How do real railroads handle cross tracks?

[GaryP]

I'm reworking an old layout I built years ago, and I have a set of paralleled tracks that run North and South. Right up and Left down.
Now I need to branch off to the East so I added 2 switches and branched each track to the East.
Now I have 2 tracks running East and West that end at these center NS tracks.

The West bound train coming back to the main line South, must cross over the Northbound lane. How is this handled?

 

[Gandalf0444]

I would assume it would be treated the same as a diamond would be, since it is essentially the same thing if you think about it, it just attaches to a track running parallel to the one you are crossing over.

 

[defacto]

Hmm... this is a problem i wondered about too...

Not long ago i had an idea in my head about a futuristic commuter train that travelled on 12 tracks, in 800 mph. While a low-populated australian two-track railways maybe don't need a solution for this problems, a ultra density ultra speed commuter railway with trains dpearting every 30 seconds certainly would. Just think of the damage a train set could do if it was flinged at near sonic speeds on a skyscrpaer...

 

[RRSignal]

There was something like this until fairly recently in Jenkintown, outside of Philadelphia. AFAIK it was simply interlocked to prevent movement over the track to be crossed, not really much different than any other kind of interlocking. Jenkintown had an associated interlocking anyway. I imagine there were block circuits on both tracks preventing a conflicting movement.

 

[argee]

Hi Gary

Try this Link. At the RHS of the layout is the North Geelong Station. Just to the left of this is the same thing you are asking about, (except LH branch) this shows how it was done here. Running through are the main Melbourne-Geelong lines and branching is the Geelong-Ballarat line.

Hope it helps

Cheers

RG

http://www.victorianrailways.net/signaling/completedia/nshogeel.html

 

[magickmaker]

In Statesboro Georgia, there is a diamond right smack in the middle of a street and a level crossing.



not sure if this will work or not, it's google maps, but here ya go.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sou...=EbUsjSL62O4fnRTvR5MO8Q&cbp=12,184.43,,0,9.39

also try

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sou...d=xADmhaQh3HUqZTUWQM84Aw&cbp=12,79.63,,0,4.27

The crossing is in the middle of a street's intersection...well 5 streets. It sees use every so often.

 

[Travlar]

I'm reworking an old layout I built years ago, and I have a set of paralleled tracks that run North and South. Right up and Left down.
Now I need to branch off to the East so I added 2 switches and branched each track to the East.
Now I have 2 tracks running East and West that end at these center NS tracks.

The West bound train coming back to the main line South, must cross over the Northbound lane. How is this handled?

Use the ASB Crossover Controller by Boat on the DLS. Just do a search for ASB and everything associated with it will show up. This will solve the issue for you.

I have used the ASB Crossover Controller for some really wild interchanges and it works great. Instructions are included when you place the ASB CC and use the ? and click the controller. Hope this helps.

 

[Ronayne]

While a low-populated australian two-track railways maybe don't need a solution for this problems...

I take offense to that

 

[chrisjohn]

I would use a catchpoint on the approach to the conflict that had to be set in tandem with the permitted junction, but holdable as locked open by potential conflicting traffic, until it has left the crossover.

Close to my home here in France, a single track meets the dual track mainline north of Limoges. To enter the single track, the train goes wrong-line for about 50 metres on the southbound to access the single track.

This involves three points or switches that are all interlocked to permit this action. There are only about 5 trains that do this maneouvre daily and they are only single car TER trains. X73500 or X2200.

 

[a2233138]

I'm reworking an old layout I built years ago, and I have a set of paralleled tracks that run North and South. Right up and Left down.
Now I need to branch off to the East so I added 2 switches and branched each track to the East.
Now I have 2 tracks running East and West that end at these center NS tracks.

The West bound train coming back to the main line South, must cross over the Northbound lane. How is this handled?

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[jadebullet]

East Mahanoy junction had a tower that controlled that exact type of junction, with signals covering the ROW.