A couple of small changes that might be wrth at least considering......
DJ, I don't know if this is kosher, but I would want to have the road engines able to get to servicing immediately upon uncoupling from their consist. So, their having to run up the ladder track and then back into servicing doesn't sit well with me. Could you place servicing in such a way that they can diverge at a handy switch and trundle into a bay in short order?
-Crandell
pcarrell wrote:A couple of small changes that might be wrth at least considering......
Hmmm - I would have liked to preserve the ability grampy had in his original design to move trains in and out of the A/D track totally independent of the switching lead and the rest of the yard ladder. Moving the crossover from the A/D track to the right of the yard ladder comprimises that.
At the same time I would really like to keep Phillips crossover from the main to the right of the yard ladder, since it increases the flexibility of the yard tremendously - because it makes it possible to pull out of any yard track onto the main towards the right without a backing move (and without using the whole drill track), and it makes it possible to take a train arriving from the right into any of the yard tracks (at the cost of interrupting switching for a moment).
In effect it makes the whole yard A/D tracks. Without having to use the whole drill track for this movement - a switcher with a cut of cars can wait on the drill track, instead of having to duck into a switcher pocket to allow this movement.
How about if we put it neither right nor left of the ladder - how about if we put it on the ladder, using a couple of double slips at the top of the yard ladder, and then move the main connection between the drill track and the yard ladder one step down the ladder ?
It takes a little weird crossover/engine pocket to the left of the yard ladder, opposite the A/D track, but it should still be usable.
I also like the crossover towards the left from the A/D track towards the interchange yard. Makes it easier to move cars between the main yard and the interchange yard. Will cost a little bit of the main A/D track - it may be worth it, if the A/D track will still be long enough.
How about putting the engine service facility just above across the main - between the main and the foreign road's track to/from the interchange yard ?
It would make it possible to get an engine from the right end of the A/D track to engine service and the other way around without interfering with the yard ladder or the drill track, but at the cost of having engines moving between the service tracks and the left end of the A/D track having to use the main to get there.
On the other hand, it would put the engine service track (which is a display item in model railroading) further away from potensial viewers. And it may make it too cramped for the track right from the interchange yard for the from the foreign road.
Mainly a matter of taste, I guess.
Last proposal - how about putting the caboose track parallell to the yard ladder ? Then the switcher uses the yard ladder for a runaround when grabbing or dropping off a caboose at the lower end of the caboose track, and you won't have to dedicate one of the longer main yard tracks as a caboose track.
Just some proposals to get the discussion going - feel free to steal and/or modify and/or ignore any of the ideas, whichever you like.
A sketch illustrating the proposals:
Smile, Stein
Lose the switcher pocket, you don't really need that.
Don't need the double slips. a plain crossover will do. If he had 8 A/D tracks and a dozen class tracks I could see the double slips.
Don't need the crossover going to the interchange tracks. You are going to foul the main switching them, you can use the main to pull back and shove down to them and pull back to shove into the yard.
The first alternative design will be way cheaper, way more prototypical.
Dave H.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
dehusman wrote: Lose the switcher pocket, you don't really need that.Don't need the double slips. a plain crossover will do. If he had 8 A/D tracks and a dozen class tracks I could see the double slips. Don't need the crossover going to the interchange tracks. You are going to foul the main switching them, you can use the main to pull back and shove down to them and pull back to shove into the yard.The first alternative design will be way cheaper, way more prototypical.
You are certainly right about the engine pocket, crossover towards interchange (my brain must have been somewhat paralyzed to come up with those two - guess it was too late at night ), and you are also right about Phillips first suggested modification being more economical and more prototypical looking.
Only part of your argument I didn't totally understand was the part about replacing the double slips (plural - both of them) with a plain crossover. Top one could be replaced by having the crossover to the left of the yard ladder, if I understand you correctly. But wouldn't I still need the lowermost double slip to switch the yard ladder (see figure under) ?
Move the engine track switch one switch length to the left. Move the yard switch in th emain one switch length to the right. Extend #1 into the drill. Lose the crossover in #1. Lose the puzzle switch. Add the caboose track back.
Moving from right to left you would have the left hand crossover from the main to the drill, the the #1 switch to the lead.
No puzzle switches.
If you absolutely have to completely isolate the lead from the arrival tracks, slide everything to the right of the double slip switch right about 6-8 inches and replace the double slip with a pair of left hand switches.
I must confess that I am not a big fan of double slip switches. I personally have never seen one used on a prototype road outside of a major passenger terminal. If you like them then use a double slip switch. They save about a 1/2-3/4 switch length of room.