Large exhibition layout concept - Caltowie

Hi All

Insomnia is a double edged sword, however it does yield results.
I was searching for concepts for an exhibition layout that would fit into the proposed new layout room.  30ft by 16ft.
The northern grain region has some great little yards.
Crystal Brook is the most obvious, however the junction is just a little too big for the room.

There are other standard gauge locations which would fit the bill, Jamestown and Yongala.
Caltowie has the advantage, for a couple of reasons.
1: The yard has a curve at either end, this makes it easier to model.
2: Caltowie is squeezed in between the town and the highway level crossing.
3: The grain loop is clear of the main line and crossing, thus in an exhibition format the mainline and crossing loop can be clear while loading grain.
4: S curve at the Jamestown end of the yard.

Rolling stock wise, SDS Austrains NEO  has the AOQF.
Auscision the AHGXs.

 yard looking towards Jamestown.
From Norm Bray
https://www.flickr.com/photos/60901191@N08/42612284465/in/album-72157637613953546/

 Down end of the Yard, looking towards Jamestown.  Note the low level station in the background.
and the NG mainline in behind the signal and the 500 class.
http://www.lionelnoble.com/caltowie/

Gota love those curves, anyhow.

Enjoy, Scott

Some smaller layout designs - Rudall SA on the Lincoln Division

Hi All

I have been investigating or looking at concepts, for a small layout, roughly 16ft in length.
A number of things have been lining up lately.
I have a couple of mechanisms for the NJs class and a GWA 1200 class.
The AHGXs were transferred to the Lincoln Division, thus I had some of the modern versions of them.
This means that I could build a ultra modern small layout on the Lincoln division,

The real change in operations is a train to a single location.  Which meant that most of the sidings were designed to have a couple of wagons loaded at each location, not an entire train.

This introduces much more complicated shunting movements.

They are more complicated when there are main roads at the yard throats.

Rudall is on the Buckleboo line, is such a location.

The Birdseye highway intersects the town of Rudall.  The yard has a single loop, and a single siding.
The yard throat is bracketed by the highway.
The yard has two silos and a bunker, the station building is still there and is the barracks.

The shots you see here, are from:
https://www.pilbararailways.com.au/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=153

and Norm Bray's flicker.
https://flic.kr/s/aHsjMnHXQo

 Rudall yard throat down end, looking towards Port Lincoln.

 The bunker on the south side of the yard.

 The barracks.

 The left over of the siding on the west side of the main.

 The up end of the yard looking towards Port Lincoln

 Up end of the yard looking towards buckleboo.

 I reckon this is an interesting location.

Enjoy

Scott