@PRR1950 posted:I'm glad you added a yard lead, but looking at your plan again, I'm thoroughly confused. At the top (north side), it looks like your outside main rises and enters a reversing loop, but on the bottom (south side), it looks like the same outside loop just completes the circle. If so, to what does it connect underneath the raised return loop?
About that yard lead; while inserting it, you made your longest yard track unreachable from the lead. Since that longest track should probably be your "Arrival / Departure" track where trains are either broken down or made up in the yard, you must reconnect it at both ends. That can be done by using a double slip switch in the same spot where you "inserted" the yard lead switch. Finally, most double-ended yards will have a yard lead on each end for more efficient switching, but I can see from you layout plan that this idea will not work out very well for you. But just imagine two operators trying to sort cars from each end of your yard!!
Lastly, your reach concerns on the left are justified. To resolve, put the turntable on a jack of some type that can be raised sufficiently to allow you to work back there when necessary. Remember to increase the available wiring length accordingly.
Chuck
EDIT: Sorry, but I just realized that the top loop switch that I thought started your upper loop actually allows the outer loop to descend to table level while it goes around the raised loop. Mea culpa.
Haha, I knew that elevation gain and plateau would be difficult to imagine in 2D. My concern with it is realism as the plateau will need to have dead vertical sides and won't look natural. I am considering kicking the outter mainline further to the right a couple inches so I can make it more of a gradual slope from the lower track height to the 6" plateau.
I actually end up with an additional staging track as compared to rev. 1. I think the three yard lines should be good and the 4th, upper line will just be storage. I am using all Fastrack so it kind of limits what switches get used, i.e. double slip switch not an option. You may be able to talk me into it though...
The turntable idea is excellent and I never would have thought of it. Quickly adds another 24" of reach to that side of the table; I'll just have to brainstorm how to lift the TT without it being a circus.
