It's down to four...maybe five

A couple of weeks back Daz dropped in some ideas of what could be done in the space that I have out in the garage. The basic plan is for a two level layout with a peninsula ending in a helix which is about halfway along the track plan. It is a great use of space, enabling long stretches for the yards and some scenery between them. Daz, your a generous man of your time and ideas.

So armed with thew basic idea of what the layout could be and the space it creates I started looking at track plans and locations. The main stations start with Eugowra on the top deck along the back wall of the layout, then moving along the left hand side a scenic break before moving into either Trajere or Nanami, then down the helix then into North Gooloogong, then round to under the scenic break above on the left hand wall ending with Canowindra. This means that at each station there is not a yard above or below. The above sketch is mine, Daz has done a much better one.

There is one issue, that being if you follow your train around the layout when you start at Eugowra and head to North Gooloogong (on the lower level with Canowindra) you then have to head around to the other side of the peninsular to again pick up your train before you head into Canowindra. Any ideas of how else to manage this would be great. I'm off to the Toosdy Niters tomorrow night so I'll open up a discussion to see what they come up with.

I've also used the line drawings of three stations to convert them to the spaces I have working on the same ratios so that the the yards are proportioned the same. My first thoughts on the yards is to build them as opened, which basically means no silos and slightly simpler yard layouts, perfect for restricted space for layouts. This also sets the layout in the 1920-30's maybe.

So as an example Eugowra yard to HO scale would be 8872mm long. I have 4000mm for this yard. I simply divided one into the other giving me a reduction rate of 2.218. This then gives a total yard length of 4000mm, stock siding of 2318mm, loop siding of 2726mm, loco siding of 1243mm, and a goods siding of 1699mm long.  These sizes sound ok to me so I've gone on and done the same exercise for Canowindra (total yard length 3938mm), North Gooloogong (total yard length 3624mm),
 and Trajere ( total yard length 2087mm). I don't have a plan for Nanami just yet. These sized yards do fit in the spaces ok. I might be able to reduce the size of Trajere and North Goologong so that the other two main yards appear larger and the space between stations increased for scenic purposes.

I have to get back to the Historical society to get some more specific info on this part of the branch. Have a great week!
Oorroo!
Geoff.