In Track Planning for Realistic Operation there was a drawing of a Slow Order Board area where a temporary track was in place while a new bridge was being built on the mainline. I always told my self I would have a scene like that when I built my layout. I've starting construction and was just wondering if anyone have anything like that on their layout? I was also thinking of modeling it as a washed out track being repaired. Thanks, Bruce
I intended to do this, too. It is also called a shoo fly. It would be an interesting scene on any layout.
This looks like it requires a certain amount of space. On the other hand, it is an interesting scene and provides a little bit of operating complication. Could it get to ge a hassle if it slows down ops all the time? Would it be best to put this on a secondary track not used for every train? Are there any special places in a layout design where it could help solve a problem? Any places where you are going to need to slow down anyway... Is there a place you need an especially sharp curve-- sharper than optimum-- where the required working curve is part of the "temporary shoofly", and a gentler curve used on the supposedly "under construction" section be smoother but non-working, since it doesn't have to really go anywhere, be used by trains. Let's think a little about how this could be used...
I agree that this would make an interesting scene to model. But I'm not sure I'd want it on an operational layout all the time. It would be more fun if it was a random "surprise" kind of thing. But still nice if it was actually modeled with scenery and everything. I've been toying with this idea (all in my head so far) of having swappable sub-modules in different areas. The modules wouldn't be "full size" - like an N-Track module, but just a segment of track and the immediately surrounding scenery, perhaps mounted on some Gatorboard or something that would rest on the "sub-bed" foam. So for example, one could have an otherwise normal siding, except the two-track portion could be lifted out and replaced with a portion that models the mainline being damaged and the siding as a shoo-fly. You'd have some minor scenic issues with the boundaries of the liftout sections, and would need a more-or-less clever way of making electrical contact to the track (not having any turnouts on the lift-out would help!), as well as track alignment to worry about... ... but it might present an interesting way of changing up things from one session to the next.
Thanks for the input. My layout will be one that runs around a 12x13 room. It'll be a one man operation and heavy into switching. I'm hoping to have a series of scenes if you will. There will a single mainline loop (grand kids want to see the trains run). I'm in no rush since this will be my retirement layout. I'll keep this thread updated one I start my Shoo Fly scene. Bruce
The space required would be no more than that normally occupied by a double track at the most. My N scale layout has a permanent slow order over an ancient wooden bridge, and the operations headaches that go along with it have turned into "just another day on the railroad". The real ones have these situations, and more common on bridges.
Realizing though that it is not really a suprise. A real railroad would give every train a "slow order", written instructions on where the speed restriction was and what speed to pass over it. So the trains woud know they had to slow down at that location literally hundreds of miles before they got there. You also would not see the slow order boards at the shoofly. They would be located 1-2 miles BEFORE the shoofly so the trains have time and distance to slow down. What you would see at the shoofly is either a red stop board at the entrance (if there were track gangs working on the track) and every train would have to talk to the foreman in charge to get permission to go past the red board OR you would just see green resume speed signs/boars/flags on the leaving end of the shoofly telling trains they can speed back up.
Oh, sure. It wouldn't be a surprise for the scale engineer. But it would be a surprise for the friend who came over for the operating session, expecting business as usual, and discovered that today he had to deal with the slow order... That's what I meant.
Well here's a few options for you as far as "Restrictions" 1) If you have a double main you could only put the restriction on 1 of the tracks, routing "priority" trains to the other main to "avoid" it. 2) Say like a FRA defect was found, it may require like a 50 mph restriction, so that would only affect your "fast' trains. 3) Your track gang may of done some work and want a few "tonnage trains" at like 25mph to help "settle" things.
Advance warning boards are placed 2 miles in advance of the restriction. temporary restrictions signs are placed at each end of the actual restriction. On models, I would say 1-2 train lengths away from the restriction for the advance boards would selectively compress the scene enough.
