As this is a Staging Yard, would it save space/ save the turnouts/both of the previous to make a transfer table/traverser to hold 2 units (or even three?) literally right on the end of the shelf ?
The table itself could be a piece of aluminum U channel resting on rails or a "strap"/"plank"/ "length" of MDF which would also mean that only one track would be needed to be vacant to provide a runaround.
Hope this helps
Cheers from Australia
Trevor
Richard and Jim,
I might be missing something, but I don't see how using either wye turnouts or a turntable would improve on corsiar's design. Please enlighten me.
Wye turnouts are designed to allow the two diverging tracks to go in two different directions. Yard tracks need to be parallel, i.e. go in the same direction. It seems to me that getting tracks to run parallel to each other after coming out of a wye will create rather sharp 'S' curves.
Using a turntable might work if there is enough space to accommodate the curved approach tracks, but isn't the 'back and forth' movement prototypical in a yard?
Just my
Please understand that I absolutely do not intend my comments to be disrespectful. I'm really curious to see how either option would work.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
In place of the turnouts, you could install a turntable at the end where you could switch the loco to-and-from any of the tracks, without having to do multiple back-and-forth sawing.
Depending on the track spacing, maybe an Atlas Turntable could work, worst case...a small (to fit your locos) non-motorized, finger-operated TT would be a more efficient use of space. Going fancy, a Walthers programable TT would likely work... and could be cost-attractive compared to the multiple crossover turnouts.
Jim
Have you thought of using wye turnoouts? Think it would save you some money and space.
Good luck
Richard
Hi corsiar,
I don't see 'dumb'. I see 'smart'!
Need a staging yard for my layout. Never planned to do one so a double decker and helix is not going to work. So I came up with this dumb idea going into the closet. I dont want to pick up the locomotves all the time so I put crossovers on the end so the locos could be uncoupled then moved to the adjacent track to run around the train then couple back up on the other side. Is this a dumb idea or should I come up with something better?