a minor tweak? why not simply post the new design, your playing hide and seek. But more important however, the idea about the design was not mine at all. It’s the way to go when the yard switcher and mainline trains have to operate independent of each other, not necessary at all if only one train at a time is run, or the second train is on another part of your layout for quite some time.
And i told you before, Stein too, without knowing more about your layout any real discussion is impossible.
If things are going over your head, just ask and answer to questions asked.
I didnt make that minor tweak at all. I got it to work like the design you posted.
Sorry I havent given all the info about my layout. It is modern era modeled in the midwest with grain facilities, ethanol plant, and other features in the midwest. Basically I wanted my yard to store cars, so I wouldnt have to take them on and off, and be able to do some switching. I have been out of model railroading for over 20 years so I am just getting used to the terminology again, so sorry for not offering more.
I am still putting things in AnyRail for the layout but I am not done. Between family and trying to build bench work and officiating High School Basketball I dont get much done other than at work. I have a job that has seasonal busy times and other times it is slow, so that allows me to work on this at work.
Here is a pic of what I have done so far. I have the yard done. I implemented the yard Paul posted and added a longer spur on the left side for longer trains if need be. I put the inter model yard where it is because that is really the only other place I can put it because I dont have room anywhere else on the layout but I wanted an inter model yard so that is where it goes. I know it may not be practical but will work for me.
Sorry, but I think you are being a bit harsh. It seems to me that BDP has been pretty forthcoming with what he is trying to do and, in fact has essentially adopted your plan. True, as Stein pointed out, it may not be a formal double mainline but we all get the basic idea. And, yes, the resulting plan still have the shortcoming of the switching lead probably being too short. But hey, what about selective compresssion?
Your help has been invaluable to not only BDP but to the rest of us. This has been an extremely informative and useful thread. I just don’t want to see BDP get turned off because of the need to be more familiar with yard operation and terminology. After all, that is the title of the thread, Help Designing a Yard.
but i am rather serious, IMAO Brad is not really giving the information asked…and i am not sure his investment will result in a great layout.
The yard design he took, is needed if switching the yard is blocking mainline traffic. If he has a to short drill track he will still be blocking the main often; it is not cherry picking.
I talked about possible surprises, if he is not really specific about the cars and engines he will use, radii and switch-numbers might be to small. Not only in the yard; he is building bench-work already, i have no idea at all about the remainder of his layout and the pin-wheel arrangement takes additional width, does he have that? Apparently yes, though it would be nice to know before going to the drawing board
I do not know if his layout is build against walls, it was asked him too BTW, his tracks are to close to it; and sorry Brad, this is not meant to drive you away…
And one of the issues is the number of operators; i understood he has two sons, they might prefer a double track main, so both can run a train. I love a very short single track section; to keep them awake and let them experience a lot of near collisions. When one of them wants to do some yard work, the other can use the free second main; no use for dedicated yard-lead…
I hope you understand why all these questions were asked…without knowing your situation and aims i can only give some general information.
Hi Brad, The following photos show my 7 track compound turnouts which feed from two curved drill track turnouts from my mainline. By using double-slip switches one can have access to all 7 tracks without having the switcher have to tie up the mainline. By having the mainline overpass the yard, one can have 7 equal length tracks in the yard. All the tracks are accessible to each other, and the long drill tracks allow one to form long consists within the yard. Bob
Please bare in mind i am new to this as well, I am currently working on planning a layout myself for operations. I have come to a realization through reading as much as i can that if i want my longest train to be comprized of 10 cars of a 6" avg length each the space i will need for a proper classification yard with all the fixins i will need around 17’ X 2’ if you are using all # 6 turnouts
this will be the arrangment for the max amount of cars per ladder rung
Shortest = 42" 7 cars
54" 9 cars
66" 11 cars
78" 13 cars
90" 15 cars
so that would give room for 55 cars to be stored and remmmber i said classification yard so cut that near half to make room to work the trains without frustration so your lookin at around 25 to 26 cars give or take for busy times. with the space ate up by but not used by the actual classification yard would leave room to make an engine servicing area.
SO i guess what im trying to say is even tho it sounds like some of these guys just not giving you what you want to hear it could just be you cant do it the way you see it in your mind.
having figured this out myself i am now stuck im my design stage untill i figure out whats more important to me right now the operations or running trains
if you want to see a pic of the yard i have drawn up let me know
Perhaps it would be better to start a new thread for your design, instead of hijacking this one?
To upload an image showing your yard, convert the plan to an image (a jpg), and upload the jpg to some photo hosting sport (e.g. photobucket) .
You can do that either by exporting the plan as an image (if Anyrail has a function for that), or by taking a screen shot of your screen.
How to do this has been described a couple of hundred times in various posts. Search for “how to upload pictures” or “photobucket” or variants of that.
hi no i wasnt planning on hi jacking this thread. i use photo bucket just didnt think about converting it over. and i have a thread called new layout help http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/forums/t/183399.aspx
I was just posting here to give my 2 cents on yard design.
I don’t think he is trying to hijack the thread. He is responding to my bit of encouragement to post a drawing of his yard which could possibly add to this already quite interesting thread.
I guess I dont know why you have to be so harsh. Sorry that I didnt give you the specifics on what my layout is going to be like until a few post above. I dont plan on running this like a real railroad like you seem to possibly run yours. This is for pleasure for myself and my boys to sit back and watch trains run and teach them about using their minds and their hands instead of sitting on them on the couch watching tv.
If the mainline if blocked then so be it. It will get cleared up and then we can move on. I am not worried about the technicalities of “Running a Yard” as much as I am is to display and store my cars that are not in use. I do like the yard diagram you posted, and I thank you for that, as it will work on my layout. I am using all #6 turnouts with the exception of a few #4’s. I am modeling the modern era so I will have 6 axle engine’s but most of the yard work (when there is some) will be 4 axle engines. I have read and been told that even the 6 axle engine’s will be ok with the #4 turnouts.
The yard is open on both sides as along with another side but there are 2 sides that will butt up against a wall. My radius I had set in AnyRail was set at 22* and I have no red lines in any of my curves. I wouldnt have built my benchwork if I known that somethings wouldnt have worked.
You are correct, I have 2 sons but as of now only 1 controller so we will only be running 1 train at a time until we get more controllers and also to get used to it. It doesnt matter to them if I have a double line or not, they just want to see trains run.
I think that this thread is being taken to serious for what I want this layout to be. I want it to be fun and an experience with myself and my sons.
Not all of us are as serious as you come across Paul, but I do thank you for your input and just have a little patience with us “Newbies” learning the ropes again of Model Railroading.
I have the layout almost complete in AnyRail and I will post in the next couple of day.
But, on the other hand, as I re-read the first post from antag2002, he says, “So I guess what im trying to say is even though it sounds like some of these guys just not giving you what you want to hear, it could just be you can’t do it the way you see it in your mind. Having figured this out myself, I am now stuck in my design stage untill i figure out what’s more important to me right now, the operations or running trains. if you want to see a pic of the yard I have drawn up let me know.”
antag2002 is in the same mode as BDP, looking for help in designing a yard. So, comments that we might offer to antag2002 may be helpful to BDP or, for that manner, to many of those others following this thread.
It’s all about the same thing. Efficient design of a yard to conduct prototypical operations. No?
you have 2 sons, one controller yet, if you want them to look telly, let them look at the trains only. My guess is , a second controller will be available soon. You’d better think about making your layout ready for 2 trains at a time now, then doing it later. It might save you a lot of bucks.
And if you you do not want serious help, OK, so be it.
I am very patient with learning newbies. One of the issues is car-length…i am not sure about the type of cars you like to have and run. Try to push a longer cut of modern auto-racks through your switches and curves. The 22" radius is nice for 50 feet cars from the fifties. More modern 60, 70, 80 and even 90 feet long cars require bigger radii, and appropriate switches.
