The task is to create something interesting on a surface of 4.5m by 1.2m with HO equipment. So, what are the requirements?
Firstly, a stretch for “parading” trains, secondly, a main station (HBf) as well a small “local” station (NBf), thirdly a goods terminal (GBf) as shown on the right and, finally, to create the ability to continuously run trains, a shadow station below the surface (SBf). This idea is depicted in the right.
Second Thoughts
Over time, this idea evolved and the schema depicted in the diagram on the left.
Three things got lost in here: the goods terminal, the local station and the shadow station; but I gained a local (or: loop) line.
Luckily it’s fairly easy to gain the shadow station again where the two ends in the loop from/to the main station (depicted as a dotted rectangle). But the NBf was “lost”.
Or maybe not?
After having the idea, the next step was to make a plan and to see where to put the tracks. And I decided to use my computer to do the design:WinTrack 3D seems to do a good job. I finished my first stable – well semi-stable – plan in July 2002. WinTrack3D also produces three-dimensional views: A total view and a detailed view of the main station.
Let’s try again
But I have to admit that the first plan didn’t really do it for me. So I started all over again – but then, that’s the fun of it, isn’t it?
OK, based on the basic idea (a parading stretch with a goods terminal and a small loop line) and throughout that I could combine the goods terminal with some river action – after all I am from a harbour city…
This resulting design actually has one major advantage: It can be built in several stages. The first picture shows the first stage, the second image shows the second stage. The first stage is available here, where there is no loop line (and also no massive landscaping work. For the second stage I have two three dimensional views: the harbour and the main station.
The third stage will then also see a “shadow station” for assembling the trains. This shadow station will be built on a level below the main track. And, there will be a second loop line station.