Track Design for Lionel Coaling Tower

Looks about 5 1/2 or 6 inch spacing, so much like the MTH Dual engine shed, This topic gives you several ideas on how to get that spacing https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/...mth-dual-engine-shed

Example showing 072

Again, based on the picture and this detail from Lionel, I'm guessing, but the 5 1/2 to 6 inch spacing seems right. Lionel lists the dimensions of the tower as  5 1/2" x 5 1/2" x 19 1/2", looking at the picture, if you moved the tower to the right over top of the 2 tracks, I'm again guessing, but it looks like the legs would center over the 2 tracks. Hence a guess, that 5 1/2 might be the near correct number.

Jetguy posted:

Looks about 5 1/2 or 6 inch spacing, so much like the MTH Dual engine shed, This topic gives you several ideas on how to get that spacing https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/...mth-dual-engine-shed

Example showing 072

Thanks. This part of the thread though is a little unclear. Should I go regular 072 switch or a wye switch? 

Trainlover9943 posted:

Thanks. This part of the thread though is a little unclear. Should I go regular 072 switch or a wye switch? 

All depends on your layout and goals. More of an alignment thing than anything. Y then places both tracks on either side of the source track. A curved switch places one siding inline with the source track. Your choice.

Jetguy posted:

Trainlover9943 posted:

Thanks. This part of the thread though is a little unclear. Should I go regular 072 switch or a wye switch? 

All depends on your layout and goals. More of an alignment thing than anything. Y then places both tracks on either side of the source track. A curved switch places one siding inline with the source track. Your choice.

Cool. This is the area I'd be putting it in. 

Laidoffsick posted:

Nice! Eventually, I'd like to have an engine area like this. 

I just re-worked ours a little bit and the repainted/weathered it.

Laidoffsick posted:

I just re-worked ours a little bit and the repainted/weathered it.

Nice!!!

Jetguy posted:

Trainlover9943 posted:

Thanks. This part of the thread though is a little unclear. Should I go regular 072 switch or a wye switch? 

All depends on your layout and goals. More of an alignment thing than anything. Y then places both tracks on either side of the source track. A curved switch places one siding inline with the source track. Your choice.

Think I'm going to go with the Wye switch. 

I have this coaling tower. Fastrack is 5 1/2" center rail to center rail. This is where you want to be for things to line up.

RickO posted:

I have this coaling tower. Fastrack is 5 1/2" center rail to center rail. This is where you want to be for things to line up.

Thanks, what's your lead in track look like, a wye or just an 072 switch? 

Trainlover9943 posted:

RickO posted:

I have this coaling tower. Fastrack is 5 1/2" center rail to center rail. This is where you want to be for things to line up.

Thanks, what's your lead in track look like, a wye or just an 072 switch? 

Mine is off of two o-60 turnouts end to end so thats no help.

After measuring again. The rest of my fastrack layout is 6" centers. The two tracks to the coal tower are 5 1/2".

It looks like you could easily go closer together i.e. 5" centers and the chute will still line up fine.

I'm "guessing " possibly two o-72 half curves off of the wye might get you in the ballpark. 

In fact heres an old thread of yours with a photo showing the o-72 wye with 2 o-72 half curves. It looks close to the 5" epescially given the tape is right at the half curve joint.

https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/...track-072-wye-switch

RickO posted:

Trainlover9943 posted:

RickO posted:

I have this coaling tower. Fastrack is 5 1/2" center rail to center rail. This is where you want to be for things to line up.

Thanks, what's your lead in track look like, a wye or just an 072 switch? 

Mine is off of two o-60 turnouts end to end so thats no help.

After measuring again. The rest of my fastrack layout is 6" centers. The two tracks to the coal tower are 5 1/2".

It looks like you could easily go closer together i.e. 5" centers and the chute will still line up fine.

I'm "guessing " possibly two o-72 half curves off of the wye might get you in the ballpark. 

In fact heres an old thread of yours with a photo showing the o-72 wye with 2 o-72 half curves. It looks close to the 5" epescially given the tape is right at the half curve joint.

https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/...track-072-wye-switch

Ah yes, my wye, I'm happy I did that. Thinking on this some more, I'd love to kill two birds with one stone if I can and have the tracks line up to do the MTH dual engine shed too. 

Nice photos of a fantastic engine servicing facility.

I have two of these towers over mainlines - as I don't have room for a proper servicing facility - they are nice but note they have to be centered dead-on the tracks since the pass-thru is very narrow. I've had a couple of engines catch the columns.

Small 9x16 attic layout coaling operation. Layout now dormant.

Overview of Enginehouse/Service Yard with Coaling Tower in the distance.