New switching yard

spitfire

spitfire

Active Member
Jul 28, 2002
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Toronto, Canada
www.parkdaleyard.com
Thanks to all the feedback from everyone on my previous thread I have decided not to try to combine switching and classification - duh! So, I've moved classification to the other side of the layout, where it will double as staging. Now I am free to concentrate on serving these busy industries. Incoming loads will be mainly sheet steel and grain, but with the shipping terminal I can bring in just about anything I want. Outgoing will be manufactured goods - appliances and farm machinery, and empties.
The crossovers will have double slip switches. (grid is 12")

cheers
:D Val
 

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Hey Val -
I see 4 crossovers. Not all of these are double slip switches, I hope!

Also, you might want to try doing some "paper switching sessions" with your diagram to see if you can spot or pickup cars at the various locations efficiently (or at all). For instance, how would a switcher pulling a car drop it off at the Inglis location?
BillK
 
Val,

You are ambitious! Double slips and cross overs! The complex trackwork would be interesting but I lean more to the simple and fewer headaches. May I suggest this alternative? It includes a cross over which I think is a great addition to industrial track scenes. You know, you might just build the benchwork for this area as large as you can and then fiddle with track templates or actual switches to determine the final plan. I rarely have a drawn plan end up reflecting reality. :)

Ralph
 

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Thanks Ralph! That looks good too.

Just want to clarify something with those who are more familiar with real ops. Can't the cars be backed into their respective sidings? I'm sure I don't need to have a runaround for every single siding do I?

Val
 
Sure they can Val! You can have single spurs off the main line that can receive cars and send out cars that way. Only problem is it can only happen in one direction unless you don't mind the cars in front of the locomotive for the rest of the trip (a some time prototypic operation). Once you have your plan drawn, follow the track with your eye or finger and imagne its the loco. Playout dropping cars off and picking them up. You'll see where it can be done conveniently and where there may be complications.
Happy planning!
Ralph
 
Here's a little diagram of what I mean. In case the handwriting doesn't come out well in the picture I'll explain that the first diagram shows how a spur can be serviced by trains running in one direction.....but not so easily by trains running the other way (diagram 2). The bottom illustration shows how a single runaround siding can help a locomotive move cars into spurs going either direction. Maybe there will be places on your layout where its OK for trains to serve a spur in one direction only. That happens all the time on models and prototypes. A siding in an industrial area, however, gives you a lot of options.
Hope this helps!
Ralph
 

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AHA!!!! Now I understand - thank-you Ralph. So what you're saying is that it's better to have the spur coming off the opposite way from the direction of the train so it goes past the siding and backs in. Is that right?

(Gee, I'm glad I ordered all that steel - and can benefit from some of your experience. My RR has some crazy fool at the helm who seems to have all the money and power but no actual experience - hmmm, maybe kinda prototypical after all LOL).

Is this any better?

cheers
:rolleyes: Val
 

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Val,
The New York & Atlantic, the current freight hauler on Long Island, deals with the "directional" problem by running push-pull. They have a loco at each end of the train. The photo I saw, showed two MP15ACs on the train. These were former METRO units.
Pete

P.S. Where you've indicated a ship, pierside, you might be able to modify a Lindberg, North Atlantic Fishing Trawler kit, for your vessel. The picture I posted in the "bridge pictures" thread, shows one of those kits, modified.
P.
 
Nah 88, I got the upgrade, Pen 2.1 :)

Val,

Yep, that's what I'm saying from a model railroad operational convenience stand point. You can place stub ended spurs all over the layout in different directions. "Eastbound" trains can serve some while "westbound" can serve the others.

I imagine on some prototype RRs and on large model RRs, cars are picked up from some spurs and transported to the next yard where they are sorted into a train that actually goes back past the spur to the car's origin. Folks more into operations might clarify this.

Any way, have fun above all else and enjoy planning the track configuration for this interesting scene. Grain elevators, ships, and lots of trackage will make it a winner!

Is next week the one you're taking off to start building?
Ralph
 
Ralph, it's the week of the 17th that I have off. I'll be cleaning out and painting the Train Room and hopefully get to starting the benchwork. Your diagrams are making this very easy to understand, and thanks again!

David, Strachan Ave hmmm? You're right, I will need to work that in, or maybe Bathurst St. I kinda like that truss bridge on Bathurst over the tracks and Canada Malting is at the foot of Bathurst, but MF and Inglis are definitely closer to Strachan, so it's sort of a toss-up right now. I'm playing pretty fast and loose with the geography anyway!

cheers
:D Val
 
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