Best Of Yard Layouts

[DKS]

OK, Lee, so what exactly is the length of the wall where the yard runs? Your master plan indicates 15 feet; your first draft sketch of the yard shows 13.5 feet. I sort of split the difference for my version and made it 14 feet. So... if it really is 15 feet, then you've just gained ~3 car lengths per track...

BTW, here's what the yard looks like in context with the master plan.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Little bit of feedback on the latest one. There are a couple of switches on the east end that can go away. Those crossovers between the drill and the escape can go, since the only one that's important is the one between it and the actual A/D ladder.

I also think the cab track may be a bit longer than it needs to be, and if it's shortened a touch, would allow for a crossover between the pit tracks on the east end, so that power from the east end of trains can get into them without going through the turn table (which is often impossible when you've got two SD40s). I think anything that hits the turn table would be in the engine pit tracks first, so you don't need to get to it directly from the east escape (saving a turnout).

I think we're REALLY getting there now. Lee, you're going to have this done in a month, right?

[DKS]

Little bit of feedback on the latest one. There are a couple of switches on the east end that can go away. Those crossovers between the drill and the escape can go, since the only one that's important is the one between it and the actual A/D ladder.

Oh, you mean the crossover down by the main, where North Jct. is? (was?) I'd thought that made a useful runaround.

I also think the cab track may be a bit longer than it needs to be, and if it's shortened a touch, would allow for a crossover between the pit tracks on the east end, so that power from the east end of trains can get into them without going through the turn table (which is often impossible when you've got two SD40s). I think anything that hits the turn table would be in the engine pit tracks first, so you don't need to get to it directly from the east escape (saving a turnout).

I'm not sure I'm following you about the engine track crossover. You may need to make a sketch.



number   Article no.   Description   per ($)   Total ($)
67   000   flex track   4.00   268.00
11   At-2050   #5 Left Turnout   9.95   109.45
18   At-2051   #5 Right Turnout   9.95   179.10
1   At-2052   #7 Left Turnout   9.95   9.95
6   At-2053   #7 Right Turnout   9.95   59.70
5   At-2054   #10 Left Turnout   13.95   69.75
5   At-2055   #10 Right Turnout   13.95   69.75

[wm3798]

I posted earlier that the actual factual distance measures out to 13'2"  So there's a bit of truncating to do.  My goal is to keep the A/D tracks between 6' and 7' long.  The longest class tracks should be between 4 and 6', optimally closer to 6.

I like the longer caboose track... if that gets shortened, there needs to be another track nearby for extra caboose storage. (maybe... more staging may mean few cabooses in the terminal at any given moment...  never mind.  Leave room for 6-8 cabooses.  The rest can go to Elkins or be in transit...

And it will get done as soon as those donations start pouring in!  $50 from each guy at the last ops session should do it!

Lee

[John]

Decisions decisions.
Lee

There is always that closet  ;D

[DKS]

I posted earlier that the actual factual distance measures out to 13'2"  So there's a bit of truncating to do.  My goal is to keep the A/D tracks between 6' and 7' long.  The longest class tracks should be between 4 and 6', optimally closer to 6.

As it is now, the A/Ds are >7 feet, and still should be when truncated (sorry for missing that measurement--this is a bloody long thread). Class tracks are currently about 4.5 feet. If I fiddle with things just right, they should not need to be made any shorter with the dimension correction.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Here's the sketch.
Straight up MS Paint style.


This is because the flow is that the roundhouse really serves as a storage facility for locomotives that aren't either ready to go, or in bound from trains.

For arriving (terminating) power, it comes in on the train, cuts off, and goes into the "arrival" pit track (from either end of they yard). When the yard crew gets a minute, they move the power from the arrival track into the roundhouse until it's again needed to head out.  

Departing power moves from the roundhouse (before it's needed) and into the pit track. From THERE the power then moves onto the outbound train.

See how, in this model, power never moves directly from a train to the roundhouse?

[DKS]

Here's the sketch.
Straight up MS Paint style.

Man, you don't ask for much. The geometry of a crossover like that is going to really eat up some space. This'll take some fiddling...

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Yep, I know. That's why I mentioned shortening the cab tracks up to accommodate it. Does the rationale make sense though?

It might not be a problem though if the TT could be set to "straight through" operation from that east end. Of course, it'd be kinda unprototypical of a practice, but it'd probably work if it takes a huge chunk of space up.

BTW, does anyone else think we should write this all up for a magazine article?

[wm3798]

Don't listen to him...  Keep the leads to the east side of the turn table.  That's where I want to put this...


I'd like to have two tracks nominally parallel.  I'd put the sanders and fuel racks on the east end, and a wash rack on the west end, along with the fuel lab building and a few other accessory structures.  I can change the footprint of these platforms, but if I don't have to, I'd be able to apply that energy to other things, like running an a/c duct into the closet, where John will be sitting during the next ops session.  (actually, that would make a pretty good dispatcher's office!  You just can't get out!)

Lee

[wm3798]

"Web Based Layout Design - An Exercise in Long Distance Frustration"

The lead article in the new Kalmbach annual "Model Railroad Group Therapy"

Lee

[wm3798]

See east of TT
Lee

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Whoa! The engine lead off the main? You smoking crack home boy?

I don't think you really want to do that, because it'll mean tying up the main every time you need to move power to them. Now, adding a pair of servicing off the east end AND the west probably won't be too bad, but you really don't want to be fouling anything while hostling power like that.

[DKS]

OK, given the smaller space that actually exists, and Ed's determination for a workable engine terminal, plus requrests for various parallel tracks and whatnot... here's what I can do. Note that class tracks are nearly unchanged at >5 feet. A/D tracks have lost a little length both due to the shorter space and the pit track reconfig, but they are still a decent 6.5-7 ft.



Other notes: To buy some space, the enginehouse was compressed a bit; meanwhile, the TT was enlarged closer to actual size. The curve leading into the west end class ladder looks ugly, but it's actually >12" r.

number   Article no.   Description   per ($)   Total ($)
63   000   flex track   4.00   252.00
12   At-2050   #5 Left Turnout   4.31   51.72
21   At-2051   #5 Right Turnout   4.31   90.51
2   At-2053   #7 Right Turnout   4.31   8.62
5   At-2054   #10 Left Turnout   4.31   21.55
5   At-2055   #10 Right Turnout   4.31   21.55

BTW, I'm not adding the connection from the main to the TT (by YD) until the dust settles...

[wm3798]

That's about what I did, but kept the roundhouse intact, and checked the dimension on the main line location at NC.  See if the engine escape doesn't make a little more sense this way.

Also, the blue section is the removable segment for the "You Know What"...

I also compressed the space to 13'2 by simply taking it out of the middle.  To lengthen the A/D tracks back to full strength, add it on the west end where the real estate is cheaper.

Lee