Compound versus straight ladders

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

I’m building my first permanent HO layout. I’m working from a plan for my yard that has a straight ladder with basically 6 yard tracks off the ladder. I’m using Peco Insulfrog medium turnouts which I believe are close to size 6. I’ve been playing around with trying to build a compound ladder instead. I’m working from an article with an example but it is just a line drawing. I can tell that I will need to insert some short pieces of track to make the spacing work and keep the tracks 2" apart on center. Can anyone point me to an article or forum post that might have a better description of how to build one or maybe even a sectional track plan for one? I’m trying to add length for more cars in the same space. Thanks.

2

Tim.

Yard ladders take up a very large portion of valuable model real estate. Depending on the shape of the yard (Diamond, triangle) would depend on how long your ladders tracks are. A diamond shaped yard will have equal length track. The triangle shaped yard will have progressively shorter tracks as the yard fans out. A compound ladder will give you more track in less space but not by much. Design of the yard would depend on several factors beside the shape of the ladders. Is this a classification yard? Storage yard? Single ended or double ended or double ended with stub tracks inside? Will switchers be working on both ends or just one? How about an escape or run around? A straight ladder is easier to work and compound ladders can have internal S curves that can reek havoc with short cars coupled to long cars.

Peco medium are closer to a number 7 if I recall correctly. The shorts are close to 51/2. If you are talking about the code 100. A straight ladder will be almost 5 feet long for six tracks. Take one of each turnout and make copies of it on a copy machine and use them as a planning template. Or you can go to the Fast Tracks web site and download templates of different size turnouts and wyes to plan your yards.

Pete

3

I have an Atlas Layouts book that has in the back plans for ladders. It is old, but I think the new ones have similar plans in the back. Since you are using Peco turnouts, with different frogs, the length of pieces needed would not be correct. It would give you a good idea of switch arrangement and where you needed to put the spacing tracks.

Good luck,

4

Thanks. I have a couple of those books but didn’t see the ladders. I’ll keep looking. I can always go with what I have in the plan now. If it turns out that compound ladders are that much more complex to lay then I will just stick with the straight.

5

The Kalmbach book on Freight Yards has a ton of good information on modeling different ladders and some great illustrations and specs. Do yourself a favor and get a copy of that book.

Rich

Edit Note: On page 31, there is a series of four diagrams and specs illustrating a straight ladder, a straight ladder with short curves beyond the frogs to increase the length of the storage tracks, a compound ladder, and a pinwheel ladder.

6

How about some pictures:

I uses a bent, compound ladder:

Add a slight curve at beginning of the ladder allowed me to lengthen the body tracks. The yardstick shows the alignment of a straight ladder:

The red line shows the location of the curve bringing the tracks back parallel to the benchwork.

Using these tricks I was able to increase my yard capacity by this much:

Nick

7

I also used a compound ladder with Peco insulfrogs #6s. I did have to add a small section of track to seperate the switches, as I’m also using the Peco switch machines.

Here a pic of my yard, it’s a stub ended 6 track.

8

Great topic, I’ll be following it.

I always liked a very slight curve in the yard, looks really cool.

Keep the comments and pics coming.

David

9

David,

You say you like a slight curve in the yard. Is my yard too curved for your liking? [(-D]

Rich

10

Hi Rich,

Looks great!

David

11

Intersting. You kept the ladder turnouts together and added track between the ladder and 2nd tunouts. I am building mine with Walther’s #6. The pairs of tunouts are together, and about 4" added between the ladder sets.

Phil

12

Thanks for all of the replies. I had that track planning book and it was what I was working from. The line drawings explained the concept but I was having a hard time lining the tracks up with the proper spacing. The photos that Motley and Nick sent were exactly what I needed. I see how the curved entry would work in my layout and that I was not using long enough pieces of track to separate the turnouts. This helps me a lot.

13

This may not suit your needs, but Peco make Three-way points ( Thats one track straight with a curve off of each side). We have found that these can greatly reduce the distance given to modeling yard throats.Four of these Points will result in nine yard tracks, in much less space, with all “medium” curves…

14

Here is a photo of a small diesel holding yard, six equally sized tracks feeding off of two 3-way turnouts, feeding off a wye track. As Handmadeacc indicates, a lot more storage in a lot less space.

Rich

15

Thanks guys. I already have one of those 3 way Peco turnouts and was trying to figure out where to best use it on my layout. I hadn’t thought about using it in the yard. I will have to play around with that a little.

16

If you use flex-track, you should have no trouble in keeping the 2 inch center spacing. The following photo shows how I constructed a 7 track yard with two curved double drill tracks. The idea of this stub ended yard is that a switcher can have access to all 7 tracks without ever tying up the mainline.The drill tracks curve and merge with the mainline, in the distance. I used two sets of double-slip switches within the yard for access and egress of the switcher.

17

If you use flex-track, you should have no trouble in keeping the 2 inch center spacing. The following photo shows how I constructed a 7 track yard with two curved double drill tracks. The idea of this stub ended yard is that a switcher can have access to all 7 tracks without ever tying up the mainline.The drill tracks curve and merge with the mainline, in the distance. I used two sets of double-slip switches within the yard for access and egress of the switcher. My other yard is a 7 track pass-through yard which also is a compound yard with flex-track and double-slip switches. Note the double slip switch with on control rod. All switches are electrically controlled on one end and manually controlled on the further end. My 24’x24’ around the room layout may give you a few ideas that you can make use of on a smaller scale.Note that compound ladders allow for longer tracks with nearly equal footage. Click on photos to enlarge them.

18

[quote user="richhotrain

You say you like a slight curve in the yard. Is my yard too curved for your liking?

[/quote]

The yard looks great but I read that coupling and uncoupling on a curve is difficult. Do you have a problem?

Maybe the radii must be greater than a certain size.

19

Rich,

I agree with you. I think that a yard with a curve in it is visually more appealing. I am working on my yard now. One mainline, two arrival/departure tracks, and five classification tracks. Also, there will be a 130 foot turntable and six stall roundhouse. By the way, how deep is your benchwork in this scene?

20

The LDSIG Rule of Thumb regarding curve radius says that on curves with a radius 5 times the length of the longest car, automatic coupling will work pretty well. This seems to fit with real world experience - it takes about 30" radius in an HO yard for 40ft box cars to automatically couple consistently.

Uncoupling can be done on sharper curves if you use pick method. Aligning uncoupler magnets to the outside of the curve so that the couplers are centered over the magnet center will decrease the radius at which the magnets will work correctly. The limit for uncoupling then comes where the couplers are angled and can’t open properly because of the spring pressures.

The above assumes Kadee couplers. Sergent coupler performance on curves is very different. Sergent couplers have no centering springs, so couplers have to be manually aligned, and one knuckle opened for coupling to occur. Similarly, to uncouple Sergent couplers, a steel ball inside the knuckle is lifted to release the knuckle.

my thoughts, your choices

Fred W