Trying to get started (HO scale)


W

will Parker

New Member
Im still real new to the hobby really loved it as a kid and that ive gotten older ive decided to get back into it and here is where the trouble begins Im getting to my wits ends whit trying to figure out a yard for my layout . I know what i want in my head but when i put it down on paper or using some of the software it just doesn't turn out right. So im hoping that someone here could help me out a little. i have a pretty solid idea of what i want. I have a 10ft x 4ft section that ive set aside for the yard. In this area i want to place my engine maintenance house, park my locomotives, RIP line, classification yard pretty much everything else that you might put in there. Most of the rolling stock i have is 60ft and under, I do have some 85ft stuff but have different plans for that. With the size area i have to work with i plan to runs trains no longer than 10 cars with the exception of my passenger train and the intermodel stock but those have other routes. I can go on and on with the details but like i said when I put it down it just doesn't work right . i have no planning skills. So Im hoping that someone that just love designing train stuff reads this and would like to help. Thanks in advance. i apologize if this is in the wrong place.
 
While I don't have any planning software to assist you since I do all of my planning in my head, I can tell you that a bit more information is needed for others to help.
1) Is this are connected to the layout on both ends or just one end? I.e., is it going to be stub-ended or run through?
2) Do you have access from both sides? 4' is impossible to reach over from one side only. When, not if, a car derails, it will be on the furthest track away.
3) For a working classification yard, a sufficient yard lead is usually necessary. Do you have room for it on an adjoining part of the layout?
4) Steam or diesel? Since you mention intermodal, I assume diesel. Otherwise a place to turn steamers, such as turntable or wye may or may not be needed.

Note that engine maintenance, caboose storage and RIP tracks are not usually part of a classification yard. They commonly are adjacent to a yard though. Classification yards are not storage yards except for short term storage until the next train going in the right direction comes by. There are exceptions to all of the above. We generally take extra liberties when modeling.
 
will Parker said:
Im still real new to the hobby really loved it as a kid and that ive gotten older ive decided to get back into it and here is where the trouble begins Im getting to my wits ends whit trying to figure out a yard for my layout . I know what i want in my head but when i put it down on paper or using some of the software it just doesn't turn out right. So im hoping that someone here could help me out a little. i have a pretty solid idea of what i want. I have a 10ft x 4ft section that ive set aside for the yard. In this area i want to place my engine maintenance house, park my locomotives, RIP line, classification yard pretty much everything else that you might put in there. Most of the rolling stock i have is 60ft and under, I do have some 85ft stuff but have different plans for that. With the size area i have to work with i plan to runs trains no longer than 10 cars with the exception of my passenger train and the intermodel stock but those have other routes. I can go on and on with the details but like i said when I put it down it just doesn't work right . i have no planning skills. So Im hoping that someone that just love designing train stuff reads this and would like to help. Thanks in advance. i apologize if this is in the wrong place.
Click to expand...
will Parker said:
Im still real new to the hobby really loved it as a kid and that ive gotten older ive decided to get back into it and here is where the trouble begins Im getting to my wits ends whit trying to figure out a yard for my layout . I know what i want in my head but when i put it down on paper or using some of the software it just doesn't turn out right. So im hoping that someone here could help me out a little. i have a pretty solid idea of what i want. I have a 10ft x 4ft section that ive set aside for the yard. In this area i want to place my engine maintenance house, park my locomotives, RIP line, classification yard pretty much everything else that you might put in there. Most of the rolling stock i have is 60ft and under, I do have some 85ft stuff but have different plans for that. With the size area i have to work with i plan to runs trains no longer than 10 cars with the exception of my passenger train and the intermodel stock but those have other routes. I can go on and on with the details but like i said when I put it down it just doesn't work right . i have no planning skills. So Im hoping that someone that just love designing train stuff reads this and would like to help. Thanks in advance. i apologize if this is in the wrong place.
Click to expand...
Hello and delighted.

Perhaps the N scale network will work best and if you are a handyman too it can help save all the available space on about 60 feet long.
 
if we are talking about HO ,

4 X 10 ,is difficult , you can't really double end the yard and have decent lead and yard track lengths . Trying to fit that into 4 X 10 , it doesn't surprise me that your having trouble. You really need a longer dimension . The yard ladders for a 4 or 5 track double end yard are going take up 3-5 ft leaving you with 5- 7 ft of track length (~10 cars) and 0 length for the leads. If the cars were all <40ft , you could do some creative bending with the leads and maybe get away with it but with 60ft and 85ft ?

With those short dimensions , I would recommend a single ended yard with a compound ladder , and if possible I would use the longest dimension ...diagonal across the corner , the lead I would parallel to main along with the inbound/outbound tracks if you are going use them .


Without knowing the track plan, the bench work , and the space , its difficult to make recommendations beyond that .
 
With 10x4', you have plenty of room to work with.

My small layout is based on the "Black River Junction" plan that was in Model Railroader a while back. I wanted "more" than was in the L-shaped extension of that original plan, so I made my extension 20" wide by 72" long.

In the pic below, there are the following tracks, left-to-right:
- Main
- Runaround (also beginning of yard lead)
- 3 yard tracks
- Short engine track close to tower

The two tracks on the right are from the "branch line" and not part of the main yard.
Yard 1.JPG

Here it is, populated with cars:
Yard 2.jpg
 
Been busy with work. The reason for 4ft wide is two fold, at the ends I can get a 22in radius curve and in between I have extra room for scenery. Been looking at more stub end yards and toying around with an idea or 2. Also took a really long look at the different tracks possible and it looks like about 5ft of cars will be the max. Any longer and I dont think it would look right.
 
I don't think you'll have any issuesIf you have access all the way around the outside ....BUT if you don't have access ,I always feel like a broken record saying this ....but have you ever tried to reach across 48" ?

Most people try keep the width below 30" ( 18" -24" works well) . At greater than about 30:" you start having to think about cutting "pit" holes to gain access.

Its ok if you have access on two or three sides like the bottom left you can reach 90% of the area .

If it were me and you haven't started construction , I would consider narrowing things up and maybe adding a center island or two , it looks to me like you have enough room , I would always recommend going with radius's larger than 22" depending on what equipment your going to run .

I think you have more than enough room for HO , I have worked on MR double deckers in similar size space. The best way to start is to draw the room first and decide where ingress and egress for doors and closets are and then draw the layout in the space thats left.

Murphy's Law of Model Railroading , things always happen in the most inaccessible location.
 
Im using a 12ft X 20 ft shed to house my layout. I wasnt planning on having much if any track past the 3ft mark going back. I wanted the extra room for background mainly and to give me at least a 22in radius curve ant the end
 
This is what I think is a more efficient use of the space 12X20 , This crams in a lot of railroading into a small space.

Advantages :

(1) max reach over is kept to <24" ...no need for remote control wiring you can use manual Caboose throws on just about everything. no falling over on the scenery .
(2) Yard space is maximixed with room for leads , inbound /outbound and long 10 - 12 ft long double ended classification tracks , generous engine service "bump out" for engine house and DCC programming track.
(3) 2ft aisle space
(4) center works is 5ft , wide enough to support 26" radius with room to spare. I think the whole plan will support 26" R if care is taken in placing the curves
(5) it avoids parallel lines to the walls for aesthetics .
(6) remove able bridge in front of the door , installed during op sessions or for track cleaning maintenance.
(7) room on either side of the door for multi track industries ( mines , gravel pits ,ect.)
(8) about 100ft of mainline.
(9) support 1 or more ops
(10) simplified wiring just run a track and throttle bus for DCC , for DC a panel for the yard and each town and a walk around throttle bus .


benchplan.JPG



(10) FOR the EXTREME GLUTTON it can be used as the top and bottom decks in multi deck layout giving a total of up two yards( lower staging , top classification /engine service and 6 towns ...just add helix

(11) if you need to have work space use a 48" height for single deck for double shorten the last town. https://modelrailroadforums.com/forum/index.php?threads/my-bench-and-not-so-special-tools.32862/

I operated and worked on a layout similar to this double decked just slightly different dimensions.
 
You are allowed to cut plywood. I second the motion that 4 ft is too wide to reach. Even if it is just scenery, you still have to get back there to install scenery and the return loop. Here is a way to get around that.

Balloon.png

Also here is a You Tube video on yard design that might help.
 
I'm my original benchwork I did as your drawing showed I had a 4X4 angling down to 3ft but after a few days of considering good advice I'm going with a different approach. 2ft wrap around with a middle section coming from the back.
 
GeeTee said:
This is what I think is a more efficient use of the space 12X20 , This crams in a lot of railroading into a small space.

Advantages :

(1) max reach over is kept to <24" ...no need for remote control wiring you can use manual Caboose throws on just about everything. no falling over on the scenery .
(2) Yard space is maximixed with room for leads , inbound /outbound and long 10 - 12 ft long double ended classification tracks , generous engine service "bump out" for engine house and DCC programming track.
(3) 2ft aisle space
(4) center works is 5ft , wide enough to support 26" radius with room to spare. I think the whole plan will support 26" R if care is taken in placing the curves
(5) it avoids parallel lines to the walls for aesthetics .
(6) remove able bridge in front of the door , installed during op sessions or for track cleaning maintenance.
(7) room on either side of the door for multi track industries ( mines , gravel pits ,ect.)
(8) about 100ft of mainline.
(9) support 1 or more ops
(10) simplified wiring just run a track and throttle bus for DCC , for DC a panel for the yard and each town and a walk around throttle bus .


View attachment 128299


(10) FOR the EXTREME GLUTTON it can be used as the top and bottom decks in multi deck layout giving a total of up two yards( lower staging , top classification /engine service and 6 towns ...just add helix

(11) if you need to have work space use a 48" height for single deck for double shorten the last town. https://modelrailroadforums.com/forum/index.php?threads/my-bench-and-not-so-special-tools.32862/

I operated and worked on a layout similar to this double decked just slightly different dimensions.
Click to expand...
I came up with a similar idea more straight lines. From the start I was long term planning a second level coping the first level and a lower long term storage yard with a helix built outside the shed. All this as I get better at the hobby. Your thoughts on placements. I was going to give one whole 20 ft side for my yard and any thing and everything to do with RR ops and maintenance with limited passenger sevies at this time, another of the 20ft runs for a intermodal yard if I can fit it in, and make it as complete as possible. Not sure if I would want my industrial park on the peninsula or the back and the town in the other.
 
the 20ft side is best for the yard and engine facilites . The way I drew it the center pennisula has 2 "towns" one on each side of a backdrop divider each town would have a passing sideing 8 -10ft for meets / passes/ runrounds that gives you 12 or so ft to put whatever industries you see fit ( I would try to have 5 or 6 at least per town to keep things intresting) . The opposite 20ft sect could be use for another town /industry or intermodal.

You can stick a lot of industry in a 20 x 1ft + area https://modelrailroadforums.com/forum/index.php?threads/grain-terminal-build.33164/

its really according to what you want to do. I would advise you to look around in the construction part of the forum and get some ideas.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.



Back
Top