Murrbahn: Layout Design from prototype track plans Gaildorf/West (2)

[ Murrbahn posts ]

Quelle: Staatsarchiv Ludwigsburg (PL 723 Bü 55). Used with permission.

The space I have available for Gaildorf/West is 470 cm long. I need to fit the station and the approach tracks. Let's take a look at the prototype plan in more detail and start with the south end of the station.

The main line from Stuttgart exits the Kappelesbergtunnel and curves into the station area. Switching movements are allowed right up to the tunnel portal, but not into the tunnel. The weg branch line (short-dashed line) curves away to the bottom of the plan.

There is a third track between the two that runs towards a maintenance of way building and storage area. I have several photos with cars or locomotives stored on this track, but it could just as well be still in operation to park MoW equipment, so I'd like to retain this track. I have space to represent the MoW building, as well as one of the two storage areas indicated in the plan. The storage area is crossed by a 20kV power line, which is one of the smaller lines and usually consists of three wires on a concrete pole.

Finally, just to the south of the turnouts is a set of narrow bridges that cross a small road (Feldweg 33, today's "Olgastrasse") and a creek, as well as several houses indicated.

Compression in the layout screenshot of the same area is quite evident. However, recognizable features abound. The turnout arrangement and placement of semaphore signals has been retained. Kappelesbergtunnel is correctly oriented and the MoW ("Bahnmeisterei") building and storage are present. The bridges crossing Olgastrasse will be to the left of the yellow area, and there is enough space to represent a few of the houses and backyards into the corner. The 20kV power line could be easily represented from the edge of the layout towards the left.

Replicating the prototype arrangement of the weg branch line would take up too much space on the layout. However, I do want to represent the branch line for the added interest it contributes to operations, so I decided to divert from reality and curve the branch line in parallel with the main and instead of descending into the Kocher valley, the track starts climbing. I don't know what signaling from the branch into Gaildorf/West looked like. It could be as fancy as indicated with main entry signal and distant signal, or it could be as simple as a trapeze sign. I'll find out eventually.

The mainline curves with a minimum 75 cm radius towards the tunnel, while the branch line curve has minimum 60 cm radius. Either radius works just fine with European rolling stock. The operator aisle is next to the word Backnang.