Planning stage of putting in a new staging track.
Presently, I want to install a new turnout along the passenger tracks at the back of the Seattle's yard and run it into the next room and install an 8 or 9 track staging yard. I've got way too many cars and engines to fit on the layout and this would allow a lot of interchange engines to reside there.
pictures:
I'm not sure why I did this 40 years ago, but I'm glad I did.
I have no idea why I made this section removable but, without it being removed, it would have been difficult to easily install the new turnout and track. A 2'X8' section of scenery made of 1X2 framing is very light and my neighbor helped me remove it.
There is a 4" space to the left of the passenger tracks so plenty of room for the new track.
The spare room is about 10'X10'. I'll cut a hole in the paneling and put a wall braced table along both walls. The new table is 3' high so there is plenty of room between it and the upper tracks that now reside there.
The backside wall. I plan on putting two 3 way turnouts at the throat of the yard and branch into 8 or 9 tracks. The two 3-track turnouts will allow a lot more storage space. The 2nd 3-way will be connected to the center section of the 1st 3-way. The width of the table being only about 20" so still easy viewing and access to the upper part of the layout. The minimum radius is 48" so I'll make the turn in the corner 48", also. The tracks will dead end at the wall to the right. Will probably need some escape tracks at the end for engines but, then again, maybe not as this will be a start/finish staging yard. Once an ops is done, I can put the engines back up front. With the staging yard, several trains will be able to transverse the mainline and go to the upper 3 track staging yard and vise versa. Trains leaving this 3 track area, or the St. Paul yard, can be destine for the lower staging yard.
The entire layout is all hand laid track and switches. I'm lazy in my old age and will be using ready made track. Looks like I can use Shinohara 3-way turnouts (which are #6's) and a couple #6 turnouts for addition storage tracks. Two extra turnouts would give me 7 staging tracks. Of course 2 more turnouts would give me 9. Still deciding on this to keep width of table as narrow as possible. #6 turnouts are equivalent to 43" curves so that should be sufficient for my large steam engines. #8's are equivalent to 67" but 'eat up' more storage space'. The rest of the yard will just be 3' flex track. I'll use just the manual throws by caboose hobbies. DCC is standard. I'm hoping these turnouts are like my hand made in that only one feed will be needed at the throat and 'juice' will be fed to the desired track when the turnouts are aligned.
Any suggestions are welcomed.
Last year, I bought a bunch of tunnel portals and wanted to install one at this location. With the section of scenery removed, I can now, easily, install the portal. 
