Dead-end sidings

Dead-end spurs

I've got a question guys. When you are talking about sidings, assuming you're using a layout in which a train is only going to be going in one direction (in other words you dont have a reverse-loop or anything like that), is it better to have the sidings branch off when the train is in reverse, or going forward? All the sidings that i have so far require the locomotive to be in reverse to access them and then end at a bumper. I didn't know if that was better so that the main loco could be disconnected, and then the rear-facing switcher could push one or however-many cars onto the siding and then reconnect with everything on the main line (everything is happening from a siding or mainline as i have limited space with this layout).

I hope that makes sense to everyone. Attached is a photo of the layout as it stands now. In the back left is a short passing lane, and in the center is one rear facing branch off. on the front by the DCC command station i'm considering a fairly large branch off to split to two industries. What do you all think?

Suggestions welcome, i just dont want to relay a whole lot of track as i've finally got it down without any derails

 

Typically you would back into any stub ended tracks. That way you can leave just the cars there.

 

I would keep all the sidings facing the opposite direction the train travels. That way you can simply pull past a siding then back the necessary cars into it with out having to pull in a switcher or travel all around the layout to reach the rear of the train.

However, if you have a separate switcher that you want to dedicate to a set of sidings or industries, I would use the area you already have the run around track. You can put stub ends off either side in either direction. A train will come and drop off the cars for those industries on that siding, then the switcher will pull out and sort them to their individual industry track.

 

A little nomenclature. "Siding" is usually used technically to refer to what is also called a "passing siding", a side track usually paralleling the main line with a track switch (turn out) at each end of it. Passing sidings are usually train-length.

A passing siding can also be used as a "runaround track". A runaround track allows a train going, say, west, with the loco at the west end of the train, to stop, leave the train either on the mainline or the runaround, cut loose from the train and "run around" on the other track to get to the east end of the train to handle cars from that end.

The term usually referring to a single-ended dead-end track branching off the mainline is "spur".
For switching, it is usually better to have "trailing point" spurs, that is, spurs that a train can back into. With a trailing point spur, a train can drop any car in the train into the spur by uncoupling on the mainline behind the car to dropped, pulling forward of the spur switch and backing into the spur, unclupling from that car, pulling forward and picking up the train.
It is a problem to switch a "facing point" spur, one that a train heads into, loco first. That is because the train behind the loco blocks it from getting out of the spur. It can be solved by using a runaround track located somewhere near the facing point spur.

Local switching runs are often handled as a "turn" running from a yard to an outlying point and back to the original terminal. All spurs that are oriented as trailing point spurs are switched and those that are facing point are passed up. At the outlying point, the train can be turned in a reverse loop or wye. However, often a train is "turned" simply by using a runaround track. Train can pull onto runaround track but leaving caboose uncoupled out on the main just outside the runaround. The loco then uncouples from the train, pulls free and runs around train to couple to caboose, pulls it forward and couples to what had previously been the head-end of the train. Loco cuts off again, runs around train and couples to what had been the end of the train, but now it is the head end for the movement in the reverse direction. No car or loco in the train has been turned around, but the POSITION of the loco and caboose have been turned around. Now the loco is running "backwards" but that is not a great problem for a diesel switcher or Geep.

I built a minimum sized 2x3' layout in N scale with no runaround or reverse loop. In fact it has NO MAINLINE.

It represents the switching track on a WWII Navy blimp base. The loop is not a mainline but a "circulation loop". A switcher can make a runaround move by cutting loose its cars and running all the way around the layout! Not common but sometimes done on industrial and switching railroads. Two spurs are trailing for clockwise movements, the vehicle-on-flatcar/ open car unloading ramp, and the fuel dump. Two other spurs are trailing for counterclockwise movements, the entry track leading off the base through the gate at lower right, and the Naval stores warehouse (building flat) at the left side of the layout. Layout would be easiest to operate withy all spurs going same direction. I added the complication to make it more interesting.

 

which way?

I like to face some both ways if there's room then run the trains as a local turn and reverse direction at the runaround town as described in the excellent post above. This allows an oval to serve as a point to point operation with endless length of running between spurs, just go around till you run the imaginary miles or get tired....dave

 

You have two types of spurs, trailing point




and facing point



For a facing point spur you need a siding to run around your train.
Therefore my locals serve only trailing point spurs. Even if there's a runaround it saves time. The facing point spurs will be served by the local on the return trip. Then these spurs are trailing point spurs.

Wolfgang

 

I prefer backing into the sidings. Looks weird to me to have a loco facing a dead end. Then having to back out a string of cars on to the mainline. Cheers, Jim CCRR

 

The locomotives back into the sidings on the "new" JJJ&E.

 

i still dont understand exactly how this whole runaround thing works... maybe someone can illustrate it or do a video for me????

And without having a turnaround or reverse loop i dont see how I could ever have my loco doing a return trip around the layout going the other way.

 

We may be at cross purposes if we are not all using the same terms the same way. There must be a railroad glossary on the internet. The NMRA Layout Design SIG probably has one on their discussion group. John Armstrong and the "How to Operate Your Model Railroad" also defines these terms.

Most of the terms and the basic definitions can be found in Wikipedia.

Those definitions also give differences in US/UK terminology. That is also helpful on TB.

 

From your picture it looks like you have 1 passing siding (left side along the back drop) and 1 spur (right side pointing towards center). I assume that there is a loop under the white hill (mountain) at the right end of the photo.

Here is how you can spot cars on the spur depending which direction the train is running.

If the train is running clockwise, uncouple the cars if any from behind the car to be spotted and then your train can push the car in to the spur.

If the train is running counter clockwise you can uncouple the car from behind the loco and any cars, just before the spur (if the car is in the middle of the train you can pull forward and uncouple the cars behind the loco just past the turnout and leave them on the main) and then have the loco take the next left hand turnout and run behind the car or train and push the car into the spur. After the car is spotted you would then pull out of the spur and uncouple any cars attached to the loco and then reverse the movement of the loco and run around and then re-couple to the rest of the train (both sections if the train was broken into multiple parts).

Gary

 

Hope this helps to illustrate.

 

Thank you Greg!! That really made it make sense for me. Now i'm thinking I should put in another siding somewhere

In that case I may go ahead and have another couple spurs in different locations. Not sure If i'll do one spur that branches off into two separate spurs, or two separate spurs off the mainline.

Regardless I know with the space I have to do this i'm just learning and hopefully in a few years when we buy a larger house i'll have my own train room

 

Yep friends! I've contribute on most of it. You will find this nice tool here:
Glossary of layout design terms - LdsigWiki
cheers
Enzo

 

i enjoyed reading that Enzo! Thank you.

 

Uh-OH I highjacked this thread, badly mauled it and posted it on another forum. rolleyes:

Should I go out to the courtyard and fall on my sord?:we2-policeman:

Or drink 24 cold bottles of a malt beverage and fall on the empty bottles?:ru-wink:

See ya
Ron

 

This all depends on what website it was posted on