Hey everyone I have been gone for a while now but I am back and planning some elements for a new layout and need some expert advise. Here is the deal the parts that I am going to show you all are 2 diferent configurations of an intermodal yard that has a run around track and also a switch over that can handle one SD80 sized locomotive. Would this work good? I know that I will have to push a few cars up a little after I disconnect and get my train out of the loading area, and that I wont be able to move a train off the top tracks unless I move the cars on the bottom. Backing up will not be an option on this setup for I plan to have the yard as a upper deck fed off a helix. This will be the only thing on the upper deck.
Please let me know what you all think and also if you have any better ideas I would love to hear or see them. If you would like the XTrakCAD file to play with let me know I can E-mail it to you.
I would eliminate the straight section after the curve and the straight section before the left hand turnout. That extends all tracks by about a foot and the upper one two feet.
The length of the yard is fine for my needs. I wanted the straight comming out of the curve to help my SD80MACs and SD90/45s with that first switch, Those are the main locos that will be running my intermodal traffic. The main thing I am worried about is the switching at the east end. I dont have room to make a closing ladder, and I want to get my engines out of the yard after they drop off a load. Backing in is not an option because the other end of the curve is going to be my helix to the lower level. What I would like to know is there a better way to do what I want in that small of a space?
The runaround should be alongside the drill track not the body tracks. The body tracks should be paired, not spread. This will get everything done in three turnouts. It will be cheap and accurate that way.
Dino, I dont really see what you mean? This is not a classification yard where what you said would work this is for container loading and unloading where I need the tracks spaced like that for the Semi’s and cranes to travel in. Most of the intermodal yards I have studied do not have a way for the train to get out of the yard unless the load is backed into the loading area. I cannot do this with my setup so I need a way to get my trains out. I like the bottom layout better even tho is takes more direction changes. I was just hoping there was a better way in the small area I have. The top picture shows proposed benchwork BTW.
I have been gone for a while now but I am back and planning some elements for a new layout and need some expert advise. Here is the deal the parts that I am going to show you all are 2 diferent configurations of an intermodal yard that has a run around track and also a switch over that can handle one SD80 sized locomotive. Would this work good? I know that I will have to push a few cars up a little after I disconnect and get my train out of the loading area, and that I wont be able to move a train off the top tracks unless I move the cars on the bottom. Backing up will not be an option on this setup for I plan to have the yard as a upper deck fed off a helix. This will be the only thing on the upper deck.
