I know it depends on the era you are modeling, but it is similar. You will need a coaling & water tower / fueling area, some servicing or RIP tracks and a shed. Does an engine facility really "require" a roundhouse? Or would you consider this an "optional use of space"? What else would you put in or do you have in YOUR engine facility?
Not technically. Even on branchlines, though, it seems like turntables or at least wyes were requisite in the steam era. (In North America, anyway. I've seen many photos from other countries of steam leading trains tender-first.)
I'm in the process of redoing my layout and I'm installing a new yard. It won't be a huge full service yard, but I do have a pair of tracks set aside for a diesel refueling facility (planning for fuel and sanding towers) and another set for simple RIP. I've studied pictures of these at smaller yards and noticed that most didn't have drive-in facilities. Maybe a couple of small sheds to house tools, etc., and room for service vehicles. My tracks have been put down, but I allowed a lot of space for sheds and other things that I might decide to put in as my yard takes shape. It's still a work in progress.
Short answer: Steam era in a moderate traffic terminal, yes, a "roundhouse" would be found. The combined need to turn steam power,and for efficient, covered maintenance space argues for the location and shape of the building. If your line is small (few locos to be maintained) a rectangular enginehouse/shop would be more likely. Internal combustion era engines don't require the turntable, so the shop/enginehouse building (unless left-over from steam) is likely rectangular. Guess that's not so short.:tb-wacky: Bob
The following is a layout of an actual branchline terminal that existed until the 1960s. In Chatham, NY, where the NYC Harlem Division terminated at the Boston & Albany mainline, there was a turntable for turning Harlem engines and a small roundhouse for minor maintenance. There were also two interchange tracks that ran either side of the turntable and roundhouse, but also used to wye Harlem trains. One leg allowed Harlem trains to go east into Massachusetts, and the other leg allowed NYC Hudson Division trains from the west to reach New York City in case there had been a wreck on the Hudson. So what you had was a wye with a small engine terminal in the middle, a good use of cramped space. BTW, in 1944, a freight derailed on the Hudson Div. near Cold Spring, NY which sent a 16" naval gun barrel across all four tracks and jammed into the Cold Spring tunnel. This resulted in the 20th Century Limited, Empire State Express, Pacemaker, and many other NYC named trains to be rerouted onto the Harlem and passing through my home town. Talk about excitement, and lots of very delayed passengers.
I recently went to Port Jervis, NY and found an old turntable and some vintage diesels and old coaches. Has anyone been there? Well there was, what looked like a diesel servicing facility. Just wondering what it was.
That was an Erie/Erie Lackawanna division point. Quite a town in it's day. Went downhill fast during the diesel era. Frank
In short: a division point is a hub where the crew changes. In older times caboose change. There you break trains in blocks for the different small towns. And a local will deliver the cars to these towns. Wolfgang
Funny thing is, I just answered my original question the other night. I was reading one of my many model railroad books and there was a listing of what engine facilities had. I NEVER saw or read this list until then. Strange!
John Armstrong's Track Planning for Realistic Operations has a bit on engine facilities, basically echoing a lot of what is already in this thread plus laying out some of the impacts for track needs.
