Stub end passenger terminal

Necrails:  I don't use a stub end type of terminal for my passenger trains but rather a "run through" type terminal with the station building itself mounted on a level above the tracks.  With the exception of just one track, which is stub end, I like they kind of operation you get when you don't have to do switching at the end of each run. 

However, if you do go the "stub end" route, if there is any way you could have a run-around track so that you could get locomotives out of the station, that would make operations a bit easier.  On my layout, I can still uncouple engines after a run and bring them to the engine yard for servicing, if I wish.  I will say, however, that a passenger ternimal with run through tracks, can really get pretty long, particularly if you use 21" passenger cars and scale engines.  Mine extends into the next room and is at least 20' long.

Paul Fischer

I wanted a pull through passenger terminal, but quickly realized that I didn't have enough space.  And besides, Chicago Union Station is stub yard too.  I used Atlas 072 switches since I had them and didn't have the space to use #5's.  So we shortened them to allow track spacing of 4 1/2" between tracks.  This allowed ample space for platforms between the tracks.

Art

Space in this instance does not permit run through or switching.  What was originally planned to be staging in another room (hole in the wall and single track is in place to the workshop area) has morphed into a potential terminal.  It will remain staging with the "hand of god" serving as the in terminal switcher.  The space for this will be 10 foot plus a few inches and will likely not exceed 12 to 15 inches wide at the max.  

This layout is Standard gauge and is partly run around and partly stub siding. It is designed to fit on a modular layout. The back section with the station will be elevated and include a trolley line and streets.

Funny this topic was just posted - I finished the track work on my terminal last night.  Here are some pictures:

Allen, Pics did not post or my PC cannot see them.  Would very much like to see your handiwork.

In the true sense of the word, a Terminal has stub ends. Chicago, New York (GCT), Boston and many other large cities used Terminals.

In model railroading, there are advantages and disadvantages to stub end and pass through track systems. Since space was not an issue for me, I chose to use the pass through system for all three of my passenger station complexes.

I created my stub end passenger terminal using the American Flyer Union Station as the head house, and a four track station.

I based the track diagram on the former CNJ station on Broad Street in Newark.

I used Lionel and K-Line tubular track, and Lionel 022 switches, since I had plenty left over after converting the operating tracks to Fastrack.

For the platforms I used the Marx/K-Line station platforms.

Ken

Here is an example on my layout of what can be done...the yard can end under the passenger station which is above the tracks at the end of the shed....

Alan

Nice pics and ideas.

Question on prototype operations - with a stub end would a train ever backout of the station, the head forward in the opposite direction?  I think this is likely scenario on most model RRs unless you have a lot of space.

thx, Don

At Chicago Union Station, all arriving passenger trains were backed into the station by the use of a wye at the end of station trackage.  Then, the road loco was cut off and serviced while the passengers disembarked.

Chuck

Mott Haven Terminal - all trains back in - not enough clearance between platforms for engines. In order to keep the gap between platforms and passenger cars realistically small to protect my little people, the clearance was not sufficient for scale-sized engines, except on the outside track (where the G1 is parked).

The other end:

Jim

I believe this is only true in the post-Amtrak era, as Amtrak considers passengers to be an inconvenience.  Pre-Amtrak, "all" [ there may have been an occasional exception ] trains headed into the station, passengers disembarked, and then the train was turned and serviced.   This applied to both north and south sides of the station.

    Did trains ever back out of as stub end station to travel in the "opposite" direction ?   Yes, especially in the South;  this usually occurred where the station was not necessarily stub end, but rather not located on the line to be traveled.

At the larger stub end stations a wye arrangement was usually used, with through trains backing in;  Chattanooga comes immediately to mind.

SZ

Jim:

Your stub end tracks and platforms are some of the best I have ever seen. Extremely well done!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have seen many photos of trains backing into the St. Louis Station.  It seemed that this was a normal part of the operations.

Other stub end terminals include Washington on the upper level, Grand Central, Boston and Los Angeles.

I don't know if Denver is a stub end station.  When I rode Amtrak's California Zephyr from Oakland to Chicago several years ago, the CZ backed into Denver's station in order to be headed in the correct direction when it continued east.

Joe

You can find pictures on Photobucket of my layout.  The URL can be found here.  The pictures of the passenger yard can be found at the end of the album.

Stub end yard with wye track.  Here is a small around the room layout with a wye track leading to a small stub yard. The yard could be easily expanded by adding more sidings.

The benchwork is designed so that sections can be expanded by bolting on additional segments. The longest bench section is 6 feet.  This could be extended to 8 feet or 10 feet by using a longer 2x4 section since every section bolts together using 1/4 inch bolts, nuts and washers.

It's very unfinished and somewhat tinplate, but it's got a bunch of stub tracks with 025 bumpers, 156 station platforms and the 116 station up top.  If I ever get around to finishing it, it will look somewhat like the 1940 catalog picture.  It is in a space of about 4x8 with the two loops around.  Room size is 15x13 in a round the walls G shape.

Our coach yard is a three-track stub yard which holds about 12-14 cars depending on the length and has a lot of play value.  The adjacent track is a four-car express car track.  The two main lines are the station stop area which will have the depot building and an REA building, the station plan is for two platforms on the mains.

Allie

It's looking good.  

Please post some pictures when you have the passenger terminal completed.