Need help with signal placement

[mca0004]

So, I'm trying to finally get started on my first layout. I've got a plan up using AnyRail, but I need some help.

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My layout is based on Tidmouth Station as it appears in the Railway Series, the sheds as they appear in the TV series, and a Yard based on my own design.

 

But, as the title says, I'm completely stuck on a signal placement. I haven't got a clue! So, if anyone could help me with it, I'd be very appreciative.

 

Also, I'm going to go down the route of DCC, but, I don't know how to wire it up. Where do feeders go and how? Who knows? Not me!

 

And just any feedback I would be happy to hear!

[LCDR]

 Cannot help with DCC as I am dyed in rhe wool DC user, but I may be able to help with signals.

 

Signals do a couple of things -

 

1. - they protect against conflicts between two or more trains at junctions

 

2 - they tell the train driver which way the signalman  has set his route

 

In sidings and yards (including the engine shed) where speeds are low trains usually move on sight or in response to hand signals from ground staff so apart from the signal at the exit which protects the main line and one on the main line which shows if the route into the yard has been set, you don't need to put many signals in there, if at all. Any  lines which are used by passenger trains must however be signalled, so if your lines to the harbour see the occasional boat train you may have to consider a signal or two on them.

 

So you need to have a signal at each of the ends of the platforms of Tidmouth Station where trains leave to go on to the main line.

 

You need to have a signal on the exit from Tidmouth Yard.

 

You will need a signal on Duck's branch line where it joins the main lines.

 

On the main line where it first comes on from the right you will need a gantry or more likely a couple of gantries with signals which show which route (platforms, the yard or the branch line)  which is being set for an arriving train.   There appear to be five possible routes for the left hand main line (Duck's Goods, Duck's passenger, Tidmouth platform 1, run-round, Tidmouth platform 2) So the gantry for that line needs 5 'Dolls' which are the little signal posts that sit on top of the gantry. Siding routes would have shorter dolls than main routes. The right hand line (but only if trains can approach on it)  would need 9 'dolls', In a real situation this signal would probably be a single post and arm but with a route indicator underneath which displays a letter or number selected for which ever route has been set.

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This is an example of a gantry with four 'dolls'.

 

I hope this may help.

 

 

 

 

 

[2e0dtoeric]

As you are asking about DCC, this should have gone into the DCC threads! Perhaps a mod will move it over for you?

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With a complex layout like that, I'd advise that you do the job properly, with an under-board BUS, and droppers from each piece of track. That way, EVERY piece of track will be live all the time, without relying on those silly spring clips that are supposed to go onto the points rails, but are known to give bad connection problems.

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Looking at your layout, you have three tracks coming off the turntable (left side lower), and going to more or less the same place. Two of them would be better employed as siding space, or a fuelling/coal/water stub (depending on whether you are modelling modern or older style).

From your turntable position, moving down and left - is that a curved point? They are known to give problems, and are best avoided.

That point also leads into a reversing loop to the Tidmouth yard. You will need a reversing module there, and irj's, top and bottom of the straight section of line - otherwise you will have a nice juicy short-circuit!

[Chrissaf]

Please post an image of the WHOLE planned layout, not just a sub-section of it. There does appear to be the possibility of a 'Reverse loop', but the whole layout needs to be seen to be sure, and to advise what is the best course of action to resolve it.

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Your question has two distinctly different issue areas that you are querying.

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Query 1 - Signal design and placement...for which this 'General Discussion' sub-forum is the correct forum.

Query 2 - DCC power considerations......for which the 'Hornby DCC' sub-forum should be used.

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I am reluctant to move your original question as posted above to the DCC forum, because there will be other members in that forum saying it should be in this 'General Discussion' forum due to the subject matter of Query 1.

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Since I have asked you to provide a layout plan for the whole layout. I suggest (request) that you raise Query 2 - DCC Power considerations as a completely new and separate question in the 'Hornby DCC' sub-forum and post the whole layout design image there instead. This revised question should not mention the signalling query and focus only on the DCC power aspect.

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I will then leave 'Query 1 - Signal' answers here in this thread and move  Eric's DCC power answer to your dedicated DCC power question when I see it appear in the 'DCC' forum.

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PS - From a signals point of view, what era. Lamp based signals or Semaphores?

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[mca0004]

I apologise for asking about DCC in the wrong area, let’s just forget I asked that for now!

 

Also, this is the whole layout. I’m going to use it as a shunting layout. As well as filming some videos, maybe. There are some things missing, so there is going to have to be some suspension of disbelief.

 

And semphore signals, I’m going to be using lower quadrant. The era is sometime around and between Big Four to Dieselization.

 

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

[Chrissaf]

Also, this is the whole layout.

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So just to be super clear, the tracks highlighted in red and yellow do not extend off the original image to loop back onto another part of the layout. The red and yellow track ends are in effect 'dead ends'.

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If this is so, then there is no 'Reverse Loop' on the main layout design.

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There is the potential for a reverse loop on the TurnTable, but it is difficult to give precise advice without knowing what brand and model of TurnTable it is and if it is a Hornby TurnTable then whether it has been modified for DCC operation or left in its factory default configuration.

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I still feel it is worthwhile reposting Query 2 as a separate question in the DCC forum, where the issue can be focused on by the membership.

[mca0004]

We won't talk about DCC here in this thread, we can do it later in a different thread.

 

And yes, there is no more to the layout. What you see is what you get. I've just updated it so it can have a detachable set of tracks so it can have a headshunt. As well as a arragment of the yard and sheds, making the layout 15cm thinner.

 

Also in the update, placed my own signals. So going back to the main thread topic; Are these signal placements correct?

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[LCDR]

 I am sorry but I cannot enlarge the image so I attach a drawing showing the how I would place the signals.

 

Note that the gantries are rather large and may require an advance level of modelling skill; because the ready made ones are much simpler.

I have however offered an alternative using route indicators instead of seperate dolls.

 

If however you have adopted conventional left hand running so that the bottom line is inbound and the top line is outbound you may not need the larger gantry, however it will mean the top two platforms are for departures only because you cannot get directly from the inbound track to these or the yards.

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