https://imgur.com/a/AImK1Y6
I am currently working on my first expansion to my HO scale layout. I have limited room for a yard. I am a novice in layout design, I am not sure if I am doing this right.
Would love to hear thoughts
Well, you’re not going to be able to switch any cars into the two sidings on the left side of the plan because the length of track beyond that last turnout on the left isn’t long enough to hold more than an engine.
What is the purpose of those two tracks on the left side - given that at least some extension of the "drill" track is needed to make the tracks useful (per the previous comment)? Also, it would be adventageous to have a "runaround" track so that the switcher can get around to the other side of a car or cut of cars. Think about how the yard will function with the rest of the layout - is it for staging and/or holding cars only or is the intent to have a working yard? The yard as laid out provides for storage tracks of differing lengths - based on the three "stacked" turnouts on the right - making the turnouts come off the diverging route (of the 1st turnout) would make the tracks more equal in length.
You need a run arround but it can be small.
What is the purpose of the yard? Is it to switch cars and classify cars or is it to store trains or cars?
The tail track of the switchback for the left two tracks is too short.
You might be able to gain an extra car or two of room, or be able to squessze in a couple more tracks by making a compound ladder or a diamond ladder.
You will want a runaround in the yard (double ended track).
If you angle the yard on the diagonal of the benchwork, you might be able to make the tracks a bit longer (unless you are using commercial sectional track with fixed length pieces).
If you will be switching the yard and wanting to run trains on the main lines (dark purple) at the same time, you will need a switching lead, a pull back track. Put a right hand switch where the #168 track piece is and run a track as long as your longest yard track to the right of the purple track.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
The yard is mostly just for storage, I have a large collection of cars and would like them to be able to be stored somewhere instead of just in boxes.
I am not into ultra realistic operations I just enjoy running trains.
this is my first yard design so I'm still trying to figure it out
If you just want storage, put a right hand switch just below the top switch in the yard and run the two leftmost tracks from the top of the yard, that will give you waaaaaay better access to those tracks and more storage area. You have enough room to put 3 or 4 tracks to the left. Basically mirro image the series of switches down the right side on the left side. Almost doubles the yard capacity.
Not sure what track and # turnouts you are using, looks like Atlas #6s? Looks like there is maybe about 7' available for the yard. Don't know what kind of equipment you are running but consider using #5s for the yard rather than 6s if you are not running long equipment. A small compact yard might look like:
This was constructed using Peco #5s and 2" track centers - if this were for my layout, I'd use the two rightmost tracks for staging/arrival/departure tracks (allowing for ~8 car trains, assuming 6" freight cars), the next 3 for storage, and the leftmost track as drill track for the runaround, with a pocket for loco storage at the upper left. The tail track is about 30" plenty of room for an engine and a few cars, as is the runaround. Total capacity is about 50 cars if the yard is full.