Could use some help with possible layout expansion with Lionel O tubular track... Mostly a switching yard.

I can’t help so much with the design. Seeing you don’t have any track for this project. You could transition to Ross and Gargraves track if you plan on buying everything new. I think I would look at what Ross has to offer as I think their Regular , Wye and #4 switches might work better in building a yard. You certainly would get closer track spacing.  I know throwing electrical switches is cool. But buying the basic Ross switches can save you some money and the simple ground throws are reliable and work fine in a yard and are very hands on.

For switching - 072 switches would be great.    switching through 031 switches often causes derailments.  

My rule of thumb is to allow 4 inches of width for each track.    However, with the o72 switches, your separation between tracks might be wider unless you put some curves in the track.    But in that case 3 feet of width should give you room for 6-9 tracks.     Take a piece of paper and make templates from one  your 072 switches and  use them for track planning in full size.  

I suggest  you start the lead to the yard as far down toward the other end of the layout as  you can to leave as much of the 8 ft section for the tracks.  

For operation, I suggest you specify 1-2 tracks as an interchange with another RR and  you would take cars from them to make up trains on the other tracks and put cars coming in onto the interchange.

Check out the RossPlate switches for mating with tubular.  Their #4 switches allow 3-1/2" spacing between yard tracks.  You may have to increase the voltage to the DZ1000 switch machines to throw the heavier points.

Wider track spacing may be better for younger operators

3 1/2 inches between tracks is pretty narrow.    It might become h ard to rerail cars on the inside tracks.    Also if using scale width cars, they may sideswipe if the tracks are not really straight and parallel.

I had designed a yard extension off my layout (haven't built it), but this might give you some ideas. My layout is 027 but the yard leads and switches are 036.

The green block represents a warehouse building that your RR can deliver and pick up cars from. I use SCARM, you can download the freeware version that should give you enough to work with.

Dimensions are 6' from the first switch (in red) X 2' wide.

The diagram posted above allows me to make 2 important comments about yard "L" table extensions.  First, be sure to include a long enough yard lead so that while some engine is "working" the yard, it does not foul (block) the main line.  Otherwise, the main line operator will not be happy.

Second, build in an "escape" track so that when an engine with train pulls into the yard, it has somewhere to uncouple from the train and move away.  In model railroad parlance, this track becomes your yard "Arrival/Departure" track. Otherwise, your entire train will have to back up through the yard ladder to leave, which is rarely a fun experience.

In addition, the "wye" trackage built in to the yard lead connection also allows for turning/changing engine direction, also a good thing, especially if steam engines are being run.

This also allows me to comment about the "lower level" track plan.  The lower level reverse loop needs to be flipped so that it uses 2 left hand switches instead of 2 right hand switches.  That way, trains descending from the upper level can run a few loops on the lower level, then enter the revised reversing loop, and return to the upper level after maybe traversing the same lower loop a few times in the opposite direction.  Leaving the lower level as designed will force a train to back-up through the reversing loop in order to return to the upper level.

Chuck

It sounds counterintuitive, but in a 3x8 space, you may get a better yard by using smaller diameter switches for building your yard ladder. Eight feet is short for a yard, if you are using #4 or O72 switches. Sure, you'll easily get eight tracks in (starting from a wye), but four of those will be only around 36" long. Five feet of ladder for three feet of usable track is not a good trade. Using smaller diameter switches, you trade width for length--fewer tracks, more widely spaced, but each of them is longer and more useful.

Check out Ross' website. Even if you don't plan on using their product, you can download switch templates to print out and play around with. (Your kids will probably love it.) They will not be exactly the same as equivalent switches in tubular track, but it should at least give you an idea of what is possible.

A note from experience. We have a back-in storage yard using all O-42 switches (Gargraves). Derailments are not quite unheard-of, but they are pretty uncommon. So I would not rule out using switches of that diameter in a yard where everything is within easy reach. It might be worth the expense to acquire at least one such switch, so you can try backing your trains through it, to see how they behave.

Switching for many yard tracks tends to take up a lot of space.  I have a 10 track yard and the switching to come in consumes a lot of real-estate!  Everything to the right of the red line is switching to service the ten tracks, two Ross 4-way switches, and three additional switches.  Yard track spacing is 3.5", and I have two escape switches, also from Ross.

Thanks for all the help already!  I guess it's a lot to think about.  I wish there was another way to expand with a longer run but we are out of room haha.  

I think the track from the main line just to the new table will be a pretty good length.

I don't think we can afford all new ross track and switches, that would be over the budget for sure.  Was hoping to use maybe the older Lionel 711 or 712 I believe switches that I can hopefully find at train shows.  

gunrunnerjohn, roughly how long is that entire diagram you posted?

@steam posted:

gunrunnerjohn, roughly how long is that entire diagram you posted?

The actual straight yard tracks from the red line and left that indicates the edge of the lift bridge is 12 feet.  The switching section, including that lift bridge and all the stuff to the right is 9 feet.  I'm going to shorten that section to maybe around 7 feet as I do a bit of track rework.  Now that I've had some experience with the design, I find some issues that I'd like to correct before I move on to scenery.  I never liked the S-curves, but at the time where things were, that's what worked.  In the revamp, I'll change those up a little.  The new layout will be something like this, I'm still tinkering in the layout program to get it the way I want it, but this should be close.  Note that it shortens the yard leads several feet and provides a slightly straighter path to the mainline.