07-14-2010, 03:52 PM
Hi Matt, I just took a quick look at your plan, you mentioned the yard is about 10' long, and I think I see on your drawing the yard going from 1 to 5 tracks. When drawing a plan on graph paper, allow 1' for each turnout in the ladder. The first turnout, yielding the second track, will need 1' (at each end) 3rd track, another foot. This is a simple rule of thumb I use when doing quick sketches, to prevent me from thinking I can fit in more than I really can. So, to go from 1 track to 5, you will need 4' at each end. With 10', that means tracks 4 & 5 will be 2' long, with the use of a simple ladder. I don't think that is what you were hoping for.
I agree with Ralph regarding staging. You mentioned not liking the hidden track, so this thought may not appeal to you. You mentioned long sidings to appear as double track. Would you like double track? I think I also see you have a spot on the left blob where on track passes over another. You've got plenty of length to drop 7" upon leaving the yard to when you return to it. 7" is plenty of room to rerail and clean track. Instead of the track which returns to the yard and runs along the back wall and then goes a round the turnback curve and enters the yard, you could have it run 7" below the yard, and have several staging tracks up front, where you can reach. If you are interested but can't quite see what I'm trying to say, I'll post a crude drawing. But I don't know if this will appeal to you at all.
I agree with Ralph regarding staging. You mentioned not liking the hidden track, so this thought may not appeal to you. You mentioned long sidings to appear as double track. Would you like double track? I think I also see you have a spot on the left blob where on track passes over another. You've got plenty of length to drop 7" upon leaving the yard to when you return to it. 7" is plenty of room to rerail and clean track. Instead of the track which returns to the yard and runs along the back wall and then goes a round the turnback curve and enters the yard, you could have it run 7" below the yard, and have several staging tracks up front, where you can reach. If you are interested but can't quite see what I'm trying to say, I'll post a crude drawing. But I don't know if this will appeal to you at all.