Layouts and layout building

I have room for an 18' x 1' staging yard along the back edge of my layout.  What should I do? The yard would be wide enough for a max of 3 tracks and I'm looking for ideas as to how to run the yard.  It actually connects the west end and the east end of my layout so that way I can have 1 staging yard that works 2 duties.  What would be the best track plan and how should I store the cars when they are off of the layout?  Also, what railroads would run near northern Delaware other than the Delaware & Hudson and the Pennsylvania?

You may be able to get four tracks in that one foot wide space. I did. They are a little tight, but everything clears OK. Make the yard a double ended yard with turnouts at both ends. I also use one track for through trains for roundy-round running. When I use all tracks as a yard, I run point to point. And actually, I use my yard as an interchange yard, but sagging is just as good.

It appears that my yard is in a similar location to yours. I'm not exactly sure what you mean by "How do I store the cars when they are off the layout?". I leave mine in the yard.

I operate it as an interchange yard that off-line roads deliver cars to, then I have a couple of trains that deliver and pick up cars from the yard. I set out and pull from both ends at different times. (I use it as two single ended yards and put & take half length trains.) I try and leave half a track open so the same cars don't come on the system from the same end all the time.

I think the B&O would have been around that area, and maybe the Western Maryland got down there some. At least they are the ones closest. Also, NYC and New Jersey Central could have come down that way. You could use a little modelers license for any of those lines to come in your D&H territory.

The Delaware and Hudson never came anywhere near Northern Delaware (at least when the PRR was operating).  It only came as far south as Scranton. in NE Pennsylvania.

The "Delaware" in D&H was the Delaware RIVER, not the state.

The railroads serving northern Delaware state are the PRR, B&O and RDG.

The railroads serving the Scranton area were the PRR, DLW, LV, D&H, ERIE, NYO&W and CNJ.

On 2 inch centers you can fit 5-6 staging tracks.  How you use them should be based on what the operation is on the rest of your railroad.  is it an interchange area, is it through traffic on the D&H?

Dave H. 

 What scale do you model? In an 18x1 area, you could easily model a large yard for classification, staging, and general "storage" of cars depending on your scale.

The easiest thing to do would just be a yard ladder on each end.

      _____________________________

    /_______________________________\

 /___________________________________\

Would be your simplest option. Two turnouts on each end leading to three tracks. 

 Quickly laying it out in 3rd PlanIt, in HO scale, a 1' wide space is room for 4 tracks using a #4 simple ladder. You might eb able to squeeze in 5 if you put some side on to keep things from falling on the floor, but it would be a little close. 2" center to center is enough on straight track if you aren;t going to be actively fiddling with cars - that's the spacing you get with Atlas #4 turnouts, which are actually closer to  #4.5.

            --Randy

gandydancer19:

It appears that my yard is in a similar location to yours. I'm not exactly sure what you mean by "How do I store the cars when they are off the layout?". I leave mine in the yard.

Sorry for the confusion.  What I meant by that was when I use the yard as an interchange, I'd take the cars off of the track.

dehusman:

How you use them should be based on what the operation is on the rest of your railroad.  is it an interchange area, is it through traffic on the D&H?

I will probably be using it as an interchange to the PRR, the B & O, and maybe the N & W.

GraniteRailroader:

 What scale do you model? In an 18x1 area, you could easily model a large yard for classification, staging, and general "storage" of cars depending on your scale.

The easiest thing to do would just be a yard ladder on each end.

 

      _____________________________

    /_______________________________\

 /___________________________________\

 

Would be your simplest option. Two turnouts on each end leading to three tracks. 

I model O scale, so I wouldn't be able to do as you're probably thinking.  Oh well.  That's all of the space that I'm probably gonna get.

I would consider putting some re railers in the staging yard.... say one at each end and one in the middle for each track.  You'll be happy you did

ratled

ttt:

I will probably be using it as an interchange to the PRR, the B & O, and maybe the N & W.

Of those 3 railroads the only one the D&H interchanged with until the late 70's (post Conrail) was the PRR at Wilkes Barre.  By the time they connected to anything close to those 3 lines, the PRR was part of either CR, NS or CSX , the B&O was CSX and the N&W was NS.

You can do whatever you want, but the DL&W/EL/Erie/LV/CNJ/NYC would be more likely interchange partners.

Dave H.

dehusman:

ttt:

I will probably be using it as an interchange to the PRR, the B & O, and maybe the N & W.

Of those 3 railroads the only one the D&H interchanged with until the late 70's (post Conrail) was the PRR at Wilkes Barre.  By the time they connected to anything close to those 3 lines, the PRR was part of either CR, NS or CSX , the B&O was CSX and the N&W was NS.

You can do whatever you want, but the DL&W/EL/Erie/LV/CNJ/NYC would be more likely interchange partners.

Dave H.

Ok, that makes sense.  I will probably rethink that a little, but I guess It could be a little different because really my layout models a freelanced short line called the Hughsville Central & Wilmington but it's owned by the Delaware & Hudson.

ttt:

..... how should I store the cars when they are off of the layout? 

I think that your question about track lay-out has been answered, so, for car storage, you could do as I have for my HO scale staging area:

The main staging yard for the lower level of the layout is at the top of the photo, with another to be built above it for staging to the as-yet-to-be-built second level of the layout.  The track in the foreground (the "bridge" across the doorway is removed) splits with the line to the left for run-through operation, while the line to the right represents an interchange track.  Sandwiched between this and the main staging yard are two tracks which represent unmodelled industries, providing further staging to and from the layout.  When cars reach either of the main staging yards, or the interchange track, they are removed from the layout and put back into their boxes, then placed on the shelves below.  New cars are then drawn, to be placed on the staging tracks.  Normal operation, when the layout is complete, will be point-to-point-to-point.

Wayne

I would suggest this:

___________________________________________________

     \_________________________________________________\

       \_________________________________________________\___

using this arrangement gives you 3 tracks that are approximately the same length. It makes it easier since you don't need to remember how many cars can fit on each track.

3 tracks in 12" will be tight. If it's along a wall make sure you have sufficient clearance for the curves on either end of the yard. If the yard is hard to reach, I would suggest using atlas turnouts. They are dependable and I haven't had to make any adjustments with them.