Has anyone prototyped(??) any real life classifcation yards, such as the Decoursey yard(s)? ( which has all had all the yard operations consolidated at the Chessie’s Queensgate Yard in Cincinnati. ) Or in the reality of it, couldn’t because it can’t be done… the yard was nearly five miles in length… which I think comes out to about 165 feet in real life space for N-scale, width of course is another story as with the number of switches required… And in the end, it all comes down to $$$$, but still… the original question stands:
Has anyone prototyped(??) any real life classifcation yard ?
You don’t “prototype” things in the hobby, you “model” them. To prototype is to build the original.
Many people have ed classification yards. Virtually all of them have to be “selectively compressed”, that is reduced in size to fit the space. The more involved ones, even though smaller, retain the functions and the basic car flow through the yard.
Dave H.
I modelled the west-bound yard of the Canadian Pacific Railroad that existed in Windsor Ontario during the 1950-60’s. As Dave stated, I had to use selective compression to make it fit I could not do the whole yard as it consisted of 24 tracks plus a RIP track and C&O interchange track.
Ken
Lots of people and clubs do model the prototype. Unless you have oodles of space, you will have to use selcective compression. I belong to a club and we model the CPR Cartier Sub. Our Sudbury yard is “prototypical”, but it is still short one track. I personaly am planning on modeling the CPR Windsor Sub (circa 1975), but am having difficulties finding the track plans for the Windsor yard and the right of way to London.