Bachmann Online Forum

I am working on designing my HO scale yard. I will be using Bachmann EZ- Track with the following pieces of track:
9 inch Straight
3 inch Straight
18 in Radius curve and
http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/bac/bac44131.htm <I'm not sure how to describe that....

Here is a color-coded idea of my yard... It was scanned so it  might not all be readable so If you have any ideas on improvemments or changes that need to be made please tell me.

http://s277.photobucket.com/albums/kk49/trainsrock96/?action=view&current=yardmap1.jpg

I just realized that the words weren't very readable so here they are:
Blue- Main line
Red- Classification Yard
Orange- Locomotive Track
Light Green- Caboose/MOW
Yellow- Logging Operation (Non Relevant)
Dark Green- Departure Tracks

thanks,
cody

while your general layout is similar to the prototype, it will be difficult to do on a model railroad due to space constraints. my suggestions:

1. move the departure tracks up beside the class tracks.

2. consider making the yard stub ended, ladder tracks eat up an incredible amount of space, and a double ended yard has two of them. the space taken up by the second ladder can be better put to use lengthening the yard tracks.

3. consider palcing the whole yard on a slight downgrade, from the main down the yard lead to the end of the yard tracks. 1/2 percent will do, you don't want cars rolling on their own in the yard. the grade will take some of the strain off the cars during backup moves, and you should have fewer derailments as a result.

4. use as large of switches as possible. do not use 18" radius switches for yard tracks.

Thanks for the comments Jward.

I have made a new yard track plan:

http://s277.photobucket.com/albums/kk49/trainsrock96/?action=view&current=yardmap5.jpg

The colors stay the same as in my first post and the first track plan.

I decided to totally take out the departure tracks because I felt they weren't necessary on a small 9x5 layout. I made the classification yard stub ended as Jward suggested and I made another "yard" for my locomotives, caboose and my small MOW equipment. Any other suggestions?

thanks,
cody

Might I suggest using a ruler when drawing track plans, it'll make the whole thing look lots better.

Yeah... sorry. I used one for the complete track plan but I did that at a different time and I didn't have a ruler with me at that point in time.

thanks,
cody

Cody,

Just a few questions. 
What is the size of the space in which you intend to build this layout?
Which turnouts are you using?
What length of tracks are you hoping to have in the yard?

Eric UK

Renniks,
The entire layout will be 9x5.
I'm not sure of the turnouts yet.
I don't know about the lenghts of the tracks yet. But it will probably be 2 9inch straight pieces with a buffer at the end.

cody

in a 9 x 5 layout, the yards would be better put in the inside and wrapped and curved around the end

Yeah I agree, seeing as I started off with the same sized layout, there really isn't a ton of space to fit one yard let alone almost two. Also I'm guessing your plan isn't to scale because (and I've also done this) the way you have it drawn while it looks good on paper in reality it will only fit 3-4 cars per track. I would suggest extending the yard as far as possible on the outside then placing the engine facility onthe inside parallel to the yard. Honestly you can't fit as much as you would think in 9 by 5 feet.

Okay, thank you. I'm working on a new track plan right now so I hope to have it on here in about 10 minutes or so.

cody

if you are only in a 5x9 area for the entire layout, that really restricts the size of the yard. i'm not saying that you can't have a yard, but you won't be able to have one the way you've drawn it.

2 9" sections mean a capacity of 3 or 4 cars at most per track. your whole yard designed this way will hold less than 20 cars. you can do much better.

a ladder of tracks using atlas #4 switches will eat up about 9" per track for the switches alone. i'd imagine ez track #5s will be similar in the amount of space they consume. add this to the minimum 18" at each end of the layout for turns, and you don't have room for the engine and caboose facilities where you have them.

my recommendations:

consider a pinwheel type yard lead, where the lead takes the curved side of the switches, and the yard tracks peel off on the straight side. that way, the turn at one end of the layout does double duty.

put your engine facilities off your shortest yard track, backwards to the rest of the yard so that you have to pull your engines past the lead then reverse to get into the facility. you'll use otherwise wasted space and should have room for at least 2 tracks. you might even have room for a small turntable there. give youself enough room for 2 locomotives on that shortest yard track, and use the rest of the track for cabooses.

a good example of the pinwheel yard ladder appears in the kalmbach book 101 track plans for model railroaders. look for a plan called sanaxis & phrax.

using these suggestions, you may be able to have at least one 10 car track in your yard, and a total capacity of 30 or more cars on 5 yard tracks.

Jward,

I cannot find the book you are talking about. Do you have any sort of graphics of this type of yard?

thanks,
cody

Although this track plan was just drawn, some changes need to be made due to Jward's yard change. Here it is anyway:

http://s277.photobucket.com/albums/kk49/trainsrock96/?action=view&current=BNSFTrackPlan1.jpg

The colors are:
Blue- Mainline
Green- Industry Line-- Since my layout is DC, it will be another circuit. There will be a GP9M switching the cars at the 5 industries. The numerous sidings are where the industries will be located.
Gray- Industry Line Yard
Red- Classification Yard-- The track closest to the main will also serve as the departure track so when I make a train I will be able to take it in either direction.
Purple- Locomotive/Caboose/MOW/Car Storage
Orange- Freemont-- Where all the products will be delivered.
Yellow- Logging Operation-- The only industry on the mainline.

cody.

Sorry, there is no yellow. The Black is the logging operation.

You'll have to draw an exact scale layout plan with say grid paper and proper track dimensions. Really the corners on your drawnings are wwwaaaayyyyy to tight and even though it's just a rough copy I think proper corner dimentions will tamper with the whole plan. Have you tried using cad rail or the atlas program people always talk about, these will allow you to create the 9 by 5 layout grid and then lay out the scale pieces of track. Mainly I'm worried about the branch down the middle and whether it's turns are to tight.

Thank you Tyler. I'll work on that.

Tyler, I just visited the Cad Rail site and it was very expensive. I am only 13 years of age and do not have the money to invest in that. Do you know of any free ones?

Jward:

Is this what you mean by Pinwheel type yard?

http://www.walkersquawker.net/images/untitled1.jpg

Or this?

http://ttrak.cincy.home.insightbb.com/450Layouts/465Yards/TTRAK33yard.E.v1.small.gif

thanks,
cody

On the cad rail homepage there is a link saying free demo. However upon actually looking at m layout planning software I've just realized that cadrails alright but for your purpose you should get the free demo for 3rd planIT. Similar to cad rail but it's allot easier plus you can select bachmann eztrack and the program has all the dimensions of all the eztrack pieces. Also you can add a train or two to the track and actually run them in a 3d view of the plan. This should help make layout planning much better for you, but I have to add that on the free demos, you can't save , but you can make the layout in the program and then take pictures of it.

the first link, the walkersquawker one, shows the pinwheel yard lead very well.

as for a track planning program, atlas has a free one called right track which is available for download on their site. even if you are not using atlas track, i am not, it will still give you an idea what will fit in the space you have. it's alot easier than trying to draw everything to scale on graph paper.

I've drawn an interpritation of your layout plan on 3rd planit. If you can wait till tomorrow night sometime I'll try to post it on here as I've never done it before. A few notes about the layout, 5 by 9 is not as long a rectangle as you have drawn so space is much more compact. The branch will work however not as long as you've drawn. The yard you've drawn is basically not possible with eztrack however in my plan I've over come this issue and it actually looks quite nice. I've even found an easy way to include a reverse loop on the branch. I'll definetly have to give you my version of your plan, it actually looks quite good, I tried to follow you're plan as close as possible but there's definetly not enough space once you add the proper curves. 

Cody, let me show you what I have as an example
(http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u134/pdleth/presentlayout-1.jpg)
I have 1 foot squares to show the size. Now the yard starting in the middle right side can only hold about 15 cars as I have extended a couple of the tracks but haven't shown that in the plan. All track is Atlas code 83 with custom line #4 turnouts. Now for size, that yard is about 2 feet by 5 feet. A big chunk of area and not a lot of storage. So, if you are planning a 5' x 9' layout, I'd suggest using something like the Atlas software (free) to plan your layout. At the very least you will have a rough idea of what you can really do.
http://www.atlasrr.com/righttrack.htm (http://www.atlasrr.com/righttrack.htm)

Thanks for all the responses.

TylerF- thanks for drawing the plan! It is very appreciated. And yes, I noticed today that the rectangle was too long.

Jward- Thanks for the response about the track planning on Atlas.

thanks
cody

LAYOUT UDPATE

My layout will now be 9x6 not 9x5. It was not wide enough.

cody

Cody,

Remember the reachability factor which will vary with the height of layout(and as you grow up). All track should be easy to reach without stretching.

Eric UK

Thanks

cody

i applaud your decision to add the extra foot in width. dedicate that foot to your yard.

with the pinwheel design, you'd probably have your yard tracks out front and the main line set back behind the yard. it should still be within reach though.

since the average person's reach is about 2 1/2 feet, any free standing HO layout, if butted up against the wall,  is going to contain areas you cannot reach from the aisles. the easiest way around this is to provide for access to the back tracks from under the layout, either through a hatch which can be opened, or by burying the back tracks inside3 a tunnel where they can be reached from inside the mountain. needless to say, you'll probably not want to use a solid plywood top, and you'll want to build the layout framework with these popups in mind.

you can minimize the derailments in hard to reach places by keeping all switches within arms reach of the aisles.

Cody

Have redrawn plan (on a 3" grid) to reduce width a little. The centerlines of the straight tracks on each side are now 2 1/2" from the edge on a 5ft.width. Have added Tyler's idea of a return loop. There is a very small gap (about 1/2") on RH side of loop which can be 'lost'.

(http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa1/damsonskin/BNFS-1.jpg)

In consideration of your age nearly all track, apart from section of return loop across the middle,are within 18" of the outer edges. The remarks posted about 2 1/2 feet reach apply to the average Adult. If you leave out the return loop you can have a 2ft.x 4 to 5ft. 'pit' in the middle and operate from inside.

Eric UK

Thanks both of you for your information.
Thanks for the plan Renniks.
Here is a plan that I worked on this afternoon for about 3 hours!! I had to keep restarting because you can't erase more than the last 5 tracks you made. LOL. The big space to the left is where the yard will be situated if it doesn't need that much width, the Industry District or the Industry Line (samething) will be expanded to include another industry and it will have more room. I know that the switch towards the top of the industry line only has one "end" that switch isn't supposed to be there. Anyway, here it is:
http://s277.photobucket.com/albums/kk49/trainsrock96/?action=view&current=NEWTrackPlans1.jpg

It is made using the software available from Atlas. Any ideas or improvements?

thanks
cody

If you need help with the wiring, please ask us. Atlas software is great and you can change a lot of settings including how many un do's in view, options

Oh. Thanks. My layout will be simple though. It will be DC and there won't be any lights or accessories like that.

thanks though
cody

i notice you are using the 18" radius switches. i think you'll regret that in the long run, especially if you trin to do alot of switching. using numbered switches such as #4 or #5 will greatly improve your layout. also, try to avoid the s curves like you have on the lower right side where you have a right hand switch coming out of a left hand curve. that is just asking for trouble.

try not using the true track library in the atlas software, the code 100 or code 83 libraries will offer you alot better selection of track pieces to work with.

Okay thanks Jward. I just finished the yard plan, now all i have to do is put it with the other plan and it will be finished.

http://s277.photobucket.com/albums/kk49/trainsrock96/?action=view&current=NEWTrackPlansYard1.jpg

cody

You should make the 2 middle yards as long 3 track yards. This will give you more storage space and use 2 less switches.

this latest plan is even worse on the s curves. your whole middle yard is one continuous s curve. that configuration may work for toy trains, but not in HO. eliminate the s curves, you'll regret the current design.....

Thanks PD and Jward. I looked at the plan a little while ago and noticed that.

I'm working on a new plan now.

cody

Is Bachmann EX Track code 83 or 100?

Code 100

Thanks Simkon

I just finished the track plan for the entire layout.

http://s277.photobucket.com/albums/kk49/trainsrock96/?action=view&current=NEWTrackPlansFullLayout1.jpg

Thank you in advance for any constructive criticism.

thanks
cody

stay away from those train set switches. they eat up all your space.

i have drawn examples of a 5 track yard using tru track switches, versus atlas #4s. the difference will amaze you and is a perfect example of what i am talking about. can't figure out how to get them to post here. if you'd like to see them, email me at wardjeffe at gmail.

A 6 track yard takes only a foot of width with the track at 2" center to center like this
(http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u134/pdleth/smallyard.jpg)
This is with Atlas #4's and 9" straights and a little flex track at the beginning.
The lines are a foot apart and a foot high

Since Cody is using EZ track it is pointless to give "improvements" using anything else.

Eric UK

eric,
i think you are missing the point.
ez track has switches other than the 18" radius train set ones in the plan.
the atlas track planning software is freeware and a good track planning tool whether you use atlas track or not. it gives an idea how much of what you envision is actually possible. the atlas #4 switches are actually #4 1/2, and should be reasonably close in geometry to an ez track #5. therefore if a plan drawn using atlas 4s  is feasable, then with a little tweaking, it should work with ez track 5s as well.

in a perfect world, there would be a freeware track planning program for ez track, then we could draw actual ez track plans and toss around various ideas. there isn't, so we use the best available for the price.....

The Anyrail software has an EZ track library (plus virtually every other make) but the free version is limited to 50 pieces. However you can design various parts of a layout on a grid to a common scale ,print them out and put them together as a whole.

Eric UK

i was not aware of that, that's a really good idea. sort of what we used to do with graph paper and drafting tools in the good old days.....one big advantage is that you can easily design alternate versions of areas like the yard, then build the one you like best, without redrawing the entire layout.

The plan I posted was drawn in AnyRail and uses the 11 1/2" #5 turnouts.

Eric UK