Well, it has been a long time since I have expanded the trackwork on the layout but I had an unfortunate accident here where some trees stored on a foam base interfered with a set of PRR F7's and they fell to the floor - about 7 feet. That is now another project to be addressed.
In any case, this area has been unfinished for about 5 years and it is time to rectify that. My head is up against the ceiling as I take these pictures. I am trying to scope out the track layout.
I have drawn the centerlines of the three tracks that will go into the mine. I am using some turnout templates, both number 5 and number 6, to see how I can connect the three siding tracks that abut the head house in as efficient a way as possible. I reached out to Brad at Signature Switch who made my double slip switch and the foreground turnout which is built to a radius, not a number of a frog, as I was hoping a three way switch could be helpful in this spot. He drew up some options but they ended up being about 30 inches long.
So, I went back to the drawing board at his urging, and started with two Number 5 turnouts. The spacing of the sidings was a bit big for that. I want to keep about 3.5 inches between the centerlines as the tracks are high and will be harder to deal with.
Here are the two radius based turnouts that form the main line up to the bridge over the aisle. The curved portions are the main line on a 56 inch radius and the straight leg of the foreground turnout will lead into Shamokin and also form the switch lead for the mine.
I finally settled on a number 5 off the main line turnout and then a number 6 to the front two siding tracks. The length of the two turnouts is about 32 inches. So, now I have to go down and lay some ties to build them on.
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