PlaymoFriends
General => Trains! => Topic started by: playmofire on February 15, 2011, 16:27:03
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I've been experimenting with various track layouts for the Knaresborough Playmobil display and here are six with notes for Mark's comments.
KN 1:
(http://i704.photobucket.com/albums/ww48/playmofire/Playmobil/Playmobil%20trains/Track%20layouts/KN1text.jpg)
In many ways this is my favourite as it offers a lot of opportunities for shunting and making up of trains. The fact that there are four arms also means the possibility of four stations. Against these advantages, however, is that the single loop doesn't offer much interest.
KN 2:
(http://i704.photobucket.com/albums/ww48/playmofire/Playmobil/Playmobil%20trains/Track%20layouts/KN2text.jpg)
This is KN 1 with the sidings extended to form a double oval so that two trains can run simultaneously, offering more interest to viewers. Against this shunting and train make-up opportunities are not really possible.
KN 3:
(http://i704.photobucket.com/albums/ww48/playmofire/Playmobil/Playmobil%20trains/Track%20layouts/KN3text.jpg)
This is a development of KN 2 by adding on two sidings which allow shunting and add more to look at.
KN 4
(http://i704.photobucket.com/albums/ww48/playmofire/Playmobil/Playmobil%20trains/Track%20layouts/KN4text.jpg)
This is KN 3 but shortened by one track length.
KN 5:
(http://i704.photobucket.com/albums/ww48/playmofire/Playmobil/Playmobil%20trains/Track%20layouts/KN5text.jpg)
KN 4 but with one siding taken out. This allows space for a station to serve both the siding and the outer oval.
KN 6:
(http://i704.photobucket.com/albums/ww48/playmofire/Playmobil/Playmobil%20trains/Track%20layouts/KN6text.jpg)
This is KN 5 with an extra siding added at the other side of the outer oval and room for a second station for "station to station" runs. The sharp-eyed amongst you will notice that the points are upside down; this is because a left hand point is needed and I don't have a spare so I've turned a right hand point upside down for the photo. I should be able to borrow a left hand point from a friend a few doors away. If there's space, I think this is the best for exhibition purposes.
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Great preperations Gordon :)
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Excellent track variations, Gordon! All are well laid out!
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Excellent work Gordon
There are some great layout options here. I have PMed you with specific comments.
Mark
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I like KN3 the best myself. If this is up on tables then the size there will be a limiting factor. If there is enough room on the width you could add 2 straight sections at each end to make a wider circle. It could also allow room for a small station platform between the 2 lines at the end, so passengers could move from one line to the other.
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Excellent work Gordon
There are some great layout options here. I have PMed you with specific comments.
Mark
Thanks, Mark. :wave:
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I like KN3 the best myself. If this is up on tables then the size there will be a limiting factor. If there is enough room on the width you could add 2 straight sections at each end to make a wider circle. It could also allow room for a small station platform between the 2 lines at the end, so passengers could move from one line to the other.
Thanks, Tim, for that idea. :wave:
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Excellent stuff , look forward to see more pictures of all that :) :) :)
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I also like #3. Kids love to watch 2 trains and if they are going in different directions it adds to the excitement. With the 2 sidings you have a nice area for storing extra cars and switching trains. On one of the sidings you could put a shop at the end for a repair display
Now on #6 you could have one of the sidings a passenger and the other a fright station . It would be exciting to watch you try to get a long freight train from one of those sidings to the inner line while there is a high speed passenger train runs on the outer line. Oh I love a good train wreck and so do kids ;D
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Gordon
We are exchanging PMs directly on this.
I thought the others might be interested to see the railway in context - to know that we are looking to incorporate the trains in a 20ft x 8ft display that will also include an airport (approx 8ft x 4ft) , and a High Street with supermarket, a number of shops, a roadside cafe, hospital, firestation, police station, petrol (gas) station (see Skypurr's Kirkbean display for an idea of what it could be like.)
This means that the railway has to be in balance with the other demands on the space. On this occasion I do not think we can go "all out".
Mark
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Gordon
We are exchanging PMs directly on this.
I started this thread, Mark, as it was an easy way for you to see possible layouts. It supplements and does not replace our exchange of PMs.
I thought the others might be interested to see the railway in context - to know that we are looking to incorporate the trains in a 20ft x 8ft display that will also include an airport (approx 8ft x 4ft) , and a High Street with supermarket, a number of shops, a roadside cafe, hospital, firestation, police station, petrol (gas) station (see Skypurr's Kirkbean display for an idea of what it could be like.)
This means that the railway has to be in balance with the other demands on the space. On this occasion I do not think we can go "all out".
So far I understood that there was a space of 20ft by 8ft for city life, including the railway and had this in mind throughout in thinking of possible layouts, trying to balance width and length both with the area available and so that the space within any track layout was of an area which allowed it to be used for displaying other items.
Mark
I'll try and fit in with whatever you feel is appropriate within the limits of track lengths and curvatures but there is a minimum below which the value of a rail layout becomes questionable. With each straight track length being 10.5ins, a truck 12ins and the 4018 29ins, small tends to be pretty big.
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I am sure that everyone will agree that these set ups are excellent. :clap:
It would have been great to give full rein to Gordon's creativity and produce a bigger layout. I would have loved to to have more space in the display. Gordon has some excellent ideas for working within a modest and I cannot wait to put one of these on display next week. :)9
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Thank you for your comments, Mark. Here's the latest one which I think will meet what you have in mind:
(http://i704.photobucket.com/albums/ww48/playmofire/Playmobil/Playmobil%20trains/Track%20layouts/KN7text.jpg)
It fits into a space 8ft by 8ft (in the photo, the purple plastic box on the right is 8ft from the left hand skirting board and the road from the level crossing out of the layout just crosses a line 8ft from the further skirting board. On display the left hand side with the through track would be at the front.
I've "populated" the interior of the layout with one or two ideas - the bus station/taxi rank (I do have the airport bus station and so with that and the sign to the bus set to "Airport" the railway can be linked to the airport display. I thought there might also be room for a small shop/cafe in that area (I've an old, small, early System-X building which might form a basis for it) plus other buildings. The warehouse could be supplemented by a forklift and truck being loaded and with some drums and maybe a van parked behind it.
The fire station I'm thinking of is a 3/4 bay custom with an old Steck practice tower and not the big 4819 set which may take up too much room. (I've never got round to building it yet so I don't know how much room it takes up exactly), and that might usefully sit just outside the layout handy for fires in the station area or the town.
I must admit that a "square" layout strikes me as unusual, but if it works then it works.
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Thanks Gordon :)
I attach a diagram showing a rough outline of road, rail and airport runway that shows my suggested layout.
Mark
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Thanks, Mark. Is the grey on the plan roadway/car parks and suchlike?
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Yes Gordon, though I will probably not go to the trouble of painting two shades of grey - just a grey basecoat. The darker areas will be without buildings on.
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Yes Gordon, though I will probably not go to the trouble of painting two shades of grey - just a grey basecoat. The darker areas will be without buildings on.
I'm with you, Mark. :)9
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I have worked up the display plan - subject to what fits when we set it up.
I am starting to have a problem picturing it all. I'm look forward to transferring items to the hall and starting to build them and lay them out.
Mark
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Hi Gordon,
i like KN3 looks realy good !
world greets
Andi
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Thanks, Andi, that is one of my favourites too. I may think about developing if further.
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Thanks, Andi, that is one of my favourites too. I may think about developing if further.
That would be awesome , Sir !!!!