Help me finish my layout expansion!

Since you're using Fastrack, it might be fun to have the Lift out truss bridging to the roundhouse from the yard ladder over the gap. I might throw it into SCARM and see what I can do

The way you access the yard is awkward, going from the outer main and across the inner main on a diamond crossing. You've got that right hand crossover at the upper left corner. If you replace that diamond with a right hand switch off the inner loop, you'll be able to access the yard off either loop, via that crossover.

Also, you want your yard to connect to the main at both ends.

You may also want to swap the location of the roundhouse with the turntable, because the way it is now offers no clear way to access the main.

Finally, you'll want a connection between the original layout and the extension.

Judging from your photo, the normal flow of traffic will be counterclockwise on the outer loop, and clockwise on the inner loop, which is consistent with the practices of most U. S. railroads, except the Chicago Northwestern. So you may want to install a left hand crossover near where the other end of the yard connects, so a train can move forward into the yard from any direction on any track.

@BurkusCircus52 posted:

Since you're using Fastrack, it might be fun to have the Lift out truss bridging to the roundhouse from the yard ladder over the gap. I might throw it into SCARM and see what I can do

That would be awesome! 

@Trainman2 posted:

The way you access the yard is awkward, going from the outer main and across the inner main on a diamond crossing. You've got that right hand crossover at the upper left corner. If you replace that diamond with a right hand switch off the inner loop, you'll be able to access the yard off either loop, via that crossover.

Also, you want your yard to connect to the main at both ends.

You may also want to swap the location of the roundhouse with the turntable, because the way it is now offers no clear way to access the main.

Finally, you'll want a connection between the original layout and the extension.

Judging from your photo, the normal flow of traffic will be counterclockwise on the outer loop, and clockwise on the inner loop, which is consistent with the practices of most U. S. railroads, except the Chicago Northwestern. So you may want to install a left hand crossover near where the other end of the yard connects, so a train can move forward into the yard from any direction on any track.

This is great advice. Thank you! I’m going to make some of your updates tonight. Would love additional feedback. 

What are the dimensions of your current table (the dark green?)

Once the addition is built, it might be interesting to make the original layout into a shortline, with those spurs serving as a small yard or public delivery track the way they do at Strasburg. The outer loops could serve as the Class 1 that delivers to the shortline, and that spur that partially circles it could be your interchange track, if you put a switch at the end of it to connect to the original loop.

The length of that track means trains from either railroad could make pickups and drop offs without distribing traffic on either railroad.

@BurkusCircus52 posted:

What are the dimensions of your current table (the dark green?)

6x10 

Made some changes. Here's the latest. I decided to adjust the overall size so I leave space for two unfinished doors in my basement. Now it is 152 in x 200 in (12.67ft x 16.67 ft) with some optional yellow colored space beyond the 152 inches.

Looking for thoughts on the empty table space on the old layout table as well as possible use of the yellow areas that leave space for the doors. Maybe a better way to access the turntable?

Can't really fit the yard turn in there.

Made some changes and included many revisions and suggestions provided by you guys. 

Thoughts? 

Need to get the outer mainline switches fixed to exit the yard on the bottom, and to exit from the turntable.

@Trainman2 posted:

Once the addition is built, it might be interesting to make the original layout into a shortline, with those spurs serving as a small yard or public delivery track the way they do at Strasburg. The outer loops could serve as the Class 1 that delivers to the shortline, and that spur that partially circles it could be your interchange track, if you put a switch at the end of it to connect to the original loop.

The length of that track means trains from either railroad could make pickups and drop offs without distribing traffic on either railroad.

I'm interested in that shortline idea! The table is open in this version. How would you use the space?

I like it, but I'd move the roundhouse and such down so that the lift out bridges arent interrupted. And might make it so that the yard is stub-ended and the route to the roundhouse doesnt interfere with the mainline. But that's just my opinion.

@BurkusCircus52 posted:

I like it, but I'd move the roundhouse and such down so that the lift out bridges arent interrupted. And might make it so that the yard is stub-ended and the route to the roundhouse doesnt interfere with the mainline. But that's just my opinion.

Good call on the roundhouse. I might keep it separate so the engines don't go through the yard, but still thinking.

Also playing around with the idea of a 2nd level double loop.

I'd add a crossover somewhere on the upper route so that the upper route can be run independently from the bottom.

For my two cents...

I‘m not sure why you have three cross overs on the right side of the layout.