So, how do you like 40 inches in height?
I wish I had it at that height when I originally laid the yard 3 years ago! I have a stool in the Shop that its at exactly the right height to sit on and do trackwork. Got a few switchstands that errant feet have found, and some maintenance to do on the yard ladder. The three way stub turnout at the yard throat is going to have to be relaid on all new wood. Next phase of this project is installing the 2x roadbead that will support the relaid 3 way, the switch to the indoor locomotive storage and the first switch of the staging yard, I got an 8ft 2x8 earmarked for this project.
So now its time to really start looking at a staging yard design. The area is goning to be a basic fiddle yard so I’m thinking that a pair of stub ended tracks along the side of the Shop will be sufficient, one for incoming and one for outgoing, or perhaps something a tad more complicated?
Was a beautiful weekend inthe Big Sandy Valley…too bad I hadda work! Did get a few things done however, like the connecting link between the yard ladder and The Shop. Standard 2x8 braced at the 4 ft mark with a 4x4 post.
There will be additional support installed as the spur leading to indoor locomotive storage is installed to the left, and the staging tracks are installed along the the Shop wall. Laid some ties and began relaying the 3 way stub turnout for the yard throat.
This past weekend, track extended all teh way into The Shop and the large locomotives have been moved there, too bad all teh batteries were’t topped off, but I foresee a lot more operation occuring this season!
How about a simple 1 x 4 attached across that bare end until the next pahase is ready? 40 inches is a long way to not that soft of ground. I don’t want to see “film at 11”.
HAhahahah Well hopefully the next section of the yard will get raised on its frame this weekend… more running room…Hopefully the yard will be operational by Mid July!!!
Okay, but a piece of wood and 2 screws could sure save some beautiful equipment.
Alllrighty! The move is complete! This afternoon I was able toassemble the 2nd frame and lift the other half of Cassville Yard from the dirt! Fromt here on out its new construction!
Funny…its seemed a lot smaller when it was down on the ground!
Congratulations! Okay, so now what? You got this well under way -
Where do your thoughts wonder after you complete the yard? Where are you planning to continue off of this yard? Is the stub alongside the shop, the yard lead? I know the track next to the yard lead goes into the shop, so that doesn’t continue on or does it come out the other end of the building? Is one of the stub tracks headed to the main? Will this whole thing connect into the rest of “Your World” off the back of the shop? Is “Your World” really flat and you fall off the edge if you get to close? FILM AT ELEVEN
Valid Questions! The two largest blocks on the diagram are the current sections of the Yard at a 40" height. The switch to the indoor locomotive storage area isn;t shown on the digram because at the time I wasn’t sure exactly how the Shop would be oriented in reguards to the yard. orwhich side of The Shop the line would be oriented too. In reality the Shop Switch is a LH No6 right at the end of the three way switch. Continuingstraight past the Shop Switch will lead into the Staging Yard area. In its simplest form it might only be a 12 ft 2x8 shelf of one train capacity or it might evolve into something more extensive depending on operational needs.
The next model to be builtwill be off the opposite end of the yard and willsupport engine terminal facilities. Dispite being shown as a 2’x 8’ section on the diagram, I’m considering making it a full 4’x8’ frame with plenty of room for servicing structures. Also I may do away with the switch and track that runs down the center on the diagram and place a combination passenger /freight depot here that serve both terminaing Mainline trains and trains off the branchline with a track on either side of it. An advatage of the 4x8 frame would be to extend the storage spur (2nd from the top in the diagram) to a point where it would be just behine the engine facilities allowing working a coal dock and sand house into the operational scheme. I may extend the track all the way to the TT and make sure the TT could accomodate one freightcar plus the switcher (about 40"I expect) and allow it to be worked from either end. The Uppermost track serves a Farmers Co op and a team track area.
The branchline leaves the yard at the lefthand end of the bottom most track and will extend to future switching area going around the corner of the house,industries here will provide a traffic base for the yard through both incoming and outgoing shipments, witht he Cassville Yard being the basis of operation for the layout. I suspect the basis for this summer will be Yard operations only with both the mainline and branchline trains being represented by staging and only the yard tricks actually being worked.
Only some of what you said makes sense to my little brain. I guess you need to start putting your new ideas and “as builts” on paper. From your explanation, it sounds to me like you’ll have to put a back door in the shop.
Don’t fret it, I’ll wait for the movie. I think you’ve got some great plans.
OK…a picture is worth 1000 words…
Operationally, the track going into The Shop doesn’t exist. Its simply there to run locomotives in and out. The Yard lead goes straight out past this switch and past the corner of the building. This will be a staging "fiddle"yard, at this point I’m not sure how large this needs to be yet. But its on the outside wall of the building not the inside.
The track that will be the branchline can be seen here coming off the closest track just to the right of the corner of the frame. It will curve around towards where I’m standing and go on out and around the corner of the house, which is behind me in this perspective.
Okay, I got it. Now, is the whole planned line going to be at 40 inches high? Is there terrain where you are coming up to ground level or going down to it?
Well originally I had planned on adjusting the benchwork so that it ended up at Ground Level by the time it got to the front yard, (would have been basically flat) But now that I have decided against doing any ground level track I’m not so sure. I may continue with everything being at a comfortable working height…Still to much planning to be done to say for sure…
Half the fun is figuring out what is going to work and carrying out the tasks. What’s really neat is when the final design works like you planned. Yeah, that actually sometimes happens. Enjoy the ride. Thanks for sharing.
Filled in the ‘gaps’ around The YArd today…1/4 hardware cloth for support covered by some nylon (I think) weed barrier…
Then covered with gravel ballast!
Now we’re getting somewhere.
That big empty triangular spot can be sed for a business, a car repair slot, fule depot, lots of stuff…
Bart,
As I said earlier, it really looks nice. I’m sure you’ve got some saticfaction with what you’ve done.
Looking good , the coupler lift bars will be easier to operate on there .
…looks good Barty…