Gibson Yd - BNSF- Omaha

Here's a Google Satellite shot of a part of BNSF's small intermodal facility near 13th and Missouri Ave in Omaha. 

You can see there's not a lot too it. Just a few tracks and a concrete pad.  No big cranes, just the small units you see near the center.

Go to Google maps and look around this area. It's a relatively small facility and can easily be compressed for a model railroad.

GS

YARD

The design of an INTERMODAL YARD is somewhat era dependent.  Since you are talking about cranes, I will assume that you are referring to a YARD built after the 1980's.

Basically ist very simple.  There are one or two tracks parallel, double ended and anywhere from 1/4 to 1 mile long.  They are surrounded by a paved area as large as you can get it.  If you are using a side loading crane then it needs to be about 50-100 ft wide.  If its a top loading overhead crane then you need at least 3 lanes 36-40 ft beside the tracks, one for the chassis, one for the crane and one for traffic to get by. 

Adjacent to the ramp will be  as much paved storage area as they can stand.  There will be an area for inbound boxes (on chassis) to be held awaiting loading, there will be an area for outbound boxes (on chassis) to be held to be picked up, an area for empty chassis, an area for boxes to be stored (not on chassis).

The whole facility would be fenced in.  There would be a gate that the trucks would go through to be checked in or out of the facility, there would be an office for the support staff, there might be a garage for the storage and maintenance of the tugs and drayage trucks.

Then adjacent to the unloading tracks would be a YARD with a couple equal sized tracks to put rollover and through cars and store empty platforms awaiting loading.  It would be a normal YARD.

This map will give you all the UP intermodal facilites.  You can find them on a satellite map and look at them yourself.

https://www.up.com/customers/intermodal/intmap/index.htm

Here's a link to the BNSF intermodal facilites guide with descriptions and maps.

https://www.bnsf.com/customers/pdf/intermodal/intermodal-facility-guide.pdf

Here's list of the NS intermodal terminals:

http://www.nscorp.com/content/nscorp/en/shipping-options/intermodal/terminals-and-schedules.html

Or you can search for "intermodal facilities", yourself, that's what I did.

Models

This is a big category. If you are planning on going modern, here are a couple of models of equipment that is unique to the Intermodal world. I'm going to go HO scale here:

Kalmar Intermodal container crane:

https://www.walthers.com/kalmar-intermodal-container-crane-kit

Mi-Jack Translift Intermodal crane:

https://www.walthers.com/mi-jack-translift-r-intermodal-crane-kit-7-3-8-x-3-3-4-quot-18-7-x-9-5cm

And of course the container chassis (using Walthers as an example, but others make them too) -

https://www.walthers.com/extendible-container-chassis-kit-515c64

And you might find yard tractors/hostler trucks (commonly referred to as Yard Goats) in an intermodal yard:

http://www.athearn.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=ATH29117

After that comes all the different containers, from 20 to 53 feet in length, including refrigerated, tank car, and flatbed containers.... And different trailers as well. Plus just about any type of semi-truck tractor.

As for the rest, I'd start here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intermodal_freight_transport for a general overview.

Here is a Union Pacific Training video, probably made mostly for intermodal truck drivers -

Nice Straddle Type Model

I have a real nice straddle type container crane that I originally discovered on a layout being displayed at the Timonium Train Show in Balt. That was a long time ago, and It took me a while to find a kit of mine own. I finally bought one stashed it away for my eventual new layout that I am starting on now.

I looked around for a photo/image on google images, but could not find one??

The kit was a very nicely detailed model, and I think it was European built .
 

Another intermodal yard.

Here is an intermodal yard that formed within the 30 years I've been flying.  At the end of the BM line in Mechanicsville, NY was a classification yard.  30 years ago I could see where the tracks and switches were, no track or ties left on the ground.  The only track(s) that remained was straight shot or two at the bottom of the current location.  About 10 or so years ago this intermodal yard was constructed on the property.  CSX runs on the trackage now, I believe.

This is a Google map and not magnified.  The yard is a little west of Mechanicsville, NY and you can probably zoom in a lot closer.  I don't have a scale but I was impressed with its (large) size.

Nick

Intermodal YARD

THANK YOU ALL for your in put on this question.... NOW I need to know...... what type of WOOD road to make it look like CONCRETE.... I know I can get the LINES from Walthers  and other things I need......NOW I would like to understand the road bed used... kind of paint...track used etc etc ...... again I would like to THANK everyone that read my post........

Surface

I don't understand the QUESTION.  What do you mean by WOOD road?  I would USE plastic sheet or PLASTER in a thin layer to look like paving and just USE any type of TRACK that you would normally use.

Any particular REASON why you put RANDOM words in all CAPS?

Intermodal

I do believe Kalmbach did a book on Intermodal modeling as part of their series on industries. Might start there. (Done without random words in caps!) 

Intermodal

Digcomdesigns.net

has lots of intermodal yard items including the roadway already marked up. 

TomO

SORRY

Thank you for your reply  am very sorry about the caps am new at posting I will do better in the future. your reply will help me alot I was only as what type of wood could I use and paint to make look concrete and other things that will help make look more like a  Intermodal  yard . Again I would like to thank you for your reply, it will help me alot

Frank

Multi-part Container Crane video

Unfortunately it's in German, but it's an interesting build.

Bernd

Wood

If you have to use some sort of wood product, you could use masonite/hardboard on larger areas and then fil in along the tracks with plastic sheet or plaster/drywall compound.  

Balsa isn't good because its very soft and has a very visible wood grain.  Plywood is usually pretty thick and also has a grain to it.

The trick is matching the thickness of the track and gluing the material to the base so it doesn't warp.

How big a space have you to

How big a space have you to work with for your intermodal yard?
As they are huge.Even when scaled down Phil

Intermodal YARD

Thank you for your reply, it will appx 15 to 20 ft long on a 2 ft board. Double track near the front edge of the board with some type of cross over  As of right now it in the planning stage of my layout, I do like the one you have in your picture am hoping to make one just like that. Again thank you for your reply

Intermodal YARD

Thank you for your reply, where I live in Ohio CSX has a Intermodal yard in town call North Baltimore, they moved it from Chicago. on it opening day I took my grandson and we when to check it out. They have 5 high tower cranes that they use, the place run 24/7 Train around their are moving 24 hr a day. What type of wood did they use to make the road look like concrete , tor what I see this should help me out alot.......Thank you.....

Frank

UP intermodal yard in Seattle

The FEC had a small two track intermodal yard in WPB

There was a small two track intermodal yard at West Palm Beach on the FEC in the 80s and early 90s. At some point later it was coverted to a rock/aggregate unloading area.

The tracks were west of the old freight house and yard. There was a crane I believe a Piggy Packer and as noted above a fence with a guard/scale? house for trucks to pass on both entry and exit.

Google Maps view of FEC WPB yard

Here is a satellite view from Google Maps of the Florida East Coast WPB yard. the two curved tracks to left of photo (west) are the tracks that were the intermodal yard.

Intermodel yard

Hello, I used 1/8 masonite and dadoed the edge to slip over the ties, right up to the rails.  The rails just clear this masonite.  I then painted it.  Between the rails I was able to thin the 1/8 masonite to 1/16 and place it on the ties.  Plastic strips would work there just as well.

Intermodal yard

Try Google maps of Jacksonville, FL. CSX & FEC have intermodal yards there. CSX has 2 or 3 yards in the area their location is: off of Pritchard rd I-295; Downtown near the St.Johns River; & I forgot the last location. FEC has Bowden yard which also a major switching yard for them. Hope this helps you out. Also Norfolk, VA has a huge intermodal yard near the Naval base there. hope these 2 cities help you out.