Best Of Yard Layouts

[davefoxx]

and there you have it - a two sided yard eats up space.

Well, of course, a double-ended yard takes up more space, but the real question involves how close to a scale drawing David Smith's plan is.  If it turns out that the classification and arrival/departure tracks are longer than Lee's passing sidings on the rest of the layout, then they should be cut down to save space.  On the other hand, if these tracks are approximately the same length or shorter than the passing sidings, then you all are correct, and the double-ended yard is not the way to go.  To me, since the wall that the Hagerstown Yard is to be built on is significantly longer then the space that Ridgely Yard fits, I think that it could be made to fit.  Also, I would not hesitate to have Hagerstown Yard mix with the track at North Junction, because the prototype Hagerstown Yard, according to the track chart posted earlier in this thread, shows interchange with the B&O and a crossing with the PRR in Hagerstown.  Could Lee's PC interchange be made to represent one of these roads?

Therefore, before Lee gives up on the double-yard, I would like to see a scale drawing that shows the classification tracks drawn to scale at the proper length.

Dave Foxx

[DKS]

...but the real question involves how close to a scale drawing David Smith's plan is.

I honestly don't know how "accurate" it is, but it ought to be fairly close, since I started with Lee's color layout track plan and his new yard drawing, then combined these into a single image, over which I traced the drawing I created. I didn't use any templates for turnouts, and I also did not painstakingly space the tracks, since I was not about to spend that kind of time on something that was simply meant as a discussion point.

The clasification tracks are indeed longer than those in Lee's sketch, but I also included five instead of six. The whole crux of the classification yard's east end is how it connects to the A/D track to eliminate the "see-saw" effect spotted by Steve. The corrected arrangement forces the yard ladder to move considerably; either that, or the AD tracks start losing precious length very quickly, and that could be much more trouble than reconfiguring the classification yard.

I still think there's probably a lot of room in the drawing for revision, though. One thought is to push the west end of the A/D yard westward, perhaps even curve it around the left corner of the layout; then the east end can move west, followed by the classification yard ladder.



Certainly, if anything like it were to be used, I'd consider revising North Junction. I'd probably split that line off from the main behind the turntable, and run it up grade so it can pass over the main where it crosses now. This would allow the east drill track to parallel the main, and that would allow for a slightly more compact, smoother yard configuration.

Food for thought.

[davefoxx]

David,

I recognize how hard you did work on your trackplan, so please understand that I do not mean to disparage you or your plan at all. I just wanted everyone to realize that it might pay for someone to attempt to take what you did and create a scale drawing that also confirms the length of the yard tracks.

Dave Foxx

[DKS]

I recognize how hard you did work on your trackplan, so please understand that I do not mean to disparage you or your plan at all. I just wanted everyone to realize that it might pay for someone to attempt to take what you did and create a scale drawing that also confirms the length of the yard tracks.

No disparagement taken at all. I did the drawing for the sole purpose of stimulating further discussion, and made it as accurate as it needed to be to illustrate a point.

Here's a variation, based on observations I'd made in my previous post.

[asciibaron]

on the west end of David's most recent drawing, the access to the yard needs to be easier - you don't want to pull the cars 1/4 mile to a turnout, it should be right there, at the throat of the A/D tracks.  as it is, you need 2x the length really needed.

[wm3798]

There's the rub.  I've got a pretty substantial "given" that I have to deal with in that corner...


At a table height of 42", there's 39" from the sloped ceiling to the door frame, and 29" between that point and the North Junction shelf.
That 29" section needs to be removable to access the closet.  Probably not more than twice a year to get the window screen out and put the air conditioner away..., but still.  I envision a more or less triangular piece that can slide out, with some sort of latch system to lock the track alignments.  But there's no way I can drag it out per David's suggestion. 

I really think I'm going to have keep the class tracks stub ended.  Sorry Ed...  You're just going to have buy your own house with a bigger basement!

Lee

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Ok, then, that'll probably be fine. Just make sure there's A/D access to the engine and cab tracks from both ends then.

[wm3798]

I had that in the original plan...  It's definitely a critical piece.  I also need at least a 3-4 track yard below this for Elkins.  I'm thinking I'm going to have to keep that over to the left...
Lee

[DKS]

One more before bed, just 'cause it's fun. It was drawn before seeing the other posts, so it's probably for naught.



Then again, with this orientation, it might make the corner more workable. At least it fits within the boundaries of the master plan...



A quick check to make sure everything is there. Only thing missing is the crossover at the right end of the engine ready tracks, so I cheated a little and added another track to the turntable, the way Lee had done. There's probably a better way...

[asciibaron]

i made a small modification to ease space requirements.

[John]

Given that the closet is in the way, wouldn't you druther just rip it out?

[wm3798]

No.  The box to the right of the closet is the chimney, which ain't goin' nowhere, and eliminating the closet would create a useless corner that would require more work to finish than I can or want to commit.  I've still got two more bedrooms and a kitchen to do!  I think the David design will take care of the yard situation...  I'll just need to be revisiting North Junction...

Lee

[asciibaron]

put the turntable in the closet, move the main to the front edge and wham, more space

[DKS]

I think the David design will take care of the yard situation...

Cool.

I'll just need to be revisiting North Junction...

I think with just a little tweaking, it can probably survive almost as-is. Wrap the drill track around the curved line and it ought to work. I think maybe something to consider would be either handlaying the crossings or modifying the existing ones to eliminate or reduce the "straight kink" in the middle of the arc; this might smooth things out and create an inch or so of extra space.

About that closet, though... what's on the other side of it? Is it another room? Can you reverse the closet to open into the other room instead? That's what I did in a little bungalow I owned long ago...

[wm3798]

The closet is where it is.  I put it there so that the room could serve as a bedroom.  The wall is paneled with bead board, which isn't easily patched, the room on the other side has a steeper ceiling pitch and the wall that would end up with door is the only vertical surface in the room that can be used as a wall...  That room also already has a closet.  I design houses for a living... trust me on this one.

Yes, the closet creates a rather formidable "work around" but it's not going to get changed at this point.

As for north jct, I'm thinking the three tracks you've drawn in will lend themselves nicely to the elevated track that runs through Hagerstown, built as a grade separation project in the 50's.  I think it shows up in the Maps Live link posted back on page one. l'll pretty much have to rebuild the whole North Jct. section, but it's only 4' so it shouldn't be a big deal.  It'll also be a lot more visually interesting with the town scene and highway underpasses, and look a lot more like Hagerstown than it does now.

This is also something I can undertake in the near term without a great deal of traffic disruption or added expense.

Lee