Turning Around a Locomotive

A locomotive needs to be turned around.

That is better.

Introduction

In this section, we describe several methods of turning locomotives around so they can pull a train in a direction different from that in which it was originally travelling. Keep in mind that we are not turning around entire trains. That is a separate topic that will be addressed later.

Why? You may ask. The principal reason is that prototypical railroads turn locomotives (and trains) around in these ways.

Equally important for the modeler is the fact that simply picking up the locomotive or locomotive and tender introduces the risk of damage to the cars, whether to the delicate parts that provide the realistic details the locomotives must have or, in the case of model steam locomotives, the decoder circuitry is usually housed in the tender, thus making the linkage between locomotive and tender subject to damage.

Turnaround Methods

We present Three methods of turning a locomotive around on the Shannondell Model Railroad (SMR). As with any other operating procedure please inform any other Operators of your intentions before you begin.

Method 1: Use a crossover with loop. Recall that there are two basic types of crossover: a simple crossover that involves two turnouts, as illustrated below,

Simple Crossover T402 near the tunnels to the Staging Yard.

and a double crossover that involves four turnouts, often installed in such a way as to produce a large “X” or “diamond”, as shown in the following illustration.

Double Crossover T703 in Northville.

For either type of crossover, a loop of track is also necessary to effect a turnaround, as we shall see.

Method 2: Use a wye turnaround. This method also involves a simple crossover plus sections of track and turnouts to provide a loop. This method will be described later in this section.

Method 3: Use a turntable. This method will be described last.

Method 1a. Loop and Simple Crossover

Introduction
The simple crossover and loop is one of the easier methods to understand and use on the SMR layout.

The objective is to get the locomotive back on its original track travelling in the opposite direction. For example, a loop such as shown below is needed, where a locomotive travelling westbound reaches a section of track enabling the locomotive to travel eastbound. This is the loop.

Now if we proceed to crossover to the westbound track, the locomotive will be travelling eastbound on the westbound track.

If we intend to travel westbound again on the westbound track, the tender will be leading the way. The locomotive orientation has been reversed.

In general, we need a loop and a crossover in order to reverse the orientation of a locomotive. On the SMR Layout, there is a High Line portion and a Low Grade portion of the trackage. In the vicinity of Mountainview Industrial Complex, there are three crossovers, two simple and one double slip. There are also multiple loops, one on the High Line (running on the viaduct) and one on the Low Grade (running under the viaduct). The following procedure utilizes the simple crossover T402 and the Low Grade loop.

Procedure
Assume a locomotive travels northbound on the Low Grade loop toward Crossover T402.

When pulling a load northbound on the Low Grade Line, stop before reaching simple crossover T402 (see following illustration).

Set T402 to Thrown and T401 to Closed.
Set T205 and T101 to Thrown.
Drive across T402 and through T401, T205 and T101 onto Low Grade loop beneath the viaduct. Stop at signal before T208.
Set T207 to Closed.
Set T208 to Thrown.
Set T205 to Closed.
Drive southbound across T402 back onto the original Low Grade line, now travelling in the reverse orientation.

This procedure could be used to pull a load into the Mountainview Industrial Complex.

Method 1b. Loop and Double (“X”) Crossover
Introduction
There are three double crossovers on the SMR layout: two on the Low Grade (T408 and T703) and one on the High Line (T406).

Double crossover T408 is located on the Low Grade in the south section of the layout just West of Harbortown, near the Cemetery. The loop is provided largely by the Low Grade loop.

Double crossover T408.

Double crossover T703 is located in Northville in the north section of the layout. The loop is provided by Horseshoe Mountain.

Double crossover T703.

The High Line double crossover T406, together with the East High Line Loop (on viaduct), provide the means for turning around a locomotive.

Double crossover T406

Method 1b1. East HIGH LINE Loop Locomotive Turn Around Procedure

Here is the first example of a loop and a double (“X”) crossover procedure to return the locomotive to its original track travelling in the opposite direction. This method can be used in any order and in either direction. For example:

When pulling a load eastbound on the High Line, stop before reaching double crossover T406 (see following illustration).

Schematic of the portion of the SMR layout in which T406 is located (this diagram connects with the following diagram).

Set T406 to Closed.
Set T109 and T108 to Thrown.
Uncouple the locomotive from any load (leaving it parked on the High Line) and then continue on the East High Line loop, stopping the locomotive BEFORE crossing T406 again.

Refer to the following illustration.

A schematic of the portion of the layout involved in Method 1b1.

Set T406 to Thrown.
Proceed across T406 onto the eastbound track, reconnect with load if any, and stop.
Set T406 to Closed. Proceed eastbound with the locomotive in reversed orientation (tender leading).

Illustration of the ending of the above procedure with the locomotive crossing over to its original track and moving East in reverse orientation.

Method 1b2. South LOW GRADE Loop Locomotive Turn Around Procedure
Introduction
In this example, the locomotive initially is travelling east on track 503 toward double crossover T408 (see illustration).

Schematic of a portion of the SMR layout involved in Method 1b2.

Procedure
The loop consists of the Low Grade line containing T404 and T206 and the crossover is T408.

When pulling a load eastbound on the Low Grade Track 503, stop before reaching double crossover T408.
Set T408 to Closed.
Uncouple the locomotive from any load and then continue travelling eastbound on the Low Grade across T408 and around the Low Grade Main Line loop, stopping the locomotive BEFORE crossing turnout T408 again.
Set T408 to Thrown.
Proceed across T408 onto the eastbound track 503, reconnect with load, if any, and stop.
Set T408 to Closed. Proceed eastbound with the locomotive in reversed orientation.

Method 1b3. North LOW GRADE Loop Locomotive Turn Around Procedure

In this last example, the locomotive is travelling east toward double crossover T703 on Track 704 of the Low Grade in Northville. See the following illustration.

Schematic of the SMR layout in which Northville and Horseshoe Mountain are located.

When pulling a load eastbound on the Low Grade, stop before reaching double crossover T703.
Set T703 and T711 to Closed.
Uncouple the locomotive and then continue travelling eastbound on the Low Grade across T703 and around the Low Grade Horseshoe Mountain loop and through T711, stopping the locomotive BEFORE crossing T703 again.
Set T704 and T703 to Thrown.
Proceed through T704, across T703 onto the eastbound track , reconnect with load if any and stop.
Set T703 to Closed.
Proceed eastbound with the locomotive in reversed orientation.

In the three examples above, the locomotive (and any load) could, alternatively, continue to travel in the direction opposite its original direction, thus pushing any load back toward its origin.

Method 1c. Double Slip and Loop Locomotive Turn Around
Introduction
There is one other area on the SMR layout that can be used to turn a locomotive around with the loop and crossover method. It does not use a simple or double crossover, but rather a Double Slip turnout as the crossover. This turnout is located in the East loop area (in front of Spooner Sash and Door). It is functional for both the Low Grade and High Line.

A Double Slip turnout is assigned two numbers because it has two sets of points, each of which can be set independently of the other (in contrast with crossovers that only have one number because the points must be set in concert). In this example, the Double Slip turnout is designated T208 and T207.

Double Slip turnout T208/T207.

Method 1c1. East LOW GRADE Loop Locomotive Turn Around
Introduction
In the following illustration, we are interested in the East Low Grade

Illustration of the Low Grade Loop.

Loop and the crossover provided by the double slip turnout T208 and T207.

Leg #1 Loop Procedure

Set turnout T106 to Closed
Set turnout T205 and T101 (manual) to Thrown (default mainline)
Set Turnout T208 to Thrown
Set Turnout T207 to Closed
Proceed across T205 and around Low Grade loop and stop before T208 signal (circled in yellow in the illustration immediately above). The signal will show STOP.

This Leg is the loop.
Leg #2 Crossover Procedure

Set T205 Closed
Proceed slowly across T208 & T207 and then T205 to return to the original track. The locomotive orientation is now reversed. (At T208/T207 the southbound locomotive is travelling from the southbound track to the northbound track!)

This Leg is the crossover.

To finish,

Set Route named East High & Low 103,104 Bypass to Active. This resets to default all turnouts we have modified.

Method 1c2. East HIGH LINE Loop Locomotive Turn Around
Introduction
The High Line turn around involves three (3) legs:

Get the locomotive to the East Low Grade loop. This is the crossover.
Use the Low Grade loop for the turn around.
Get the Locomotive back to the High Line.

Leg #1 Procedure – High Line to Low Grade

Transition from High Line to Low Grade.

A locomotive travelling northbound toward turnout T109 will follow the transition to Low Grade.
Turn on power to tracks 104 and 103.
Stop before reaching T109. Uncouple any load.
Set T109 to Closed.
Travel through T109 onto track 104. Stop after T205.

The following two illustrations show the locomotive at start and end of Leg #1.

At the start of Leg #1, the locomotive is going northbound on the northbound High Line track. With T109 set to Thrown, the locomotive travels through T109 onto track 104, moving to the Low Grade.

At the end of Leg #1 the locomotive is on the Low Grade track 104 and travelling southbound, stopping just after T205.

Leg #2 Procedure – Turn around on Low Grade

Set T205 and T101 (manual) to Thrown.
Set T207, T208 and T209 to Closed.
Drive the locomotive through T209, T208 and T207 and T205 and stop.
Set T205 and T101 to Thrown.
Drive locomotive through T205 and T101 around Low Grade main loop through T209 toward T208 and T207. Stop before T208.
Set T208, T207 and T206 to Thrown. Proceed slowly through T208 and T207, then proceed through T206, now heading South. Stop. The locomotive has been reversed, but is on the Low Grade.

Refer to the following illustration.

High Line turn around on Low Grade through T205 onto Low Grade mail line to T206.

Leg #3 Procedure Return to High Line.

Set Turnout 206 to Closed.
Set Turnout T209 to Thrown (Note: T209 will show a red LED in Control-Panel Drawer #3).
Proceed across T209, around track 104 loop, and stop locomotive after crossing T109. The locomotive is now travelling southbound on the High Line in reverse orientation.
Turn off Tracks 103, 104.

Set Route to East High & Low Tracks 103,104 Bypass.
Inform other Track Operators that you are finished.

The following two illustrations show the locomotive at start and end of Leg #3.

At the start of Leg #3 (T206) the locomotive is on the Low Grade track and travelling northbound on the southbound track.

At the end of Leg #3 (T109) the locomotive is travelling on the High Line in reverse orientation to that at the beginning of Leg #1.

Method 2. "WYE" Locomotive Turn Around
This method employs the Staging Yard and selected turnouts to turn around a locomotive. See illustration.

Schematic showing part of the Staging Yard and access thereto.

Assume a locomotive is driven from the Low Grade main line into the Staging Yard via turnout T403 and track 205 (if travelling North) or T401 and track 204 (if travelling South). Let us assume travel northward (see illustration).

Using T403 to take track 205 into the Staging Yard.

Procedure

Turn on power to tracks 306, 307 and 308 in Control-Panel Drawer #1.
Set turnout T403 to Thrown.
Set Turnouts T301, T306, T318 to Closed.
Set Turnouts T303 and T401 to Thrown.
Now drive the locomotive through T403 and into the tunnel via T301 and T303 to track 307. Drive past T318 and stop.
Set T318 to Thrown (cross).
Back the locomotive through T318 onto track 306 and out of the tunnel onto track 204 past T401.
Set T401 to Closed.
Drive forward through T401 onto track 203 southward. The locomotive now has reversed orientation.

Reset all turnouts to their original positions and turn off power to tracks 306, 307 and 308.

A similar procedure may be used if the locomotive is initially travelling southward.

Method 3. Turntable Locomotive Turn Around

First, familiarize yourself with the operation of the Turntable as described in Turntable Operations. Then,

Set Turnout 206 to Closed
Turn power on to track 11 from Control-Panel Drawer #8.
Drive a locomotive or locomotive and tender onto track 11. You can do this beginning with turnout T516 or T518 on the Main Line. Let us assume you reach T517, which should be set to closed.
Set T518 to closed.
Set T507 to closed.
Drive through T507.
Set T507, T533, T532, T531 (last 3 manual) and T524 so track 11 is the path you will take.
Drive in reverse orientation through T507 along track 11 and stop before the turntable.
Set the turntable bridge tail to track 6 (so the head aligns with track 11).
Carefully drive your locomotive (in reverse) onto the bridge and be sure to allow some clearance at both ends of your locomotive (and tender, if applicable). The bridge head should be positioned at track 11.
Set the turntable to move the head to track 6. That will cause the bridge to rotate through 180 degrees, thus turning the locomotive around.
Now, drive your locomotive forward off the turntable and park it somewhere out of the way, reset all turnouts and turn off any tracks you powered via Control-Panel Drawer #8.

This concludes the operating section dealing with locomotive turn around.

Railroad Signal Systems

Turntable Operation

Exchanging Locomotives

Servicing Locomotives

Turning Around a Locomotive​

Turning Around a Locomotive