Toy train operating and collecting

Hello Experts!  I am beginning construction of a 4,5, or 6 track yard with Fastrack.  I will be using left hand 'O48' Fastrack remote switches.  Length will be in the 8-10 foot range.  Maximum width is 48 inches with room for switch controllers on the edges.  I am looking for any websites, ie. free, that might help me with design.  Specifically, the number of half curves and half straights needed, etc. to utilize my space in the most efficient manner.  I do not want to buy any unnecessary track if I don't have to.  I know there is software out there that I understand is pretty good, but I'm too cheap.  (I wouldn't mind knowing the names of software for future reference though if you know any that you'd recommend).  If anyone can help I would surely appreciate it.  Pictures welcome!  Thanks!  Jim

Makettimer,
This is a 42" x 10' yard. Anything deeper and your short spurs just look too short, anything shorter and there isn't much space on the yard spurs. I used RR-Track for the plan.

The part list is:
12014    10" Straight              32
12024    5" Straight                2
12025    4.5" Straight              1
12026    1.75" Straight             3
12035    Lighted Bumper             5 (need 3 boxes)
12043    O-48 Curve (full)          1
12065    O-48 Remote switch left    3
12066    O-48 Remote switch right   1

Brent- I've been thinking of replacing my turnouts in my yard. What is the center to center distance for the print you made.

 Jason 

Jason,
I can't tell for sure, but it appears to be about 6.25 inches.

If you don't have any large locomotives exceeding O36 curves, you could have a yard with O36 switches & curves. The advantage to this is that you don't need any special straight track sections, just some of the O36 quarter curves. The O36 switch lines right up with the mainline's straight tracks, so you can easily make parallel tracks. I have a 2-track freight yard on my layout like this, and it's pretty neat. I think there's a 2 1/2" space in between each track.

Very useful!  Thanks for the help!  Jim

I found with Realtrax, 072 switches actually put my yard tracks closer [an more realistic] together than 054.  Brent, try 072 on RR Tracks.

This is the yard using O72 turnouts. The spurs aren't as long, but the track spacing is narrower.

Part List:
9     FasTrack 12000X 1.375 inch fitter (come with the O-72 turnouts)
32    FasTrack 12014 10 in straight
1     FasTrack 12024 5 in straight
1     FasTrack 12025 4.5 in straight
6     FasTrack 12026 1.75 in straight
1     FasTrack 12041 O72 22.5° curve
3     FasTrack 12048 O72 remote switch left
1     FasTrack 12049 O72 remote switch right
5     FasTrack 12035 lighted bumper (need 3 boxes)

And here is an Atlas O54 turnout yard.

Part List:
2     Atlas 6015 1.25 in straight
40    Atlas 6050 10.0 inch straight
3     Atlas 6051 4.50 inch straight
3     Atlas 6052 1.75 inch straight
3     Atlas 6053 5.5 inch straight
1     Atlas 6060 O54 22.5° curve
3     Atlas 6070 short O54 lefthand turnout
1     Atlas 6071 short O54 righthand turnout
5     Atlas 6040 snap-on bumper (need 3 boxes)

Yards sure are a fast way to eat up $500+, aren't they!  I guess it beats taking the trains off of the track, or building a storage case for them. 

MTH makes 0-84 curves.  It would probably help spacing if they made the 0-84 switches too.

Wes

Wes,
I have found anything over O-72 makes for very tight track spacing. If I were going O-72 I would probably add a 1/2 straight between them to keep spacing at acceptable distances.

You must not be talking about Realtrax...A because even 0-72 doesn't seem that close, and B, they don't make anything bigger than O-72.  I'm too deep into realtrax now to switch to Atlas now.  I just bought yet another switch at lunch time.
Wes

Wes,
To show you what I am talking about in the following image the top yard is O-72, the bottom is #7.5 high speed switches. With the top yard you get center-to-center of approx 4.75 inches, the bottom is closer to 2.5 inches. That is REALLY tight. Atlas track again... not suggesting to anyone that they scrap their track, just trying to highlight that just because one can make a tighter yard, it is not always wise...

Do you think that most cars will still fit on the Atlas, although it's a little close prototypically?  For someone like me who doesn't have the extra room, making a yard with Atlas kinda makes sense.  Maybe make a couple of them with the spacers you are talking about to store the really wide cars and engines.  I have a 12"x 8' that would love the Atlas track.
Wes

Wes,
I would recommend the O-72 for a 12" x 8' yard. You can get 4 sidings in it and not lose all the length that those Atlas switches require... plus those Atlas switches are $90.00 a pop.

Have you seen my yard on my layout? I did it with O-54 Atlas switches and they are nice and tight... I think mine is 14 inches deep though.

That's great news about the 0-72 switches.   4 tracks would be good with me.  I could go a little deeper than 12", since I haven't built it yet, but I wanted that side to be a wall hugger so I didn't eat up the whole room with bench (we will see how long that lasts).  I haven't actually  tried to build it in RR track yet.  It's what I just put off as "later work down the other wall".  I'll check out your yard a little better.

Wes