hello!
i'm modeling conrail in HO, but i have a problem switching on my layout. i built a layout based on a track plan in a book called from set to scenery. it is built exactly as the book said to, with only a few changes to the industrial part on top to have buildings and such of my likeing. while that did cause a few problems, i solved that with haveing the train tinerchange with a 44 tonner that sits in the Industrial area.
the real problem i have though, is how i would get freight bound for the Interchange track on the tracks. my locomtive follows a clockwise direction around the layout, to simplify switching in the industrial area. how ever that means the train would be faceiong the switch, so would i'd have to run around from my yard or industrial track, do the whol run around manuevers to put two or threee cars infront of my lcomotive, then puch them all the way back to the interchange track, and i don't think thats very prototypical to go off from the yard to some far off run around only to come all the way back.
the only other thing i can think of is to have a third locomotive parked in my yard, and so when my mainline train come in, it will back the cut of cars bound for the interchange onto a track where the switcher is waiting, and so it would be on the right side of the train to back it into the itnerchange. however i feel this would also be a waste because that would be that locomotive's sole purpose, as my other locomotives can do the rest of the yard switching. my yard isn't that big either, so it probably doesn't require its own switcher.
this itself is starting to get to complicated, because my layout is wired for 2 train operation, and i already operate 3 trains, ( my mainline freight, the industrial engine, and a commuter train), and it would tie everything up. DCC is out of my reach for now, so i'm hopeing to find some way to make things simpler.
here is a diagram of my layout.
i'm modeling conrail in HO, but i have a problem switching on my layout. i built a layout based on a track plan in a book called from set to scenery. it is built exactly as the book said to, with only a few changes to the industrial part on top to have buildings and such of my likeing. while that did cause a few problems, i solved that with haveing the train tinerchange with a 44 tonner that sits in the Industrial area.
the real problem i have though, is how i would get freight bound for the Interchange track on the tracks. my locomtive follows a clockwise direction around the layout, to simplify switching in the industrial area. how ever that means the train would be faceiong the switch, so would i'd have to run around from my yard or industrial track, do the whol run around manuevers to put two or threee cars infront of my lcomotive, then puch them all the way back to the interchange track, and i don't think thats very prototypical to go off from the yard to some far off run around only to come all the way back.
the only other thing i can think of is to have a third locomotive parked in my yard, and so when my mainline train come in, it will back the cut of cars bound for the interchange onto a track where the switcher is waiting, and so it would be on the right side of the train to back it into the itnerchange. however i feel this would also be a waste because that would be that locomotive's sole purpose, as my other locomotives can do the rest of the yard switching. my yard isn't that big either, so it probably doesn't require its own switcher.
this itself is starting to get to complicated, because my layout is wired for 2 train operation, and i already operate 3 trains, ( my mainline freight, the industrial engine, and a commuter train), and it would tie everything up. DCC is out of my reach for now, so i'm hopeing to find some way to make things simpler.
here is a diagram of my layout.