Ivan Furlanis Posted August 3, 2015 Hi! After moving in a new flat some weeks ago, I settled a small town on a top of a commode, called Bedford-on-Commode, shown in another topic. That tiny town was just a display place waiting to clear the smallest bedroom where I'll push all LEGO stuff inside. As the future LEGO room is still full of boxes and books and I feel a compelling desire to move my trains, I decided two days ago to build a small freight yard on a desk in my main bedroom. So, here is Deskton Yard! Deskton Yard by Ivan Furlanis, su Flickr The yard isn't huge, just five stub tracks and a switchback spur, but it is enough to keep all my seven freight cars. Deskton Yard by Ivan Furlanis, su Flickr The switchback track is used as a loading area of logs coming from nearby woods. But how can I switch this spur without a runaround track? Deskton Yard by Ivan Furlanis, su Flickr Easy: with a cable and capstans! Deskton Yard by Ivan Furlanis, su Flickr Cable connected Deskton Yard by Ivan Furlanis, su Flickr Let's go! The loco is moving to the right, the freight car to the left; the capstans guide the cable along the tracks. Deskton Yard by Ivan Furlanis, su Flickr Now the freight car is ready to be coupled by the loco. Deskton Yard by Ivan Furlanis, su Flickr Finally, the morning freight train is ready to leave the yard. That's all, for today. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JopieK Posted August 3, 2015 Great yard Ivan! Nice idea about those cables! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Legoboy22 Posted August 3, 2015 Nice job, like the mods on the yellow cargo train Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dr_spock Posted August 3, 2015 Nice yard. Interesting to see a cable system. I think they use that for a Swiss different track gauge transfer yard. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ivan Furlanis Posted August 3, 2015 (edited) Thanks. Nice job, like the mods on the yellow cargo train It's still a WIP. I'd like to replace the two grey train front bases with blue, but they are too expensive and I'm looking for a cheaper solution. I'm planning to replace those fake doors with real train doors, too. The concept is to have both freight locos in blue/yellow livery. Nice yard. Interesting to see a cable system. I think they use that for a Swiss different track gauge transfer yard. I know this system was used in the past; today, I think, it would be forbidden by safety rules. But I was luck to see cable switching in Romania: CFF Vişeu 764-421 "Elveţia". Paltin by Ivan Furlanis, su Flickr Here the loco is pulling the freight car on an adjacent track with a cable connected between the two vehicles. Edited August 3, 2015 by Ivan Furlanis Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hod Carrier Posted August 3, 2015 That's a very compact yard and inspiring when you consider how large LEGO trains can be. It's not unlike an "Inglenook" shunting puzzle and gives lots of operational interest in a very tight space. It's interesting to see capstan shunting using locos on adjacent lines. I was not aware of this method of working and thought it was restricted mainly to locations where locos could not operate (e.g. inside a goods station) using a stationary winding engine. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
IronFish Posted August 3, 2015 The only thing I think it needs is some kind of switch engine, if only for aesthetics Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Legotom Posted August 5, 2015 Love the capstan shunting. Very nice. Another way that wagons used to be shunted in the UK was by horses. You could have a Lego horsey helping out. Nowadays some yards use tractors. Sometimes with added rail wheels, but often not. They just drive between the rails on the sleepers. You could consider one of those for moving your wagons around. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LEGO Train 12 Volts Posted August 5, 2015 I like you original idea to move the wagon with the wire! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ivan Furlanis Posted August 5, 2015 (edited) Love the capstan shunting. Very nice. Another way that wagons used to be shunted in the UK was by horses. You could have a Lego horsey helping out. Deskton Yard by Ivan Furlanis, su Flickr I tried to use a horse, but it likes more to sniff at flowers rather than pulling freight cars Deskton Yard by Ivan Furlanis, su Flickr By the way, I'm continuing to MOD the 7939 locomotive, this is the last result. Well, the door has been stolen from the 60052 loco: before to buy new doors I want to see how should look the vehicle. I've built a caboose, too. It looks simple, I know, but I've used just pieces I have at home. Edited August 5, 2015 by Ivan Furlanis Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zephyr1934 Posted August 6, 2015 I know this system was used in the past; today, I think, it would be forbidden by safety rules. But I was luck to see cable switching in Romania: Oh man, they did a lot of crazy stuff in the past in the US (brakemen walking across the roof of a moving train to set or release hand brakes, using poles to push train cars on the other track, etc.). As for using cables to move cars, I think it is still done that way in the US to position freight cars without a locomotive. Not in major yards, but in small industrial spurs, e.g., a grain elevator. I tried to use a horse, but it likes more to sniff at flowers rather than pulling freight cars ... By the way, I'm continuing to MOD the 7939 locomotive, this is the last result. Well, the door has been stolen from the 60052 loco: before to buy new doors I want to see how should look the vehicle. I've built a caboose, too. It looks simple, I know, but I've used just pieces I have at home. From what little I know about horses, I doubt those flowers survived much longer (grin). It is neat to see your work on modding, that is a good start by improving upon an existing set. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
leg01982 Posted August 6, 2015 Great ideas and layouts for the small space Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dread Pirate Rob Posted August 6, 2015 Great to see something so different. There is an old model railway saying that 'there is a prototype for everything,' meaning no matter how crazy a model seems, it has probably been done in real life at some point. An interesting feature of the one cable yard I am aware of at an Australian stone quarry is that the cable pulled special trucks called 'Barneys.' These were attached to a line of stone hoppers which were pulled up an incline under the loading chute. The incline meant that one cable could move the trucks forwards or backwards. This could be very easily achieved in Lego. Photo credit goes to Flickr user navarzo21 The cable can be seen attached to the Barney above. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ivan Furlanis Posted August 7, 2015 I know the cab-pulled truck method to move freight cars along a spur or a siding, thanks. Maybe I'll improve Deskton Yard with this system in future . Another interesting switching move is the launch of a freight car behind a loco inside a trailing spur, but this is quite impossible to do with LEGO . By the way, I've just improved my transfer caboose. Someday it will have the same livery of the locos, but for the moment I keep in "caboose red" with just two stripes in blue and yellow. Deskton Yard by Ivan Furlanis, su Flickr Deskton Yard by Ivan Furlanis, su Flickr The flatcar is carrying rails for an upcoming project to be done in the yard. Deskton Yard by Ivan Furlanis, su Flickr Now the caboose has some interior details, too. Deskton Yard by Ivan Furlanis, su Flickr In this pic you can see where rails continue with imagination beyond the desk. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
