New Project - Total Yard Redo - (New Pics 7-29)

Cant wait to see the new yard!

Yesterday we finished our planning session and began by demoing the old yard.  We then laid out the new yard and started installation.  We moved the switch off the mainline back further on the left side approach to lengthen the tracks.  We then laid out yard tracks on a 4" center to center to accommodate 4 tracks.  We plan for 3 of the tracks to be pull through and 1 a stub track.  We have eliminated the curved switch at the right hand exit of the yard and are moving the switch back onto the mainline much further back.

Here are a few pictures as we quit for the day.

Art

Here are a couple old pictures of the curved switch before we removed it.

Art

Wow, wish I had your layout! 

Enjoyed your progress and look forward to seeing more in the future.

I am short a half circle of track and a couple switches.  Plus I will need more Atlas Non-Derail boards and Tortoise switch machines before Jim builds me a new control panel to operate this yard and adjoining crossovers and interchanges.

I am planning to call this my Eola yard after the BNSF one located in Aurora, IL on the 3-track racetrack between Chicago and Aurora.  During operating sessions, we will build trains using car cards in the Proviso yard.  Then trains will drop off cuts of cars at the Eola yard that are destined for industries on my upper Milwaukee Road branchline.  Then Milwaukee Road switchers will bring cuts of cars that have been switched on the branchline down to the Eola yard where they will exchange for cars returning to be switched.  The Milwaukee Road will serve suburban Chicago industrial areas and also Spencer and Ruthven, Iowa.

Art

Art; you've made some good progress in a short amount of time.

Art......you guys work fast!

Peter

Art,

Very nice job on your yard changes and renaming your yard to Eola yard!  Look forward to seeing it when it is completed.

It's amazing how fast a yard will eat up all your free space. You think you're gonna have a big enough yard until you start putting in switches

You are so right!  I wanted to use some #5's that I had, but it shrank up the length of the yard so badly that I couldn't go with them.  I had the same problem before with my passenger yard and other freight yard.

Art

 I had the same issue with the #5s too. With old and new planned layout.  Question on the 072/054 turnout. Did the 6 axle engines have any issues with the 054 portion? New layout has 072/054 incorporated going into the yard. I was thinking 090/072 by ross would be a better choice. You do work quick and I look forward to seeing the finished product..

The only problem I had was that Atlas 21" passenger cars wouldn't go through the 054 leg.  It is almost exclusively a freight yard and line, but it bothered me.  I would go with the largest radius curved switch that you can make work.  I don't run much steam, but I would think that large steam engines might also balk at the 054 leg.

Art

Excellent work. Can you provide even a rough layout sketch of the old and new layout - I'd like to learn from your changes and maybe implement them into my future layout. Thanks!

Nice job Art.  I'm sure the new yard will work much better. Thanks for posting. Keep us updated. 

Good move, Art. The new yard will be far more functional and more in line with your current operations and future operations. Experience is a good teacher and you have learned from past operating sessions that changes were needed.

Anxious to see your progress photos.

Awesome! Always hard to start ripping up track, but once you start it's always worth it.

I'm In for the next operating session Art.

Looking good Art. You can never have too much yard space. That means you can buy more trains!

It is times like these that you can be thankful that you hadn't gotten around to ballasting.

Art, your yard changes look and sound very well thought out.  It does sound like the changes to the old intermodal yard will enhance your operating plan quite a bit.  Like Elliot said, it's a good thing to operate for a while before you do any ballasting or scenery.  The changes that you will make to achieve more interesting operation will be easier than with scenery in place.  Although in my case, I've made plenty of changes after scenery was complete, too. 

Bob - It's too bad we don't live closer as I would love to benefit from your experiences with operating sessions.  I live in the western suburbs of Chicago, if you're ever out my way, please stop by.

Art

Thanks Gary.  I plan to ask my son to update the track plan in his RR software after we get done and will try to share it.

Art

Zett - You have an open invitation, but I will definitely have you on the next invitation list.

Art

Way to go Art.  Your layout is an inspiration to many.  I am sure you will enjoy and make good use of all the additional storage you are going to gain.  Keep us informed of your progress. 

Gotta give me the name of the "guy" that builds your control panels.  

I may have an HO project for him within next year.  

Hi Art,

Some very nice work you've done, and pretty quick too!!! 

Thanks,

Alex

Thanks, Jim.  I can remember when I used to be able to get to the top of my son's lists, but he has too many "more important" jobs to do now.  But, I'm not really complaining as he is worth waiting for to me.

Can't wait for you guys to get open again and see your improvements.  Seems that I remember a special new passenger train is waiting to broken in?

Art

Thanks, Alex - You are another guy that I wished lived closer for a lot of reasons.  I would love to see your new layout, especially since I never saw the previous one which looked fantastic.  And I might be able to take advantage of your skills for some special scenery work. 

Art

There are good changes and bad changes.

Sounds like you found some good ones for better operation.

Will be looking for the follow-ups. 

You have been busy Art.  keep us posted on the work you are doing. I know I have been busy with paint and it hurts the body parts    but it needs to done.

Art Yes Yards do eat up a lot of space!!

can you post a diagram of your entire layout

thx

Nice ART, and very fast. 

I second that request.  

Art....I think you made the right decision.  I have a similar problem with my intermodal yard but don't have the space to go to a freight yard such as you are doing to mine will remain an intermodal facility.  I really enjoy keeping up with your progress and can't wait to see the finer details as you add them!

Alan

Art, I am looking forward to seeing the continued progress. 

Sincerely,

Frank

Hi Art - Looks like you have all your model railroad objectives, under control.

Congratulations.

Gary

Very nice work! 6 full length trains in one yard, now that's how you build a layout!!

Scot - The last pictures that you posted looked like you have been getting a lot done.  I see you working on yours and it motivates me to get busy.  I can relate to the body parts too.

Art 

Steve - I have had a problem doing that.  It's not that I don't want to, but the issue is how?  My son and I entered everything into RR track a while back, but he hasn't finished the rough edges yet.  And after he does make the new changes, I'm not sure how to share?

Art

Alan - When I did my intermodal yard, I left 5 1/2" and 6 1/2" spacing between the tracks for the intermodal crane and room for trucks to pull trailers out.  It didn't look too bad, but I only had room for two tracks.  By tightening everything up to 4" spacing between tracks, I was able to squeeze in four tracks, a big difference.  I will just have to settle for running intermodal unit trains.

Art

Thanks, Pete.  I have tried to limit the lengths of my trains and to create long enough yard tracks and passing sidings to accommodate them.  I have found our layouts are always about making compromises and trade-offs and these make for better operations.

Art

Thanks, Gary.  Your giving me too much credit, but I am trying to get back on "track".  I have had several operating sessions and am trying to learn from each one how to make improvements.  This yard just wasn't getting the job done so it was time for a change.

Art