Portram Display Layout in AutoCAD

I just put mouse to CAD and sketched out the smallest variation on the Portram display layout. This remains one of my favourite model tramway layout track plans and if you built it using the 140mm radius curved sections as shown this would easily fit in a 24×30″ board which should be quite manageable and yet still yield some excellent opportunities for operations.

There should be enough space at the three tram terminii to place one of the Portram articulated trams. I think that with some careful setup one could replicate some interesting moves depending on what identities you assign to each terminii. Station “A” will always be the downtown terminal but “B” and “C” I think really offer some opportunities. What if you had rush hour services only between “A” and “B” with a local train that stopped at all three? Has about a local train between “B” and “C”?

When I first watched the video that inspired this track plan I was impressed at how effectively the scenery was used to divide the layout up into it’s respective areas and I would continue that approach without change. Another hidden gem built into this one is how little complicated trackwork would need to be built into the streets. Only one turnout at the throat of Station “A” is actually in the paving, the others are just ballasted plain track.

I think the next natural evolution of this plan is to double track the line from “A” to “B” and then introduce a cross-over at “A” to permit trams to change lines. This could then closely replicate the operations on lines like Edmonton’s LRT.

---