Switchyard ideas


B

Bigboy57

Active Member
I have most of the track work done but am working on the last area. The switchyard. Before anyone comments, I know I should have at least 2 access points but that is not possible. This switchyard requires backing from the main line but doable for 1 train at a time.

Anyway, my switchyard is about 60 inches long, not nearly long enough. On the other side of the wall is a loft storage area which I can easily create an opening through the wall to create at least 48 more inches of length of my switchyard. The wall cannot be removed as it is a supporting knee wall but I can reframe in this area to create the small opening for the tracks.

I am hoping to get suggestions of how to make this look like part of the layout. This is a family room and the boss made me promise it will look nice. Any suggestions? I was leaning toward a fake car tressle but I welcome other ideas. 20210131_201623.jpg
 

Attachments

  • 20210131_201435.jpg
    20210131_201435.jpg
    419.3 KB · Views: 136
If you mean you want to hide the opening look at placing an overpass against the wall for the tracks to disappear under.
On the other side have the track run behind overhanging trees or a building to block the view. Google should have some pictures somewhere.
60” ain’t that bad of a yard when you consider it’s just for sorting cars, when you get much bigger it becomes more like a staging yard.
 
You would probably end up with way more room in the yard if you lost the two stub tracks and started the ladder a foot or so to the left in the diagram. You can also make a compound ladder to save space. If you have to have the two stub tracks, have both of them break off the last track and keep the ladder straight. Also if you make the two stub tracks parallel t the lead you can get longer tracks.

If you put a switch to the left of sw #10 and removed teh existing two stub tracks you could run two tracks through the area where the two short tracks are parallel to the lead and then parallel to other yard tracks making two tracks longer than anything in your yard.

In the diagram below I have two alternatives, one with the "bent" stub tracks and the other with the two long tracks. In both cases I have added a red line to show where a runaround could be placed in the tracks.
YrdOpt.jpg
 
dave1905 said:
You would probably end up with way more room in the yard if you lost the two stub tracks and started the ladder a foot or so to the left in the diagram. You can also make a compound ladder to save space. If you have to have the two stub tracks, have both of them break off the last track and keep the ladder straight. Also if you make the two stub tracks parallel t the lead you can get longer tracks.

If you put a switch to the left of sw #10 and removed teh existing two stub tracks you could run two tracks through the area where the two short tracks are parallel to the lead and then parallel to other yard tracks making two tracks longer than anything in your yard.

In the diagram below I have two alternatives, one with the "bent" stub tracks and the other with the two long tracks. In both cases I have added a red line to show where a runaround could be placed in the tracks.
View attachment 124125
Click to expand...
Dave, I'm having a little trouble seeing how to implement your diagram. I moved some cars out of the way and took another pic. I am using #6 turnouts because I have to back in.20210202_103247.jpg
 
Rico said:
If you mean you want to hide the opening look at placing an overpass against the wall for the tracks to disappear under.
On the other side have the track run behind overhanging trees or a building to block the view. Google should have some pictures somewhere.
60” ain’t that bad of a yard when you consider it’s just for sorting cars, when you get much bigger it becomes more like a staging yard.
Click to expand...
Thanks Rico,
That's kind of what I was thinking also. The other side of the wall is storage so I wont need to make that side hidden.

I was wanting to keep my 2-6 car passengers connected and can't do that in 60 inches.
 
A little update on this switchyard. I have designed a second access line using the storage area to the right of my switchyard. This will allow locomotives to enter going forward, unhook and continue on to the main line. The loop is 18r which will handle all my locomotives except the big boy and cab forward. The Mallet handles 18r fine. If anyone has suggestions of how to improve efficiency I will welcome suggestions. I am pretty locked in to #6 turnouts because of the large articulated steams in my collection.20210205_083759.jpg20210205_083852.jpg
 
Bigboy57 said:
If anyone has suggestions of how to improve efficiency I will welcome suggestions.
Click to expand...
Could help better if you would share the purpose of your switch yard. For a while and from some of the description it was sounding more like a storage or staging yard.

What is in the center of the new loop?
 
Iron Horseman said:
Could help better if you would share the purpose of your switch yard. For a while and from some of the description it was sounding more like a storage or staging yard.

What is in the center of the new loop?
Click to expand...
Thank you for the reply. I was beginning to think I chased everyone away. The new loop is in a storage area on the other side of a wall. The wall runs top to bottom of the pick where my mouse cursor is located. I guess for clarity, it really is not a switch yard but more for storage and staging.20210209_142330.jpg
 
Bigboy57 said:
Thank you for the reply. I was beginning to think I chased everyone away. The new loop is in a storage area on the other side of a wall. The wall runs top to bottom of the pick where my mouse cursor is located. I guess for clarity, it really is not a switch yard but more for storage and staging.View attachment 124526
Click to expand...
Yeah that is what I was thinking. Utilize the center of that loop to make the tracks much longer. The only thing I would be worried about there is having to be careful about the "coupling on a curve" issue though. But if it is just used for storing an intact passenger train that issue is minimal.
 
Iron Horseman said:
Yeah that is what I was thinking. Utilize the center of that loop to make the tracks much longer. The only thing I would be worried about there is having to be careful about the "coupling on a curve" issue though. But if it is just used for storing an intact passenger train that issue is minimal.
Click to expand...
Good point about coupling. I did somewhat straighten them out and decided to leave some of the center open to allow a " pop up" hole for better access when working on track or staging cars.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.



Back
Top