I am pondering what to fill the new found L shaped 16’ (31"w)x12’ (24"w)space with. I have been searching yard plans to and so far the only haven’t had much luck finding something that comes close to what I am envisioning in my head I found the “Great Northwestern Ry. Warm Springs District” in the MR track plan data base listed in the link below which would require a little bit of modification even though the overall lengths are the same. It seems to be different that what I was thinking as there are a lot of industries that can result in a lot of switching which I like but it’s not the big freight yard set up I was looking for. My ulterior motive was/is staging of trains as well as yard operations. Down the road when more real estate is required hidden staging will be in another part of the basement, Any one know of any good sources for track plans specifically for freight yards. I probably have every book Kalmbach has published on the subject and more then one night has passed where my kitchen table looked like planning central for a major railroad,
Are you looking for a double ended yard or stub track? Pyramid shaped or diamond shaped? Main line passing by or down the middle? Drill tracks at both ends or just one? Industry related storage yard or a centralized marshaling yard? Not all yards are created equal and every yard has a specific purpose for its existence.
The example link you gave is a complete layout designed for switching short trains for industries. Having yards on an L shaped layout is tricky when trying to couple and uncouple on the curved yard tracks. Maybe better to have 2 yards with pinwheel yard leads at the curve leading into say a west and east yards split by the main.
you know two yards had been a thought, I would like a single double ended yard but I realize they usually take up a lot of room ad don’t know if I can effectively pull it of fin the space I have. I know that example was not a yard plan but it was something to start off form and maybe modify the plan to add more trackage for staging. Definitely a main line passing most likely on the outside of the yard. I visited a friends layout who as his main running down the center with an east and west bound yard on either side so that may be a possibility. As far as the shape of the yard goes I guess what ever is going to work in the space and give me the most trackage. I know I’m not asking for too much now am I…lol
With 28 linear feet 2 to 2.5 feet wide, the OP has space for a lot of yard and should be sufficient to fit cuts of cars of 15 feet long or more if the yard is double-ended. With cuts half that long, there is the opportunity to have two sequential yards with separate functions.
There are articles (such as in the present MR) as well as a Kalmbach book on yards. There was also a discussion of yard design in recent weeks on the Model Railroad Podcast Show. The OP should avail himself of same if he hasn’t already.
Information Station (PDF-download) Freight Yards by John Armstrong (from the design side) is still on sale for $6.26, and is a nice compliment to Realistic Freight Operations by Frank Ellison (from the operations side) for $8.95.
Print them off on a black & white laser printer that greyscales all pictures nicely, then 3-hole punch into a notebook, and go back for the osmosis to seep in!
I gave the OP those book and PDF titles (and links directly to where they could be purchased) 10 week ago. He apparently do not want to learn how to design a yard - he just wants a yard.
Let’s try another approach - here is a couple of links to track plans in the MR track plan database that has fairly large yards which the OP perhaps can use as the basis for a track plan of his own:
the 5th street yard on Chuck Hitchcock’s Argentine Industrial District Railway layout from Model Railroader, february 2007. Track plan database link: http://www.trains.com/mrr/default.aspx?c=a&id=1179
David Barrow’s yards from the incarnation of the Cat Mountain and Santa Fe that was featured in Model Railroader in September 1999. Track plan database link: http://www.trains.com/mrr/default.aspx?c=a&id=2046
2-6-6-6: What (if anything) do you like about these yards? What do you not like? Would these yards work for your layout? If not - what is missing?
I have all of those books and then some it’s not hat I don’t want to know how to or care to design my own yard but I am trying to get ideas from various yards and pick what I like from each one. What I am leaning towards and working on tonight is two yards east and west bounds with the two track main running down the center.
What I am incorporating so far is arrival/departure track(s); a yard lead, long enough to handle a cut equal to the longest yard track; enough yard tracks to sort cars into the various blocks needed for departing trains, I am figuring on 6 or 8 maybe more, average train lengths are about 40 to 60 cars,A “for now” track to leave cars for future trains that you are not being built right away.
July’s MR has a excellent article on yard designs…I highly recommend reading it and planning from there.
A lot of those older layout books has dated information that’s more suited for intermediate modelers since more and more advanced layouts designs is based on operations.
John Armstrong’s Track Planning for Realistic Operation is worth reading more than once. While it covers more than yards, it’s important to deal with not just the yard itself but also how it will interact with the rest of your layout.
Tony is a friend and I have seen the Nickle Plate first hand, he has been guiding me on this project, and meaning no disrespect to Tony but I always like to get as much input from as many sources as I can because you never know where that one little shred of pertinent information may come from. One piece of information that Tony shared with me that has stuck in my head was to always put the yard on your longest wall which unfortunately I can no longer do.So hence the L shaped yard. When the “Big” railroad gets underway in the out building I have planned for it I fully intend to have at least one 60’ wall dedicated to a yard.
Another layout worth looking at for yard inspiration is Grampy’. Single track main into the yard on the right side, double track main continues from the yard on the left.
A regular pyramid shaped double ended yard between aisle and main. A small interchange yard with a couple of double ended tracks beyond the main. Engine service off the runaround.
Track schematic for entire layout:
Some pics grampy has posted:
train heading for right end of yard - you see some industries that are switched of the yard lead in the foreground, yard lead (which connects to the main) and then the main:
Passing right end of yard - engine service at bottom:
Passing reading interchange:
Passing left end of yard:
Here is a picture of his showing his yard from another angle:
Umm - the article in the June (not July) issue of MR is by Andy Sperandeo. Same person who wrote the book “The Model Railroader’s Guide to Freight Yards”, which the OP apparently has read
Umm - the article in the June (not July) issue of MR is by Andy Sperandeo. Same person who wrote the book “The Model Railroader’s Guide to Freight Yards”, which the OP apparently has read
Only about 25 times…lol and it’s sitting right here on the bench work, Some times I think the prototypes had an easier time…lol
That makes at least two of us. It is a little difficult to provide a sensible and relevant answer or suggestion or comment when it is rather unclear what the OP wants people to do for him.
Oh well, whatever. Time to go do something somewhat useful instead
My feelings toward classification yards (trains arrive, get broken up, and resorted into new trains) are they only belong on large layouts unless the yard is the layout. Other types of yards, bless 'em, are another matter.
