Modern Service Yard

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

Hey all. I am working designing my layout and i would like to include a service yard. But so fare the only things i got in it right now is a Diesel house (http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-2916) and Car Repair shop (http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-3040) but was woundering what else should i include in service yard?? The way i’m laying it out i dont think i want a turntable at this moment in time. I was thinking about includeing this (http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-2967) and probably a refilling station for diesels but not sure what to go with so recomendations would be great.

Thanks

Jeff

2

A modern yard most likely would not have a turntable, but there are exceptions still around at some of the major division and sub division yards.

My layout represents only a small subdivision so there is fuel, sand, some lubing, minor electrical and body repairs. For the branch yard, engines just get fuel and sand.

3

Lake thanks. I was thinking a couple of these for re-fueling and such.

4

Take a look at Walthers Rail Shops. Lots to consider there.

http://www.walthers.com/exec/page/rail_shops

Rich

5

Some ideas for you…

Yard office, tower

Yard lights

Electrical boxes

Parking lot

6

since you are modeling the modern era i would suggest this structure instead of the last one you listed http://www.blmamodels.com/images/store/4300a.jpg

http://www.blmamodels.com/cgi-bin/webstore/shop.cgi?ud=BQUFBQ0PAQQCBxQUEBEcHAIDAgYABQAECQkTEQAA&storeid=1&searchtext=4300&cols=1&&c=detail.blue.htm&t=main.blue.htm&itemid=4300

I hope you have fun building the yard

p.s. the turn table might be fun

7

Normally the car repair and engine repair are not together since they serve different functions and have different flows. The “Car Repair Shop” is not a typical building you would find at a yard for running repairs, but is a heavy repair facility that would be at a major shop location where bad order cars would be sent.

8

Dave,

That is a good point. What buildings would be found in a modern service yard and which buildings would be located separately? Car shops, back shops, transfer tables, etc.

Rich

9

Revolutionary idea: look up a couple of places on the net, and then look at them on maps.

An example: say I wanted to model the Wisconsin Southern.

http://www.lmgtfy.com/?q=Wisconsin+Southern+yard

We learn that the WSOR has/had yards at least at Horicon and at Janesville.

We go to http://www.bing.com/maps - enter Janesville; WI, and zooms in, flipping to “Bird’s eye view” when we get closer.

Here is the engine facility at Janesville:

http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=r3cqcq7kdd69&lvl=18.740903830160086&dir=2.31924408380865&sty=b&where1=Janesville%2C%20WI&form=LMLTCC

What do we have here? A roundhouse, a turntable, a yard office, a sand tower, a track where old engines get left (maybe to be fixed, maybe to be cannibalized for parts), some MOW equipment - don’t see any refueling pads - maybe they refuel directly from tank trucks, or maybe they refuel somewhere else, or maybe it just is hard to spot-

And so on and so forth - google your preferred railroad, look for pictures, look at overhead pictures.

Smile,
Stein

10

Yeah, but what if you are freelancing?

Which structures are appropriate in a modern

11

Then you can look at other railroads. Just look at railroads/yards similar in size. The question was about what was “common” so that implies what shows up on the prototype.

The “appropriate” structures will be on the satellite view. Not only that but the OP will learn the relative arrangements of the structures , both in the yard and to each other.

12

Actually, the word “common” only appears in your reply.

What the OP asked was, “Hey all. I am working designing my layout and i would like to include a service yard. But so fare the only things i got in it right now is a Diesel house and Car Repair shop but was woundering what else should i include in service yard??”

I cannot specifically answer the OP’s question about the various structures which would be found in a modern service yard, and I would be interested in the answer as well.

Apparently, no one is prepared to identify the various structures that might be found in a modern service yard. [:(]

Rich

13

I have worked at dozens of railroad facilites ranging from a single track with no buildings to a large complex that is about 3/4 mile long and a 1/4 mile wide. with two or three secondary areas scattered around the yard. A mere list of buildings won’t really do him any good because he won’t know what relationship they have to each other and the yard itself.

14

Since you don’t think “common” or seeing what the prototype actually has is useful, here is a list of the various structures at a modern service facility. This is not an all inclusive list (just what I could think of off the top of my head) and an individual facility may have all or none of the structures listed or may have multiples of various types of structures (for example a facility might have multiple sets of pits or numerous foreman’s offices):

Power operated blue flag
Foreman’s office
Wash rack
Water treatment plant
Pump house
Well house
water storage tank
Air compressor building
Air tanks
Sand tower
Sand dryer
Sand storage
Wheelbarrow shed
Fuel unloading rack
Fire extinguisher shed
Fuel storage tanks
Fuel pump house
Fuel racks
Run through fuel racks
Inspection pit
Inspection racks
Wheel truing shed
Truck shop
Sheet metal shop
Sand blast shed
Paint shop
Back shop
Degreasing shop
Running repair shop
Brake valve shop
Electrical shop
Battery shop
Storehouse
Paint storage shed
Lube oil unloading rack
Lube oil storage tanks
Lube oil storage shed
Lube oil pump house
Truck storage “garden”
Sheet metal racks
Pipe storage racks
Tool sheds
Blacksmith shop
Welding shop
Compressed gas storage shed
Chemist’s lab
Turntable
Electrical substation
Waste oil tanks
Water treatment plant/environmental plant
Steam plant/boiler house
Locker room
Master mechanic’s office

I really don’t think t

15

[quote user=“dehusman”]

richhotrain:

Apparently, no one is prepared to identify the various structures that might be found in a modern service yard.

Since you don’t think “common” or seeing what the prototype actually has is useful, here is a list of the various structures at a modern service facility. This is not an all inclusive list (just what I could think of off the top of my head) and an individual facility may have all or none of the structures listed or may have multiples of various types of structures (for example a facility might have multiple sets of pits or numerous foreman’s offices):

Power operated blue flag
Foreman’s office
Wash rack
Water treatment plant
Pump house
Well house
water storage tank
Air compressor building
Air tanks
Sand tower
Sand dryer
Sand storage
Wheelbarrow shed
Fuel unloading rack
Fire extinguisher shed
Fuel storage tanks
Fuel pump house
Fuel racks
Run through fuel racks
Inspection pit
Inspection racks
Wheel truing shed
Truck shop
Sheet metal shop
Sand blast shed
Paint shop
Back shop
Degreasing shop
Running repair shop
Brake valve shop
Electrical shop
Battery shop
Storehouse
Paint storage shed
Lube oil unloading rack
Lube oil storage tanks
Lube oil storage shed
Lube oil pump house
Truck storage “garden”
Sheet metal racks
Pipe storage racks
Tool sheds
Blacksmith shop
Welding shop
Compressed gas storage shed
Chemist’s lab
Turntable
Electrical substation
Waste oil tanks
Water

16

hi gentlemen

I love books, it could be my age. Did you read this one about engine service facilities?:

http://www.kalmbachstore.com/12228.html

Paul

17

Paul,

That is an excellent book. I used it to set up my engine service facility.

Rich

18

But it doesn’t help him at all. It tells him what buildings are there, but not what he needs.

19

Why do you think that it doesn’t help him?

He is asking for recommendations on the type of buildings to model in his modern service yard.

You did a good job of giving him some specific suggestions.

Rich

20

Hey all,

Thank you for the in put. Looks like their is a bunch of stuff (thanks Dave) that could go in an engine servicing yard. Basically Iam a freelance modeler with no specific road or rail road company. My Railroad is called the G & H Railroad (Goodness & Howe) Howe is a buddy of mine that is going to be working on it with me. But basically right now what I’m looking at is taking a place where the diesals go to get fueled up and (do diesel’s have sand?) I’m guessing yes so they put sand down if they need extra traction while chugging up steep grades? Just a guess though.

gabeusmc: Thanks for the recomendation i actually did find this on walthers and thought to myself that would be a better office building for a small yard like what I’m going with, so thanks deffinatlly going to use your recomendation.

SteinJr: What a great idea, i dont think i would have ever have thought of doing this if you had not mentioned it. So i will deffinatlly be using this thank you.

Rich: Thanks for the support, I’m glad i could ask a question that someone else could gain nowledge from the answers.

Pualus Jas: Thanks for the book suggestion, their are a bunch of books including this one that would love to get but again the money issue at this moment in time. But hopeing for a gift certificate so i could buy some reading material. :slight_smile:

Thanks again all. Like i said I’m building my engine service yard to handle small repairs, and aa place where they go to fuel up and switch out crews and what not.