Lots of the clinic handouts from the 2011 NMRA convention are now online. Lots of good stuff there, even for us Large Scalers
Cool - Thanks Bob!
Lots of cool stuff there, I havent gone through all of them yet. The one on yard design is neat
Link to Yard Design?
Thanks, Bob, dunno how I missed that.
Those of us into operations have a heck of a time making a reasonably sized, workable classification yard without it being huge. That document is great, as is this http://www.housatonicrr.com/yard_des.html
My only problem with a classification yard is the expense. To purchase a #6 turnout will set you back somewhere in the neighborhood of $110 each. An Aristo “Wide Radius” (roughly 10 ft diameter or 5ft radius) is just slightly less than $50 bucks. Other manufacturers switches cost pretty much the same.
Rodney at R&K sells a kit for a #6 for $74.95 plus $12.00 shipping. There are others.
Of course, you can always roll your own, but so far, that has proven to be less than satisfactory for me, though I am getting better.
I figure a minimal classification yard will require at least 10 switches.
I guess I’d better get busy… 
Yep. My current yard design for the far end of the RR involves 14 switches. I think Ill build it in stages! 
I solved that problem by making it “off layout”…in the basement. Most originate and terminate at the Interchange.
Ken Brunt said:Yeah, I'm going to do that on one end, myself, but the other end at Bovill kinda sticks out like a sore thumb. On the prototype, it interchanges with the MILW at Bovill, and on my layout, that's is a long way from the house.
I solved that problem by making it "off layout"............in the basement. Most originate and terminate at the Interchange.
The minimum that I can get away with is 10 turnouts, and that ignores a lot of stuff. I, too, will have to build in phases.
Evil??? Bob really?
I’m hurt.
"The seed of evil has now bloomed into a poisonous plant.
So all these folks have these Timesavers of all shapes and sizes built into their layouts all across the country. And eventually, some of them get bored with watching the trains chase their tails, and want to do something else with their layouts. They start to do some sort of basic operations, which is working great until they get to the Timesaver. And after an hour or so trying to move a boxcar in and out of the mess that is the Timesaver, they get frustrated and decide to go fishing or watch TV instead. I wonder if this isn’t one of those things that has given operation as bad name for so many years."
Ric Golding said:Where did he say that? I'm interested in the Free Clinic I need one!
Evil??? Bob really?
David Russell said:Most likely, it was said, [url=http://www.housatonicrr.com/timesaver.htm]here.[/url]Ric Golding said:Where did he say that? I'm interested in the Free Clinic I need one!
Evil??? Bob really?
BTW, after trying to shuffle one boxcar from here to there, I agree. It really is a puzzle, not a representation of an operating yard.
David Russell said:Rooster, check it out in the Operations part of the Forum, I've listed all the sources of his slander there. I don't think it would be right to soil these fine pages of his malicious statements here. ;-)Ric Golding said:Where did he say that? I'm interested in the Free Clinic I need one!
Evil??? Bob really?
OK…Not Bob but …Craig Bisgeier
“JUST SAY NO TO THE TIMESAVER!”
But I don’t get the connection to Bob other than his posting the link to Craig’s website.
Jon Radder said:
"JUST SAY NO TO THE TIMESAVER!"But I don’t get the connection to Bob other than his posting the link to Craig’s website.
Isn’t that enough? He didn’t have to expose my addiction. This could have stayed hidden in the small scales, but he had to expose the hideous past of a great relaxation. I feel so exposed.
OK. I feel your pain I think I’ll pop over to Robbie’s website and spend some cash. It will make me feel better.
Ric Golding said:Explain! :)
I feel so exposed.