Help me with a small yard

I'm not seeing a whole lot of possibilities here. You really have packed in about the maximum amount track with the table top you have.

If you were willing to take a couple inches from your access space, you could squeeze in one more yard track. it looks like there might be room for the switch where that straight section is, between the engine house and the existing yard switches. That would give you the longest track possible.

I think perhaps moving that gray building with 2 black squares on its top to one of the three yard tracks…maybe that inner most one and straighten that lead out too while you’re at it for that engine house (guessing on that). That leaves the 2 remaining tracks available for cars….THEN use a right hand curved turnout coming off the upper right curve feeding into the space vacated by that gray building yielding perhaps 2 more straight leads for additional car storage. Just a suggestion.

Bob

this is my suggestion you have rr track software and the templates you already paid for so try using the 3 way ross switch also try a ross regular wye switch sometimes less is more with better results. as 3 tracks look a bit cramped,

as an idea at top left curved area it is open have you thought of possibly creating a lower level semi hidden yard area? you could open up a spot and run tracks to a hidden yard area where you now show the planned 3 track yard and have it show with a lower level diorama effect and wind up with more yard space under the layout.

only my opinion and thought.

$oo

I think this might work out well.  2 # 4 Ross switches and some flex track. 

Let me know what you think

Maybe something more like this...



You'll have to work it out with your software to make sure it fits, but that's the general idea.

No switching lead...

I knew this was coming LOL. thus my hidden yard area all kinds of switching lead.

$oo

Well my "main line" is my switching lead.  

#1 I can not fit a lead here

#2 I don't need a lead.  This is short line railroading.  My whole layout is kind of an industrial area / one big yard.  It is not based on a mainline.  So when the train has to use my "main" as a switching lead it is perfectly ok.  I only have it connected in a loop so I can run the trains for the kids.  Otherwise my whole operations are based on switching.   Once my hidden staging is installed for trains to leave the layout to go to "other town" it will be operated mostly as one half of a point to point layout.

If I was going to model a mainline with large trains going through, yes I would want a lead.  In real life not every little yard, siding, etc has leads.  Trust me I see them all long the CN line right by my house.  The train fouls the track as it switches industries in and out.  

I will play around with this with RR tracks and see what I can come up with.

I see that you're using fastrack on your main loop. Are you switching to Ross for this yard? One of the things that my plan requires, in order to get those long tracks, is that the first switch after the one that connects to the main be as close together as possible.

If you are using Ross switches, it is possible to cut them to get an even tighter fit. You can usually take off two or three ties on each end. I frequently trim my switches, I'll post some pics later. Of course if you take this approach, that will throw off your planning software.

Yes I will be switching to Ross/Gargraves in the yard.   

I regret using Fastrack on my mainline but by the time I figured that out I was too deep into it.   The next layout will use Ross/Gargraves only.  

Live and learn. Hopefully at some point in the future you'll get a chance for another layout.

The two back to back switches here started life as 072's, but were modified for close fit, so the tracks could have 4" centers. Instead of having a short piece of rail coming off the frog of the switch on the left, the center rail and the straight stock rail were cut off, leaving the curved stock rail to replace the missing piece.



Sorry this is a bit fuzzy, but you get the idea. The points of the one are almost touching the guard rail of the other.



Your yard could benefit from such customization.

To add switching lead I think you could take out 2 straight pieces from main line , one from north end and one from south.  Run entrance to that yard from main line on north side just east of river

Not gonna happen.  I already have the woodland scenic risers inplace with plaster cloth over them in that area.  It would require a every extensive rebuild.   I honestly do not feel I need the switching lead.  

Here is my new proposed yard.  

I'm sorry, but your latest proposal requires an extra switch and seems to provide less overall actual car storage space.  Can't really tell about car storage without the software program.

Chuck

Yes your right.  I think I just need to buy some track, some switches and play with it

I think that before you spend money and lock yourself into switches, you should print some paper templates from Ross and lay things out full size. Then you can try some of the switch cutting I suggested.

The goal has to be the removal of as much filler track between the switches as possible. this will result in the maximum usable track.

I will print some in the morning and see what I come up with.  I agree that the Ross switches are very modifiable and would give me more options.  

I took Big Boy's advice and used paper templates to layout out the trackplan.  

I would have to cut 3 Ross O42 Left Hand switches to make the yard more compact.  I like the way this came out but it is really pushing my budget.  It might have to wait a few months before I can build it so I can save up some coin.  

Jim,

I don't have the library for Gargraves/Ross, but this is what I did using FasTrack.

I understand you've made a desision, but thought I'd show you anyway.  I'm using RRTrack 5.0, so don't know if the .rrt file will do you any good.

Charly

I have considered using just Fastrack.  It would be considerable cheaper since I own most of the switches already.  The one thing that I do not like is I can not get the tracks to a realistic distance apart from each other.  They sit very far away.

I did think of using the Fastrack switches and using gargraves flex track to get the tracks closer together.  I just have to keep playing with it.  

That's looking pretty good, very close to the original sketch. Looks like the long track might hold 5 cars, the second 4 cars and the last two 3 each (as long as you aren't running any 89 footers).

Have you considered selling off excess Fastrack to raise funds for this project?

Maybe I should just purchase another Ross 4 way or a 3 way and use that instead.   I was trying to save money but by the time I purchase 4 switches from ROSS I could have just purchased a 4 way and be happier with it.  

Ok here is another revision, one I think I am going with.  I will use a Ross 3 way yard switch for 3 longer yard tracks.  

 I was trying to make it too complicated to save a few bucks. 

Looks good, and you might even be able to add a 4th yard track with a left-hand switch just off the right side of the 3-way some time in the future.

Chuck

I did think about that but I actually have some scenery ideas for that area.  I do not want to have so much track on my layout that it over runs all the scenery.  Once I get to that phase I plan to have a ton of overgrowth in that area and in many other areas of the layout.  

I really like the latest track alignment, and the way it just comes straight off the first switch with the 3 way. Been kind of shooting for that all along.

I see that you're using idler cars for the ferry. Instead of that switch which creates a blind track out of the engine house, why not move it back to the ferry lead between the yard switch and the engine house switch to make a storage track for the idler cars. Then the water tower can be on the other side.



This suggestion is going to be a little trickier because you have that grade on the main loop. A connection there would give you a bunch of possibilities, including that all important yard lead.

Thanks for the suggestions

The little storage track by the engine house is actually there for a reason.  I plan to store my snow plow there, and since I am modeling mid summer it will never move.

I also do not want to add another switch to the lead up to the car ferry.  It is actually on a 2% grade at that point and I just feel another switch might cause issues.  I plan to store the idler cars on the lead going to the ferry when they are not in use.

As for the 2nd suggestion, not really possible without a 10% grade!