Traffic

A lot of traffic, a lot of operations !!

Thanks Jarhead

Flipping the left crossove

Mike:

If you consider flipping the left crossover, you would gain equivalent runaround length on both the main track and the lower siding.

Just a thought.

Kurt

Flipping

Kurt, good catch. That will be an excellent change !

Trial operations

...Or use XtrakCad's Run Trains feature.

if you draw the track plan in XtrakCad, you can then use the Run Trains feature to build up Trains with the correct rolling stock and engines. You can then have a virtual operating session to make sure everything works the way you want it to.  It allows you to make up Trains, couple and uncouple cars, etc. 

Another possible change

I think I would move the switch to the manufacturing plant where yard track #2 is, and have the yard switch moved onto track #1. It will have two potential improvements.(1) more space to get cars into and out of the yard; (2) make switching the 3 back industries easier, by giving a bit more room to switch the manufacturing plant without fouling the food plant, unless you have a lot of cars at each place.

Another option I thought about was to have the switch for the manufacturing plant come off the modified yard #2 and a crossing over the track to the food plant, but I think then yard #2 ends up being used only for the industry rather than for sorting cars.

Chris

Thanks Kurt and Chris

At first, I had the turnout going toward E.D. Ibble foods all the way on the left of the middle 4 foot section. I had to have it that way to provide enough room on the switchback going into Hardley Able and Uranus Hertz for 2 cars and a locomotive. It made the runaround a little tight, but manageable. I had originally planned what Kurt suggested, but I found that it would make that switchback too short. I had discussed my plan with a renowned track planner and he mentioned the same thing. The runaround was a little tight. It was a compromise that I may have had to contend with. With Chris's suggestion, I can have the longer runaround, an easier time switching the two industries in the upper left, and still have a yard (while smaller, it will still be enough to do the job).

That made a lot of sense. I just redrew the track plan to this: 

... and

If you have space to add an 18"-24" clip-on switch lead to the track beneath the blue square marked 'engine house,' you can gain a great deal of utility in drilling the yard and avoid tedious two- and three-car pulls.

Thanks Graham Line.

New Variation

I finally bit the bullet and redid the track plan with Peco Code 75 track and medium radius turnouts. I used a 3 way turnout on the left side of the runaround. I think that it really makes a difference in space efficiency. By converting to Peco, I was able to shorten the length of the layout to 90x18 inches. this allows me to fold the layout into a 45x18 inch transportable unit. I'm toying with the idea of changing the industry in the upper left to a brewery.

Nice layout

Will do!