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Earle's Sidings Down Loop

You are here: Home > Forum > Simulations > Released > Sheffield (Obsolete .exe) > Earle's Sidings Down Loop

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Earle's Sidings Down Loop 08/05/2010 at 13:35 #1230
Tevildo
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It's not uncommon (well, it's not uncommon for me) for a faster train to end up behind a slow goods train on the Hope Valley line, and some goods trains wait for quite some time at Earle's Sidings before proceeding to Chinley Junction. It makes sense to use the down loop to enable the faster train to pass.

However, the majority of goods trains are too long to fit into the loop. What you _can_ do, though, is stop the slow service at ES33 on the main line, where it _will_ fit, and route the faster train through the loop (ES34 > ES8 > ES32). Is this legitimate/authorized, particularly for the 1E services to Manchester Airport? Also, is it an accurate reflection of the situation on the ground that a train that's too long for the loop can still fit on the main line between ES34 and ES33? I would have thought that the two tracks would be about the same length.

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Earle's Sidings Down Loop 08/05/2010 at 13:35 #9041
Tevildo
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28 posts
It's not uncommon (well, it's not uncommon for me) for a faster train to end up behind a slow goods train on the Hope Valley line, and some goods trains wait for quite some time at Earle's Sidings before proceeding to Chinley Junction. It makes sense to use the down loop to enable the faster train to pass.

However, the majority of goods trains are too long to fit into the loop. What you _can_ do, though, is stop the slow service at ES33 on the main line, where it _will_ fit, and route the faster train through the loop (ES34 > ES8 > ES32). Is this legitimate/authorized, particularly for the 1E services to Manchester Airport? Also, is it an accurate reflection of the situation on the ground that a train that's too long for the loop can still fit on the main line between ES34 and ES33? I would have thought that the two tracks would be about the same length.

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Earle's Sidings Down Loop 08/05/2010 at 14:31 #9044
UKTrainMan
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Tevildo said:
However, the majority of goods trains are too long to fit into the loop.
Are you sure about this? Have you signalled one in and confirmed on the Train List (F2) that is has actually stopped in the loop at Signal ES8? Don't forget it may be limited to a low speed entering the loop - likely 15mph.

Tevildo said:
Is this legitimate/authorized, particularly for the 1E services to Manchester Airport?
Probably not. Having just tested this myself I signalled my test train into, through, and back out of Earles Sidings Down Loop towards Chinley and the Shunt Signal on Signal ES34 at Edale lit up - I seem to recall from a number of multiplayer games that you are not allowed (or at least not meant to) signal a train in passenger carrying service via Shunt Signals (unless it's call-on route(?)).

Any views and / or opinions expressed by myself are from me personally and do not represent those of any company I either work for or am a consultant for.
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Earle's Sidings Down Loop 09/05/2010 at 08:55 #9062
Late Turn
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Indeed, passenger trains can't normally be signalled under the authority of a shunt signal (or subsidiary signal); the exception in normal working being towards a line authorised for permissive working for passenger trains.
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Earle's Sidings Down Loop 09/05/2010 at 10:29 #9063
GeoffM
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6282 posts
Tevildo said:
Also, is it an accurate reflection of the situation on the ground that a train that's too long for the loop can still fit on the main line between ES34 and ES33? I would have thought that the two tracks would be about the same length.
The sim has lengths of 413m vs 360m. The difference can be accounted for by the fact that the sidings have double slips at either end which reduces the length compared to the main line. Looking on Google Earth, the main line track is exactly right (assuming Google Earth has no scaling errors) but the siding could be a few metres longer.

SimSig Boss
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Earle's Sidings Down Loop 09/05/2010 at 10:59 #9064
ledgero2
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as far as im aware the loop is owned/operated by Freightliner anyway, as part of the yard, so wouldnt be used for generic looping manouvers
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