What makes a good yard?

Always a good idea to at least attach a photo of the design if you already have part of a design done. That way folks can get an idea of what things look like and how best to respond to your question. Attaching the RRT file too will help those of us who also use RR-Track.

1/ Consider having a run-through track

2/ An engine service area is almost a necessity.  For steam engines you could have an ash pit, a water pipe/tank and a coaling tower.

3/ Add weights to your cars so they weigh about the same.  15 to 20 ounces.

4/ Caboose track?

5/ Are your cars equipped with Kadee or claw couplers?  It is much easier to conduct classification operations with Kadees.

John

1) I place one uncoupling track per yard track, just after the switch and any curved track you may use to space your yard tracks. You use the shunting engine to move the cars to be uncoupled over the uncoupler track to uncouple. Then you sort the cars you want together on an empty yard track. This is the logistics of creating a cut of cars in the order you want to build a train.

Cars can be coupled without using an uncoupling track. with conventional lionel type couplers, you need to impact the stationary cars at about 8-10 SMPH in my experience. (depends on the stiffness of the specific couplers)

3) I have minimal operating accessories in the yard. On my layout I have engine servicing on one track, an icing station on another track and a string of industries on the track closest to the wall. These industries with loading docks are kitbashed building fronts. The rest of the tracks are for storage only. There is one empty track, which on my layout goes to the engine servicing area and roundhouse. This track is used as temporary storage to build trains. Building trains is like a moving puzzle, you need an empty track to move the other cars onto, otherwise you can't easily build a train, with no empty place to put the cars.

4) I have a lead track that is a little longer than my longest yard siding, which means I can back trains from the yard and switch cars from siding to siding without fouling the main line. This track runs parallel to my main line in order to conserve space. On my layout the yard lead goes around one of my corners, which was required due to the location of the yard.

5) a train entering the yard needs a place for the engine to "escape". I run the train into the turntable lead track, where the engine can go to the turntable. If you do not have a turntable, then you will need a set of switches at the end of two of the yard tracks in order to do the same thing.  This takes up considerable yard space, however it is what is needed to properly operate the yard.

Good luck. If you post your RR-Track layout, it will be easier to comment and make suggestions

Thanks for all the feedback, guys.  I can tell my yard needs a lot of re-design based on your comments, but I've posted what I've got.  Think I need to have a MUCH longer yard lead among other things.  Not sure what more can be done given the limited space short of eliminating a mainline, and I REALLY don't want to do that.. RRT file attached.  I'm having trouble printing the layout both to a file (export to BMP file) as well as hard copy printing.  I think there's a scaling problem in the file I'm having trouble finding.

A real yard is not for storage.   It is for storing and rearranging cars for their next destination.     This is called "classifying cars" hence the term "classification tracks"

Generally speaking a yard is also not a place to store complete trains.    They go off someplace to destinations which is why we have some staging tracks someplace that may be visible or not.

The most important feature in my opinion a yard should have is a lead track that is separate from the main.    The lead track is the track that connects to all the individual classification tracks.     It also generally connects to a track or 2 (in real big yards many) double ended Arrival/departure tracks and obviously to the main.     The yard lead should be long enough so a switcher can pull all the cars out of any of the individual class tracks.    That way a switcher can pull a string without fouling the main and then sort the cars back into the individual class tracks.    It is not often too hard to include a good  yard lead.   It is often parallel to the main, so it can be inside the mainline curves.   And since switchers are normally the only locos that use it, it can have sharper curves.

As for double ended class tracks.    Yes this is very convenient and flexible and great if  you have the space.   But realistically in O gauge, a ladder at end of the yard takes a lot of valuable space that is often better used for stub ended class tracks.    If you can fit them in fine but remember each switch shortens it and the next tracks by at least 1 foot.     Smaller yards were often stub ended.   

A second important feature is an arrival/departure track or 2.    A/D tracks are where a train arrives and departs the yard.    These should be double ended and accessed also by the yard lead.    The switcher uses this track to build up a new train, or pulls a train from it to break down after it arrives.     This track should be separate from the main also and long enough to hold the longest train you run.    It is generally just a passing track next to the yard.

As for coupling and  uncoupling, that is very subjective and different for different types of layouts and operations.   I  am in 2 rail operate my layout with switchlists.    Most of my uncoupling is done manually with "uncoupling picks" which might pointed sticks like skewers or small screwdrivers with long blades.    I use Kadee couplers and simply insert the pick from the top between the knuckles and twist to uncouple.    Coupling is simple, just push the cars together and they couple.     For 3 rail with the magnetic couplers, manual can still be done, and easily if  you like.   I would just put one uncoupling track at the switch end of the siding .    This is what we do with Kadee magnets too.

Generally as  you say milk platforms, stock yards and other operating things are more distinations.     Yards are RR property and used as above.    Industries are private property and get stuff picked up and delivered.    They might be on sidings adjacent to the yard or anywhere else on the layout.    I prefer to keep such destinations away from the yard for 3 reasons.   First I want to make up a train to go deliver cars from the yard and want destinations.    Second, the yard is busy enough without adding another operator trying to spot cars at an industrial spot right where the yard operator wants to stand.    Third, yard space in O is tight, I put the industries someplace else to leave more space for the  yard.

Most  yards to do have some sort of engine facility, but not all especially in the diesel era since they can just park a loco anywhere on a yard track and shut it down.     It is nice if  you have the space and you can enhance operations by requiring loco changes etc.    The same is true of a caboose track if you run cabooses.     You could also have an RIP track (Repair IN Place) for bad-ordered cars.     There are probably some other auxilliary features you could add if you space.     Many small RRs do not have these facilities in every yard.

One  thing you can do if you want to add some operation is to put some double ended sidings someplace else on the layout, perhaps the other side of the basement, for "staging tracks"       These tracks store trains that are "offline".    You can then run trains from staging to the yard to pickup and setout (making some loops if you like) and then go back to staging.    2 tracks, one for a freight in each direction is a good basis.

A turntable & round house.

@rattler21 posted:

1/ Consider having a run-through track

2/ An engine service area is almost a necessity.  For steam engines you could have an ash pit, a water pipe/tank and a coaling tower.

3/ Add weights to your cars so they weigh about the same.  1 pound 10 ounces to two pounds each.

4/ Caboose track?

5/ Are your cars equipped with Kadee or claw couplers?  It is much easier to conduct classification operations with Kadees.

John

@rattler21 - thanks for the suggestions and feedback. 

1. I added a run-through track per your suggestion and will post the updated yard below.

2. I don't think I have room for an engine service area, but your note finally clarified for me what my grandfather's PW Lionel coaling station is for. It's for coal for the steam engines' tenders, not loading coal cars for, say, transport to an electricity plant.  I have all his old accessories and will include the Coaling Station in the yard where the made up trains will depart from. Not totally operational, but gets the point across.  Thanks!  I'm sometimes slow to catch on.

3. Definitely going to add weights per your suggestion. I read and then printed Rich Melvin's post on another thread. Just one of the many great ideas I've picked up here!

4.  Caboose track - I FILLED the yard space with track spurs, so I think I can dedicate one to cabeese.

5.  Old school lobster claw couplers.  I'm a non/semi/O27/traditional scale guy

Thanks for the great ideas!

@Joe K and @prrjim

Thanks for the education on yard operations both in the real world and on a space-constrained O Gauge layout.  Until coming to this forum, my knowledge was limited to what my grandfather and uncle had set up with O, and they were mostly big "loopers". They had some yards and sidings, but mostly for train store and for operating accessories inside the mainlines while trains were looping around them.

Despite being somewhat limited on space, I do want this layout to have a yard where trains can be assembled even if not prototypically.

For my new layout, my original yard design was useless for this purpose. It was for storing trains, not assembling them. I modified it based on what you both suggested subject to space limitations and think it will be a lot better and won't conflict with trains running around the mainlines.

Happy to hear any suggestions you or others have for additional improvement. Note that my switchers are all 27" compatible and most, if not all, of my rolling stock is 27" compatible, so I went with 27" switches and curves in the yard.

Lots of interesting building and appurtences and of course...$$$

You may want to check out John Armstrong's book Track Planning for Realistic Operation.  About $17 on Amazon.  I know most of us aren't too concerned about realistic operation, nor have the space for it, but you'll definitely learn a lot from this book.  Just pick and choose what you appeals to you, and what you have room for.

The purpose of a [classification] yard is to enable the sorting of trains incoming from various origins into trains outgoing to multiple or various destinations. This sorting is called DRILLING and involves a switcher and crew pulling an incoming train apart and assembling it's cars on several sidings according to the destinations of the various cars. Additionally, cars may be BLOCKED, put together in groups according to sub-destinations.

To these ends an elemental yard consists of two (or several more) stub sidings connected to a LEAD by a track switch (or several assembled into a LADDER). The LEAD is where the switcher works to-and-fro DRILLING cars into the required order on the required tracks. The LEAD separates the yard and allows the yard crew to work without fouling the mainline. In real practice a second LADDER at the other rend of the yard sidings allows another yard crew to work from the other end of the yard assembling cuts of sorted cars (BLOCKS) into trains but often model railroaders cannot or don't want to sacrifice the space necessary for such a refinement.

I notice on your track diagram you have an "S" curvs on the ladder into the yard.    these should be avoided as much as possible because cars are much more prone to derail on the S Curve.     This is more common with the Talgo style couplers on most 3 rail cars.    that is the truck mounted couplers.     Body mount couplers are more forgiving but would still give problems on 27 inch diameter switches.

You can reduce the effect of the "S" curve by moving the switch down 1 straight track as shown in blue. You can replace the curve with a switch to get a spur for caboose storage thus freeing up the rest of the yard tracks for cars.

@DoubleDAZ posted:

You can reduce the effect of the "S" curve by moving the switch down 1 straight track as shown in blue. You can replace the curve with a switch to get a spur for caboose storage thus freeing up the rest of the yard tracks for cars.

Thanks Chief!  Much appreciated.  Once again I'm counting on senior NCOs to fix half-baked ideas!

Thanks for a good laugh. 🤣🤣🤣

Here's how you can add an engine escape so the train can pull in and the engine get out. That way you don't have to back it in.

Dave,

I think I know what you're trying to do, but don't you want to connect the engine escape track one more track to the right.  As printed above, the engine will have to run around a very short train.

Chuck

Duh, you’re right, in too much of a hurry as we’re busy prepping for tomorrow. 😉

EDIT: Fixed it.

I saw another "S" curve and I don't think we needed the second switch on the escape.

BTW. I also rotated the layout 90° and resized the work space. My old eyes have a hard time when the longest dimensions are on the Y axis instead of the X axis. Feel free to ignore it and make any changes to your file.

FWIW, I only raised 2 daughters and my wife did most of that because I spent way too many hours at work or TDY.