I reworked the yard with MTH Scaletrax with #4 turnouts, as an experiment.   The yard-lead is also Scaletrax.  This lengthened each yard track by a few inches, and decreased the width by about 2.5".   The yard track parallel center spacing is a tight 3 1/16", which should be OK as all equipment here should have zero overhang caused by curves.  I will have to test to see how this looks with actual cars.

Previous Atlas-O track yard:

Revised with Scaletrax.  The longest yard track is now 22.5 feet, the Yard Lead is 13'.

The mainlines run around the top and bottom of the yard on Atlas-O track and turnouts.

Impressive Ken! Is there an area for an engine service facility or turntable?

Seacoast posted:

Impressive Ken! Is there an area for an engine service facility or turntable?

Not yet!  Where do you think it should go?  I suppose on the left side of the yard.  A turntable takes a lot of space, just a diesel service would be much smaller.

How about a turntable here?  Turned out to be an interesting addition.  Thanks George!

It turned out to be interesting in having the mainlines split to run around both sides of the turntable/engine service area.  And the yard lead becomes longer, the switcher can pull through the turnouts back to the edge of the turntable without interfering with the mainlines.

Ken,  awesome large layout. Like where you put turntable.

Tom

Ken-Oscale posted:

Seacoast posted:

Impressive Ken! Is there an area for an engine service facility or turntable?

Not yet!  Where do you think it should go?  I suppose on the left side of the yard.  A turntable takes a lot of space, just a diesel service would be much smaller.

Nice addition! Adding the turntable. Now if I only had this amount of room! It’s a ginormous layout!

Here is a variation exposing a triple-track below the ridge.

Ken,  Wow!  That is great.  

Tom

Thanks all.  Trying out a few structures and more scenery details.   I have highlighted the MTH Scaletrax with a light gray color.

I thought to see what it would look like if I pushed the yard "in/up" a few inches.   Making wide graceful curves leading to the yard on the left.   Less space between the mains at the top of the layout, and a wider open area in the center.   This improves "reach and access", but the center access area is now wider than it needs to be.

Ken, even better ! wow. Amazing design.

Tom

if it was mine I would add a bridge from the dog bone ends. Not that the bridge would be there all the time but if I ever wanted a reversing loop for a long train I could attach the bridge and roll / run around.  Also, build it in seperatable modules that way if you wanted to chane / move / expaned / sell they would be movable.  I built mine in 4x4 seperateable. I did not put joints in, but if it needed to be moved I could cut the track and seperate. In my opinion there are too many layouts built with no thought of removal.  

I would put a double crossover at about 1-2 o'clock on the picture. That would give a reverse loop without the hassle of a bridge.

I think... looped it a couple times in my head.

Gents, are you seeing the reverse-loop connections?:  above the turntable, and along the stream/river between towns B&C?  Or is there a need for more reverse loops?

Both towns A and C have a double-crossover built into the 3-track/shared middle track.  The main yard also has double cross-over options through the turnouts.

I had an update to do anyway, so I colored the reverse loop connections so they stand-out.

Oh yeah--Ha

Another variation:  the top yard track (of the five gray MTH Scaletrax) is connected with a turnout diverging toward the top.   Working the yard would be a bit different, but I do not see it as a worse(?) arrangement.   The average yard track is a bit longer.   I think for it makes for a more interesting arrangement with attractive visuals (subjective).   Comments?

I realized that I was running the track to the edge of the table surface, based on my experience with smaller layouts recently.   So I added about 4" between the track and table for a better scenic look.   Less in some places where "reach" is  problem.

That looks impressive Ken.

Tom

Wish I had the room to build this monster. O gauge trains need the room to run and stretch their legs and this layout has that.

Working on an idea for more drama at the right end, with tracks on bridges. 

Ken, Looking forward to that!

Tom

More development of the right-side curves, with more scenic details and interest:

W O W!!!   

This layout belongs in a museum.   

Nice long run.  Is there loco storage not shown?  Seems to be light on locomotive storage.  Could be a squeeze problem once you are up and running.

Tom Tee posted:

Nice long run.  Is there loco storage not shown?  Seems to be light on locomotive storage.  Could be a squeeze problem once you are up and running.

Good point, I will have to work on that, see what can be done:  A bit more engine storage around the turntable.

If the long peninsula at the bottom of the drawing is shortened a little and both mainline tracks are positioned behind the TT there would be room for about 135 degrees of whisker tracks around the TT.  South Western radial tracks are often uncovered due to overall pleasant working conditions.  Deleting a RH will allow much shorter storage tracks.  I did just that to save on aisle space.

OTOH, with two reverse loops there is not a required need for any TT at all.  TT and whisker tracks eat up real estate rapidly.

A diesel type engine house with all parallel tracks is the most efficient use of limited benchwork space.

At this point of planning, your pull through yard may seem to provide very ample capacity.  However reality bites.

Considering your long runs it provides an easy way to drop a long descending ramp for a lower level car storage.  At this planning stage you can design the bench work supports to allow a nice gentle grade.

I find off scene car storage to be essential.  Another way to have extra car storage would be to totally elevate the 0n30 RR and build pull through car storage under the 0n30 site.

One can never have too much on rail storage.

Tom Tee posted:

 

 

At this point of planning, your pull through yard may seem to provide very ample capacity.  However reality bites.

Considering your long runs it provides an easy way to drop a long descending ramp for a lower level car storage.  At this planning stage you can design the bench work supports to allow a nice gentle grade.

I find off scene car storage to be essential.  Another way to have extra car storage would be to totally elevate the 0n30 RR and build pull through car storage under the 0n30 site.

One can never have too much on rail storage.

Good ideas!   Not sure if the additional storage will be needed, but if it can be done reasonably (good ideas), then why not?   I will give that some thought.

The turntable may not be needed, and it does take a lot of space.  But it makes for a neat scene and I like the curves of the two mainline tracks going around it, so I will keep the TT.   I suppose that additional locos could be stored in one of the yard tracks [but then perhaps the layout DOES need additional car storage?].

I thought I would add a visible staging track on the left.  I like staging tracks, to host an additional train that can appear.   It can also serve as additional storage, if preferred.   Its only visible to an operator in one of the access areas, otherwise, the mountain ridge hides it, so its like hidden storage.

Turned-out to be a perfect place to add a "connecting road", or branchline generating traffic and trains, and the staging track can hold a train inbound or outbound.

Here added another staging track, this one is O72 minimum and runs under the mountain at the end of the peninsula.   Hidden for most of its length.   May need refinement.

So, how many turnouts do you see needing for your layout?  

Additionally, where your TT is closest to the inside main line you could install a 90 degree crossing  by a directly connecting the TT with an Ross four way yard throat to have four tracks on a small peninsula.

I am thinking about rolling tables with industry and a city, that project out into the aisle.   The are movable when access/reach is needed to areas behind these small peninsulas.  The layout does not yet have a major industry, like a refinery, or auto assembly plant or foundary, nor does it have a space for a city with tall office buildings (admiring the work on structures building a city downtown that others have done).

Hi Ken, You can purchase building fronts that go as high as 3-8 stories. If you go along a wall you save a huge amount of real estate you need for a full foot print city building.

Seacoast posted:

Hi Ken, You can purchase building fronts that go as high as 3-8 stories. If you go along a wall you save a huge amount of real estate you need for a full foot print city building.

Yes, thanks.  I am thinking of the full 3-D buildings.  Perhaps these two from Menards:

Perhaps with a village running up the mountainside, when the visitor first walks in, just past the curved trestle.   Engaging first impression?