current prices for the unlimited licensed version and the full set of simulation extensions.

BTW, your layout only has 82 tracks, so you can try the trial version with the design I posted. After you install SCARM, right-click on the .scarm file in my post and select the Save As or Save File As option to download the file.

Wow! What a tedious package to work with. Admittedly, I didn't read any of the manual, help files, etc., so there may have been ways to do things easier, but I suspect there aren't many, certainly not enough for me to give up SCARM or RR-Track.

Anyway, I got this close, but the program definitely does not match SCARM and I know for a fact that if things connect in SCARM with the default tolerance settings, they will connect with real tracks. My guess is this would connect just fine. 

Just sent you an email with an attached *.BMP file. Hope it helps.

Deuce,

I haven't tried the program you are using, but I can tell you that SCARM was very easy to use, and once DOUBLEDAZ, (Dave) schooled me on a few things I was able to put together some nice basic layouts using just the free version. I ended up buying the licensed version because I couldn't finish what I wanted to with the free, and my final track count was 104 pieces.  

Any how it's fun to play with and now I have the licensed version I'm working on fitting in loco service, two passenger terminals, three industries, and a freight transfer yard

So, I was giving this some thought last night, and while I wanted a layout that could wrap around the walls, it was going to be a tight fit between this behemoth, and the wall opposite (especially if I wanted a railyard).  I thought that instead of trying to cram in so much rail (which I've probably already done), I should plan for some scenery as well, and give me and my boys "tasks". So, added a couple more sidings at the top (for steam and diesel maintenance, and can also double as an Inglenook Switch Puzzle), a siding at the bottom (for passenger and freight service) and two sidings internal to the double reverse. These will be able to store LC/LC+ trains when I power them down, but also I'll put industry alongside (thinking chemical plants) the tracks.  Here is what I came up with.  Pretty pleased with myself, and if I place it in the middle of the room, I will have a problem reaching potentially only the very middle, but that's it.

Not to mention the O27 upper loop I plan to add to it as well to run a subway when I can get my hands on a good one.

I see you've gotten better with the Trax Editor, good for you.

Here's another variation that gives you more access to the middle by extending the "yard" to a peninsula off to one side of the room. You'll still have access all around the layout, but you won't be able to walk around it.

The dead-end spur at the bottom served no real purpose other than to store a train, so I turned it into a passing siding.

I also straightened out the spurs in the middle, though I think you'll find you can't store much more than an engine and maybe 2 cars on them. To help, I also expanded the inside oval a bit.

BTW, how big is the room and is that a window at the bottom or a sliding glass door?

DoubleDAZ posted:

I see you've gotten better with the Trax Editor, good for you.

Here's another variation that gives you more access to the middle by extending the "yard" to a peninsula off to one side of the room. You'll still have access all around the layout, but you won't be able to walk around it.

The dead-end spur at the bottom served no real purpose other than to store a train, so I turned it into a passing siding.

I also straightened out the spurs in the middle, though I think you'll find you can't store much more than an engine and maybe 2 cars on them.

 

That's sweet! Thanks!  I'm going to move to SCARM soon, so it's more compatible with what everyone else is doing. I'm good with those internal sidings being short, just hate having to pluck engines on and off the table so having them there, and powering them off is a feature I really like.

DoubleDAZ posted:

BTW, how big is the room and is that a window at the bottom or a sliding glass door?

Room is approx 14 x11. At the bottom is a double door that opens outward, but was having a heck of a time putting a door there in Trax, so I just made it a window.

I can envision putting the cars in the yard and engines on their storage tracks after each session. Then for the next session, the idea would be to pick an engine, move to the yard, pick up select cars and do the day's business.

With those double doors at the bottom, I can see the problem with an around the room design.

DoubleDAZ posted:

I can envision putting the cars in the yard and engines on their storage tracks after each session. Then for the next session, the idea would be to pick an engine, move to the yard, pick up select cars and do the day's business.

With those double doors at the bottom, I can see the problem with an around the room design.

Exactly! I think it gives me and boys plenty of options and ways to play. Options are always good. I appreciate everyone's help as I stumbled upon this layout. Ha ha ha.

Yeah, it's a toolshed addition to my workshop (both without climate control). I talked the wife into allowing me to purchase a standalone toolshed (to accept all the tools, roto-tiller, and riding lawnmower) so I could dedicate this room to the layout. I'd really like to keep both sets of door accessible incase something ever happened and we needed the extra eggress (I guess going through the wall is an option, but opening a door is easier). I'd love an around the room design, alas it's not currently in the cards. Added a dehumidifier to hopefully keep moisture under control a bit, but it's the best I can do until the boys move out and I can claim some space inside the house!

Turns out the room is closer to 15.5 x 12.5. That'll give me more room - not to expand - to navigate around the layout.

Couple of options here based on @DoubleDAZ's suggestion above ...

I like the idea of wrapping it around the room (and "hiding" the sidings (which I planned to build using O27 gauge track, instead of FT) from the main track) but it's going to be a bear to get to that upper right corner as that table is almost 7 feet deep. If I move it from the wall, so I can get back there, I cut off the space between the main table and the siding table ... and it's already a squeeze at 3 feet distance between the two. I'd like enough space between each siding because one will be for "passenger service" and the other will be industry with chemical industry (lots of tanks).

Well, without knowing exactly how much space you need for the added elements (passenger & industry), I came up with this variation. There is approximately 24" of access along the top and 30" in the aisle. Please note that I deleted the passing siding and also the 2nd crossover.

DoubleDAZ posted:

Well, without knowing exactly how much space you need for the added elements (passenger & industry), I came up with this variation. There is approximately 24" of access along the top and 30" in the aisle. Please note that I deleted the passing siding and also the 2nd crossover.

 

Thanks! I need to stop buying rolling stock and get me a copy of SCARM! Ha ha ha. I'll be honest, I don't know how much space I'll need either. I have a few pieces here and there, but nothing "industry related" at this point. I guess I'll need to find stuff that fits, rather than fitting the track to the pieces. That second set of crossovers was redundant, wasn't it? At least that saves me from having to buy 4 additional switches - saving me some serious dollars. I admit, I liked that passing siding, but space really does limit things. They way you have it set up now. I should be able to reach everything.

The extra crossover allowed you to go in/out at times without having to go all the way around the ovals. However, on a smallish layout, sometimes having to go further adds to the operational enjoyment.

I thought about it and added a passing siding back in, just a little shorter and in a new location, so see what you think.

I don't have any experience with scaling down a large industry so it looks "right" in a small space and still gives that sense of "size". I'm sure there are some members here though who can point you in the right direction.