HELP WITH YARD STORAGE DESIGN

what type track will you use in the yard, Fastrack?

Using Ross would open up other possibilities. Since it's in a different room does it need to match the main layout?

Yes, Fastrack and I would want it to match up with the main layout.

I have a number of Fastrack manual, remote and command control switches that I would like to use.

Rich

I understand. Since I worked this up while waiting for a response, I will post just to illustrate the point about more possibilities. The curves at the top are 042

That looks like Gargraves and Ross switches, but it is impressive.

Richie C. posted:

That looks like Gargraves and Ross switches, but it is impressive.

Yes, Ross switches with Gargraves flex.

Recent yard throat.   A Curtis Ross 4 way, a couple of standard switches and a couple of Ross Double slips.  Module is 37.5" X 72".   

Richie

The only suggestion I can make is regarding the two short sidings on the far right. Instead of using the two left hand switches, try using two right hand switches in the form of a "ladder". You may be able to make those two sidings a bit longer.

Rattler - I could use O-48 Fastrack curves. I know that still limits the size of the engines and rolling stock, but I'm comfortable running smaller stuff. The main layout on the other side of the wall will be mostly O-36 curves, anyway, to fit into the room.

John - I'll try your suggestion on the right hand sidings and see what I can come up with and post the results. 

Thanks. 

I used Ross curved switches so that most of the yard ladder would be in the curve and not taking up space on the shelf.  These tracks are on 3 3/8" centers (7 tracks on a 24" wide shelf).

Richie,

What is the orientation of the yard table to the room table? 148" along the 180" (15') or the 132" (11') wall?

It may be better to have less tracks and build a pass through by reallocating a wye and some switches to both sides. Take 24" - 30" wide instead of 48"

Here is another option if you can bring the entry track into the yard at an angle. I think this may give you longer sidings.

Hi Carl -  Thanks for chiming in. The "side" of the proposed new around-the-room design closest to the wall is the 130" side. The difference to the 15' side is the width of the entrance door to the room at the south end of the wall.

I tried to design the whole layout a while ago and have attached a plan I came up with (again not very good), but I'm learning. I'll need help with that as well when the time comes !!

The wall is about 4" thick and is to the right of the last spur and to the left of the outer main loop/line on the test sketch.  The existing table top has a bridge over to the existing yard which extends to the wall at the north end, so I could connect the proposed new yard to it - as is - but it won't connect on the bottom end.

I'm also attaching a revised yard sketch I did based on John's design and a couple of photos of the existing layout which might help. The silver passenger car is butted up against the wall.

Because I now have the extra space, my idea was to maximize the use of the train room exclusively for running trains, scenery buildings, towns, accessories, etc. and not sidings (I did put one long spur on the 15' side) and to use the extra space exclusively for yard/train storage. I dislike having to take trains on and off the track, so the more I can store on the layout, the better it is (at least IMHO). I plan to cut a window in the wall, so you'll be able to see through to the yard.  

I've got to close my office now and it looks like we're getting hit with a major blizzard here in Boston timorrow, but I'll be back as soon as I can. 

Thanks in advance.  

John - That is a nice design, but I'm not sure about constructing it at an angle. The original design was for a straight hole through the wall with a rock/stone portal on each side. I'd have to think about the angle aspect.

Richie,

Well, the storm only dropped a couple of inches here in Jersey across from Philly. Good luck to you! Same to you John (TR18)

I took your photo and made a translucent rectangle for the room.  A couple of questions and thoughts...

Is the family room used by children? If yes, and perhaps it doesn't matter, I am thinking that the mainline should run out there and back and be empty of trains when not in use. Move your yard inside.

No children, I would leave the yard in the family room like a display.

It looks like you are avoiding an object in the top right corner. True?

Are you trying to use existing inventory and purchase a minimum of new track?

The snow hasn't started yet so I'm back in my office, at least for a couple hours.

All children are grown and out of the house and the basement family room doesn't get used much anymore. I have a couple of small grandchildren and that's why I originally got back into the hobby, but then got bitten by the bug again. This will be the third "expansion" in the past year and a half.

I like the idea of the yard being sort of a display and, by using switches, the outer main loop of the new layout can either stay running just in the train room or go out and around the yard and back. The outer loop of the yard would stay open for train running and not be used for yard storage.

Yes, there is a boxed in drain pipe ( 6" X 9") in the upper right I have to jog around. It starts about 16 1/2" out from the right side wall. I figured the "empty space" in the corner would be good to use for the additional long siding.

I'm not concerned with how much additional track I might need to buy. Whatever I have now (about 95' of track and 8 switches, including command control) I will re-use, but whatever I need for new track and switches, I can readily acquire. The guys at Charles Ro have become good friends !

A couple of additional points - there is a structural steel post just above where you wrote "Family Room" so the length of the yard is restricted to 130", even though the wall, itself, is 142". There is a similar steel post inside the train room just below the shorter loop.  Also, I can go a few inches wider to about 52" for the width of the new yard, but was trying to keep it to a single sheet of plywood. I intend to cut a window into the wall so the yard is viewable from the train room and vice versa. Hooking the new yard up to the existing layout isn't critical, but the outer spur of my existing yard in the train room (where the Rio Grande GP9 is sitting in the photos) is almost exactly where the outer main loop of the new layout would be, so its doable.

I'd like to be able to run two trains at once - so I have two main lines in the train room design and because of the small space, I've done them as O-36 and O-31. I've also tried to cut back the width (other than the two loops) to about 36" so as not to have too many reach issues. I'm not concerned about being able to run large locomotives or 21" passenger cars. I have one O-31 curve in my existing layout to access the yard and my LC, Legacy and rolling stock are all able to negotiate it with no issues. 

Sorry about the lengthy post - thanks.

Richie,

Very helpful. The yard is giving me fits. I am not sure if the wyes are helpful due to their length. I am hung up on at least three pass-through lines with O36 switches on both sides and perhaps a storage spur or two near the wall. I view it more as a staging area for a complete train and/or a made up set of cars.

It's good to set your room on a grid (or X,Y coordinates) and create objects for the corner and the support columns indexing them from a fixed point. Then, you visually have the obstructions in the plan. Same for the door and it's in-swing space.

I think you could add some interest to the track plan by twisting the dog bone to create an over/under near the top right corner.

There is also an opportunity to connect the two loops with a bridge for another route.

Richie

Here is another version using all 031.

I think the ladder approach gets you longer sidings than the Y's if that is important. I would also echo Carl's comment about making some or all of them pass through.

If you guys are having issues, imagine my lack of expertise !  I'd love to be able to do all that, Carl, but just don't have the expertise with SCARM. I would love to incorporate some elevation changes, as well. I'm also thinking of a two track tunnel along a portion of the wall in the train room. 

I think the idea of having a couple of the sidings pass through is a good idea. That would allow possible travel in both directions and an engine escape route.

It would be an area where basically complete trains would be staged, but I'd leave a couple sidings open for just rolling stock and being able to use a switcher. The O-31 design does allow for longer sidings.

I'm on the north shore of Boston and the wind and snow are finally starting to crank up, so I'll be leaving soon.

Thanks.

One last version with the pass through sidings. Good luck with the storm.