Yard planning help needed

spitfire

spitfire

Active Member
Jul 28, 2002
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Toronto, Canada
www.parkdaleyard.com
I'm looking for yard plans for an area that would be 10 ft long and could be between 30" - 48" wide. (it's not built yet so I have some flexibility). My layout when finished, will be point-to-point, with the yard at one end and an industrial switching section (already built) at the other end.

I don't know much about types of yards, division point, classification, engine servicing etc. Which type has the most operations potential? I'd like the option of using the yard for staging when I want to switch the industrial area, or conversely, using the industrial area as staging when I want to operate the yard.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what kind of yard would work best for my purposes, and/or any trackplans that would fit my space?

Any help will be greatly appreciated. :D :D :D :D Thanks!!!

Val
 
The Orangeville yard is part of a layout that is occasionally open. I have emailed the owner (link on the site) and he has been very helpful with info and an invitation to attend. Too far from Ottawa, but maybe do-able from T.O.?

He has also created the yard at (almost) full size for HO - I think he said he needed another foot. As it is the yard is about 25 feet long!

Andrew
 
Hi Val!
I don't know how much expert advice I can offer here, but one thing I've really come to appreciate in model railroading (& life in general) is SIMPLICITY...
Regardless of the terminology used, or whether your yard has 2 tracks, or 20...the yard has a simple function...it's an area where cars are parked, stored, & then reassembled into trains (or, in the modelers' vernacular, "staged")
These are the functions you need to keep in mind pertaining to your layout...

Also, don't lay any tracks or turnouts that you can't EASILY reach, especially when it pertains to a yard...in other words, if your benchwork is against a wall, I would make 30" the maximum width...
 
Also, don't lay any tracks or turnouts that you can't EASILY reach, especially when it pertains to a yard...in other words, if your benchwork is against a wall, I would make 30" the maximum width...
Click to expand...

Calories are expensive, so I try to conserve all I can. Keeping this in mind, I would modify this rule to keep the yards within easy reach from one side of hte layout, wall or none, and put the operators controls there too.
 
Charlie, your point about reach is something I've considered. There is an electrical service panel against the back wall and I want to keep a clear laneway to that, which would also provide access to the other side of the yard. I haven't built the benchwork for this section yet. The rest of the benchwork is against 2 walls and is 32" wide (with track no further than 24" from the edge. This section would actually be a peninsula.

I'm not sure if I want to build it wide enough to have a return loop, or whether I want to keep it as a true point-to-point.

Another thing is that I'm not really interested in having a roundhouse or major engine servicing. I find they eat up too much valuable space (and money!). If I had more room it would be fun, but I'd rather have maximum track, and pretend it's somewhere further on, ie beyond the layout. I wouldn't mind having some kind of fueling (I operate both steam and deisel), but again this is not essential.

Val
 
Yes, but a loop around the outside and end of the yard is doable with a few lengths of flex track, while the (for example) Walthers' ready-to-run turntable will set you back msrp US$300 :eek:

Andrew
 
Originally posted by Will_annand
Val, when it comes to your electrical panel, I would check it out. In our club room, we were told we had to keep 3' clear from the panel.
Click to expand...

Yes Will, that's the information I have too. In any case, I sometimes have the cable guys messing around in there replacing service and even without this clearance rule I don't want those idiots anywhere near the layout!!!!

Val
 
Hi Val:
So, if you're keeping 3' clear in front of the panel, you can make the yard 4-5 feet wide cuz you'll be ble to get to it from both sides.

Also, Check out the library, or the "Books list" here on the gauge, The book on model railroad operations has a lot about different types of yard s and their functions.

Regards,
Ted
 
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