Yard Lead

I started laying out the track with the two most crital areas.

The set of crossovers at the helix:
 

And the yard lead and crossovers:
 

Pretty soon I'll be cutting and laying down the cork roadbed.

Pinwheel

That's a huge pinwheel lead.  Hopefully you won't be flat switching on that puppy.

Why - what do you mean?

Dave H. - what is the issue you are alluding to, and what would the solution be? I am also trying to avoid track issues especially those that may appear more readily to more experienced modellers.

Wow turnouts!

That's a lot turnouts on your curve. I think this is what @dave1905 is alluding. I'd like to see how the track plan would unfold. 

cheers,

Brad

Roadbed

Laying roadbed...I'm using cork underlayment.  Running out of clamps is the mother of invention.

Pinwheel Ladder!

The pinwheel ladder consists of 7 turnouts.  The yard is primarily intended as staging rather then an operating classification yard. Any classifying will likely be via the 0-5-0 switcher.

I chose a pinwheel to keep the turnouts up front, and to maximize track length.

Switching

 Switching on a long lead just take a long time because the switcher has to saw back and forth  a long distance to get from switch to switch, especially on a model where every move has to be shoved to clear.  Pinwheel leads are OK for staging but compound leads or split leads work better for actual classification yard leads.  The switching is much faster.

Running Tracks and Lampson Yard

Actual track went down today!  Running Tracks looking toward the helix.  The empty pad on the right will be the engine terminal:
 

Lampson yard looking toward the ladder:
 

Crazy motivation

Lampson Yard Complete

The principle track laying for Lampson Yard is complete.  I just need to go back and add in the fill-in ties.

 I also started laying track toward the engine house.  Depending on how I feel tomorrow, I may go back to the helix.

Helix turn 1 is complete

Helix turn one is complete. Two more to go.

pinwheel ladder

Q.: If the yard shown is "primarily for staging" and "0-5-0 switching", why bother with filling in missing ties? get to work on more visible parts of the layout. You can always get back to that later! John Colley, Sonoma, CA

penn lake

track work looks good goin to be a real nice yard as well

Helix continues to climb

The Helix continues to climb.  Turn 2 is mostly complete and merging into turn 3. 1½ more to go.

Thanks

Thanks for the kind words!

Middle Level Underway

Helix one is complete and middle level trackwork is underway. 

Completed helix
 

Leaving the helix at SF Tower. The tracks running off on the left begin the continuous run cut off. 

Engine Terminal

Laid out the engine terminal today.  The engine house is from the old layout, and will be rebuilt into a more substantial structure.  I'm still playing with the location of the servicing equipment.

Nice terminal

I recommend about 70' between fuel fill pipes. Roughly the distance between the fuel fills on two 4-axle engines. And anything more than 2 fuel fillers is getting into a substantial engine terminal. 

Charles

Thanks

Charles,

Thanks for the info!

I am

Nick,

 I am truly impressed with how fast you got the bench work up well, the helix and all the track work recently and now structures starting to go in place.   I know you had some time off to really work on stuff but, Its only been a couple weeks and look at it now.  That's fast.  Looks like having a plan contributed to the speed knowing exactly what and pretty much where its all going in place.  Very Nice!

Greg  

Speed!

Greg,

Part of it is having a plan.  Part of it is having stockpiled material.  And part of it is getting inspired by your's and other's progress here.

CA Tower

Back to the track today.  Laid the crossovers for CA Tower:
 

And the continuous run cutoff between CA and SF Towers, aka The Schuylkill Sub:
 

Pennsy Crossing

Back to the track today.  Glued down some cork, and quickly ran out of weights, installed the rails for the Bourbon River bridge, and laid the crossings for the PL/PRR crossing.  This is going to be my excuse for some PRR position light signals.

Middle Loop Complete

The middle level loop, representing the heavy traffic main line of the Bourbon River Sub is complete (mostly).  I still need to replace one temporary bridge with a permanent one, and drop a dozen or so more feeders, but the loop is closed.