Terminus with Turnaround Loop

[forawhile]

Hello all!

I've been trying to implement a terminus station with a depot and a turnaround loop for my steam trains. I've attached my current solution, which works fine, but it's not at all perfect. I like to keep my layouts somewhat realistic. The loop happily accommodates trains 7 tiles long.

St. Wradale Transport, 8th Oct 1967 Cropped.png (226.62 KiB) Viewed 2852 times

I've used an entry pre-signal on the approach and exit pre-signals at the platform entrance to prevent trains from waiting at occupied platforms. All others are block signals.

There are a few problems or improvements I'm working on, if possible:

1. I'd like to remove the sideline track for trains using the turnaround. Removing it causes waiting trains to enter the platform before the turning train has had a chance to exit again. I've attempted placing an entry pre-signal at the approach, combo pre-signals at the platform and exit pre-signals behind the platform. This prevents waiting trains from entering the station, allowing a train to turn around, but it also prevents the turning train from ever leaving the platform.
2. If the station becomes busy enough that there is always a train waiting at the approach, trains leaving the depot never get a chance to leave the station.
3. If another train is entering the station, even though I tell trains to go via the Approach waypoint, they leave out the back of the station and take the turnaround loop.

Any thoughts would be appreciated, if I manage any improvements myself, I'll post them.

[Chris]

Use PBS and if you want to keep it realistic, then how about a turn around siding instead of a loop?