AS most of you know I’m about as green as broccoli when it come to layouts. Anyway, I put together this best guess yard in the space I have. I probably made about as many rookie mistakes as I can make, but if you don’t tell me about them, I’ll never know until it is too late.
Thanks
Hi SpaceMouse,
I’m no expert, either, but I’ve learnt the hard way what works and what doesn’t in yard design. The best place to start is to remember what a prototype freight yard is for. On our model layouts we sometimes end up using yards for storage or display, but on the prototype, freight yards are strictly for sorting (classifying) cars by destination. The idea is to keep cars moving through the yards as fast as possible, and the key to that is capacity. Capacity is measured in two ways: number of tracks (“width”), and length of tracks. Both dimensions are crucial.
To figure the number of tracks in your yard (width), think about where cars will be going from this yard. This doesn’t necessarily mean the total number of destinations, but perhaps the number of “groups” of destinations, each of which would be handled by a particular train or “job”. For instance, on my layout, cars in my freight yard could logically leave in three ways: (1) in the road job running to the other end of the line; (2) in a local “turn” that runs part of the way to the opposite terminal and then returns; (3) in a local switch or transfer job that handles the local industries and interchanges. Every car that enters the yard will leave by one of those three “routes”. Therefore I need a minimum of three classification tracks in my yard, one for each “routing”. I say “minimum” because if I wanted to get fancy I could further classify one or more of those basic classifications, but I don’t really need to because my layout isn’t that big. In addition to those classification tracks, it’s a good idea to have a separate arrival/departure track (in a pinch you can use the main track for this, particularly if it is a terminal yard, but I wouldn’t recommend it for a through yard). As well, you need a way to get engines and cabooses (if you use them) on and off your trains. That means an engine escape track (which could be something as simple as a crossover from your arrival track to the main track), and a
I’m not really sure how the track plan as shown is supposed to be a yard–there seem to be a few spurs sticking out in either direction, and a passing track, but not really much of a “yard” as such.
In general, I try to make yard tracks as long as possible, but also as straight as possible. This makes them easier to use–yards on curves can be very difficult to operate. Also, while a double-ended yard is nice, a long single-ended yard (with a couple of escape tracks) can be quite sufficient for a small or medium-sized layout.
You don’t really need a separate siding for a passenger station unless you are modeling a large depot: at small stations, the train simply stops on the mainline for the few minutes needed to board and drop off passengers.
Take a look at published track plans. Take a look at real railroad tracks, if possible. Take note of what you like and don’t like. Read up on how yards work and their basic elements (the NMRA Layout Design SIG is a good place to start.) Then draw lots and lots of plans! (I spent a year or so in staff meetings drawing track plans before I started on my current layout…)
Model Railroader has a book out by Andy Sperandeo called Freight Yards that might help you learn more about how freight yards work. Also it shows how to model yards.
Thanks guys.
When it comes to yards, I really don’t know what I am doing. However, I do have a plan. The plan is to get the whole family involved to a certain extent in the train project–which may or may not happen. My wife and to a certain extent, my 12-year-old daughter, is a professional artist. The only involvement she would have in the project is asthetics. My daughter and my 7-year-old autistic son are both Harry Potter fans. So there is a blending themes here. The main purpose of the layout is to provide several loops that my son can drive his Hogwarts Express over. The “yard” is almost an after-thought, but not really.
The layout is basically an irregular shaped U. The side you see is 11.5 feet long and the base is also 11.5 feet long. These to sides are to be a Northern California Coastal Mountain theme. The other side of the U is 6.5 feet and will be where Hogwart’s Castle will be. Hogwarts is on a lake and the lake will be the natural divider between England and California. Tracks will cut of a slice off the lake and on the other side of the tracks from Hogwarts will be a saw mill with a small spur.
If you look in loop area, there is a section marked for expansion. Once the U is done, I can add a 30" by 72" section that will be nothing but yard. So the yard you see, as you correctly called it is both a pass through and a small freight yard. In reality, it’s purpose is to allow me to figure out how the engines cars and tenders work by switching my steam engine from passenger to freight and back again–and quite frankly to learn how to couple and uncouple cars without putting them on by hand.
The suggestion about not needing a turnout for passengers is good because I can then use the area to further expand my practice yard.
I know I have a lot of learning to do.
I think last month’s MODEL RAILROADER included an article about 10 tips for better yards–I highly recommend checking it out!
Yards are used to classify rolling stock and make up trains. They have a secondary purpose of storing unused rolling stock, but that is generally discouraged (anything sitting in the yard isn’t out making money for the railroad.) Yards tend to be sets of parallel tracks–my main critique of your yard is that there really aren’t any parallel tracks to speak of, thus making use of the yard much more difficult.
If your intention is to learn how to couple and uncouple cars, you’ll want STRAIGHT, not curved, track to do it on. Curves (unless very broad) make it very difficult to uncouple, because of the added tension on the couplers due to them not being head-on.
A better use of the space might be achieved by:
First, get rid of that connection between the “yard” area and the track running in back. It probably wouldn’t work out anyhow, because the track in back is at a higher elevation and you want your yard to be flat.
Second, put a long passing track in the foreground–this will allow you to pull a passenger train into the siding to pick up and drop off passengers, as well as being useful as a passing track or runaround track.
Third, replace the track in the middle with a simple single-ended ladder yard, of 3 or 4 tracks, with the track as straight and level as it can be. Include an escape track (a passing track just above the ladder) and you’ve got a serviceable yard. A yard lead would be nice but you can do without it if only one operator will be running at once.
Will the layout have any industries?
I agree with Jetrock. I really would hesitate to discribe the track plan you posted as a “yard”. The articles and books recommended above are great for learning about and planning for modeling yards. Do check them out. It sounds to me more like you’re seeking a “round and round” type of train running so you can involve your son, daughter, and Harry Potter! In that case you may not need a yard as such. I am pleased to hear that someone is involving thier family, including the kids, in their train project. Strong families that bond together in some way absolutely have to be a great idea.