RR Yard design

[ShaunCN]

Hi evryone. Hope you can help me. I have added a 3x4 section to my 4x8 ho scale railroad and am planning on having a small yard and engine roundhouse with turntable. Can any one tell me what goes into the design of a yard, what factors influence design? what exactly do rail yards do? Also can anyone direct me to information and or pictures of turntables and roundhouses. Your help is greatly appreciated.
ShaunCN[:)]

[AltonFan]

You might want to look at these books, if you haven't already:

John Armstrong's Track Planning for Realistic Operation: http://store.yahoo.net/kalmbachcatalog/12148.html

Marty McGuirk's The Model Railroader's Guide to Locomotive Servicing Terminals
: http://store.yahoo.net/kalmbachcatalog/12228.html

And remember, a yard is a place to classify (sort) cars, not store them.

[dehusman]

Railroad use yards to sort cars. Cars that are loaded at industries on your layout go to different places, some may go to Vancouver and some to Toronto. You don't want to put the Vancouver cars on the Toronto train, so someplace you have to separate them. That place is a yard. All the cars going East are switched into one track. All the cars going west are switched into another track. Plus trains arriving you r yard will drop of cars going to your industries. Maybe you have 2 switchers, you will need to sort the cars for switcher 1 from the cars going to switcher 2. Tha is also done in the yard.
Most yards also have a runaround track (it may be a "siding" on the main line also) that allows an engine to get to either end of the train or track.
An engine facilities should have a track for the engine to be serviced (fuel, water, sand, oil) and a track for those things to be unloaded. Then there could be a track for the engine to be maintained which would be an engine house or roundhouse.

That's a really condensed explanation.

Dave H.

[ShaunCN]

thanks for all your help

ShaunCN

[n2mopac]

John Armstrong's Track Planning for Realistic Operation: http://store.yahoo.net/kalmbachcatalog/12148.html

This book recommended above is an absolute must read to anyone planning a new model railroad of any size if you have any interest at all in making it look and run in a realistic manner. I learned more about railroading, prototypical and model, from this book in my early days in the hobby than from any other single source. Buy it! Read it! You won't regret it!
Ron

[randybc2003]

Check out Kalmbach's "Track Planning Specials", publiched yearly since '95. One issue is dedicated extensively to Classification yards. I particularly rember Frankfor Kentucky. CMStP&P(Millwauke Rd.) engine terminal at WAUSAU (Sp!) also detailed. T. Koster wrote a 2-page on "yard throats". Reprints may be available. Check Kalmbach's "101 Track Plans". Several good small yard (switching) layouts in it.
Carsten's Publications also has books on track plans, Loco service facilities, RR structures, etc. Check w/ them &/or your local hoby shop.
For more, bouse the Model Railroad Publications Index. You can note publications and issues, and check your local library.
3'x4' isn't too big for division point. Try to look over a copy of Kalmbach's old book
"Model Railroad Built To Grow" - 1950's I think.
And check over pictures in your own library. My Gallows Turntable is built "different" from all gallows drawings (mostly SP) but guided by a photo I found in a book on
logging RRs!