Re-Viewing Plain

I had previously arrived at the siding of Plain on the earlier plan. However, once I realized that the location of Plain would be directly above the Chem Spur area on Deck 1, and right behind Plain on the opposite side of the aisle would be C&S Junction on the lower deck, and Pinecliffe would be directly above Plain. In addition, the support post in the area complicates the aisle size. In short, I could envision that there was going to be a problem in that aisle.

Original Plain Siding Track Plan.

The reconfigured benchwork footprint, places Plain in a different configuration on a shorter peninsula. To maintain the relative length of Plain siding, the siding will need to be a lot less linear. This is not all bad. Plain is fairly linear on the east end, but the west end does curve around a bit as the line approaches Tunnel 2. With the new benchwork configuration, I was able to arrive at this track configuration.

Revised Plain LDE.

The resulting plan for Plain siding is fairly linear on the east end (near Tunnel 1), but not quite as much as is the prototype. Still, it is fairly reasonable.

WB Train at the east end of Plain siding.

Towards the bottom left hand corner of the plan, the siding will bend around to penetrate Rainbow Cut, a very colorful rock cut in the area. This curve is a bit more extreme than the real location, but again, it is necessary and an acceptable compromise.

DRGW5390 Eastbound out of Rainbow Cut.

UP5675 WB into Rainbow Cut. Photo by Erik Lindgren.

The line continues to wrap around the peninsula, before reaching the west end of Plain siding. A short stretch of single track leads the main line into the bore of Tunnel 2. This single track stretch between the west end of Plain siding and Tunnel 2 was a notable feature of the area.

Plain siding ends up being very similar in length to the previous siding (143.7" versus 142.4") so the siding remains proportional to those in the layout to this point. In terms of obscuring a turnback curve, I think the large blob at the end of this peninsula works well. Think about the description above. The train rounds the end of Plain siding and wiggles through Rainbow Cut before bending around the hillside further to enter into Tunnel 2. The scenic interruption caused by Rainbow cut effectively makes this two curves, rather than one continuous curve. The slight reverse curve further breaks the turnback curve visually.

The new location of Plain is opposite Arvada in the aisle, but I do not expect Arvada to be as busy of a location as C&S Junction. Chem Spur is now on the opposite side of the peninsula, and I believe that Pinecliffe will be more or less over Leyden. With C&S junction on the opposite side of the first peninsula from Arvada, there should be very limited overlap of the switching areas. Rollinsville may fall over Arvada, but if I can keep the house track further to the bottom of the peninsula, that should not add too much traffic above Arvada.

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Cameron Turner