Wye and Reversing Loop Extension - Final Update

Outstanding - thanks, Dave.

It's very close - I have 7 O-48 curved pieces and used a quarter O-48 at the right-side end like you show. I used a couple 30" pieces instead of 10" pieces on the straights, but that is not significant in the design.

I run mostly small scale stuff - none of my steamers/tenders or diesels are longer than 20", so I'd probably use the 5 whisker design and cut off the last 5" on each of the end whiskers in order to push the TT up into the loop a little and have a little longer entrance track to the TT. I don't think cutting off 5" on the three center whiskers will add any space.

Sounds like a plan and that’s a good eventual use for the loop.

This is a super interesting addition.  As I was scrolling through this thread at first I thought, nice using a WYE he'll be able to change directions of his trains.  Then I see it is a WYE that runs into a reversing loop.  And I'm thinking, that is convenient to mix those 2 different ways to turn a train around.  Then I see the potential for a turn table and I'm sort of laughing in my head that all 3 ways to turn a train around are being used in one addition (note, not laughing in a mean way just a "dang thats kind of funny to me way").   I really like this and look forward to the progress.  When I was planning my layout I was trying to figure out where I could get a WYE, a reverse loop, or a turn table and here you've done all 3 at once  

Never thought of it that way, but you're right - killed three birds with one stone !!

You said your engines and steam locos are under 20". Have you thought about a 20 inch turntable?

gftiv posted:

You said your engines and steam locos are under 20". Have you thought about a 20 inch turntable?

Yes, but I want to allow for the possibility that in the future I will acquire longer engines.

Well - it's done - finished everything up this weekend. Got all the edging stained, filled, poly'd and mounted, including an iron-on veneer for the edge of the liftout, itself. All wiring finished, including the accessory hook-up from the KW on my workbench to under the reversing loop. Installed some "half" portals at the closet tunnel entrance/exits and put the yard light back in place on the upper main layout. I also put an old Plasticville Union Station, Ho-Jo's (wrong scale), cars, and some trees and clump foliage on the reversing loop so it doesn't look so bare.

The attached pics and movie go from right to left from the main layout across the liftout, through the closets, along my workbench and out to the reversing loop and back again. In the movie you can see where the train goes straight through the liftout from the top of the main layout but takes the diverging route to the main on the way back.

I've already cut-out a 24.5" diameter cardboard circle to get an idea of where a TT might be placed inside the reversing loop and, if I end up getting one, I will start a new thread to track that installation.

This was a great winter project and thanks to all who followed/liked/commented and a special shout out to Jan and Dave (sounds like an old California rock duo)  for their design assistance. Couldn't have done it w/o you guys  - thanks !!

This had been a very interesting project to not only watch, but to have had a small part in. It’s always nice to see the finished product and I enjoyed the video. Excellent job very well done.

I think in the beginning we over thought the problem and ended up with complex solutions.  Then sanity prevailed, and we had a simple solution.

Jan

Thanks, guys - much appreciated.